ITV (Independent Television) is the original British advertising television network. Some of the franchise holders, most notably ITV plc and its predecessor companies Granada Television and Carlton Television, set up other television channels, some with the ITV brand, some not.

Current Channels

With the ITV Brand

ITV Network

Main articles: ITV and ITV1

The ITV Network was launched in 1955, a federal network of fifteen regional companies granted franchises either solely on a geographical basis or also on a weekday/weekend split basis. The franchises were reallocated several times and now, except for two in Scotland, one in Northern Ireland and one in the Channel Islands, all the franchises are owned by ITV plc, and are branded as ITV1. The network contains a variety of programming, such as entertaniment, dramas, documentaries, news, films and sport. The network is still running to this day, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in September 2005. The channel is available to everyone who has a working television in Britain and broadcasts 24 hours a day.

ITV2

Main article: ITV2

After 1964, the fourth push-button channel selector on British televisions was traditionally labelled "ITV2", in the expectation that the second commercial channel would be awarded to ITV in the near future. In the event, Channel 4 claimed the button when it launched in 1982. It was not until 1998 that ITV launched its first new digital channel, known as ITV2. This combines more repeated and new entertainment and films as well as behind the scenes and imported programmes for the modern world. It is available on all digital services and broadcasts 24 hours a day. A timeshift channel ITV2+1 is available on Freeview and Sky Digital

ITV3

Main article: ITV3

ITV plc's third channel was launched on 1 November 2004 as ITV3. It includes old programmes, like murder mysteries and serial dramas. It was labelled a channel for 'oldies' but many people young and old watch it, and it had the most successful launch of any digital channel. ITV3 is also available on all digital services and is available 24 hours a day. A timeshift channel ITV3+1 is available on Sky Digital

ITV4

Main article: ITV4

ITV4 is a new digital channel based targeted at men. It began broadcasting on 1 November 2005, it began broadcasting for 24 hours, exactly a year after ITV3. It shows programmes such as more sports, more films and exclusive serials and comedies from America made especially for the male audience. ITV have branded it as the UK's largest men's channel.

ITV HD

Main article: ITV HD

ITV HD is the simalcast high-definition television channel created by ITV which is presently only shown on Freesat. It was first trialled primarily to show the 2006 World Cup games to which ITV had the rights. It also showed looping previews, it began scheduled broadcasting on 9 June 2006 and ended on 30th November 2006. The full version was released as a simulcast on 17 July 2008.

CITV Channel

Main article: CITV Channel

The CITV Channel is aimed at children under 9 years old, and broadcasts daily between 6am and 6pm. The channel launched on 11 March 2006 at 9.25am with Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown, on Freeview, Virgin Media and Tiscali TV. It then launched on Sky Digital on 8 May 2006 at 6am, with other platforms to follow. This was the first channel that ITV launched since the the ITV News Channel.

Without the ITV brand

Men & Motors

Main article: Men & Motors

Men & Motors is a men's lifestyle television channel in the UK. It is the last remaining station operated by Granada Sky Broadcasting, a joint venture set up by Granada Television (now part of ITV plc) and British Sky Broadcasting in 1996. Although ITV plc is now the sole owner of GSB, Sky will receive 49.5 per cent of any proceeds (net of liabilities) if Men & Motors is sold.

Formerly available on Freeview - the channel has recently been removed to make way for ITV Play which was then removed to make way for ITV2+1, but it is still available on Sky Digital and Virgin Media Television.

Defunct Channels

The ITV Network as a whole has owned other various spinoff channels. Some were as joint ventures with other broadcasters, others were not.

With the ITV brand

ITV Play

Main article: ITV Play (channel)

ITV Play was a 24/7 participation television channel in the United Kingdom. It launched on 19 April 2006 on Freeview, and was also available on Sky Digital. The channel's closure was announced on 13 March 2007 and the channel closed on 15 March 2007. The channel was replaced by ITV2+1 on Freeview. The brand "ITV Play" continued during late night quiz show slots on the ITV Network until December 2007.

ITV News Channel

Main article: ITV News Channel

The ITV News Channel launched in August 1, 2000 under the name ITN News Channel. Carlton and Granada bought equal shares from ITN in the network and rebranded it ITV News Channel in September 2002. Then in April 2004 ITV bought NTL's 35 per cent share and took full control over the channel. The channel was closed on 23 December 2005 due to poor ratings and the launch of ITV4.

ITV Sport Channel

The ITV Sport Channel, originally broadcasting UEFA Champions League football and ATP Masters Series tennis under the brand ONsport, was ITV's sports channel. It closed with (and indeed was responsible for) the collapse of ITV Digital. Lasting for just one football season; the ITV Sport Channel launched on Saturday 11 August 2001 with Man City v Watford in the First Division, and closed on Saturday 12 May 2002 with the Division 2 Play Off Final between Brentford and Stoke. Matt Smith, Tony Dorigo, Russell Osman, John Hendrie, Garry Nelson, Guy Havord, Guy Mowbray, Peter Drury, Jon Champion, David Fairclough, Paul Walsh, Jim Beglin, Simon Hill, Peter Stevenson, Carrie Frais, Lisa Rogers and Dave Beckett commentated for the channel. There were two spinoff channels, ITV Sport Plus and ITV Sport Select, the latter used to show the on-demand Premier League football matches from Sky Sports. Whilst football was the mainstay of the channel, it showed the ATP Masters Series, British basketball and European Cup rugby union. Previously to the ITV Digital rebrand, the ITV Sport bouquet included ONsport 1 and ONsport 2, which were subject to rebrands themselves after ITV bought up the rights to the tennis Masters Series. Before then, the channel had been branded as Champions on 28, and Champions on 99.

ITV Select

A pay-per-view service on ITV Digital formally called ONrequest, which launched with ONdigital. It gave access to films, sport events and exclusive footage. It closed prior to the collapse of the platform due to ITV's financial difficulties and poor uptake.

Granada Television

Granada Breeze

Main article: Granada Breeze

Originally Granada Good Life, Granada Breeze was another GSB owned venture. The channel was aimed at women and was a lifestyle channel aimed at female viewers and showed programmes on lifestyle, cookery, health and US daytime television such as Judge Joe Brown. It closed in March 2002 due to poor viewing figures.

Granada Plus

Main article: Granada Plus

Owned by Granada Sky Broadcasting, a 50-50 joint venture between Granada Television and British Sky Broadcasting, Granda Plus was a general entertainment channel aimed at older audiences and ran from archived material. The channel, initially launched as "Granada Plus", was later known as "G Plus" and finally simply "Plus". It continued to broadcast up until 1 November 2004, when ITV sealed a deal to buy out Sky's stakes in GSB to close down the channel in order for ITV's new channel, ITV3, to take Plus' low EPG position on Sky Digital.

Granada Talk TV

Main article: Granada Talk TV

The last of the original GSB channels, Granada Talk TV focused primarily on chat shows. It closed after less that a year on air.

Shop!

Shop! was a home shopping channel which was a joint venture between Granada and Littlewoods. It ran from 1999-2002 and was replaced on Freeview by QVC.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing was a health and beauty focused channel, a joint venture between Granada and Boots which lasted just nine months on air in 2001.

Carlton Television

Carlton Cinema

Main article: Carlton Cinema

A channel owned by Carlton Television showing classic cinema. Closed in 2003 due to poor viewing figures.

Taste CFN

Main article: Carlton Food Network

Originally Carlton Food Network, owned by Carlton Television, showing cooking programmes. This was the first Carlton channel to be launched when it started on cable on 1 September 1996. Closed in late 2001 due to financial difficulties. Was never replaced on the ITV Digital platform.

Carlton Kids

Main article: Carlton Kids

Owned by Carlton Television showing children's television. Closed in 2000 due to poor viewing figures. Channel replaced by a timeshare of the now-defunct Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings on the ONdigital platform.

Carlton Select

Main article: Carlton Select

A channel owned by Carlton Television showing General entertainment programming. Closed in 2000 due to poor viewing figures and its slot was used to provide extra hours for Carlton Food Network. The channel had originally been broadcast as SelecTV since June 1995 as a cable exclusive but changed to Carlton Select in early 1997 and started on OnDigital when that platform went on air in late 1998.

Carlton World

Main article: Carlton World

A channel owned by Carlton Television showing factual programming. Closed in 2000 due to poor viewing figures. Channel replaced by a timeshare of Discovery Kids and Discovery Wings on the ONdigital platform.

Other

Sky Scottish

Main article: Sky Scottish

A joint venture between Scottish Television and BSkyB, this was a general entertainment channel for the Scottish market. Closed after 18 months on air due to poor viewing figures.

S2

Main article: ITV2#S2

Owned by SMG plc (now known as STV Group plc), this was the Scottish equivalent to ITV2 and the channel simulcasted the vast majority of ITV2 programmes, albeit covering the ITV2 DOG with its own. It closed due to poor viewership.

UTV2

Main article: ITV2#UTV2

Formerly TV You, owned by UTV plc, this was the Northern Irish equivalent to ITV2. Closed due to poor viewership, and the failure to attract any advertising during its existence.

External links

• itv.com