ITV Cultures

Book excerpt: “This exciting book goes to the heart of a creative commercialand public service culture - it shows why ITV matters and howit was made to work so well. A tremendous contribution.” Professor Jean Seaton, University of Westminster “This is a valuable addition to studies of ITV's history andprogramming...” Tom O'Malley, Professor of Media Studies, University of Wales, Aberyswyth, and Co-Editor of Media History. Since breaking the BBC’s monopoly in 1955, ITV has been at thecentre of the British television landscape. To coincide with thefiftieth anniversary of the first ITV broadcast, this accessible bookoffers a range of perspectives on the complex and multifaceted history ofBritain’s first commercial broadcaster. The book explores key tensions and conflicts which have influenced theITV service. Chapters focus on particular institutions, includingLondon Weekend Television and ITN, and programme forms, includingWho Wants to be a Millionaire?, Upstairs Downstairs and Trisha.The contributors show that ITV has had to tread an uneasy line betweenpublic service and commercial imperatives, between a pluralistic regionalstructure and a national network, and between popular appeal andquality programming. A timeline of key events in the history of ITV is alsoincluded. ITV Cultures provides a timely intervention in debates on broadcastingand cultural history for academics and researchers, and a livelyintroduction to the history of ITV for students and general readers. Contributors: Rod Allen, City University; Jonathan Bignell, University of Reading; John Ellis, Royal Holloway, University of London; Jackie Harrison, University of Sheffield; Jamie Medhurst, University of Wales, Aberystwyth; Matt Hills, Cardiff University; Steve Neale, University of Exeter; Helen Wheatley, University of Reading; Sherryl Wilson, Bournemouth University.