ABC – Associated British Corporation

Just a day before ITV’s launch in 1955, ABC secured its contract, despite not being an initial contender. The Independent Television Authority (ITA) brought ABC into the fold after Kemsley-Winnick, one of the original franchise winners, went bankrupt. ABC was granted two weekend franchises to serve the North and Midlands regions, and acquired Kemsley-Winnick’s TV equipment at a significantly reduced cost. In the 1968 franchise auction, ABC lost its broadcasting rights to Granada, Yorkshire, and ATV. Nevertheless, the ITA sought to retain ABC’s expertise and facilitated their merger with Rediffusion to create Thames Television.