Spanner In The Works For Integrated ITV Platform
Plans by Granada and Carlton Communications to unify their pay-TV ventures into ITV, have been halted by a dispute with smaller shareholders, according to press speculation.
It is believed that Granada and Carlton, which hold nine out of the fourteen regional ITV licences and control most of the advertising revenue, have reached a stalemate situation with their smaller ITV partners over the use of the ITV brand.
It is thought that if no agreement is reached, ITV Sport, the digital channel due to launch this summer, may not be available to Scottish viewers and ONdigital, the pay platform due to be re-branded as ITV digital, might not be promoted outside England and Wales by the smaller TV companies.
Two of the smaller TV companies, SMG and Ulster TV, are rumoured to be seeking compensation for the use of the ITV name by Granada and Carlton’s pay-TV businesses.
Reacting to claims that SMG had walked away from negotiations with its larger partners, an SMG spokesman today said: “We are not commenting, except to say that no agreement is currently in place.” A spokesperson for Ulster TV refused to comment on the article, but added: “We are still in negotiations and no outcome has been reached as yet.” Granada, Carlton and ONdigital also declined to comment.
If the difficulties are not resolved, plans for an integrated ITV platform (see Prebble Heads Up An Integrated ITV) could be damaged. In regions where Granada and Carlton do not hold the ITV licence, ITV Sport could be prevented from being delivered by digital terrestrial signal and ONdigital would not be able to rebrand as ITV digital. Marketing an integrated ITV would also be problematic if services in Scotland and Northern Ireland were not encompassed by the ITV brand name.
Carlton: 020 7663 6363 www.carlton.com Granada: 020 7620 1620 www.granada.co.uk ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.co.uk SMG: 0141 300 3000 Ulster TV: 02890 328 122
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