ITN (Independent Television News) is a major news and content provider with headquarters in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located It is made up of six key businesses: ITN News, ITN Source, ITN On, ITN Factual, Visual Voodoo and ITN Consulting.
Today ITN produces content for ITV, Channel 4, More4, PBS, 300 commercial radio stations in the UK and up to 40 in Ireland through Independent Radio News (IRN), all UK mobile phone operators, Google, MSN and countless film producers and researchers worldwide. Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began More4 is a Digital television channel produced by United Kingdom broadcaster Channel 4, that launched on 10 October 2005. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the Google Inc is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online MSN (The M icro' s' oft N etwork is a collection of Internet services provided by Microsoft. ITN also produces a huge amount of programming for UK, US and European broadcasters through its programme making divisions. ITN is based in London, with bureaux and offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Paris, Sydney and Washington, D.C.
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History
ITN was founded in 1955 as part of the new British commercial television network, referred to as 'Independent Television' (later ITV) by the Independent Television Authority. Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔn) or Krung Thep ( for short is the Capital, largest Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Johannesburg ( Pronounced /jō-hān'ĭs-bûrg'/ is the largest city in South Africa. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of The City of New York Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Independent Television Authority ( ITA) was a body created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" ( It began as a consortium of the initial broadcasters, with former Labour MP Aidan Crawley as Editor-in-Chief. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Aidan Merivale Crawley, MBE (10 April 1908 Benenden, Kent &ndash 3 November 1993 Banbury, Oxfordshire) was a British journalist London weekday broadcaster Associated-Rediffusion offered the new company studio space in their headquarters in Aldwych. Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of Aldwych ('ɔːldwɪtʃ is a place and road in the City of Westminster in London, England. The ITN 'newscaster' presenting their first broadcast was champion athlete Christopher Chataway. Sir Christopher John Chataway PC (born January 31 1931 was a British athlete, television news broadcaster and a Conservative Politician Geoffrey Cox joined as News Editor in 1956 after Crowley resigned, and got interviewers like Robin Day. Sir Geoffrey Sandford Cox CNZM, CBE ( 7 April 1910 &ndash 2 April 2008) was a New Zealand born British Sir Robin Day, OBE (24 October 1923 &ndash 6 August 2000 was a British political broadcaster and commentator
It has provided the main national news bulletins for ITV since 1955. News was always branded as ITN until 1999 when the Carlton and Granada partnership which were important stakeholders renamed it simply as ITV News. Carlton Communications Limited (previously Carlton Communications plc was a British media company Granada Limited (previously called Granada plc Granada Group plc and Granada Media plc is a former British media and previously Catering conglomerate From this point, the name ITN was gradually phased out, and now only appears in the production caption. The main ITV News bulletins are currently at 5. 30am, 1. 30pm, 6. 30pm and 10. 00pm with news summaries which vary throughout the morning, weekdays.
Even though national coverage is produced by ITN, it has no role in the regional coverage provided for each individual ITV region's newsroom, with the exception of the news for ITV1 London, which has been run by ITN since March 2004, following its acquisition of the London News Network a company previously owned by the now merged Carlton and Granada. ITV London is the collective brand name and identity used by Carlton Television and London Weekend Television in the London ITV region London News Network (or LNN) was a Television news and facilities organisation in London. Carlton Communications Limited (previously Carlton Communications plc was a British media company Granada Limited (previously called Granada plc Granada Group plc and Granada Media plc is a former British media and previously Catering conglomerate
Following this merger many regional identities were lost across ITV and national and regional news programmes in the ITV plc regions assumed a single, consistent identity, with all regional news programmes having the same music and titles to tie in with the national news.
With the launch of Britain's second commercial station in 1982, ITN was given the job of providing news for Channel 4, named as Channel 4 News. Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began Channel 4 News is the news division of British TV broadcaster Channel 4. As of today, it is shown at 7pm and a smaller bulletin, News at Noon, is also aired at 12pm. This lunchtime bulletin is also simulcast on S4C analogue in Wales. S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru meaning Channel Four Wales) is a television channel in Wales Channel 4 launched digital channel More4 in 2005 and ITN has also supplied the More4 News programme after the Channel 4 News finishes at 8pm. More4 News is a daily news programme on the More4 digital television channel in the United Kingdom, airing Monday to Friday from 8
Until the 1990s, ITN had a guaranteed right and obligation to provide news for ITV and Channel 4. Changes however, dating from the Broadcasting Act 1990, meant that ITN had to apply and bid for a licence to provide such services on these networks, and would have to fight competition in order to preserve its services, as had become the case with other ITV franchisees. The Broadcasting Act 1990 is a law of the British parliament, often regarded by both its supporters and its critics as a quintessential example of Thatcherism The biggest challenge came in 2001 when BSkyB bid to supply network news to ITV as part of a consortium. British Sky Broadcasting ( BSkyB — Sky Television and BSB) is a company that operates Sky Digital, a subscription television service in the ITN eventually succeeded and was awarded a contract extension to 2008. Failure did eventually strike however, when in January 2005 Sky News began to supply bulletins to Five. Sky News is a rolling TV news channel providing 24 hour news coverage including the latest breaking news ITN had produced Five News since its launch in 1997, when the channel was known as Channel 5. Five News is the news programme of British broadcaster Five. It is produced by Sky News.
In August 2000, the organisation launched its own 24 hour news channel in the UK, which was broadcast on satellite, cable and digital terrestrial. It was 50% owned by ITN and 50% owned by NTL. Carlton and Granada gradually bought out the two stakes and renamed the channel the ITV News Channel. Carlton Communications Limited (previously Carlton Communications plc was a British media company Granada Limited (previously called Granada plc Granada Group plc and Granada Media plc is a former British media and previously Catering conglomerate The ITV News Channel was a 24 hour Television News channel in the United Kingdom which broadcast from 2000 to 2005. The ITV News Channel closed down at 6pm on 23 December 2005, with poor ratings in comparison to BBC News 24 and Sky News, and ITV's desire to re-use the channel's allocation on Freeview, being cited as the reasons for its closure. BBC News is the BBC's 24 hour rolling news television channel in the United Kingdom and also available in the Republic of Ireland. Sky News is a rolling TV news channel providing 24 hour news coverage including the latest breaking news Freeview is an operator of free Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom, using the DVB-T standard [1]
Mark Wood has been Chief Executive of ITN since June 2003 and Chairman since July 1998. He was previously Editor-In-Chief of Reuters from 1989 to 2000, in charge of the company's news and television operations worldwide. In 2000 he took charge of Reuters strategic media investments and alliances. He is also currently Chairman of MLA, the Council for Museums, Libraries and Archives.
In June 2006, ITN underwent repositioning and rebranding in order to reflect changes to the range of services it provides. ITN is now split into five key businesses: ITN News, ITN Source (formerly ITN Archive), ITN On (formerly ITN Multimedia and Radio), ITN Consulting, and production houses ITN Factual and Visual Voodoo. Each of these businesses has its own logo and colour.
It was announced on 12 September 2007 that ITN has been appointed producer of Setanta Sports News, the new 24-hour sports news channel jointly owned by Setanta Sports and Virgin Media. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Setanta Sports News is a television channel from Virgin Media Television and Setanta Sports. Setanta Sports (sɛˈtantə is a sports broadcaster based in Ireland, operating 12 channels in 24 countries Virgin Media Inc (formerly known as ntlTelewest, after a merger of NTL Incorporated with Telewest Global Inc The channel is available to Virgin Media's 3 million UK digital subscribers, operating with Setanta's sports channels, which include exclusive coverage of the Barclays Premier League and Scotland's Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider operating in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia [2]
Operations
ITN News
ITN's first bulletin aired on 22nd September 1955, the day commercial television was born in the UK.
ITN began its own World News bulletins in the late 1980s, which were shown around the world on local television channels, particularly on PBS stations in the US, where presenter Daljit Dhaliwal (now with the BBC) enjoyed cult status. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Daljit Dhaliwal (born 1962 in London, United Kingdom) is a British Newsreader and Television presenter These were discontinued in 2001, in the face of competition from dedicated news channels such as BBC World, although it still provides footage to CNN International, and reports often appear on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. CNN International (CNNI is an English language Television network that is commonly referred to as CNN and carries news current affairs and business programming For other uses see News Hour. The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer is an evening Television News program broadcast Its ITV Evening News bulletin was shown on the Newsworld International cable channel in the US. Newsworld International ( NWI) was a Cable TV News channel broadcasting in the United States
In the 1990s, under new ownership, it was accused of abandoning its previous news style, which was broadsheet in style, to mid-market tabloid, with news stories that focused on personalities in the news rather than heavy news coverage. The change in style matched changes in the nature of news coverage on the ITV Network (which has seen the network and ITN accused of dumbing down its' style), which saw the axing of the long-running and award winning World in Action current affairs and investigative journalism news programme in 1998. The term "dumb-down" was coined by Ken E Smith of Colorado according to the Oxford English Dictionary, which has the official definition of the term as used by Mr World in Action was a current affairs series produced by Granada Television in the United Kingdom in the 25 years from 1963 to ITN's most famous news programme, News at Ten was also controversially replaced by an 11pm news bulletin in 1999, in order to allow ITV to broadcast films without the interruption of a 10 o'clock news bulletin. "News at Ten" is also a name of track on New Clear Days by The Vapors, and was a follow-up to " Turning Japanese " News at Ten was subsequently re-instated in 2001 after heavy public criticism over the change. The restored News at Ten, was, however, ten minutes shorter than its predecessor and carried less in-depth news coverage. It also was broadcast at a later time at least one day a week, which meant it was often referred to as News at When?. Since March 1999, the name ITN and its logo no longer features in the opening credits of the organisation's bulletins, with the term ITV News assuming prominence instead. ITV News is the name given to news broadcasts on the British television network ITV. The ITN name is now only seen at the end of bulletins.
There was increasing speculation that News at Ten will once again be moved permanently, after under-performing against the Ten O'Clock News on BBC One which is broadcast every weekday and on Sundays at 10:00pm. In October 2003, the Independent Television Commission gave ITV approval to move News at Ten to a 10:30pm slot. The Independent Television Commission (ITC licensed and regulated commercial Television services in the United Kingdom (except S4C in Wales
The new ITV News at 10. 30 launched on 2 February 2004 (the day that ITV in England and Wales came under the ownership of a single company) and was presented by Sir Trevor McDonald. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " ITV plc ( is a British media company that operates 11 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial Sir Trevor McDonald OBE (born George McDonald on 16 August 1939 is a Trinidadian -born British Journalist and Television presenter The programme is longer than its predecessor and carries an integrated regional bulletin. ITV News editors say that they are aiming at a more upmarket audience and the new programme carries a nightly sports roundup, more business stories and a preview of the next day's newspapers. In a large rebranding of ITV and its channels, the news at 10:30 was rebranded on 16 January 2006 as the Nightly News (though the name is not used on-screen) and is presented by Mark Austin (following Sir Trevor McDonald's departure on 15 December 2005). Mark Austin (born 1 November 1958 in London) is an Emmy -award winning British journalist The rebranded programme again saw new titles, this time featuring people walking over the face of Big Ben, and has lately followed a more "sensationalist" approach to its main headlines.
Similarly, ITN's 24-hour news channel (launched some distance behind the wake of Sky News and BBC News 24) was jointly bought by the main ITV companies Carlton and Granada, and subsequently renamed and re-branded as the ITV News Channel. Sky News is a rolling TV news channel providing 24 hour news coverage including the latest breaking news BBC News is the BBC's 24 hour rolling news television channel in the United Kingdom and also available in the Republic of Ireland. Carlton Television is the British ITV franchisee for London and parts of the surrounding counties from 925am every Monday to 5 Granada Television is the United Kingdom ITV contractor for North West England. The ITV News Channel was a 24 hour Television News channel in the United Kingdom which broadcast from 2000 to 2005. This had a key economic advantage: the news channel shared ITV's news studio and broadcast simultaneously the main ITV news programmes until its closure in December 2005.
In March 2004 ITN took over production of ITV London's regional news programmes, which relocated from the The London Television Centre on the South Bank to ITN's Gray's Inn Road base. ITV London is the collective brand name and identity used by Carlton Television and London Weekend Television in the London ITV region The London Studios (also known as 'The London Television Centre' is a television studio complex which forms a part of London Weekend Television 's London Television Centre The South Bank is the area in London on the southern bank of the River Thames near Waterloo station that houses a number of important Gray's Inn Road is a major road in central London, in the London Borough of Camden. ITN operates a radio news service on behalf of IRN Independent Radio News, and between 1996 and 2002 owned a share of London News Radio, which was based at ITN's Gray's Inn Road HQ and operated the LBC and News Direct London radio stations. IRN redirects here IRN is also a Country code for Iran. Independent Radio News provides a service of news bulletins audio LBC Radio (originally the London Broadcasting Company) operates two London-based radio stations with news and talk formats
Channel 4 News
ITN is also home to Channel 4 News, producing the programme since the channel's inception in 1982.
Channel 4 News flagship programme is 55 minutes of in-depth news and current affairs broadcast at 7pm each weekday, and at times that vary on Saturdays and Sundays. The evening programme is presented by Jon Snow.
A half hour noon programme goes out Monday to Friday and is presented by Krishnan Guru-Murthy. ITN launched More4 News on More4 in October 2005 presented by Sarah Smith. Kylie Morris took over presenting duties in June 2007 and Smith was posted to the US as Channel 4 News's Washington correspondent.
ITN Source
ITN Source (formerly ITN Archive) is one of the world’s largest commercial providers of motion imagery, with access to over 800,000 hours of footage from 1896 to the present, including news, drama, celebrity, comedy, music, wildlife, natural history and film. The archive is growing at a rate of over 20 hours a day.
ITN Source represents the world’s largest collection of moving image libraries including Reuters, ITN, Channel 4, Granada, British Pathe, FOX News, FOX Movietone and other specialist collections.
With headquarters in London, ITN Source has sales offices in New York, Canada, Berlin, Paris, Johannesburg, Sydney and Tokyo.
Setanta Sports News
Setanta Sports News is a 24-hour sports news television channel from Virgin Media Television and Setanta Sports, launched on 29 November 2007, available in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. Setanta Sports News is a television channel from Virgin Media Television and Setanta Sports. Virgin Media Television (formerly two companies Flextech Television and NTL) is the content subsidiary of Virgin Media Setanta Sports (sɛˈtantə is a sports broadcaster based in Ireland, operating 12 channels in 24 countries Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands It is available to all Virgin Media customers and also free-to-view via satellite. Virgin Media Inc (formerly known as ntlTelewest, after a merger of NTL Incorporated with Telewest Global Inc The channel is seen as Virgin Media's rival to Sky Sports News, which was removed from their platform on 1 March 2007 as their contract with BSkyB had ended. Sky Sports News (SSN is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom.
On 12 September 2007 ITN announced it had been appointed producer of Setanta Sports News.
ITN On
ITN On, formerly known as ITN Multimedia, came into being in 2003, providing the first video news bulletin for third generation(3G) mobile phone operator 3. It has since expanded its video news service to Vodafone Live! O2, Virgin Mobile, T-Mobile and Orange. ITN On also offers a range of news and entertainment content to broadband operators including Google, Yahoo, MSN and Virgin Media. ITN On is also working with the Telegraph, producing a business show on the paper's website since March 2007. In February 2007 ITN On launched ITN Hub, its news and weather gadget on Microsoft's new operating system Windows Vista.
ITN On was the first UK news supplier to create the first made-for-mobile 24 hour news channel launching it on MobiTV on Orange which was quickly followed by a made-for-mobile weather channel.
ITN On's radio division IRN supplies news to 270 commercial radio stations throughout the UK with a daily audience of 20 million. IRN redirects here IRN is also a Country code for Iran. Independent Radio News provides a service of news bulletins audio ITN On's radio division also currently produces the Morning Report podcast for Channel 4 Radio in association with Channel 4 News.
IRN bulletins are available at http://www.irn.co.uk/audio/news.wma.
ITN Factual
ITN Factual has created hundreds of hours of programmes for major international broadcasters including all the UK's main broadcasters as well as The Discovery Channel, A&E TV Networks, PBS, and The National Geographic Channel in the US. Recent productions include Diana: The Witnesses in the Tunnel (C4), Nearly History - USS Cole (Discovery US) and Dispatches - The Data Theft Scandal (C4).
Visual Voodoo
Visual Voodoo make factual entertainment programmes for ITV, Channel 4, Five and the multi-channel world. Recent programmes include The World's Most Offensive Joke (C4), 100 Greatest Stand Ups (C4), The Music of Morse (ITV3) and Little Britain - A Showbiz Marriage (Five).
Ownership
From its inception in 1955, ITN was originally owned jointly by all the ITV operating companies, the shares split roughly in proportion to each company's advertising income. However (largely at the behind-the-scenes instigation of ITN's then management) the 1990 Broadcasting Act limited the ITV companies to a maximum joint 49% stake, with no single company allowed more than a 20% holding. The Broadcasting Act 1990 is a law of the British parliament, often regarded by both its supporters and its critics as a quintessential example of Thatcherism These requirements were abolished by the Communications Act 2003. The Communications Act 2003 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom (citation 2003 c
ITN is currently owned by ITV plc (40%), Daily Mail and General Trust (20%), Thomson Reuters (20%), and United Business Media plc (20%). ITV plc ( is a British media company that operates 11 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial Daily Mail and General Trust plc ( is one of the Europe's largest media companies and has interests in national and regional Newspapers, Television Thomson Reuters is an information company created by The Thomson Corporation 's purchase of Reuters on 17 April 2008. United Business Media Limited provides business information services principally to the technology healthcare media automotive and financial services industries ITV plc's shareholding forms part of that company's wider ITV News Group, incorporating ITV plc's regional operations in England and Wales, plus ITV Sport. ITV Sport is a Sport producer and brand name owned by ITV plc. The Director of the ITV News Group is Mark Sharman. The Daily Mail and Reuters stakes, both at 20$% could be added together to make 40% as General Trust owns a stake in Reuters itself.
ITV's ownership of 40% of ITN (at that time equally split between Carlton and Granada) made the 2001 bid from Sky for ITV bulletins unlikely to succeed, the network having a vested interest to see ITN continue. But it did lead to a reduction in the value of the ITV News contract from £46million per annum to £35million, at a time the ITV companies had originally budgeted they might have to pay £70 million.
The current ITN contract for ITV News expires at the end of 2012. On April 2, 2007 ITN signed a deal which superseded the existing contract, worth at least £42m per year. ITV, which owns 40% of ITN, is investing more than £15m to upgrade ITN's newsroom as part of the deal. It is believed ITV decided to sign an early deal with ITN without putting the contract out for tender, as it did last time round when Sky News bid, because of the need to press ahead with technological improvements.
Parodies
- ITN has been spoofed several times on ITV's The Benny Hill Show, namely in one 1971 show with the logo reading "NIT" instead of "ITN", and with Benny Hill as Reginald Boozenquet and Andrew Gardner. The Benny Hill Show is a British Comedy television show starring Benny Hill and various comedy character actors Andrew Gardner ( 25 September[[ 932]] - 2 April 1999) was a Newscaster on Independent Television News in the United Kingdom ITN was also spoofed in 1978 in the Leprechaun Independent Television sketch with Benny as Angela O'Rippon, a parody of Angela Rippon, and again with Benny as Ann Afford, a parody of Anna Ford. 'Victoria Plum' redirects here For other uses see Victoria plum. Anna Ford (born 2 October 1943 in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire) is a retired English Journalist and Television presenter, best known It was also spoofed in a black and white 1971 show and a 1973 episode.
References
- ^ "ITV News Channel axed", MediaGuardian, 14 December 2005. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on 2007-12-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia.
- ^ "Sports News is about to get an exciting new look", BroadcastNow, 12 September 2007. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved on 2007-09-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the
External links
- ITN.co.uk
- ITN.co.uk - branding information
- News at itv.com
- News at Channel4.com
- IndependentRadioNews.co.uk
- Latest IRN Bulletin
- ITNSource.com
- PBS.org