ITV Yorkshire - History

History

On 28 February 1967, national and regional newspapers carried numerous advertisements from the Independent Television Authority, each requesting applicants for various new ITV contracts, one of which was Programme Contractor for Yorkshire Area (Contract D) - All Week. Ten formal bids were received by the closing date; another less-serious bid, Diddy TV, headed by comedian Ken Dodd withdrew their application.

Telefusion Yorkshire Limited, created by the Blackpool-based TV rental chain Telefusion, was chosen on the condition that it 'merged' with another applicant Yorkshire Independent Television. The latter, backed by a consortium of Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd, other local newspaper groups such as the Huddersfield Examiner and the Scarborough Evening News, several Yorkshire-based Co-operative societies, trade unions and local universities were deemed by the Authority to have the better talent but suffered a lack of funding, whereas Telefusion had the backing of a cash-rich parent. The new venture initially chose the name Yorkshire Television Network but decided to drop the word 'Network' before going on air.

The station began broadcasting on 29 July 1968 from brand new studios at Kirkstall Road in Leeds. Although they were purpose-built for colour production and equipped with £2.2 million of equipment, the majority of initial broadcasts were in monochrome until the ITV network formally launched its colour output on 15 November 1969. After an opening ceremony led by The Duchess of Kent, the station's first programme was live coverage of a Test cricket match between England and Australia at Headingey. Other programmes broadcast on YTV's opening day included the first edition of its regional news programme Calendar, the station's first networked production - the 'Playhouse' drama Daddy Kiss it Better - and a light entertainment special, First Night, hosted by Bob Monkhouse.

The station was hit hard when its transmitter mast at Emley Moor collapsed in March 1969 under a heavy build-up of ice, leaving the major part of the region uncovered by television broadcasts. However, a temporary mast was quickly erected and television to the West Riding of Yorkshire resumed, albeit with reduced coverage. From this, the company grew and by May 1970 the company was making profits of over £689,000 (2008 equivalent: £7.75 million). After a series of temporary masts at Emley Moor, the current 275 metre reinforced concrete tower — topped by a 55 metre steel lattice mast — began transmitting in 1971, resuming full area coverage for the YTV region.

With the introduction of UHF broadcasting, YTV had failed to gain the Bilsdale transmitter in North Yorkshire, which was allocated instead to Tyne Tees Television due to the transmitter's penetration into Teesside and County Durham. This seriously reduced YTV's monopoly commercial broadcast area. Partially to address this issue, in 1974 the Independent Broadcasting Authority reallocated the Belmont Transmitter, then served by Anglia Television, to YTV. Although the area served by Belmont was largely rural, it did cover the more industrial centres of Hull, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Lincoln and it was felt the region would be better served from Leeds rather than from Norwich.

For the rest of Yorkshire's life, it would be subject to takeovers, mergers and reorganisations, starting in 1974 and continuing to this day.