Channel Islands’ TV station bought by ITV

ITV has snapped up the last piece of the channel three network not owned by either Scotland’s STV or Northern Ireland’s UTV.

The broadcaster acquired Channel Television, the smallest part of the franchise, from Yattendon Group for an undisclosed sum.

Toby Syfret, a television specialist with Enders Analysis, said that – while there has been some suggestion ITV might look to push north of the Border with an acquisition of STV – the deal in the Channel Islands was a simplification exercise for ITV.

“Once you get into UTV or STV territory, you get into nations issues and disputes. A lot more careful consideration would have to be done there if they wanted to buy them,” Syfret said.

Yattendon, which bought Channel TV in 2001, is controlled by the Iliffe family, former owner of the Birmingham Post and Coventry Telegraph and current operator of regional newspapers, including the Cambridge News, Burton Mail and Bedfordshire on Sunday.

ITV – which made a single-line announcement to the Stock Exchange about the deal – still requires the approval of the Jersey competition authority.

Channel TV is chaired by former ITV head of broadcasting Mick Desmond.

The move leaves STV’s two operations in Scotland and UTV as the only broadcasters out of 15 channel three franchises that are not owned by ITV.