Meridian

A consortium consisting of Mills & Allen International, Selectv, and the Midlands-based Central franchise successfully won the broadcast rights for the South and South East of England. Although their bid of approximately £36.5 million was lower than TVS’s £59.8 million offer, the Independent Television Commission (ITC) awarded the franchise to Meridian, citing inadequacies in TVS’s business plan. Diverging from its predecessor’s approach, Meridian chose to commission programmes rather than produce them in-house.

Meridian subdivided the region into three zones, each with its own localised news broadcast. In 1994, MAI acquired Anglia and became a major stakeholder in Channel 5’s successful bid the following year. Meridian and Anglia then merged with United Newspapers in 1996 to form United News and Media (UNM). Subsequently, UNM sold its partial stakes in Yorkshire and Tyne Tees to Granada and acquired HTV in 1997. Ultimately, Granada purchased two of the three franchises, while HTV was sold to Carlton.

In 2004, Meridian downsized, selling its Northam studios and relocating to more compact facilities in Whiteley.