▁were ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁non - pro fit ▁body ▁I TV ▁Network ▁Limited , ▁which ▁commission ed ▁and ▁scheduled ▁network ▁programming , ▁with ▁comp liance ▁previously ▁handled ▁by ▁I TV ▁pl c ▁and ▁Channel ▁Television . ▁However , ▁due ▁to ▁am alg am ation ▁of ▁several ▁of ▁these ▁companies ▁since ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁I TV ▁Network ▁Limited ▁( and ▁given ▁Channel ▁Television ▁is ▁now ▁owned ▁by ▁I TV ▁pl c ), ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁replaced ▁by ▁an ▁affili ation ▁system . ▁Appro ved ▁by ▁Of com , ▁this ▁results ▁in ▁I TV ▁pl c ▁commission ing ▁and ▁fund ing ▁the ▁network ▁schedule , ▁with ▁ST V ▁and ▁U TV ▁pay ing ▁a ▁fee ▁to ▁broadcast ▁it . ▁All ▁license es ▁have ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁opt ▁out ▁of ▁network ▁programming ▁( except ▁for ▁the ▁national ▁news ▁bullet ins ), ▁however ▁many ▁do ▁not ▁due ▁to ▁press ures ▁from ▁the ▁parent ▁company ▁or ▁because ▁of ▁limited ▁resources . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁affili ate ▁system ▁being ▁introduced , ▁ST V ▁would ▁frequently ▁( and ▁sometimes ▁controvers ial ly ) ▁opt ▁out ▁of ▁several ▁popular ▁network ▁program mes ▁– ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁original ▁run ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁series ▁of ▁Dow nt on ▁Ab bey ▁– ▁cit ing ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁provide ▁more ▁Scottish ▁content ▁to ▁its ▁view ers . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁public ▁service ▁broad c aster , ▁the ▁I TV ▁network ▁is ▁obliged ▁to ▁broadcast ▁programming ▁of ▁public ▁importance , ▁including ▁news , ▁current ▁affairs , ▁children ' s ▁and ▁religious ▁programming ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁party