Scottish Television (now, legally, known as STV Central Ltd and referred to on-air as STV) is Scotland's largest ITV franchisee, and has held the ITV franchise for Central Scotland since 31 August 1957. It is the second oldest ITV franchisee still active (Granada Television being the oldest). The channel is now owned and operated by STV Group plc (formerly SMG plc), which also owns another independent television franchise, Grampian Television (now STV North), based in Aberdeen.