In 1954 Parliament authorized the creation of a new pattern of British television services, additional to those of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Unlike the BBC, however, Independent Television (popularly termed ITV) is paid for by the sale of advertising time; no income is received from licence fees or other public funds. The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) [then the Independent Television Authority] was created to provide these public television services of information, education and entertainment throughout the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

The Independent Broadcasting Authority Act 1973, which sets out the basic principles for Independent Television, contains many provisions about programmes, advertising and other important matters. The central responsibility for administering the Act is placed on the Independent Broadcasting Authority, appointed by the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications.

The Authority comprises a Chairman, a Deputy Chairman and nine Members. Three of the Members have as their special care the interests of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The present Chairman is the Rt. Hon. Lord Aylestone, CBE, appointed on 1st September 1967.

The Authority is aided by advisory committees. In addition to the General Advisory Council and the Scottish, Northern Ireland and Welsh Committees, the following deal with specific subjects: the Advertising Advisory Committee and the Medical Advisory Panel; the Central and the Scottish Appeals Advisory Committees; the Central Religious Advisory Committee and the Panel of Religious Advisers; and the Educational Advisory Council, the Schools Committee, and the Adult Education Committee. The Complaints Review Board investigates complaints from the public or from persons appearing in programmes about the content of programmes transmitted or the preparation of programmes for transmission.

The staff of the IBA, led by its Director General (Brian Young), totals about 1,270, of whom about 750 are administrative and technical staff at the London headquarters and at Crawley near Winchester, 435 engineers and others at the transmitters, and 85 regional staff.

From July 1972 Parliament extended the functions of the IBA (formerly the Independent Television Authority) so as to include the provision of local sound broadcasting services financed by advertising.