Now part of ITV PLC, Granada Television is the longest-established independent broadcaster. In 1956, Granada began broadcasting to the whole of the North of England, including Yorkshire, for five days a week. This continued until the realignment of ITV franchises in 1968, when Granada was awarded the seven-day licence for North-West England.
The Granada transmission region includes the major cities of Manchester, Liverpool and Preston, and stretches from the Lake District to Telford, Shropshire, and from Colwyn Bay on the North Wales Coast as far as the Pennines. Granada broadcasts to 11.5% of UK homes - over 2.8 million households. Granada's regional headquarters and main studio complex in Manchester was completed in 1961, and covers 15 acres.
It has an electronic news centre, and maintains other news operations in Manchester, Liverpool, Lancaster and London. Located within the Granada complex are 3 digital widescreen studios, a virtual studio and 2 film stages, operated by 3sixtymedia, the BBC/Granada production facilities joint venture company. The Studios host many popular BBC, Granada and Independent shows, including A Question of Sport, University Challenge, Question Time, You've Been Framed, Stars In Their Eyes and Wipeout.
3sixtymedia also provide a wealth of graphic and post production talent and services for award winning programmes such as Tonight With Trevor McDonald, The Forsyte Saga, Phoenix Nights and Cold Feet. Granada is Britain's largest commercial programme-maker. Its production business makes 30 per cent of ITV's UK-commissioned programme hours as well as a wide range of programmes for the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky.
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