ITV (previously branded ITV1 from 2001 to 2013) is a British free-to-air television channel owned and operated by ITV plc. It provides the Channel 3 service across the country except in the central and northern areas of Scotland where STV holds the licences. ITV as a consistent national channel (with, importantly, dedicated slots for regional news and other regional programmes) evolved out of the old ITV network - a federation of separately owned regional companies which had significantly different local schedules and branding.