Early 90s visual design was something to behold.

After Thames bid farewell in the 31st of December 1992, ITV lost all of it's glittering status in commercial British broadcasting in London. Hopefully and soon as possible, Thames Television will surely return as an ITV broadcaster in London kicking Carlton's bloody arse and will rise again like a flaring Phoenix soaring to the skies above.

@johndrake2729

5 жыл бұрын

Bring ALL of them back.

@revinhatol

4 жыл бұрын

@@johndrake2729 FOR GOOD.

@williamg209two

2 жыл бұрын

i mean carlton own 30 ish % of itv and granada the other lot so ask the goverment to bring back franchise rights

Sunrise became GMTV pre-launch because Sky News planned to sue them for copyright infringement, since their morning show is called "Sunrise."

HTV won back its license the day before.

Thames Television showed everyone how to bow out gracefully. They were the biggest ITV company to lose out and they were the ones who held their heads high. They ditched the corporate ITV ident and launched their brilliant third Thames Ident. They carried on with their great programming and Thames News carried on without a flaw until December 31st 1992. Thames showed how not to be bitter, but be proud of your track record and move on. Shame TV AM did not look at Thames and do the same.

@michaelmcdonald2348

3 жыл бұрын

I suppose from the moment they knew they had lost the franchise the intention was make their name more prominent again by ditching the ITV branding as much as was allowed, knowing they would continue as a producer of programmes. TVAM would clearly have no future post 1992. I wonder if ITV had been open to independent production companies in 1982 whether Southern might have survived in some capacity. They did produce some memorable programmes after all,

@wotdoesthisbuttondo

2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating seeing LWT/Dy ke whining about Thames but then the BBC had sent in an infiltrator (John Howard Davies) into Thames who irrationally sacked Benny Hill (who Diamond also ranted about wanting him gone) whilst bringing multiple millions of pounds in export profits and also sacked 300 staff so these two seem calculatedly disingenuous blaming Thatcher instead of the BBC that Howard Davies skulked back to after destroying Thames and Dy ke also ended up at after this surprise surprise.

@meridian2000

8 ай бұрын

@John King Er, I think you'll find that TVAM had a celebration show on the last programme on 31st December 1992, as Mike Morris said were not in mourning and he mentioned that TVAM was still ITV's popular television breakfast viewing, what you said was deluded.

@swanvictor887

3 ай бұрын

Thames had a few aces up their sleeve in the shape of very valuable productions, such as The Bill, Minder and many others. They would remain a busy and valuable company whereas Breakfast Tv had little to supply to the network after the franchise ended.

Amazing to think that within ten years of this programme airing nearly all the ITV regions were minced and became one lump, excluding Scotland and Northern Ireland

@JamesTilsley1

8 жыл бұрын

Such a shame isn't it

@johnking5174

8 жыл бұрын

+James Tilsley At least with US affiliates they have some sense of local identity, we do not have that with ITV.

@Andysnyc

6 жыл бұрын

John King and even worse, Northern Ireland (UTV) and Channel Islands (Channel Television) were brought into the national ITV plc, leaving Scotland as the lone holdout

@wotdoesthisbuttondo

2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating seeing LWT/Dyke whining about Thames but then the BBC had sent in an infiltrator (John Howard Davies) into Thames who irrationally sacked Benny Hill (who Diamond also ranted about wanting him gone) whilst bringing multiple millions of pounds in export profits and also sacked 300 staff so these two seem calculatedly disingenuous blaming Thatcher instead of the BBC that Howard Davies skulked back to after destroying Thames and Dyke also ended up at after this surprise surprise.

@peterwilliamskelhorn6675

Жыл бұрын

@@johnking5174 just as well its not like with the bbc with their regional bulletins. Ours is bbc North West

Brilliant stuff, thanks for making it available. It's kind of odd (not to mention a little sad) that there's no room for a show like TV Weekly these days. You'd think there'd be no better way for television to prove its value that a weekly show highlighting all that's good (and less good) about TV, but since Screenwipe ended, there's been nothing.

Thank you for this of course-most interesting it is so too as well!

AidanLunn3: Not to mention they completely glossed over the lowlights of that final Southern programme (Portakabin TV, telling the IBA what to do with itself).

@antster1983

8 жыл бұрын

The FULL lyrics to "Portakabin TV". Music and lyrics by Sir Dickard Stilgoe: We are Portakabin TV and we can't believe our luck To have got the bit from Channel to North Sea To be frank we through the best would have been to go for Westward Or Yorkshire or even ATV We are Portakabin TV, our approach is fresh and new You won't see us making shows just 'cause they pay There'll be no more 3-2-1, and Crossroads we will shun Well, at least for the first six months anyway! We are Portakabin TV - Gatward, Boston and Blakstad And on January the first our flag's unfurled Our future is assured - we've a Lord upon on the board And someone who once did Tomorrow's World! We are Portakabin TV and the south east of our patch Is top of our list of priorities It will be all systems go at our Maidstone studio Just as soon as we find out where Maidstone is! We are Portakabin TV and our papers brown and cream Not that nasty Southern TV white and blue And we all say "Yours Sincerely" when we finish letters off "Hugs and Kisses - Bryan Izzard" - just won't do! We are Portakabin TV and we promise we will change Everything, so that all is new and vital: The show to alter most will be our nightly Coast To Coast Which is really Day By Day with a new title! We are Portakabin TV and we're dropping lots of shows I'm afraid to How we all must say goodbye Because we don't know how, but we do known when - it's now And what people want know is not how but why? We are Portakabin TV and all that's going to change Is the local television station's name... We could change things if we could... but Southern was so good... We've decided to leave everything the same!

@antster1983

8 жыл бұрын

And that drunken speech by the late C. David Wilson: "Ladies and Gentleman, forgive me for interrupting your enjoyment this evening for a minute or so, but this is the last time we shall all be together - to say farewell to Southern Television, a company which has provided us with our livelihood, and for many, with the best years of their lives. Now, I am going to sing our praises a bit in due course. For over 25 years, Southern has been, and still is, a fine company." [Drunk audience cheers and applause] "But we are to be killed off, having been condemned for eleven months - a condemned cell, for reasons we know, I think, far too little about. We have suffered, and I *mean* we have suffered. The agony and shock of that decision on the 28th of December may now be passed. But there remains the rage, the bitterness, the sense of injustice, for many of us, and that will not pass. But the sooner it's all over, now, so much the better. History may vindicate us, but there is little consolation in that at this present time. But let us remember our record with pride. And in the years to come when we look back, and maybe reminisce together, let us think again on the good things we have done, and the major contributions we have made to the success of Independent Television, for we have been a progressive, dedicated company with a panache and high standards. We have been a leader in a number of fields. I need not enumerate them now, they are known to you. But this I believe - in fact I know - we have provided a first-class regional service to our area, stimulating interest and providing enjoyment for millions of our viewers over the years. In addition, we have been a leader amongst the regional companies in providing major contributions to the national network, culminating in the very notable successes we have achieved this year. I wonder how well did the Authority study our application, because it was all in there! Let us also not forget the major part that our sales staff have played in industry affairs. But that is now all in the past. Shortly, we will all go our various ways. For a few of us, it's the end of the road. The many will carry on their work in the region, others will be scattered. But I know that they will carry Southern's standards with them. Let us wish them every success. But enough! Do let ourselves not be downhearted tonight, rather let us be merry and enjoy the company of the friends we have all made in the fellowship of Southern Television. So ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to stand if you would, and I would ask you to join in a toast - to Southern Television, a fine company, a *very* fine company!" [Audience toasts "To Southern Television, a fine company, a *very* fine company"]

@seprishere

6 жыл бұрын

Understandably since this programme was made by "Portakabin TV".

@MQsCues

5 жыл бұрын

Actually quite gracious of TVS not to pick up on the poor tone of Southern's exit.

One of the worst decision in the history of commercial broadcasting The ITC withdrawing the Thames and Tvam franchise

@97channel

7 жыл бұрын

The reason breakfast TV on ITV is so poor today is because there's so many forces from all corners of ITV dictating that it has to fulfil the needs of the overall agenda throughout the entire station. So you get part X-Factor spin-off, part Coronation Street / Emmerdale promo tool, part ITV News meeting its quota, etc etc. With TV-am, its only vested interest was to provide the very best breakfast TV it could possibly produce. Aside from keeping the IBA sweet by meeting certain quotas, it was independent and free to give the audience what it wanted from it. TV-am became the blueprint for breakfast TV and it's strange, even in the circumstances, that ITV aren't interested in providing a similar service, given that it's a proven winning formula which I dare say would work just as well today.

@meridian2000

8 ай бұрын

@Richard Sharpe I think you'll find that it was the best decision to withdraw Thames and TVam from ITV, if that hadn't happened there would be no Carlton or GMTV and that would've been a big mistake.

The Westward logo looks like the Blue Peter ship logo

Great picture quality, almost like it was just recorded yesterday.

8:10 - Shaw Taylor would live to a grand old age of 90, he only died back in March 2015.

@antster1983

4 жыл бұрын

Shaw Taylor and Mike Prince - two legends in their own right.

4:09 you summed it up perfectly

6:35 - Greg just summed up what TV AM did after they lost their franchise. TV AM decided that from January 1992 they would do the bare minimum and rake in as much cash and to hell with the viewers. Bruce Gyngell their managing director took a pick axe and cut everything. First he contracted out all of TV AM News output to Sky News for a one off fee. Closed in the in house newsroom. Cut back on all programme strands within TV AM, and making all output 99% based on that one sofa set they had at Camden Lock Studios. No more outside broadcasts, no more creative shows, just bare basic breakfast television. Yes he raked in the cash, but the viewers were left with an empty show for 12 months. September 28th 1992 saw the launch of Channel 4's Big Breakfast, many were glad it launched as they deserted TV AM.

@antster1983

4 жыл бұрын

And we were one of those families who deserted TV-am for The Big Breakfast, switching to GMTV on Saturday for the Disney output once that started.

@johnking5174

2 жыл бұрын

@@andymerrett Andy, the IBA knew those 18 months would make them a fortune in advertising revenue, which is why they gave 18 months notice - helped the new boys, and also ensure the outgoing companies had millions of profit in their banks to ensure a steady progress into their own future. Some affiliates in the US lose affiliations with barely 3 months notice, so the British ITV companies should count themselves lucky back then.

@swanvictor887

3 ай бұрын

I had little sympathy for Gyngell: he was a close friend of Thatcher and nor friend to broadcasting; he was only ever in TV for the Money. Rather satisfying he felt personally betrayed by Thatcher!

ATV did not technically lose there franchise it kept it but the company was reorganisation as Central

@CJODell12

6 жыл бұрын

And Central was unopposed in keeping the franchise in 1991, allowing it to bid just £2,000 a year (plus 11 percent of its yearly ad revenue).

Ahh, The Memories, ATV won the 7 Day ITV Midlands Contract

@chantingmammal

2 жыл бұрын

Nope, ATV won the 7 Day ITV Midlands Contract for the Second time through 1980 IBA Franchise Round and there were changes through ATV. They had to sell Elstree then They had to split it to the Dual Regions (East and West) then ACC will need to sell half of ATV to Local Midlands Companies, and to demonstrate this change of share structure the IBA insisted that ATV change its company name, to show that it was a substantially new company due to the requirement for a dual region so in Summer of 1981, ATV chose "Central" to be it's Official Name when It relaunches on New Years Day 1982, and finally on New Years Day 1982 at 9:25am, ATV was relaunched under the name of Central. Central continues to be the Name of the Midlands ITV Franchise.

Man, Shaw Taylor. Used to watch Police 5 back in the day.

Ridiculous franchise system. An example of the triumph of political ideology and dogma over common sense!

How well rewarded the execs at LWT paid themselves. Millions of pounds of shares for winning a franchise for competition that wouldn't win, and then earned millions more when Granada bought them out and they then legged it. Some loyalty to LWT!

6:35 - Greg just told everyone here what TV-am's plan would be for 1992. TV-am lost their franchise of breakfast television, and their MD Bruce Gyngell knew 1992 would be a money making year. The budget for 1991 continued until 31st December 1991, and so on screen there was very little change. However 1st January 1992 saw the cutbacks. Sky News took over news provision to TV-am as a one-off contract. All budgets were scaled back, and TV-am concentrated their whole output in 1992 chained to the sofa.

@pak8606

Жыл бұрын

TSW stopped making a lot of programmes and increased imports.

Greg Dyke, looks like he is broadcasting from the LWT canteen store cupboard at their South Bank studios. Surely he could have used their Studio 10 at LWT, with the superb London skyline view?

Carlton Television's only good contributions to ITV in my opinion, were the London News Network (which was a joint venture between it and London Weekend Television) and Inspector Morse. Other than that, it was just pretty much crap. I may be an American, but I've seen some shows and read about the stuff about British television online.

@cjmillsnun

6 жыл бұрын

Inspector Morse was a Central production.

@johndrake2729

5 жыл бұрын

@@cjmillsnun Zenith produced it for Central initially and, later on, Carlton.

@michaelmcdonald2348

3 жыл бұрын

Pretty sure Carlton didn't actually make any programmes but commissioned them from independent production companies. Some big programmes went out under the Carlton banner such as Who wants to be a millionaire in it's early run, made not by Carlton but Celador

@CJODell12

3 жыл бұрын

@@michaelmcdonald2348 Still my post was 8 years ago.

Why delete me mentioning John Howard Davies coming from the BBC to Thames to fire enormous profit generator Benny Hill and 300 loyal Thames staff IN 1989 and Diamond being one of those who shrieked Benny had to go?

Has anyone got the full episode of this ?

I heard a company called Slash TV who do an online TV service are looking to bring this back with the classic music and everything by the autumn.

That system was so stupid that large companies like Central and Scottish could bid £2,000. They should never have been set so low for regions of that size

The bidding system along with quality thresholds was a lousy process, if it was deemed that you bid too much you lost, and if it was deemed that you bid too little, you also lost.

@ianmorris3998

Жыл бұрын

It was a big stitch up that 1991 Franchise Auction. TVS lost, in came Meridian and the south has now lost the quality of programme's

So what was Tvs's 'London studio'? LWT?

@MQsCues

5 жыл бұрын

In the run up to this franchise auction, LWT had reorganised as a company into a group of companies. As one of these, the studio facilities at the South Bank were operated as a separate company called The London Studios from 1991 - until they closed down quite recently.

@johnking5174

5 жыл бұрын

TVS never had a London studio, they had no call for one. However any ITV studio could be rented by one or more other ITV company. So "our London studio" here was LWT studios.

Aaah the days before digital and just before satellite TV really took off. Carlton's only positive contribution was London Today/Tonight which exists still to this day but albeit a very centralised, generic format.

@antster1983

3 жыл бұрын

And London Today/Tonight was produced by London News Network, a joint venture between Carlton and LWT. ITN took over London regional news from LNN in March 2004.

Wednesday 16th October 1991: On The News Report Says That ITV Franchises Should Be The Losers and Winners. 12 of The ITV Franchises Will Keep and 4 of The ITV Franchises Will Loose. Thames Television Lost It's Franchise To Carlton Television. TV am Lost It's Franchise To Sunrise TV. TSW Lost It's Franchise To Westcountry Television. TVS Lost It's Franchise To Meridian Television. The Winners Will Announce In December 1992.

Terrible idea to get rid of the regional branding. Its like local identity being stripped. TVS losing its franchise was the beginning of the end as well as the rest of them. Meridian was and still is crap. TV Weekly, still remember that like it was yesterday. I see a clip from RTL there with the indent still on show, that was one of the Astra analogue German channels. Nice to see Hugo the Troll for a bit there, was played on Motormouth by viewers.

ATV IS NOW CENTRAL,

I think LWT Won