Associated TeleVision

thumb|300px|The ATV logo preceded and followed the original broadcasts of The Muppet Show in the U.K.
thumb|300px|right|Muppet Show Season 2 closing credits with Closing ATV Zoot logo.
Associated TeleVision was a television company that was part of the Independent Television networks in United Kingdom between 1955 and 1981 and distributed The Muppet Show in the UK through ITV. The network owned Elstree Studios near London, where the series was shot.
Jim Henson initially worked on various guest appearances and specials filmed through ATV and its studios, including The Julie Andrews Hour and Herb Alpert and the TJB. With The Muppet Show picked up by Lew Grade, ATV became the official network of the series. All episodes were filmed in Elstree at ATV's studios and included their usual talent such as Jack Parnell. ATV became the official distributor of The Muppet Show in Great Britain through the ITV networks, with its logo and identification used both at the beginning of the show and with the final note played by Zoot. Outside Great Britain, the show was officially distributed by Grade's ITC Entertainment.
The ATV network was formed as a means of two separate British companies to bid for one of the initial ITV franchises prior to its 1955 startup between the Associated Broadcasting Development Company and the Independent Television Corporation as founded by talent agents Lew Grade and Prince Littler. 
Under the guidance of Lew Grade, ATV became notable as the "crass entertainment" network of the ITV franchises. With their connections to the entertainment industry, the network became notable for their programming in the 50s and 60s, particularly for shows such as Sunday Night at the London Palladium (hosted by Bruce Forsyth and others) and for its orchestra led by Jack Parnell. Many of the shows developed for the network were exported internationally by Grade and ITC. These shows included the puppet series of Gerry Anderson and many notable dramas and spy series of the 1960s (including The Saint starring Roger Moore).
File:ATV.png|Orchestra shot with ATV logo from Season 1
File:Atv_zoot_S1.png|Zoot ending from Season 1 UK airings
File:Muppet_Show_Closing_Theme_Season_2_Zoot_ATV_Closing_Logo.png|Zoot ending from season 2
Image:Atv zoot.jpg‎|Zoot ending from season 3
Atvcolourproduction1973julieonsesamestreet.jpg|The ATV Colour Production logo from Julie on Sesame Street.
File:ATVChickens01.jpg|The cluckitis affected orchestra from episode 321
File:ATVChickens02.jpg|Zoot as chicken from same episode
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Category: Broadcasters