Televised football in the regions, part two: the north-east of England

Tyne-Tees Television were the only regional ITV company the north-east of England ever had, and they were the first to introduce regular highlights.

With the north-east of England being as fervent in its interest in football as it is, it is perhaps surprising that the football output of its local commercial television station should have always been done on a shoestring. This, however, was the reality of the marketplace. Newcastle United, Sunderland and Middlesbrough may all be clubs who stir passions in their supporters that are difficult to match elsewhere in the country, but the reality of the media landscape in the United Kingdom was that these three clubs were served by one of the more perpetually cash-starved members of the patchwork quilt which used to make up the commercial television network in this country.