Timeline of ABC Weekend TV

Last updated October 15, 2023

This is a timeline of the history of the British television company ABC Weekend TV , one of the first four contractors of the Independent Television network.

1950s

1954
- 26 October – The Independent Television Authority (ITA) awards franchises for weekend services in the Midlands and North of England regions to Kemsley-Winnick Television.^[1]
1955
- 21 September – After the collapse of Kemsley-Winnick, the ITA approaches Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) to provide the services instead and the contract was signed that day.^[2]
- 8 October – After legal action from ABPC, the weekend service for London is renamed from ABC (Associated Broadcasting Company) to ATV (Associated TeleVision), thus allowing ABPC to later use the ABC name for its own TV service.
1956
- 17 February – Alpha Television, a joint venture between ABC and the Midlands weekday contractor ATV, reopens the former Astoria Cinema in Aston, Birmingham, as a studio shared between the companies.^[2]
- 18 February – ABPC's new company, Associated British Cinemas (Television) Ltd, begins its Midlands weekend service, under the brand name "ABC", broadcasting from Lichfield transmitting station. Its logo is based on the logo of ABC Cinemas (owned by ABPC).^[2]
- 5 May – ABC begins its North of England weekend service. Initially the service covers the North West from Winter Hill transmitting station.^[3] The former Capitol Cinema in Didsbury, Manchester, reopens as ABC's studios in the North of England.^[2]
- 3 November – ABC's North of England service is extended to Yorkshire via Emley Moor transmitting station.^[4]
1957
- No events.
1958
- November – ABC buys the former Warner film studios at Teddington Lock in London, to be converted into television studios.^[5]
1959
- Teddington Studios open as ABC's main production centre in London.^[2]
- September – ABC introduces a new logo based on inverted triangles, accompanied by a jingle based on the musical notes A, B and C.^[6]

1960s

1960
- No events.
1961
- 7 January – The first episode of ABC's cult series The Avengers is broadcast. It would run until 1969.
- 18 July – A new 1,000-foot (300 m) mast at Lichfield replaces the existing 450-foot (140 m) mast to extend ABC's Midlands service.^[7]
- August – Alpha Television in Birmingham upgrades its site to provide a second studio, office block, canteen and other facilities.^[8]
1962
- No events.
1963
- No events.
1964
- 11 July – ABC airs the first episode of its version of the talent show Opportunity Knocks . A previous version had been made for one series in 1956 by Associated-Rediffusion. ABC and its successor Thames Television continue to produce the show until 1978. It would later be revived by the BBC in 1987 and its version would run until 1990.
1965
- 2 January – World of Sport is first broadcast. ABC compiles and hosts the show from contributions from the whole ITV network. After ABC's demise, the show would be hosted by London Weekend Television (branded as ITV Sport) until 1985.
- 30 April – Membury transmitting station extends ABC's Midlands service to the Thames Valley area.^[7]
- 11 June – A new relay station in Scarborough extends ABC's North of England service.^[4]^[9]
1966
- 28 February – A new 1,015-foot (309 m) mast at Winter Hill replaces the existing 450-foot (140 m) mast to extend ABC's service in the North West.^[3]^[10]
- 15 August – A new 1,265-foot (386 m) mast at Emley Moor replaces the existing 450-foot (140 m) mast to extend ABC's service in Yorkshire.^[4]^[9]
1967
- 13 January – The fifth series of The Avengers begins in the UK. This is the first series shot on colour film, even though ITV would not broadcast in colour until nearly three years later, the colour is for the benefit of American audiences. ABC uses the name "Associated British Corporation" at the end of the episodes in this series to avoid confusion with the American ABC network.^[11]^[12]
- 11 June – At its franchise review, the ITA decides that ABC will lose both its licences in 1968. Subsequently, the owners of ABC and the London weekday contractor Rediffusion will jointly form a new company Thames Television which will be awarded the new London weekday franchise.^[1]
1968
- 28 July – ABC broadcasts for the last time.^[2] Its Midlands service is to be replaced by ATV and its North of England service is to be replaced by Granada Television in the North West and Yorkshire Television in Yorkshire.
- 30 July – Thames Television goes on the air.^[2] The ABC brand continues to be used on some programmes broadcast by Thames (including the final series of The Avengers). Thames also inherits ABC's Teddington Studios.

Related Research Articles

The Independent Television Authority (ITA) was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" (ITV), the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom. The ITA existed from 1954 until 1972. It was responsible for determining the location, constructing, building, and operating the transmission stations used by the ITV network, as well as determining the franchise areas and awarding the franchises for each regional commercial broadcaster. The Authority began its operations on 4 August 1954, a mere four days after the Television Act received Royal Assent, under the Chairmanship of Sir Kenneth Clark. The Authority's first Director General, Sir Robert Fraser was appointed by Clark a month later on 14 September.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wales West and North Television</span> Welsh independent television contractor (1962–1964)

Wales Television, known on screen as Teledu Cymru and often abbreviated to WWN, was the Welsh "Independent Television" contractor awarded the franchise area serving North and West Wales, from 1962. It began transmitting on 14 September 1962, and ceased on 26 January 1964 through financial failure; the franchise area was soon combined with the South Wales and West of England area, operated by TWW. TWW retained the Teledu Cymru name in the former WWN franchise area, as did successor Harlech during their emergency transitional franchise, only retiring the name when they were able to officially take over.

ABC Weekend TV was the popular name of the British broadcaster ABC Television Limited, which provided the weekend service in the Midlands and Northern England regions of the Independent Television (ITV) network from 1956 to 1968. It was one of the "Big Four" companies that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes during this period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Associated-Rediffusion</span> Former ITV weekday service for London

Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, and one of the "Big Four" companies that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes during this period.

Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and to the Midlands all week from 1968 to 1982. It was one of the "Big Four" until 1968, and the "Big Five" after 1968, that between them produced the majority of ITV networked programmes. In 1982, ATV was restructured and rebranded as Central Independent Television, under which name it continued to provide the service for the Midlands.

Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broadcast from 9:25 Monday morning to 5:15 Friday afternoon at which time it would hand over to London Weekend Television (LWT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter Hill transmitting station</span> Telecommunications site in Lancashire, UK

The Winter Hill transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications site on Winter Hill, at the southern boundary of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, and above Bolton. It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

The history of ITV, the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies "Independent Television" commercial network, goes back to 1955.

Howard Thomas CBE was a Welsh radio producer and television executive.

The Oxford transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated on land 129.5 metres (425 ft) above Ordnance Datum to the north east of the city of Oxford, in Oxfordshire, England. It has a guyed steel lattice mast which is 154.4 metres (507 ft) in height to the top of the main steel structure. The UHF television antenna, which consist of a vertical array of transmitting panels, is mounted above the steel structure. The total height of the mast to the top of this UHF antenna is 165.7 metres (544 ft). It is owned and operated by Arqiva.

Alpha Television was a British limited company which operated television studios in Aston, Birmingham from 1956 to 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emley Moor transmitting station</span> Telecommunications and broadcasting facility in West Yorkshire, England

The Emley Moor transmitting station is a telecommunications and broadcasting facility on Emley Moor, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the village centre of Emley, in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.

In the 1960s and 1970s, an envisioned fourth UK television service was popularly referred to as ITV2, before the launch of Channel 4 in November 1982.

This is a timeline of the history of the British television network ITV.

This is a timeline of the history of the British broadcaster Yorkshire Television. It has provided the ITV service for Yorkshire since 1968.

This is a timeline of the history of the British broadcaster Central Independent Television. It has provided the ITV service for the Midlands since 1982.

This is a timeline of the history of ITV in Wales, including the current service ITV Cymru Wales. It does not include events that affect the whole UK network.

This is a timeline of the history of the former British television broadcaster ATV. It provided the ITV service for London at weekends and the Midlands on weekdays from 1955 to 1968, and for the Midlands all week from 1968 to 1982.

This is a timeline of the history of the British broadcaster Thames Television and its predecessor Associated-Rediffusion. Between them, they provided the ITV weekday service for London from 1955 to 1992, after which Thames continued as an independent production company until 2003.

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References

1 2 "Independent Television (ITV):A short chronology (1954-1997)". Soundscapes: Online Journal on Media Culture. Groningen. 4. April 2001. ISSN 1567-7745.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Elen, Richard G. "ABC Television". BFI Screenonline. British Film Institute. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
1 2 Brown, Mike. "ITV 405 line VHF TV TRANSMITTERS LANCASHIRE". mb21. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
1 2 3 Brown, Mike. "ITV 405 line VHF TV TRANSMITTERS YORKSHIRE". mb21. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
↑ "Teddington Studios". The Twickenham Museum. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
↑ Bowden-Smith, Kif (24 May 2004). "Indepth on ABC Weekend Television". Transdiffusion Broadcasting System. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
1 2 Brown, Mike. "ITV 405 line VHF TV TRANSMITTERS MIDLANDS". mb21. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
↑ Buxton, Roddy (15 August 2010). "A is for Alpha". Transdiffusion Broadcasting System. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
1 2 The ITA transmitter network. London: Independent Television Authority. April 1969. p. 15. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
↑ Graham, Russ J; Lyons, Tony. "THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY WINTER HILL". mb21. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
↑ Beaumont, Ian (11 January 2001). "The Avengers". ABC at large. Transdiffusion Broadcasting System. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
↑ "Collections Search". BFI. British Film Institute. Retrieved 18 May 2022.

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[soundscapes-1] 1 2 "Independent Television (ITV):A short chronology (1954-1997)". Soundscapes: Online Journal on Media Culture. Groningen. 4. April 2001. ISSN 1567-7745.

[screenonline-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Elen, Richard G. "ABC Television". BFI Screenonline. British Film Institute. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[mb21_Winter_Hill-3] 1 2 Brown, Mike. "ITV 405 line VHF TV TRANSMITTERS LANCASHIRE". mb21. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[mb21_Yorkshire-4] 1 2 3 Brown, Mike. "ITV 405 line VHF TV TRANSMITTERS YORKSHIRE". mb21. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[5] "Teddington Studios". The Twickenham Museum. Retrieved 29 March 2022.

[6] Bowden-Smith, Kif (24 May 2004). "Indepth on ABC Weekend Television". Transdiffusion Broadcasting System. Retrieved 29 March 2022.

[mb21_Midlands-7] 1 2 Brown, Mike. "ITV 405 line VHF TV TRANSMITTERS MIDLANDS". mb21. Retrieved 26 March 2022.

[8] Buxton, Roddy (15 August 2010). "A is for Alpha". Transdiffusion Broadcasting System. Retrieved 29 March 2022.

[ITA_Yorkshire-9] 1 2 The ITA transmitter network. London: Independent Television Authority. April 1969. p. 15. Retrieved 28 March 2022.

[10] Graham, Russ J; Lyons, Tony. "THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY WINTER HILL". mb21. Retrieved 29 March 2022.

[11] Beaumont, Ian (11 January 2001). "The Avengers". ABC at large. Transdiffusion Broadcasting System. Retrieved 16 May 2022.

[12] "Collections Search". BFI. British Film Institute. Retrieved 18 May 2022.

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Timeline of ABC Weekend TV

Contents

1950s

1960s

See also

Related Research Articles

References