Independent Broadcasting Authority rival Sky Television plc was able to launch an analogue service and intended to overshadow BSB by leasing transponders from Société Européenne des Satellites' RCA Astro-built satellite, Astra 1A. After around a year, the company merged with BSB. The IBA was disbanded as part of the Broadcasting Act 1990, being replaced on New Year's Day 1991 by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) (which also absorbed the Cable Authority), and the Radio Authority (RAu), which have since been merged with other regulators such as Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC) and Oftel (Office of Telecommunications) to form one regulator, Ofcom. All of the
Now (British TV channel) Now (British TV channel) Now was a British television channel transmitted as part of the British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) service during 1990. The Now channel was originally designed to be a live 24 hours news channel similar to CNN and Sky News, with most of the content provided by ITN. Between the award of the franchise and the launch the channel, ITN quitted its involvement with BSB after failing to agree with the latter on how to provide its news service, and the Now channel's remit was changed to have lifestyle programmes in the day and current affairs shows in