TIMELINE

January 1, 1954

Company set up by Sidney Bernstein and listed on the Stock Exchange

1954

The Independent Television Authority (ITA) awards Granada the franchise for the North of England.  

1954

Construction begins on Granada studios

1954

Denis Forman joins as personnel officer

1956

Sidney and Cecil Bernstein become the first two directors of the Granada TV Network

May 3, 1956

Granada’s first broadcast

1956

Zoo Time with Desmond Morris

November 5, 1956

What the Papers Say first broadcast presented by Brian Inglis, running on Granada until 1982.

April 25, 1957

First live football on independent television with Man United v Real Madrid, European Cup semi-final broadcast as a live outside broadcast

1957

The Army Game, comedy – ran until 1961

1957

Criss-Cross Quiz ran until September 1967

1957

People And Places, regional news magazine programme (runs until January 1963)

1957

Death of a Salesman, drama – described by critic Bernard Levin as ‘the best (production of a) play since ITV began’

February 6, 1958

First by-election result coverage at Rochdale by-election.

May 3, 1958

All My Sons, Drama – the second Arthur Miller play to be screened by Granada.

October 8, 1959

Marathon 1959 – general election coverage

1960

All Our Yesterdays, originally presented by James Cameron, running until 1973 – looking back at the same week 25 years earlier.

September 1, 1960

Bootsie and Snudge  – comedy spin-off from The Army Game that ran until 1964 with a follow-up in 1974

December 9, 1960

First episode of Coronation Street broadcast. The Daily Mirror’s critic says the programme is ‘doomed from the outset’.

1961

Granada’s Annual Report states that the region has the largest number of ITV homes with just on 3 milllion

1961

The Younger Generation – eleven new plays about, written and acted by young people.

1962

Granada building opened, designed by Ralph Tubbs – the first commercial building to be built in Manchester after World War Two.

June 1, 1962

You In Your Small Corner, Play of the Week, believed to include the first televised interracial kiss on British television.

September 21, 1962

University Challenge first broadcast

October 17, 1962

The Beatles made their television debut on People and Places from Studio Four.

January 7, 1963

World in Action begins

1963

Emmy-winning adaptation of War and Peace – produced by Derek Granger.

May 5, 1964

World in Action broadcasts a film called Seven Up, following the lives of 14 children.

1964

Blues and Gospel Train filmed in a south Manchester station featuring Muddy Waters and Sister Rosetta Tharpe

1964

Cinema – weekly film magazine programme, presenters included Michael Parkinson and later Clive James.

1966

The State of the Nation first transmitted with Hypotheticals.

1967

Granada beats off unsuccessful bid from Palatine Television to win franchise again.

1967

Mick Jagger appears on World in Action after drug conviction quashed

May 10, 1967

Coronation Street – train derails off the viaduct onto the Street.

November 6, 1967

Ten Days That Shook the World co-production with Soviet TV.

July 1, 1968

Technicians strike forces ITV causing on-air disruption for several weeks

August 15, 1968

Nearest and Dearest first broadcast starring Hylda Baker and Jimmy Jewel

September 22, 1968

The Caesars – drama

1969

David Plowright becomes Controller of Programmes

February 24, 1969

Johnny Cash at St Quentin – concert filmed at prison and broadcast in June.

April 1, 1969

This is Your Right advice programme launched

April 14, 1970

A Family At War, drama following the lives of Liverpool family during Second World War

May 19, 1970

First episode of Disappearing World about the Panare people of Venezuela.

January 7, 1972

Another Sunday and Sweet FA – drama by Jack Rosenthal

April 14, 1972

Clapperboard – children’s cinema programme hosted by Chris Kelly

August 20, 1972

Country Matters – drama series based on stories by H.E. Bates

1973

Granada’s nightly news programme is relaunched as Granada Reports.

1973

Drama output includes Sam and Shabby Tiger

1974

Sir Denis Forman appointed chairman

April 13, 1974

The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club – Variety show, produced by Johnny Hamp

August 4, 1974

Arthur Hopcraft’s The Nearly Man – drama

October 10, 1974

Granada 500 Election programme

October 27, 1975

The Cuckoo Waltz series created by Geoffrey Lancashire.

July 3, 1976

So It Goes with Tony Wilson

September 21, 1976

Three Days In Szczecin, drama documentary

December 6, 1976

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof starring Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner

September 7, 1977

The Krypton Factor game show hosted by Gordon Burns is launched and runs for almost 20 years

1977

The Christians, presented by Bamber Gascoigne – filmed in more than 30 countries and broadcast in over 50 countries worldwide

October 25, 1977

Hard Times – a four-part adaptation by Arthur Hopcraft of Charles DIckens’ novel and the first on British television

April 10, 1978

Granada opens a news base in Liverpool’s Exchange Flags

July 9, 1978 12:00 am

Clouds of Glory – drama scripted by Melvyn Bragg and directed by Ken Russell

1979

Sidney Bernstein retires as chairman and hands over his role to Cecil’s son, Alex

1979

Sir Denis Forman appointed chairman

1979

David Plowright appointed Managing Director

1979

Mike Scott appointed Programme Controller

May 3, 1979

Granada 500 Election programme from Bolton

August 8, 1979

ITV strike begins and lasts for ten weeks

1980

Granada’s franchise is renewed for contracts starting on 1 January 1982

1980

World In Action – the renowned Steel Papers programme

May 5, 1980

Liverpool studio opens

November 1, 1980

Life for Christine – drama written by Fay Weldon based on a true story about a teenage girl in prison

December 28, 1980

Dramatisation of Paul Scott’s Booker-prizewinning novel, Staying On

April 15, 1981

The Good Soldier drama screened based on the novel by Ford Madox Ford

October 12, 1981

Brideshead Revisited, drama based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh screened over eleven episodes

May 5, 1982

The Queen visits Coronation Street

November 2, 1982

Channel 4 begins broadcasting

January 7, 1983

The Spanish Civil War, six part documentary

April 3, 1983

King Lear, starring Laurence Olivier

May 1, 1983

Alfresco, comedy sketch show

January 9, 1984

The Jewel In The Crown, drama

1984

Regional news operation begins in Albert Dock.

April 24, 1984

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Drama

1985

Birmingham Six, World In Action

August 30, 1985

Albion Market first broadcast

1986

New electronic regional news desk moves to the Dock Office in Liverpool’s Albert Dock.

August 24, 1986

Albion Market cancelled

1987

David Plowright appointed Chairman of Granada TV

February 13, 1988

Granada launches 24-hour broadcasting.

July 20, 1988

Granada Studio Tours opened

October 3, 1988

This Morning first broadcast

October 3, 1988

Game, Set and Match 

April 7, 1991

Prime Suspect, police drama starring Helen Mirren

1991

Gerry Robinson joins Granada as CEP

1991

Charles Allen become Chief Executive Officer, Granada Television.

1991

Franchise renewed

February 3, 1992

David Plowright resigns

February 5, 1993

Death of Lord Bernstein

December 1, 1993

Cracker, drama starring Robbie Coltrane, written by Jimmy McGovern

1994

Takeover of LWT

October 1, 1996

Granada Sky Broadcasting launches as a joint venture between Granada and BSkyB.

November 1, 1996

Hillsborough, drama written by Jimmy McGovern

January 1, 1997

Takeover of Yorkshire Tyne Tees

December 1, 1998

After more than 35 years on air, the final edition of Granada’s current affairs programme World in Action is broadcast. It is replaced by Tonight.

1999

Granada Studio Tours closes

April 1, 1999

Tonight With Trevor McDonald begins

July 1, 2000

Granada merged with Compass Group to form Granada Compass plc

January 1, 2001

Steve Morrison appointed Chief Executive

January 1, 2001

Demerger with Compass. Granada becomes Granada Ltd

February 1, 2004

Charles Allen becomes Chief Executive Officer

January 1, 2005

Blackburn and Chester offices closed

January 1, 2006

Granada Dock office closed.

January 6, 2006

Charles Allen steps down.

January 1, 2013

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