ast ▁was ▁first ▁broadcast ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁using ▁data ▁supplied ▁by ▁the ▁Met ▁Office , ▁and ▁was ▁presented ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁weather ▁forec aster s . ▁The ▁forec asts ▁are ▁spons ored ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁spons ors ▁message , ▁would ▁appear ▁prior ▁to ▁and ▁following ▁the ▁forec ast . ▁The ▁forec asts ▁are ▁made ▁immediately ▁after ▁the ▁main ▁national ▁news ▁bullet ins . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁forec ast , ▁regional ▁forec ast ▁provided ▁by ▁each ▁regional ▁companies ▁were ▁shown ▁in ▁each ▁region ▁only . ▁The ▁regional ▁forec asts ▁today ▁are ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁the ▁main ▁regional ▁news ▁bullet ins , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁months , ▁includes ▁a ▁Pol len ▁Count . ▁ ▁Sports ▁▁ ▁I TV ▁covers ▁many ▁popular ▁sports . ▁The ▁channel ▁emphas ises ▁coverage ▁of ▁football , ▁with ▁the ▁channel ▁previously ▁holding ▁the ▁UK ▁terrest rial ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁UEFA ▁Champions ▁League ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁channel ▁sharing ▁coverage ▁of ▁international ▁football ▁events ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁with ▁the ▁BBC . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁The ▁Football ▁Association ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁agreed ▁a ▁new ▁four - year ▁£ 4 2 5 m ▁television ▁deal ▁for ▁I TV ▁and ▁Set anta ▁Sports ▁to ▁show ▁FA ▁Cup ▁and ▁England ▁international ▁matches ▁( the ▁Scottish ▁regional ▁broad c aster ▁ST V ▁black s ▁out ▁those ▁games ▁and ▁rep laces ▁them ▁with ▁regular ▁programming ). ▁The ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁FA ▁represented ▁a ▁ 4 2 %