Editing ABC Weekend TV (section)

===Loss of franchise===
Structural changes in the regional contract areas meant that ABC no longer had a contract to reapply for in 1967. The Northern area (split into North West and Yorkshire) was to become a seven-day operation, as would the Midlands. Existing weekday contractors ([[Granada Television|Granada]] and [[Associated Television|ATV]] respectively) were correctly considered the favourites. ABC consequently submitted two applications: one for the service for London at the weekend, the other for the Midlands seven-day operation, although it favoured the first contract.

It was expected that ABC would be awarded the weekend London licence, but the strength of another application (from the [[London Weekend Television|London Weekend Television consortium]]) ruled this out. This led to a situation where a successful company could be closed down through no fault of its own. To prevent this, the governing body of ITV, the [[Independent Television Authority]], ordered a merger with the existing London weekday company [[Associated-Rediffusion|Rediffusion]], with ABC having majority control of the new operation.

Despite protests from Rediffusion, the two companies eventually became [[Thames Television]]. ABC ceased weekend broadcasting in the North and Midlands regions on Sunday 28 July 1968 and resumed on Tuesday 30 July in the London region as weekday company Thames.