United Kingdom Independent Broadcasting
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Multiple issues Template:Infobox organization
United Kingdom Independent Broadcasting (UKIB) is an affiliation of three British independent television production companies and broadcasters. The primary function of its predecessor, the Independent Television Companies Association (ITCA), was to represent independent British television interests as a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The current members of UKIB are the ITV n Network Centre, the four ITV licence holders, Channel 4, and S4C.
History
Template:More citations needed section UKIB was formed in 1981, when the Association of Independent Radio Contractors (AIRC)<ref name="Barnard">Template:Cite book</ref> was admitted as an active member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). It replaced the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), formerly the Independent Television Authority (ITA) as the second British EBU member.
Once ITCA was admitted as a fully active EBU member, the AIRC joined with UKIB to form the Commercial Radio Companies Association (CRCA) in June 1996. In July 2006, it merged with the Radio Advertising Bureau to form Radiocentre, the industry body for UK commercial radio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the merger, CRCA cancelled its EBU membership.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The IBA continued to exist until it was disbanded by the Broadcasting Act 1990, which replaced it with the Independent Television Commission (ITC) and the Radio Authority.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Members
| Service name | Broadcast area | Licence holder<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | Broadcast since<ref group="Note">First broadcast in that region and not since the first franchises were held</ref> | Parent company | EBU abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITV Network | |||||
| ITV1 STV UTV |
United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man | ITV Network Limited | 1955 | ITV plc STV Group plc |
UKIB/ITV |
| ITV (Channel 3) companies | |||||
| ITV Anglia | East of England | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1959 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/ANG |
| ITV Border | England–Scotland border | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1961 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/BTV |
| ITV Central | Midlands<ref group="Note">Up to 1968, the service for the Midlands region was provided by ATV from Monday to Friday and by ABC Weekend TV at weekends.</ref> | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1956 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/CEN |
| ITV Channel Television | Channel Islands | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1962 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/CHA |
| ITV Granada | North West England<ref group="Note">Up to 1968, the service for a single Northern area consisting of both the current North West region and most of the current Yorkshire region was provided by Granada Television from Monday to Friday and by ABC Weekend TV at weekends.</ref> and Isle of Man<ref group="Note">Coverage was transferred from ITV Border and Tyne Tees to ITV Granada following digital switch-over in the Isle of Man in July 2009.</ref> | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1956 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/GRA |
| ITV London (Carlton) | London Weekday | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1955 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/LDN |
| ITV London (LWT) | London Weekend | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1955 | ITV plc | |
| ITV Meridian | South and South East England | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1958 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/MER |
| ITV Tyne Tees | North East England | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1959 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/TTT |
| ITV Wales | Wales | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1958 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/WALES |
| ITV West | West of England | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1958 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/WEST |
| ITV West Country | South West England | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1961 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/WES |
| ITV Yorkshire | Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and North Norfolk | ITV Broadcasting Limited | 1956 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/YTV |
| STV Central | Central Scotland | STV Central Limited | 1957 | STV Group plc | UKIB/STV |
| STV North | North of Scotland | STV North Limited | 1961 | STV Group plc | UKIB/STVN |
| UTV | Northern Ireland | UTV Limited | 1959 | ITV plc | UKIB/ITV/UTV |
| Channel 4 | |||||
| Channel 4 | England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland<ref group="Note">Now available in Wales but is designated for the rest of the United Kingdom</ref> | Channel 4 | 1982 | Channel Four Television Corporation | UKIB/C4 |
| S4C | |||||
| S4C | Wales | Sianel 4 Cymru/Channel 4 Wales | 1982 | S4C Authority | UKIB/S4C |
Digital channels
Besides the main ITV, Channel 4, and S4C channels, there are several digital-only channels (ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CITV and ITVBe) owned by ITV plc and E4, More4, Film4, 4seven and 4Music (now extinguished) operated by Channel 4.
Eurovision Song Contest
The Template:Esccnty's entries in the Eurovision Song Contest have been entered by the BBC each time. However, the Template:Esccnty's Junior Eurovision Song Contest entries were broadcast and selected by ITV from Template:Escyr to Template:Escyr, before ITV withdrew in Template:Escyr due to low viewing figures. ITV were also set to host the Template:Escyr contest in Manchester, but pulled out of hosting due to financial and scheduling issues, as well as the previous years poor viewing figures. The contest was eventually held in Lillehammer, Norway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
S4C announced on 9 May 2018 that Template:Esccnty would debut at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 held in Minsk, Belarus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, S4C withdrew from the contest in Template:Escyr, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for their withdrawal, and have not returned since.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 25 August 2022, it was confirmed that the United Kingdom would return to the contest in Template:Escyr in Yerevan, Armenia, with the BBC replacing ITV as the country's broadcaster.<ref name="UK return">Template:Cite web</ref>