ABOUT ATV NETWORK LIMITED

ATV Network is one of the most fondly remembered brands of ITV when the network was an ensemble of regional production companies.

ATV Network Limited originally launched in 1966, part of the ATV Corporation who owned not only ATV Network but also ITC Entertainment. A subsidiary company, ATV Management Services Limited, was also set up to deal with the staff of the broadcaster, production facilities and ITC. The main ATV HQ was in Great Cumberland Place, London.

ATV Network had been formerly known as Associated Television Limited until 1964 when on-screen the broadcasting arm was re-branded as ATV London and ATV Midlands respectively. The production company, and parent company, renamed Associated Television Corporation Limited. ATV Midlands transmitted week-days to the West and East Midlands, while ATV London broadcast to the capital at weekends.

Two years later in 1966 the Associated Television Corporation became the parent company, and ATV Network Limited was created as the broadcast and production arm for London and Midlands. Other spin-off companies were also formed in the late 1960s such as the ATV Pension Fund division (later Stoll Moss Pension Fund) and ATV Licensing Limited to deal with commerical activities.

A sister production arm, ITC Entertainment, had provided programming funded by ATV for UK and international audiences since 1955. A division of the company, ITC Distribution, promoted ATV material around the world. The main London base was the Neptune Elstree Studios in Borehamwood.

In 1968 ATV Network won the franchise to continue broadcasting to the Midland region until 1981; this new licence extended the five-day service to seven, and ATV Midlands replaced ABC Television's weekend service. Both companies had shared the Alpha studio facilities at Aston, Birmingham, since 1956. These were based in a converted cinema. ATV London however would cease transmissions, with London Weekend Television replacing the company.

In 1965, in order to keep the Midland franchise, ATV embarked on building a purpose built studio facility. ATV Centre opened in 1969. In 1975 the Associated Television Corporation was renamed Associated Communciations Corporation [ACC]. This was mainly due to the ambition to create not just television, but also motion picture features. It was deemed a better name also due to the company having theatre company interests such as the Stoll-Moss Theatre group. ATV Network had always seen the Midlands as the 'runt' of the empire always second to its Elstree centre. The company had long wanted to be the sole London broadcaster on ITV, and at one point offering to perchase LWT to resume broadcasts in the capital in the 1970s.

ATV Midlands Limited, a sister company, was registered in 1981 in order to bid for the 1982-1992 licence for ITV Midlands. Despite the fact ATV had launched regional news in the area, and had provided a service years before the BBC, there were growing concerns that the East Midlands were not being reasonably covered in local news programming. ATV Midlands submitted plans to extend the service provided to the East of the region, and in 1981 the company was awarded the new licence.

Despite winning the contract, the regulator included additional conditions that the parent company of ATV Network and ATV Midlands, The Associated Communications Corporation, would only own 51% of the broadcaster, this was to enable 'local businesses' to invest in the new service.

Another stipulation was that ATV Midlands Limited would be renamed to something more befitting the broadcast region. Seemingly "Midlands" wasn't deemed local enough. Contrary to what many believe ATV Network Limited did not change its name, nor did it cease to exsist in 1982. To the casual viewer, Central was simply ATV with a new name.

In 1981 ATV Network Limited ceased as a broadcaster; however the then parent company, ACC, continued to have 51% of shares in the new ITV station for some time after the change on-screen. ATV Midlands Limited was re-named as Central Independent Television PLC, with the on-screen branding as simply Central. A new studio centre, originally titled in the plans as the ATV East Midland Studios, later opened in 1984 as the Central Lenton Lane Complex. The West Midland service from Central continued to be based at the ATV Centre in Birmingham, with the added Central House extension, until 1997. ATV Elstree continued to be used by Central until 1983 and in 1984 it was sold to the BBC.

ATV Network Limited was dissolved entirely into the ITC Entertainment company in 1992. A year later and PolyGram Television bought up the company archive - operating as ITC Distribution in America and as PolyGram TV in the UK. ATV PolyGram continued to produce programming [as ITC], licence classic productions for repeats around the world and, more so, began releasing programming to the public on VHS - which was becoming increasingly popular.

In the same year, 1993, Carlton Television launched as the new company providing the ITV service for London weekdays, taking over from Thames Television who had held the licence since 1968. Carlton's parent company had held shares in the Midland ITV broadcaster for a number of years - however it wasn't until after winning the ITV London franchise that Carlton Publishing launched a takeover bid for Central, which they ultimately won. Carlton had managed what ATV boss Lew Grade had always wanted - to hold the weekday London licence. With the take-over Central was once again run from London - as ATV had been for its entire original run. Carlton re-branded the station in 1999 as 'Carlton Central' although on-screen only Carlton was seen. The company had also perchased Westcountry Television, it too was re-branded with the Carlton logo.

In 2000 there were several changes, which resulted in the ATV Network and ITC Entertainment archive being bought by Carlton International, this move put the ATV and ITC companies back in the same family as Central Television.

2003 saw the beginnings of ATV re-forming independently. Since 1999 the on-screen identity for ITV in London, the Midlands and West Country regions had been simply Carlton Television. The first change saw the Central brand re-established within a new national company (ITVplc), with the local name changed to ITV Central Limited. This move was part of the bigger merger between Carlton International and Granada International.

Archive wise the ATV, Central and ITC videotape collection moved over to Granada Ventures with the material being stored across two floors at Yorkshire Television in Leeds. The ATV and ITC film archive was moved from Nottingham to the ITV Perivale archive near London with the ATV VT library later joining them.

ATV Network 'none-core' assets such as company and programme documents, photographs, production notes, studio floor plans, ATV meeting minutes, IBA information and ATV produced books - dating back to the 1950s were released from the Nottingham studios to the new ATV consortium which consisted of former ATV and Central staff, Protos Productions, Kingsman Enterprises and Shine Radio Broadcasting. The aim was to re-launch the ATV Network Limited company as an independent from Carlton and its motion library. The Carlton studios closed in 2004. ITV Leeds staff also assisted in providing ATV information and advice on trademarks as part of the formation.

Former ATV and Central staff, along with the current bosses of ATV Network Limited, united to revive the company and create an archive for the ATV documents which otherwise would have been possibly lost forever. In 2005, with the archive built, the company was re-launched as an independent producer of theatre, online and television. Protos Productions continue as the theatre arm. The audio production 'Shine Radio' is now part of ATV Productions.

The moving image archive is now part of the ITV Global network, which was formed in 2009 when Granada International, incorporating Carlton International, and Granada Ventures merged together. Material is sold by ITN Source.

Regional footage is cared for by MACE, however is the copyright of ITVplc.

Over the years ATV Network was involved in many of television's biggest productions including: Jesus Of Nazareth, General Hospital [UK], Celebrity Squares, Pipkins, Crossroads, The Muppet Show, Tiswas, Edward VII and Family Fortunes.

The current logo for ATV Network Limited is a registered trademark and is based on an original logo which the company used on its cameras, transmission trucks, production vans and cars in the 1970s and early 80s.  Part of the logo was also used in the 1969-1981 ATV broadcast animation for the Midlands station.

ABOUT THE NEWS SITE

ATV Network News was originally launched in 2001 as 'NewsZone' - a website that provided stories on the latest soap opera news. In the same year the Brookside Appreciation Society and Crossroads Fan Club hired NewsZone to provide the new stories for their sites. In November 2004 NewsZone expanded to cover television news and sci-fi stories, this later saw the soap section gain its own site, SoapZone. The NewsZone team and site was taken over by ATV Network Limited in January 2006.

In January 2008 NewsZone and SoapZone were returned back into one site, and the whole news service was re-branded as ATV Network Today, produced by ATV Network News.

Since 2006 the team has also expanded into new areas, such as adding many features. We have been proud to bring on board Radio Presenter 'Mikey K', columnists 'Ashley', and 'Gossip Boi' and popular agony aunts 'Queenie and Vivian'. The 'ATV Network Newsteam' is made up of a wide range of ages and backgrounds - meaning we have more scope to cover news that matters to all age ranges rather than just focus on a central group. All our lead reporters have studied, and gained qualifications, in media and/or journalism.

ATV Network Today is about giving you the facts straight and providing the bare information - not the media spin. Our brutal honesty and no-nonsense attitude is what makes us popular and our forthright opinions has won much praise from our readers.

We aren't afraid to take on the likes of the Daily Mail and the Daily Express and say exactly what we think; our motto is 'Praise where it is due and criticism where criticism is deserved'. While others pander to production companies for pointless 'exclusives' we're happy to stick to the facts, stick to the main news and not indulge in fancy gimmicks.

Our news values also make us a alternative news destination from the trashy and celebrity obsessed tabloids and other media outlets; we don't report on  the daily goings-on in reality television and we don't report on the tiresome ins-and-outs of various z-list celebrities. We are very proud of the fact that many of our original ideas and sections have been 'borrowed' by other news sites. It proves undoubtedly that we are doing something right, however while imitation may be a form of flattery - it very often isn't as good as the original. We also take your complaints and concerns seriously and never deliberately mislead you – for example we don’t brand generic BBC press releases as ‘exclusives’ unlike other online outlets. Nor do we ‘fiddle’ our article times in order to look quicker than we are – we don’t need to – we’re regularly ahead in posting information than other independent outlets.

ATV Network News was the first to launch a full and varied GaySpy section. This continues today as 'Bi-Weekly'. We were also the first to bring you audio 'sessions' with un-signed bands in our 'Shine Radio' section. We were the first to do 'ATV Soap Awards' with realistic and honest categories and we are proud to be often first with the meaningful news stories of the day.