Footnotes
Continuity Announcements
The space between programmes on ITV that was not filled with adverts, was generally used by the regional companies to promote future schedules and to give a fuller description of the next show. TSW used on-screen continuity announcers to perform this job. These slots were usually unscripted and provided a useful method of portraying a friendly image between audience and presenter. This was in contrast to BBC South and West which used a voice-over speaking over a picture of a spinning globe to promote their programmes. Return
Thatcher’s Reaction to the BBC
The BBC had been one of Thatcher’s foremost dragons. As early as 1979, the year of her election as Prime Minister, she had warned the corporation that, “The Home Secretary and I think it is time the BBC put its own house in order”. Return
TSW’s Maximum Profit
Considering TSW’s 1990 pleasing pre-tax profits of £4.7 million on a turnover of £44 million, it was difficult to see how the company could even begin to match Westcountry’s estimated bid. Return
Private Eye
Ian Hislop’s satirical magazine, Private Eye, wondered how much of this was actually due to Central’s luck. It cited that many journalists considered the well-known East Midlands Electricity Board bid to be still on up to the day the bids were handed in, leaving rumours of under the table deals to flourish. Return
Maximum Government Revenue
Had the ITC awarded licenses simply to the highest bidder in each area, the government would have raised 323.58 million pounds. As it was, only 71% of that, £231.6 million, went to the exchequer. Return
Phil Redmond
It seemed ridiculous to many that Phil Redmond, creator of long-running shows such as Brookside and Grange Hill, would be failed at the quality threshold. The established satirical magazine, Private Eye, suggested that the ITC might have considered some licence holders , such as Granada and, once Thames was gone, LWT, untouchable to avoid destabilising the network. The ITC vehemently denied this. Return
Tintagel Parody
Private Eye parodied TSW in the first issue after the franchise winners were announced. Tintagel Television was said to be best known for having no network commissions in eleven years. The parody suggested that it had launched such “quality shows such as Who’s in Tintagel Tonight, Inspector Penhaligon Investigates and the documentary series, The History of the Cornish Pasty”. This was not too far from the truth! Return