Complex sentence: The LTC plans were seen by the ITA as serious contenders to the quality educational programming of the BBC; so keen were the ITA that they were quoted, at the time, as saying the LTC had to have its chance, whatever the repercussions.
Split into simpler sentences: The LTC plans were seen by the ITA as serious contenders to the quality educational programming of the BBC. So keen were the ITA that they were quoted, at the time, as saying the LTC had to have its chance, whatever the repercussions.