ITV reportedly faces revolt from regional broadcasters

LONDON (Reuters) - Free-to-air broadcaster ITV (ITV.L) is facing a revolt from regional broadcasters over its plans to increase the amount it charges them to carry its content, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Northern Irish broadcaster UTV Media (UTV.L), Scottish media group SMG SCSMG.L, and Channel Television, which serves the Channel Islands, have said they have no intention of paying higher fees to ITV, according to the report.

However, ITV Executive Chairman Michael Grade told analysts last week that ITV is not prepared to go on subsidising them.

The three companies are under separate ownership from ITV but rely on it to sell advertising and provide most of their programme content.

(Reporting by Matthew Scuffham; Editing by Jason Neely)