Most advertisers and media buyers in the UK believe a single airtime sales house from the merger of Carlton and Granada would push up commercial television advertising rates, according to a snapshot industry poll carried out for the Financial Times.

Seventy per cent of respondents believed ITV prices would rise following the combination of the UK's two commercial television companies. For the London market, where Carlton sells ITV slots during the week and Granada at weekends, 78 per cent predicted less competitive rates if the companies' two sales houses became one. Most also predicted consolidation among other UK television sales houses owned by British Sky Broadcasting, Five and Channel 4 in response to an enlarged ITV. Overall, 52 per cent supported the merger of Carlton and Granada, which was approved by the government last week, with more advertisers than agencies in favour.