Does ITV know something about the Competition Commission's final decision on CRR that we don't?
Already the broadcaster has an ITV1+1 service lined up and ready to start transmitting from the beginning of next month - coincidentally the CC is expected to make its ruling on what 'son of CRR' should look like this month.
No-one really expects CRR to be abolished but the decision to launch a +1 of its main channel indicates that ITV is confident enough that any changes will not make this unfavourable, which has prevented it from doing so in the past.
So what will a new CRR, that manages to both convince the regulators that it is not anti-competitive but allows ITV to potentially cannibalise audience share from ITV1 without damaging its share in negotiations, look like? Answers please.
Also, achieving this Holy Grail will end up being a nicer epitaph for outgoing chairman Michael Grade than either of his opposite numbers at Channel 4 - Luke Johnson and Andy Duncan who are also leaving at the end of this year - look like getting.
