17 Facts About Meridian Broadcasting

ITV Meridian is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England.

Meridian Broadcasting Ltd was one of several ITV plc-owned regional companies to have its legal name changed on 29 December 2006, when it became ITV Meridian Ltd.

Today, ITV Meridian Broadcasting operates from studios in Whiteley, Hampshire, producing regional news services for three sub-regions, covering the South Coast of England, the South East of England and the Thames Valley.

Meridian Broadcasting intended to operate as a publisher broadcaster, meaning that the majority of programmes would be commissioned from independent producers rather than produced in house.

Meridian Broadcasting launched at midnight on 1 January 1993 replacing Television South, with the programme Meridian – The First 10 Minutes, a 10-minute outside broadcast from Winchester Cathedral presented by Debbie Thrower and previewing the station's forthcoming output.

Related searches

Meridian Broadcasting advertised their presence as the new ITV contractor heavily; promotions began appearing on TVS several weeks before the launch and the new company's logo was incorporated into the product for the first advert shown on the station – the special edition Ford Fiesta Meridian Broadcasting, available through Southern Ford dealers.

In 1999, plans emerged of a merger between UNM and rival Carlton Television; however, these talks failed when it appeared that Meridian Broadcasting would have to be sold off as a condition of the deal.

The plans resulted in over half of Meridian Broadcasting's existing staff being made redundant; all employees wishing to remain with the company were obliged to re-apply for jobs.

At present the only local programming that ITV Meridian Broadcasting provides for the region is the regional news programme.

When Meridian Broadcasting originally won the franchise in 1991, its plans were to purchase buildings, not unlike its current arrangement today: with a small studio for continuity and local news.

Meridian Broadcasting took the opportunity to buy the Southampton studios from TVS.

In 2004, Meridian Broadcasting closed their Northam studios and moved to a unit in a business park in Whiteley.

Additionally, Meridian Broadcasting originally opened and operated a new studio complex at Newbury for its Meridian Broadcasting West operation.

When Meridian Broadcasting launched, it divided its news operations into three separate sub regions.

From September 2014 Meridian Broadcasting's identity was revived by an announcement immediately prior to the evening edition of ITV Meridian Broadcasting News.

Meridian Broadcasting was originally intended to function as a publisher-broadcaster, commissioning most programmes from independent producers and with in-house production largely restricted to regional news, sport and current affairs.

However, over time and as its ownership changed, Meridian Broadcasting began to make a number of regional and networked programmes itself.