GMTV
GMTV (an initialism for Good Morning Television), now legally known as ITV Breakfast Broadcasting Limited, was the name of the national ITV breakfast television contractor/licensee,[1] broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc in November 2009.[2] Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end. The final edition of GMTV was broadcast on 3 September 2010.
This article is about the channel. For GMTV's main weekday breakfast magazine programme, see GMTV (TV series).Type
GMTV transmitted daily from 6 am with GMTV's weekday breakfast magazine programme GMTV broadcasting until 8:25 (9:25 on Friday), followed by GMTV with Lorraine (Monday to Thursday), until the regional ITV franchises took over at 9:25 am. In later years, the switchover was practically seamless and the station was 'surrounded' in the most part by ITV Network continuity on either side of transmission. Consequently, most viewers perceived GMTV simply as a programme on ITV; however, until the complete buyout by ITV plc., it was essentially an independent broadcaster with its own news-gathering operation, sales and management teams and in-house production team. GMTV also broadcast its own children's programmes, independent from CITV until Boohbah was cross-promoted on both sides, with different credits for each.
History[edit]
Creation[edit]
GMTV won the licence for the breakfast Channel 3 franchise from 1993, outbidding the previous licence holder, TV-am, in the 1991 franchise round for £34 million.[3] The station was backed by LWT, STV, Disney, and the Guardian Media Group. GMTV promised a 'cheerful morning and with more information' - termed the 'F-factor'. A new children's news bulletin was to be broadcast at 7:20 am every morning, while at 8:50 am during the week, a new female-led format was also planned.[4] Carlton bought a 20% stake in the consortium in November 1991.[5] GMTV was originally intended to be called 'Sunrise Television',[6] but as Sky News' breakfast programming also went by that name (and did so until 2019), Sky protested, resulting in the change of name.[7]
In May 1992, GMTV was criticised after unveiling its plans for a more family orientated format with business and city news being dropped. Director of Programmes Lis Howell stated: