This is a timeline of the history of the former British television broadcaster ATV. It provided the

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

service for London at weekends and the Midlands on weekdays from 1955 to 1968, and for the Midlands all week from 1968 to 1982.

1950s

* 1954 ** 26 October – The

Independent Television Authority The Independent Television Authority (ITA) was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" (ITV (TV network), ITV), the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom. The ITA exi ...

(ITA) awards franchises for the weekend service in London and the weekday service in the Midlands to the Associated Broadcasting Development Company (ABDC). * 1955 **25 May – After ABDC has merged with the Incorporated Television Programme Company to form the Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC), the two franchise licences are issued to ABC. **24 September – Two days after the launch of ITV, the Associated Broadcasting Company launches its weekend service for the London area. ** 8 October – After legal action from the

Associated British Picture Corporation Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), originally British International Pictures (BIP), was a British film production, distribution and exhibition company active from 1927 until 1970 when it was absorbed into EMI. ABPC also owned appro ...

(ABPC), who already use the ABC brand for their cinemas and wish to use it for their television service, the Associated Broadcasting Company is renamed "Associated TeleVision" (ATV). * 1956 **17 February – ATV launches its Midlands service, operating on weekdays with ABPC's

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

providing the weekend programmes. ATV's London service is renamed ''ATV London''. **7 May – The first broadcast of ''

ATV Midlands News ''ATV Midlands News'' was a regional television news programme, produced by ATV, serving the English Midlands. First broadcast on Monday 7 May 1956, ''ATV Midlands News'' was one of the first daily regional news services on British television, o ...

'' takes place. It is a short daily summary of regional news with stories often sourced directly from the Birmingham Evening Dispatch, a local newspaper. Film footage is later added with footage shot by Birmingham Commercial Films. * 1957 ** No events. * 1958 ** ''

'' is supplemented by the launch of ''Midland Montage'', a weekly topical magazine programme. ** ATV purchases the

Elstree Studios Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...

. The original reason for the purchase was for production of the affiliated ITC filmed series.BBC Elstree
at TV Studio History, URL accessed 6 November 2015 * 1959 ** ATV sets up its own news film unit for its regional news programmes. ** ATV's logo is changed slightly.TV Live: ATV
/ref>

1960s

* 1960 ** Because its existing television studios at other sites were deemed to be insufficient for its requirements, ATV converts its Elstree Studios from film studios into television studios. * 1961 ** No events. * 1962 ** No events. * 1963 ** No events. * 1964 **A slight change is made to the logo to add either region's name below the ident. **Early in 1964, ATV's weekday lunchtime entertainment programme, ''

Lunchbox A lunch box (alt. spelling lunchbox) refers to a hand-held container used to transport food, usually to work or to school. It is commonly made of metal or plastic, is reasonably airtight and often has a handle for carrying. In the United ...

'', ends. It had been on air since shortly after ATV had begun broadcasting. Consequently, ATV no longer broadcasts programming at lunchtime. **September – ATV launches its own listings magazine ''TV World''. Previously, listings for the week ahead had been published in a Midlands version of ''

TVTimes ''TV Times'' is a British television listings magazine published by Future plc. It was originally published by Independent Television Publications, owned by the participating ITV companies. The magazine was acquired by IPC Media in 1989, whic ...

''. **5 October – Following pressure from the Independent Television Authority to improve regional coverage, ATV introduces a nightly news magazine programme, ''

ATV Today ''ATV Today'' was a regional television news and current affairs programme, produced by ATV, serving the English Midlands. The programme aired from 5 October 1964 until 31 December 1981 – the final day of broadcasting from ATV before the co ...

''. It runs for 20 minutes and follows the teatime 15 minute-long ''ATV Midlands News'' bulletin. Later ''ATV Today'' is later expanded to the full 30 minutes and the news bulletin is subsumed into the main programme. **2 November – The first edition of ATV's soap opera ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' is broadcast. The programme continues to be produced by Central after it takes over from ATV in 1982, eventually ending in 1988. It would be revived in 2001 and would end again in 2003. ** ATV is given a three-year extension to its licence. This is later extended by a further year. * 1965 ** No events. * 1966 ** Following a restructure of the company, ATV and Incorporated Television Programme Company ( ITC) both become subsidiaries of the Associated Communications Corporation (ACC). * 1967 ** No events. * 1968 ** 28 July – ATV stops broadcasting in London after its franchise is given to

London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 unt ...

. However the company is now able to broadcast seven days a week across the Midlands. The company is renamed ''ATV Limited''. ** 2 August – A technicians strike forces ITV off the air for several weeks although management manage to launch a temporary

ITV Emergency National Service The ITV Emergency National Service was the management response to the near-complete Independent Television technicians' strike immediately after the 1968 franchise changes took effect.Bowden-Smith, Kif Strike Service'' Vision On, 1 January 2002, ...

with no regional variations. ** 14 September – The final edition of ATV's listings magazine ''TV World'' is published due to ''

'' launching as a national publication the following week. * 1969 ** 15 November — To coincide with the launch of colour broadcasting, ATV's logo is altered and the famous ‘zoom’ ident launches in glorious technicolor. ** ''

'' is renamed ''ATV News''.

1970s

* 1970 ** June – Transmissions across the southern part of ATV's region are improved when ATV begins broadcasting from the Oxford transmitting station. * 1971 ** No events. * 1972 ** 16 October – Following a law change which removed all restrictions on broadcasting hours, ATV launches an afternoon service. * 1973 ** No events. *1974 ** The 1974 franchise round sees no changes in ITV's contractors as the huge cost in switching to colour television would have made the companies unable to compete against rivals in a franchise battle. *1975 to 1978 ** No events, although the late 1970s sees the introduction of short news bulletins at lunchtime and late at night. They are called ''ATV Newsdesk''. * 1979 ** 10 August – The ten week ITV strike forces ATV off the air. The strike ends on 24 October.

1980s

* 1980 ** The

Independent Broadcasting Authority The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television (ITV and Channel 4 and limited satellite television regulation – cable television was the responsibility of the Cable Authorit ...

announces that the lack of regional programming and production (it had a major studio centre at

Elstree Elstree is a large village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England. It is about northwest of central London on the former A5 road, that follows the course of Watling Street. In 2011, its population was 5,110. It forms part of t ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...

, a legacy of its London contract), was hampering the region, so it insists that the new applicant for the franchise to be more clearly based in the region and have separate facilities for the

East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...

and

West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

. ACC creates ''ATV Midlands Limited'', a shell company solely for the franchise process. **28 December – ACC is awarded the Midlands contract but with conditions attached. ACC is forced to sell 49% of the company, relinquish executive roles, sell the

studios and rename the company to demonstrate that it is effectively a new business. * 1981 **

Central Independent Television ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands. It was created following the rest ...

is chosen as the name of the new Midlands franchise. * 1982 ** 1 January – At 12:34am, the ATV name is used for the final time at closedown of the evening's programmes as when transmissions resume at 9:25am, Central officially goes on the air. ** May – ACC sells its remaining stake in Central, thereby ending

Associated Television Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and ...

's involvement with ITV.IBA gives ACC go-aheadThe Guardian (1959-2003); 2 June 1982; * 1983 ** July – Central uses ATV's studio complex at

for the final time. It does so in order to comply with a condition of the licence renewal which requires the company to stop using any London-centric facilities. * 1984 ** The

complex is sold to the BBC.

References

{{ITV ATV ATV

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

See also

References