United Kingdom Independent Broadcasting Explained

Type:Affiliation of broadcasters
Membership:ITV, Channel 4, S4C
Predecessor:Independent Television Companies Association (ITCA)
Language:English, Welsh

United Kingdom Independent Broadcasting (UKIB) is an affiliation of three British independent television production companies and broadcasters. The primary function of its predecessor, the Independent Television Companies Association (ITCA), was to represent independent British television interests as a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The current members of UKIB are the ITV network centre, the 4 ITV licence holders, Channel 4, and S4C.

History

UKIB was formed in 1981, when the Association of Independent Radio Contractors (AIRC)[1] was admitted as an active member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). It replaced the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), formerly the Independent Television Authority (ITA) as the second British EBU member. Once ITCA was admitted as a fully active EBU member, the AIRC joined with UKIB to form the Commercial Radio Companies Association (CRCA) in June 1996. In July 2006, it merged with the Radio Advertising Bureau to form Radiocentre, the industry body for UK commercial radio.[2] Following the merger, CRCA cancelled its EBU membership.[3] [4]

The IBA continued to exist until it was disbanded by the Broadcasting Act 1990, which replaced it with the Independent Television Commission (ITC) and the Radio Authority.[5]

Members

Service nameBroadcast areaLicence holder[6] Broadcast since[7] Parent companyEBU abbreviation
ITV Network
United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man 1955 UKIB/ITV
ITV (Channel 3) companies
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1959 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/ANG
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1961 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/BTV
Midlands[8] ITV Broadcasting Limited 1956 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/CEN
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1962 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/CHA
North West England[9] and Isle of Man[10] ITV Broadcasting Limited 1956 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/GRA
ITV London (Carlton) London Weekday ITV Broadcasting Limited 1955 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/LDN
ITV London (LWT) London Weekend ITV Broadcasting Limited 1955 ITV plc
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1958 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/MER
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1959 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/TTT
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1958 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/WALES
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1958 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/WEST
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1961 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/WES
ITV Broadcasting Limited 1956 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/YTV
Central Scotland STV Central Limited 1957 STV Group plc UKIB/STV
North of Scotland STV North Limited 1961 STV Group plc UKIB/STVN
Northern Ireland UTV Limited 1959 ITV plc UKIB/ITV/UTV
Channel 4
England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland[11] Channel 4 1982 UKIB/C4
S4C
Sianel 4 Cymru/Channel 4 Wales 1982 UKIB/S4C

Digital channels

Besides the main ITV, Channel 4, and S4C channels, there are several digital-only channels (ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CITV and ITVBe) owned by ITV plc and E4, More4, Film4, 4seven and 4Music operated by Channel 4.

Eurovision Song Contest

The 's entries in the Eurovision Song Contest have been entered by the BBC each time. However, the 's Junior Eurovision Song Contest entries were broadcast and selected by ITV from to, before ITV withdrew in due to low viewing figures. ITV were also set to host the contest in Manchester, but pulled out of hosting due to financial and scheduling issues, as well as the previous years poor viewing figures. The contest was eventually held in Lillehammer, Norway.[12]

S4C announced on 9 May 2018 that would debut at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 held in Minsk, Belarus.[13] However, S4C withdrew from the contest in, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for their withdrawal, and have not returned since.[14] On 25 August 2022, it was confirmed that the United Kingdom would return to the contest in in Yerevan, Armenia, with the BBC replacing ITV as the country's broadcaster.[15]

Notes and references

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Barnard. Stephen. Studying Radio. 2000. Arnold. London. 9780340719664. 76.
  2. Web site: Facts - History. May 31, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150531095507/https://www.radiocentre.org/facts. 2015-05-31.
  3. Web site: european-broadcasting-union-ebu-directory-cullen-international. yumpu.com.
  4. Web site: 2007 EBU Directory. May 21, 2018. Internet Archive.
  5. Web site: BFI Screenonline: 1990 Broadcasting Act . 2022-08-07 . www.screenonline.org.uk.
  6. News: Channel 3 (ITV) . Ofcom . 27 September 2007.
  7. First broadcast in that region and not since the first franchises were held
  8. Up to 1968, the service for the Midlands region was provided by ATV from Monday to Friday and by ABC Weekend TV at weekends.
  9. Up to 1968, the service for a single Northern area consisting of both the current North West region and most of the current Yorkshire region was provided by Granada Television from Monday to Friday and by ABC Weekend TV at weekends.
  10. Coverage was transferred from ITV Border and Tyne Tees to ITV Granada following digital switch-over in the Isle of Man in July 2009.
  11. Now available in Wales but is designated for the rest of the United Kingdom
  12. Web site: Confirmation of Manchester as original host. 4 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121004221031/http://www.ebu.ch/en/union/news/archives/2003/. 4 October 2012.
  13. Web site: Chwilio am Seren. junioreurovision.cymru. S4C. 9 May 2018. 9 May 2018.
  14. Web site: Farren. Neil. Wales: Withdraws From Junior Eurovision. Eurovoix. 14 July 2020. 14 July 2020.
  15. Web site: United Kingdom returns to Junior Eurovision. Junioreurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 25 August 2022.