Carlton (London)

Founded by Michael Green in 1983, Carlton Communications established its television division, Carlton Television, two years later. Although their initial takeover bid for Thames Television in 1985 was unsuccessful, they found success in 1991 by securing the London Weekday franchise, effective from 1993. Despite a rocky beginning and frequent criticism from the Independent Television Commission (ITC), Carlton London managed to turn things around. The company went on to acquire the Central and Westcountry franchises. Ultimately, Carlton merged with Granada in February 2004 to create ITV plc.