Associated Television
Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV. ATV was a part of the ITV network. They served London on weekends from 1955 until 1968 and the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968. After 1968 they would serve only the Midlands every day of the week until 1982.
| Type | Region of television network |
|---|---|
| Branding | ATV |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| TV transmitters | Sutton Coldfield, Waltham, Ridge Hill, The Wrekin, Croydon, Lichfield, Membury |
| Owner | Associated Communication Corporation |
| Dissolved | 28 July 1968 (London) 1 January 1982 (Midlands) |
Former names | ABC (Associated Broadcasting Company) before 8 October 1955 Associated Television (1955-1966) |
Picture format | 625- and 405-line |
| Affiliation | ITV |
| Language | English |
| Replaced | ABC Weekend TV in the Midlands on weekends (1968) |
| Replaced by | Central Independent Television in the Midlands (1982) London Weekend Television in London (1968) |
| Subsidiary | ATV Music Publishing |
History
Creation
The company was formed by the merging of the Associated Broadcasting Development Company (ABDC) and the Incorporated Television Programme Company (ITC).
The new company was originally called the Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC), but the Associated British Picture Corporation wished to call their station "ABC" and they ran a large chain of cinemas under the name ABC. They successfully sued for ownership of the ABC name, causing the Associated Broadcasting Company to rebrand three weeks after starting the London weekend service changed their name to Associated TeleVision Ltd (ATV). The logo made for ABC was tweaked for ATV. The shadowed eye was inspired by the CBS logo in the US and was designed by Lew Grades on a transatlantic flight.[1]
Broadcasting
ABC started to air programs in the London region on Saturday 24 September 1955, after a joint production for the network's opening night on Thursday 22 September. ABC would be seen until Saturday 8 October where it would be changed to ATV. ATV won two contracts from the ITA, one for London weekends and one for Midlands weekdays. The Midlands service launched on 17 February 1956, with ABC Weekend providing the weekend service.
ATV quickly ran into financial difficulty due to the losses of the first two years of ITV as well as start-up costs. Associated-Rediffusion (The London weekday provider) took on some of the losses of ATV and the Daily Mirror bought shares in ATV to help the company. The company changed structure many times until 1966, when ATV and ITC became subsidiaries of the Associated Communications Corporation. This marked the point where Lew Grade took control of the company rather than the greatest influence.
ATV had a large impact in variety and light entertainment.
ATV lost the contract for the London weekend to the London Weekend Consortium. They renamed themselves to London Weekend Television before launching in 1968. The Midlands contract was renewed and ATV would now broadcast to the Midlands every day of the week. By this point the company was renamed ATV Network Limited.
End of the franchise
During the 1970s, ATV was criticised over its lack of programs for the region, mainly for the east of the region. The critics held that local programs made by ATV had a focus on Birmingham. In 1980, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) decided that the franchise candidate for the Midlands should have separate facilities in the East and West Midlands, partly because of criticism of ATV.[1]
ATV Midlands Limited, was a shell company created by the ACC only for the franchise, applied for the contract and won. However, the ACC were required to sell 49% of the company, sell the Elstree studios and rename the company to show that it was a new company.
ATV ended broadcasting on 1 January 1982 at 12:34am, following the Scottish Television production Hogmanay Show. The final shutdown was made as a brief tribute to ATV from one of the original announcers Shaw Taylor before Mike Prince signed off with the national anthem (an organ version recorded at St. Chad's Cathedral).
Identity
The shadowed eye was in use from the stations founding in 1955 as ABC to the stations last moments on air as ATV in 1982. After 1969, ATV used two main idents, one in colour, appearing before a programme in colour and a black and white one, used before programmes made or shown in black and white.
Names used
ATV used many names during its life, the company names were:
- Associated Broadcasting Company Limited (1954-1955)
- Associated TeleVision Limited (1955-1964)
- Associated TeleVision Corporation (1964-1966)
- Associated Communications Corporation (1966-1982) - Parent Company
- ATV Network Limited (1966-1982)
- ATV Midlands Limited (1981) - This company was renamed Central Independent Television from 1 January 1982 and had the ITV licence for the Midlands region until November 2008, when the licence was transferred to ITV Broadcasting Limited.
ATV also used many names that were seen on TV screens:
- Associated Broadcasting Company (24 September - 2 October 1955)
- Associated TeleVision (8 October 1955 - 11 February 1956)
- ATV London (18 February 1956 - 28 July 1968)
- ATV Midlands (17 February 1956 - 28 July 1968, referred to until 1981)
- ATV Network (29 July - 1 January 1982) (Always branded as ATV)
Associated Television Media
The two ATV regions before the franchise changes in 1968 ATV London (weekend) ATV Midlands (weekdays)
ATV camera at the National Media Museum, Bradford
