Editing ITV Granada (section)

===ITV Granada and the unification of ITV===
[[Image:Granada ITV1.jpg|thumb|A 2001–2002 ident with the website for [[itv.com]] and the region's familiar logo.]]
[[Image:ITV Granada.svg|thumb|ITV Granada logo used from 2006 to 2013.]]
On 28 October 2002, in a [[History of ITV television idents#October 2002 – October 2004|network-wide relaunch]], Granada was rebranded as ITV1 Granada. The Granada name was shown before regional programmes, but this has ceased; its name has all but disappeared from screens, as have all other ITV regional identities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Name dropping signals end of an era for Granada |last=Tryhorn |first=Chris |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/oct/08/christryhorn |newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 October 2003 |access-date=1 August 2011}}</ref> Since rebranding, all continuity announcements are made from London. The Granada logo appeared at the end of its own programmes until 31 October 2004.
<ref>{{cite news |title=Name dropping signals end of an era for Granada |last=Tryhorn |first=Chris |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/oct/08/christryhorn |newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 October 2003 |access-date=1 August 2011}}</ref>
Granada was permitted by the government to merge with Carlton<ref>{{cite news |title=ITV cleared for a united kingdom |last=Litterick |first=David |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2865417/ITV-cleared-for-a-united-kingdom.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location =London |date=8 October 2003 |access-date=26 June 2011}}</ref> on 2 February 2004 to form [[ITV plc]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Granada gobbles up caterer |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/752338.stm |work=BBC |date=17 May 2000 |access-date=5 August 2011}}</ref> The move was a takeover by Granada, whose market capitalisation was double that of Carlton, at nearly £2 billion.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Granada owned 68% of the shares and Carlton 32%; chairman designate [[Michael Green (television magnate)|Michael Green]] was ousted by shareholders<ref>{{cite news |title=Carlton accepts defeat in ITV row |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3209658.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=21 October 2003 |access-date=23 June 2011}}</ref> and the majority of new board members originated from Granada.<ref>{{cite news |title=Proposed ITV board |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/oct/22/broadcasting.ITV2?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 October 2003}}</ref> Carlton employees were subsumed in Granada operations or made redundant,<ref>{{cite news |title=ITV starts its make-over |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3090502.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=9 September 2003 |access-date=5 August 2011 |first=Nick |last=Higham}}</ref> with three out of four new departments led by Granada staff.<ref>{{cite news |title=Casualties of the ITV merger |last=Higham |first=Nick |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3286941.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=3 December 2003 |access-date=5 August 2011}}</ref>

From 1 November 2004, Granada productions were credited "Granada Manchester", the brand of the unified in-house production arm but on 21 September 2005, it was announced that Granada's name would no longer appear at the end of programmes. The in-house production arm was renamed [[ITV Studios|ITV Productions]]. The change on 16 January 2006 coincided with a relaunch of [[History of ITV television idents#January 2006 - November 2006|ITV's on-screen graphics]]. Granada's name and logo were still used at the end of programmes made for other networks, such as ''[[University Challenge]]'' for [[BBC Two]], and old programmes shown on [[Sky (United Kingdom)|BSkyB]] channels [[Sky One]], and the former [[Sky Replay|Sky Two]] (now Sky Replay) and [[Pick (TV channel)|Sky Three]] (now Sky Mix), until 2009.

On 13 November 2006, Granada lost its on-air identity when regional programming voiced ITV1 or ITV1 Granada over a generic ident. Local news coverage was branded ''Granada News'' except for the main 18.00 ''[[ITV News Granada Reports|Granada Reports]]'' bulletin. ''Granada Reports''{{'}} main rival is [[BBC North West Tonight]], broadcast to roughly the same region. In 2009, ITV removed the Granada brand from all departments including its international production arm, Granada America which became ITV Studios America. End credits on programmes made at [[Granada Studios|The Manchester Studios]] were credited to [[ITV Studios]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Granada name to disappear from ITV businesses |last=Holmwood |first=Leigh |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/may/28/granada-itv |date=28 May 2009 |access-date=30 June 2011 |work=guardian.co.uk (web only)}}</ref>