Creditors agree to liquidation of ITV Digital

Creditors of the failed DTT platform, ITV Digital, have given the green light to administrators Deloitte & Touche to proceed with the liquidation of the company.
The decision to proceed with liquidation means that the company will finally be wound down next month. At the meeting, the creditors also questioned the £5.9 million loan which former owners Granada and Carlton made to ITV Digital in March to preserve the company's operating cash into the first stages of the administration period. It is reported that interest on that loan was 7% above the base rate, which upset creditors who also criticised the manner in which ITV Digital was managed.
The move comes as ITV Digital's licences for free-to-air terrestrial licences go under the hammer, with the joint bid from BBC and BSkyB leading the pack. The Independent Television Commission (ITC) received six applications in respect of the three advertised licences to operate digital multiplexes B, C and D, by the deadline of 5pm 13 June.
Among the rival bidders are Digital Terrestrial Alliance – a consortium comprising the former owners of the licences Carlton and Granada, and Channel4 – and Freeview Plus, a joint bid by David Chance and Ian West, who have launched a play-lite proposition.
A seven-day period of public consultation on the non-confidential elements of the application will be held and, once the consultation phase is concluded by 5pm on June 21, the ITC Commission will consider all submissions in detail with the aim of awarding the licences by 4 July.
Chairman of ITV Leslie Hill has also revealed that he intends to resign at the end of June. A past of a restructuring move, the chairmanship of ITV will be dissolved in favour of a new role of chairman of the ITV Council. The post is expected to be filled by Scottish Media Group's chief executive Donald Emslie.
ITC, www.itc.org.uk
(GMcG)