this sounds like quite a good and reasonable compromise - is it true...yet?

If this does happen then Carlton have been really stupid. They could have had HTV and Anglia. Now they just get HTV. Let's face it, they need as much programme-making weaponry as possible, and Anglia makes stacks. HTV does not. Granada will end up the undisputed god of production on ITV (Granada makes 600 hours/year, Anglia 300, YTV makes loads, LWT dominates weekends, they have a real jewel in the crown in Meridian and a faithful workhorse in Tyne Tees to make loads of local programmes to fill in gaps). Carlton will end up looking a very poor relation, and if they know what's good for them they'll buy SMG without delay, else they'll be left behind...

Of course this would be good news for ITV viewers in comparison with the United/Carlton merger. Not such good news for HTV viewers though.

I really, really want Granada to buy Carlton, it would make sense because they could have their pick of the prime regions, also HTV could survive on their own. Carlton on their own would just bugger everything up. I'm biased living in Central land, i'd rather have Granada running central , than the pathetic Carlton

If HTV becomes Carlton Wales, i'll burn my TV.

I don't think that will happen. i think they have realised their mistake with Central and Westcountry.

>Granada gets Meridian and Anglia. Carlton gets HTV (sorry, Carlton Wales and Carlton West).

According to Sky News this morning, Granada gets all of United's TV Franchises.

>>Granada gets Meridian and Anglia. Carlton gets HTV (sorry, Carlton Wales and Carlton West).
>
>According to Sky News this morning, Granada gets all of United's TV Franchises.
>
Yes, that's true. But they will go over the share-of-advertising threshold and be forced to sell one on. That one will be HTV, and Carlton will snaffle it up (at least according to the Guardian this morning).
RTL will probably pick up United's C5 sharehold.

>Yes, that's true. But they will go over the share-of-advertising threshold and be forced to sell one on. That one will be HTV, and Carlton will snaffle it up.

I stand corrected (after viewing BBC NEWS ONLINE).

I hope Carlton doesn't get HTV. I hope it goes to either SMG or UTV (unlikely!) I don't think Channel could bid for them for legal and financial reasons.

Who owns GMTV these days? I know SMG did have a large stake at one point - they probably still do.

I think that Granada should sell Anglia instead of HTV because I think that HTV needs a big company like Granada, more than Anglia. Also, if Carlton were to buy Anglia, it would make sense geographicaly. After all, Anglia and Carlton are neighbours. HTV and Granada are neighbours.

In business terms Anglia is more useful to Granada because of the larger programme catalogue they have compared to HTV.

>I think that Granada should sell Anglia instead of HTV because I think that HTV needs a big company like Granada, more than Anglia. Also, if Carlton were to buy Anglia, it would make sense geographicaly. After all, Anglia and Carlton are neighbours. HTV and Granada are neighbours.

HTV is neighbours with both Carlton Central and Carlton Westcountry, so it would mean that all Carlton regions would be joined together. They could achieve the same by buying the rest of meridian. But buying HTV makes sense also as HTV already do Westcountry's continuity iirc.

"Everybody Needs Good Neighbours!"

Carlton are hardly good neighbours are they?

>In business terms Anglia is more useful to Granada because of the larger programme catalogue they have compared to HTV.

Yup, exactly what I said. As I say though, Carlton are looking really stupid on this one. They could have had Anglia and HTV, now they only have HTV. Fools.

Just a question though: did Granada *have* to sell HTV, or was this some sort of strategic plan? I can't think of what that would be... now, what happens to Border??

>Just a question though: did Granada *have* to sell HTV, or was this some sort of strategic plan? I can't think of what that would be... now, what happens to Border??

BBC News Online says just 'regulatory requirements' will force Granada to ditch one company. They'll probably get away with taking on Border as it is quite small and insignificant.

According to Granada's Press Conference today, Border is classed as part of the Scottish Media Group.

Oh well Granada get Meridian and Anglia and poor old HTV are orphans!! Purchased but not really wanted and have to be sold within 6 months.
I don't beleive Carlton really ever wanted HTV as they were only interested in Meridian last week therefore I think SMG will take HTV over.

Confirmed News:.......
On Anglia News this (Friday)evening, it was revealed that Granada will also be getting Anglia Mutlimedia & Education divisions and Survival Films.

Rumours:......
Carlton look most likely to get HTV.

Possible deal with RTL over Channel5 stake.

Border to be split up between SMG & Granada to keep it within the 15% total audience limit.

This Border being split up stuff is nonsense, they can't just break up a region without substantial talks with the ITC and government. It doesn't matter how small Border is, it's still a separate ITV franchise. The only way this could be done would be for Border to give up the franchise (it has not renewed yet) and then the ITC could decide to split it.

BORDER IS ONE OF THE BEST ITV REGIONS IN MY OPINION. I AVE BEEN TO THE LAKES AROUND 10 TIMES IN THE PAST 5 YEARS AND BORDERS NEWS/PROGRAMS AND CONTINUITY REFECT THE AREA AND ITS PEOPLE, I SUSPECT BORDER HAS DONE AWAY WITH EVENING IN VISION WHICH IS SUCH A SHAME AS A SMALL REGION LIKE THIS CCOULD HAVE CARRIED ON DOING THIS. I JUST HOPE IT DOESNT BECOME PART OF YTV`S OLD ANNOUNCERS AREA IF IT HASN`T DONE ALREADY.BORDER WILL NEVER BE SPLIT UP IT WILL ALWAYS STAND ON ITS OWN

I agree wholly with Jase on this. The ITC would need to go through a pretty elongated process to split the Borders franchise and, knowing just how bloody lazy the ITC is generally, this just won't happen unless an extreme amount of pressure by Granada (and their puppets the Government) is put upon the regulator.

Granada will get away with keeping Border intact when it decides to take up Capital's offer of Border's takeover.

On this Granada map I saw yesterday, Scottish, Grampian and Border areas were all coloured purple, which meant 'Granada Interests' Dark blue meant 'Granada owned' and 'Carlton owned' was pink. Ulster, Channel and HTV were green meaning 'other'

The BBC News at Nine on Friday reported that Border will become part of Granada later in the year.

Presumably they can fit Border in but HTV is too much.

>Yup, exactly what I said. As I say though, Carlton are looking really stupid on this one. They could have had Anglia and HTV, now they only have HTV. Fools.

Not neccesarilly - maybe they couldn't agree on how much United would knock off the price with Meridian excluded. As Granada have to sell HTV, I assume Carlton will get it for a bargain.

>Not neccesarilly - maybe they couldn't agree on how much United would knock off the price with Meridian excluded. As Granada have to sell HTV, I assume Carlton will get it for a bargain.

Not necessarily - they can hold on for the right price, as long as there is a commitment to sell. They won't flog it on the cheap just to get rid of it. Besides, they'll know how much Carlton will need HTV. They'll make sure they get a fair price.

Carlton are selling Westcountry.

>Carlton are selling Westcountry.

About time too!!

We might get some decent programmes back now!!

>>Carlton are selling Westcountry.
>
>About time too!!
>
>We might get some decent programmes back now!!
Really? My fervant hope is that all ITV companies will demerge and actually provide a decent national service without having to worry about pushing their weight oversees. Go back to the old, pre-1993 method of commissioning programmes.

It won't happen though. I will stake my reputation on it!

Who says Carlton are selling West Country. Also why can't they sell Central.

>Who says Carlton are selling West Country. Also why can't they sell Central.

Because Central make Carlton hell of a lot more money than Westcountry do!!!

The previous person who owned Westcountry has shown an interest in buying it back.

>The previous person who owned Westcountry has shown an interest in buying it back.

Who actually owned it then???

From what I remember it was a private consortium consisting of companies like South West Water and Brittany Ferries. Can anyone confirm this?

wouldn't it be great if Harry Turner was to buy westcountry !
would we see the return of Gus Honeybun and Kenneth MacLeod?
Staying on this subject has anyone read Harry Turner's book yet? excellent reading.

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