ITV could collaborate with BBC

net1

ITV boss Charles Allen is to enter ground-breaking talks with the BBC and other commercial TV stations about collaboration, declaring the days of petty rivalries and "grumpy old men" over.

He said today a new era of collaboration had dawned in British TV this year following a number of leadership changes and it now made sense to explore the common benefits between the BBC and ITV.

He said that with new people leading the BBC, Channel 4, Five and Sky, the major players in UK television had a lot to gain from talking to each other.

"The changes at the top have changed the landscape. Everyone recognises that collaboration is an opportunity for all of us... the days of the grumpy old men really have gone," he said.

"We can compete to the benefit of viewers but collaborate to the benefit of stakeholders in our business."

Mr Allen said he was already working with Channel 4 and Five to promote the virtues of TV advertising in a bid to "grow the total cake" for everyone's benefit.

There has also been some suggestion that terrestrial networks with a public service obligation to provide religious and arts programmes could club together with the BBC in future.

Last month Channel 4 called for urgent talks with the BBC over a partnership or partial merger and Mr Allen has made it plain in the past that ITV would also be interested in exploiting C4's assets.

The notion of all three public service broadcasters coming together took on a fresh impetus since Mark Thompson took over as director general of the BBC in the summer.