[gottago]

In fairness, I can see some benefits. In terms of promotion of programmes on other national platforms (including ITV Breakfast) it would mean viewers in Scotland wouldn’t be getting ads and trails for a channel they don’t receive.

There would also be more brand consistency with things like ITV News, Sport, Weather and the other ITV channels which *are* available in Scotland.

There could also be savings to be made for STV if they took national presentation and didn’t have to make their own trails and pres.

But clearly they value their independence more than any of these potential benefits.

But then viewers have understood the link between shows being advertised as "ITV1" and known they will be on at (likely) exactly the same time on STV for years. I don't know the figures but if it's any like ITV1 in the rest of the UK, STV itself will have much bigger reach than ITV's digital channels in Scotland so more people will be watching STV branded trails anyway.

They want to make STV Player a success and an important part of their business; calling your channel ITV1 and pushing people to STV Player is much more confusing than the current set up, especially when ITVX already exists in Scotland without the ITV1 content. I expect it wouldn't be in their financial interests at all to become ITV1.