1974-1982
Following the passing of the Sound Broadcasting Act 1972, the ITA was abolished and replaced with the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) who took on the same role as the ITA but were also in charge of the new Independent Local Radio stations.
The next franchise round in 1974 produced no changes in contractors, as the huge cost in switching to colour television would have made the companies unable to compete against rivals in a franchise battle. It also allowed the companies to recoup the cost and to return to normal service. Some slight changes were made to the Yorkshire franchise area however, as the Belmont transmitter in Lincolnshire switched from Anglia to Yorkshire, boosting the broadcast area. Also the Bilsdale UHF transmitter, based on the border between Yorkshire and Tyne Tees and much disputed over, was assigned to Tyne Tees.
The IBA during this period allowed Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Television to consolidate slightly into a new venture: Trident Television. Trident originally managed advertising sales for Tyne Tees and Yorkshire but were allowed to reverse takeover both companies; Tyne Tees and Yorkshire did however retain their own studio bases, management, boards and on-screen identity.
This period also saw the launch of the ORACLE teletext service. It was officially launched in 1978, a few years after the launch of the BBC's Ceefax service and offered news and information delivered through the remaining lines of information in the television transmission. The service began to see improved takings following a heavy promotional campaign using the slogan Page the Oracle and the inclusion of the software as standard in most new television sets at the beginning of the 1980s.
Possibly one of the most notable events for ITV during this period was a 10-week industrial dispute in 1979, which led to the subsequent shutdown of almost all ITV broadcasts and productions. Trouble first occurred at London's Thames Television when electricians refused to accept, what they considered, a derisory pay increase. Management attempted to operate a normal service but other transmission staff refused to co-operate. When Thames' management ordered the striking staff to "return or else" the broadcasting union ACTT instructed members at 13 other ITV stations to walk out in support. The only company unaffected was Channel Television, as the unions realized action there could force the station out of business due to the station's small size.
Viewers were greeted with blank television screens on the morning of 10 August 1979, and were left without regular programmes, most importantly the highly-rated British soap opera Coronation Street as well as various sporting events. The strike ended with victory for the unions in a dispute estimated to have cost the companies £100 million in lost revenue. Programming resumed at 5.38pm on 24 October 1979. Returning viewers were greeted with a new jingle, "Welcome home to ITV", sung by the Mike Sammes Singers. When the strike ended, ITV had the daunting task of luring back viewers from BBC. This proved difficult as production of original programming had stopped and wouldn't even be available for several months; ITV therefore suffered in the ratings at the hands of the BBC. Two and a half months after ITV began broadcasting again, they were finally ready to air additional original programming and viewers began switching back. This strike was to be the last major strike for ITV as the power of the broadcasting unions began to wane, even though minor disputes plagued the television industry in the 1980s. To date, the dispute was the longest in the history of British television.
Read more about this topic: History Of ITV