[Bluecortina]

Greg Dyke wrote that Carlton and LWT were engaged in talks over a combined news operation under the codename of Lions and Tigers.

They were, but it was never certain and was never tied up until after Carlton was awarded their licence. Carlton's initial intention was to build a news operation out in Docklands (I forget where now). Can't speak about any transmission facility but Carlton had plenty of suitable TV facilities around central London.

LWT were interested to provide a joint news and transmission facility using LWT's TLS subsidiary for pretty obvious reasons but Carlton would have none of it - they weren't prepared to allow LWT to, in effect, be the overall head honcho's. So they agreed to set up an independent joint 50/50 owned company initially called the 'Joint Venture Operating Company' until later being renamed LNN by that company's own board. Whilst 50/50 jointly owned the costs were considerably weighted in LWT's favour.

I always thought LNN was a great little company, staffed and run by a great group of people but it was a great tragedy that it was standalone from both LWT and Carlton and suffered greatly when Granada took over the helm. It was initially celebrated but that was replaced by a sense of impending doom when the implications of the Granada takeover began to sink in.

Others who post here occasionally can say more.