[Blubatt]

As of 2023, it will be 30 years since the last ITV franchise changeover occurred, and the 1990 Broadcasting Act began to take effect, turning ITV into the single company we all know and love. The general consensus of people online, when they discuss these changes, are negative. They are focused on the loss of franchises, and the eventual loss of regional independence as the companies bought each other out. With this anniversary, I want to consider whether these changes were good for ITV in the long term. 

As of 2022/23, ITV is still a British, self owned media company. It continues to produce popular drama and entertainment programming, as well as great documentaries. And with ITVX, the company is looking toward the future away from linear television. Would this have necessarily been possible with the companies all being independent with their own self interests? I don't think so. 

I also don't think ITV has really gone downhill quality wise, I just think that with the programmes being made by the same studio, its easier to point out the bad programming. Your Yorkshire Televisions, or your Granada's may have made dud programming in their time, but you could say 'That was a bad programme by this company'. Nowadays, you associate the bad with one company. And as one company, you can afford to make stuff of higher quality, while also making shows that are guaranteed to get a good viewer share. 

In short, I think the negativity of the changes to ITV in 1993 are overplayed, and that there were a lot of good things that would come out of it. Look at LWT and Carlton starting LNN, which it never would have done with Thames. Scottish Television gaining more of a foothold in the network from recomissioning former TVS shows. It wasn't all bad!