Editing ITV Border (section)

===1970s and 1980s===
Initially, Border produced little for the network and concentrated on local programming, most notably its flagship local news programme ''[[ITV News Lookaround|Lookaround]]''. Later, when [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] and the [[BBC]] were given permission to extend broadcasting hours to daytime, Border carved a niche for providing the ITV network with afternoon quizzes and light entertainment. [[Derek Batey]], Border TV's Assistant Controller of Programmes, became the frontman for one of ITV's most popular daytime [[quiz show]]s of the 1970s and early 1980s, ''[[Mr & Mrs (TV series)|Mr. and Mrs.]]''. (A separate version of ''Mr. and Mrs.'' was also produced by [[ITV Wales & West|HTV]] at the same time.) Batey also presented and produced the long-running chat show ''Look Who's Talking''.<ref name="ftvdb.bfi.org.uk">{{cite web|title=Look Who's Talking|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/10174|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027025539/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/10174|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 October 2008|work=Film and Television Database|publisher=British Film Institute|access-date=28 December 2011}}</ref> Meanwhile, a 15-minute music show, ''The Sound of ...'', was seen across several ITV regions and featured [[The Spinners (UK band)|The Spinners]], British [[folk music]] band [[The Settlers (band)|The Settlers]] and other similar artists.

Financial and industrial problems began to hit the company during the 1970s&nbsp;– a fall in net profits to just £13,587, led to job losses and a cut in programme production in September 1975.<ref>"Border TV may introduce cuts" The Guardian (1959–2003); 4 September 1975; ''The Guardian''</ref> In November 1978, a dispute with the ACTT ([[Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians]]) led to 40 staff at the Durranhill studios being locked out for three weeks by management&nbsp;– several members of staff resorted to a sit in until the strike ended in stalemate and compromise.

By 1980, Border was again in severe financial trouble owing to a national economic downturn which affected advertising revenue on the whole ITV network, with the station losing £70,000 before tax in October 1981. The situation was deemed so serious that at one point the company considered not re-applying for its licence when it expired in December 1981 – though it would prove successful, as it did in July 1967 and October 1991.<ref>"Names of companies awarded new ITV franchises will be announced tomorrow" By David Hewson. The Times, Saturday, 27 December 1980 pg. 3</ref> From January 1982, Border began broadcasting to south Cumbria from the Kendal transmitter which previously carried Granada.<ref name="Fiddick">Peter Fiddick "ITV's framework for survival in the eighties", ''The Guardian''; 25 January 1980; p.2</ref> Border had lobbied the IBA for over a decade to serve the southern Lake District&nbsp;– a move backed by Cumbria County Council&nbsp;– while on the Isle of Man, officials voiced a preference to switch signals to Granada, citing inclusion in regional news coverage would benefit the tourism industry, with direct ferry links from Liverpool and Heysham.<ref name="Fiddick" />

More industrial problems were to follow in November 1982 when Border closed for a month in a dispute over new technology, which ended only after letters asking for an improvement in industrial relations were withdrawn.<ref>"News in Brief" The Times (London, England), Thursday, 16 December 1982; pg. 3;</ref> The dispute led to several members of management resigning –<ref>BBC sets date for breakfast television. McHardy, Anne. ''The Guardian''; 18 December 1982;</ref> with Jim Graham moving from the BBC to become managing director and Paul Corley joining as director of programming. Graham and Corley began to transform Border by targeting a greater presence on the ITV network, despite the company's weak financial position.<ref name="ReferenceA">"Real Life television drama in the border country" by Dave Hewson – The Times 9 September 1985</ref> Graham hired Melvyn Bragg to present new programming. The launch of Channel 4 in 1982 also bolstered Border's network portfolio&nbsp;– providing extra finance for many of the new programmes being produced from the Carlisle studios (themselves being expanded) and commissioning to make a number of programmes, most notably ''Land of the Lakes'' (presented by [[Melvyn Bragg]]), a music show entitled ''Bliss'' (hosted by [[Muriel Gray]]) and Border's very first sitcom, ''The Groovy Fellers'' with [[Jools Holland]] and [[Rowland Rivron]].<ref name="ReferenceA" />

Border also expanded into children's programming during the 1980s with ''The Joke Machine'', ''Crush A Grape'', ''Pick A Number'', ''Krankies Television, BMX Beat'' and contributions to Saturday morning series ''[[Get Fresh]]'' and ''[[Ghost Train (TV series)|Ghost Train]]''<ref>Colm O'Rourke [https://www.transdiffusion.org/2010/09/09/the_end_of_the The end of the Border line], ''Transdiffusion Broadcasting System'', 9 September 2010</ref> (produced in conjunction with [[ITV Tyne Tees|Tyne Tees Television]], and others). Melvyn Bragg went on to become deputy chairman of Border Television in 1985 and its chairman in 1990.<ref name="Morris">Steven Morris [https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/sep/17/broadcasting.politics "The Guardian profile: Melvyn Bragg"], ''The Guardian'', 17 September 2004</ref> In 1996, he left the post<ref name="Morris" /> but remained on the board.