Channel Television

The ITV franchise for the Channel Islands was awarded in 1960 but didn’t commence broadcasting until September 1, 1962. Initially, Channel sourced its ITV programmes through a microwave relay station on Alderney, first from Westward and later from TSW starting in 1982. In 1986, Channel switched its feed source to TVS, and then to Meridian in 1993. Notably, Channel was the last ITV franchise to transition to colour broadcasting in 1976.

While the broader ITV network experienced strikes, Channel remained operational; unions recognised that industrial action could lead to the station’s bankruptcy. Later, Channel became embroiled in controversy as the hub for ITV’s phone voting system, which was marred by a series of high-profile errors. In 2017, ownership of Channel was transferred to ITV plc.