- Source: Timeline of Meridian Broadcasting
This is a timeline of the history of the British broadcaster Meridian Broadcasting (now known as ITV Meridian). It has provided the ITV service for the South and South East of England since 1993.
1990s
1991
Meridian Broadcasting is formed to apply for the South of England region in the forthcoming ITV franchise round. Intended as a publisher broadcaster, the majority of programmes would be commissioned from independent producers rather than produced in-house.
16 October – The ITC announces that Meridian had been awarded the licence. Meridian had tabled a lower bid that the incumbent broadcaster, TVS, but the ITC awarded the licence because it felt that TVS’ bid of £59 million was too high, meaning that TVS's business plan was deemed to be unsatisfactory. Therefore, Meridian was awarded the licence as the next highest bidder (£36.5 million).
1992
No events.
1993
1 January – After the chimes of Big Ben, Meridian Broadcasting goes on air.
20 July – Meridian joins up with HTV, Westcountry Television, Channel Television and S4C to form a joint advertising company operated by Meridian Broadcasting and HTV.
1994
19 February – Meridian purchases Anglia Television, the ITV franchise for the east of England.
1995
No events.
1996
MAI merges with United Newspapers (via an agreed takeover by United) to form United News & Media. The resulting company owned the Daily Express newspaper, Meridian Broadcasting, Anglia Television, and a large shareholding (through the Yorkshire Post) in Yorkshire Tyne Tees Television, the owners of Yorkshire Television and Tyne Tees Television.
1997
28 June – United News & Media takes over HTV.
1998
15 November – The public launch of digital terrestrial TV in the UK takes place.
1999
The television assets of Meridian's owner United News & Media are sold to Granada. However, due to regulations stating that the company could not control that large an audience share, the broadcasting arm of HTV is sold to Carlton Television in exchange for Central Independent Television's 20% stake in Meridian Broadcasting.
8 November – A new, hearts-based on-air look is introduced.
2000s
2000
No events.
2001
No events.
2002
28 October – On-air regional identities are dropped apart from when introducing regional programmes and Meridian is renamed ITV1 Meridian.
2003
No events.
2004
January – The final two remaining English ITV companies, Carlton and Granada, merge to create a single England and Wales ITV company called ITV plc.
Meridian moves from Northam studio complex to a new studio base in Whiteley, Hampshire.
2005
No events.
2006
4 December – The non-franchised region ITV Thames Valley is launched. It incorporates the former Central South news service and the Meridian North service and both operate as their own sub-regions for non-news programming and for advertising.
2007
No events.
2008
December – All non-news local programming ends after Ofcom gives ITV permission to drastically cut back its regional programming. From 2009 the only regional programme is the monthly political discussion show.
2009
16 February – As part of ITV's major cutbacks of its operation in England, Meridian's three news services are amalgamated into one. However part of the programme, and the late night bulletin, remain localised.
2010s
2010
No events.
2011
No events.
2012
27 June – The Meridian region completes digital switchover.
2013
16 September – The 2009 cut-backs are reversed and once again the Meridian region is served by three opt-out services. However to maintain lower costs, the main half-hour programme at 6pm contains a minimum 20 minutes of regional news (10 minutes in the Thames Valley) and daily use of "shared content" from outside the region.
2014
The Oxford transmitter is transferred from the Central to the Meridian region.
See also
History of ITV
History of ITV television idents
Timeline of ITV
Timeline of TVS – Meridian's predecessor