Norman Collins - Founding ATV

Founding ATV

When the ITA invited bids from interested companies for the various local franchises that would make up the ITV network, Collins, Renwick and Stanley formed a new company, Associated Broadcasting Development Company Limited (ABDC) to apply for one of the franchises. ABDC’s bid was reliant on them winning the main London franchise – at this time, the ITV franchises for the major regions (London, Midlands and the North) were split into two, one for Mondays to Fridays and one for weekends. However, when they won only the London weekend and Midlands Monday to Friday licenses, their backers withdrew and the ITA prohibited Collins and his colleagues accepting extra funding from the Daily Express newspaper.

An answer was found in the form of a merger with Lew Grade’s ITC Entertainment, which had failed to win a franchise of its own as the ITA was afraid such a powerful organisation would dominate the other network companies. The new company thus formed was to be called the Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC), but rival franchise holder Associated British Corporation pointed out that they already held rights to this name, so Associated TeleVision (ATV) was decided upon as a substitute.

Collins took on the role of Deputy Chairman of ATV, but was effectively sidelined by the force of personality of the company's other senior directors, Prince Littler and Lew Grade.