ITV licence renewal

Why has the government renewed the licences for ITV etc rather than
putting them up for auction, which would have raised money which could
be used to support public services and/or pay off some of the nation's
debt?

In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

I don't think they're regional licences any more it's just one ??

Norman Radox wrote:
In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

I don't think they're regional licences any more it's just one ??

No, it's still a dozen or so regional licences in England, Wales, and the CIs,
held by one company, ITV Ltd.

--
Mark
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www.paras.org.uk

I doubt that would happen, but in answer to your question, I understand
there is an extension clause, but I'd have thought like you that something
could have been gained here.

Maybe there just were no bidders except for Sky and itv!

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Scott" wrote in message
...
Why has the government renewed the licences for ITV etc rather than
putting them up for auction, which would have raised money which could
be used to support public services and/or pay off some of the nation's
debt?

In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

In article ,
Scott wrote:
In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

The reason ITV plc now controls many of the former regional areas is that
there simply isn't the money to make regional programmes.

--
*I have a degree in liberal arts -- do you want fries with that

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:46:10 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Scott wrote:
In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

The reason ITV plc now controls many of the former regional areas is that
there simply isn't the money to make regional programmes.

Exactly right.
There's no qualified (Sky are excluded) bidder with the money to set
up a regional broadcaster and pay for its transmission. They would
also have to pay ITV for the rights to broadcast their networked
programmes.
A bidding process would have been a failure. It was simpler to renew
the licences for what is likely to be the final terrestrial period.

On Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:47:19 +0000, lid wrote:

On Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:46:10 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Scott wrote:
In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

The reason ITV plc now controls many of the former regional areas is that
there simply isn't the money to make regional programmes.

Exactly right.
There's no qualified (Sky are excluded) bidder with the money to set
up a regional broadcaster and pay for its transmission.

I thought there was some American oufit thinking of buying ITV. Are
you saying there is no broadcaster in all of Europe that could run an
ITV franchise?

They would
also have to pay ITV for the rights to broadcast their networked
programmes.

Assuming ITV plc was successful in the bidding.

A bidding process would have been a failure.

It might be organised by the same civil servants as the West Coast
Main Line?

It was simpler to renew
the licences for what is likely to be the final terrestrial period.

Obviously. It would also have been simpler not to introduce 3G or 4G
either but I thought the idea was to maximise revenue to the taxpayer.

On Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:01:50 +0000, Scott
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:47:19 +0000, lid wrote:

On Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:46:10 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
Scott wrote:
In addition, an auction might have resulted in ITV plc being outbid in
some franchise areas, leading to a return of more regional
programming.

The reason ITV plc now controls many of the former regional areas is that
there simply isn't the money to make regional programmes.

Exactly right.
There's no qualified (Sky are excluded) bidder with the money to set
up a regional broadcaster and pay for its transmission.

I thought there was some American oufit thinking of buying ITV. Are
you saying there is no broadcaster in all of Europe that could run an
ITV franchise?

There's a lot of difference between buying ITV (which could still
happen), and bidding against them for the licences.

The fact that no-one registered any interest in competing for any of
the licences, or has shown any objection or grievance after the event,
indicates that Ofcom made the right decision.
It's not often one can say that.