, ▁Wales , ▁southern ▁Scotland , ▁the ▁Is le ▁of ▁Man , ▁the ▁Channel ▁Islands ▁and ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁With ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁the ▁I TV ▁brand ▁is ▁the ▁brand ▁used ▁by ▁I TV ▁pl c ▁for ▁the ▁Channel ▁ 3 ▁service ▁in ▁these ▁areas . ▁In ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁I TV ▁pl c ▁uses ▁the ▁brand ▁name ▁U TV . ▁ST V ▁Group ▁pl c ▁uses ▁the ▁ST V ▁brand ▁for ▁its ▁two ▁franch ises ▁of ▁central ▁and ▁northern ▁Scotland . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁orig ins ▁of ▁I TV ▁lie ▁in ▁the ▁passing ▁of ▁the ▁Television ▁Act ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁designed ▁to ▁break ▁the ▁mon opol y ▁on ▁television ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁BBC ▁Television ▁Service . ▁The ▁act ▁created ▁the ▁Independent ▁Television ▁Author ity ▁( IT A , ▁then ▁I BA ▁after ▁the ▁Sound ▁Broadcast ing ▁Act ) ▁to ▁heavily ▁reg ulate ▁the ▁industry ▁and ▁to ▁award ▁franch ises . ▁The ▁first ▁six ▁franch ises ▁were ▁awarded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁for ▁London , ▁the ▁Mid lands ▁and ▁the ▁North ▁of ▁England , ▁with ▁separate ▁franch ises ▁for ▁Week days ▁and ▁Week ends . ▁The ▁first ▁I TV ▁network ▁to ▁launch ▁was ▁London ' s ▁Associ ated - Red iff usion ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁with ▁the ▁Mid lands ▁and ▁North ▁services ▁launch ing ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁and ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁respectively . ▁Following ▁these ▁launch es , ▁the