ITV

Independent Television (generally known as ITV but also as ITV Network or Channel 3) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990 and the Broadcasting Act 1990, its legal name has been Channel 3, the number 3 having no real meaning other than to distinguish it from BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 4. Prior to this, the channel had no legal overall name and the name Channel 3 has to date rarely been used outside of a legal context or on-screen.