YORK City chairman John Batchelor is continuing his quest to rescue crisis-hit ITV Digital but admits time is of the essence.

As reported in the Evening Press, the City supremo is heading a consortium hoping to acquire the company from co-owners Carlton and Granada.

Batchelor maintains his ambitious plans are realistic but much depends on the attitude of the two controlling media giants.

"It is very much still active and I think still realistic and we have held talks with the administrators," explained the City chairman.

"Unfortunately, Carlton and Granada have got their heads in the sand.

"I think they have to take the view that they must become involved in how this happens rather than just leaving it in the hands of the administrators.

"At the moment, their share prices have benefited from simply walking away from ITV Digital.

"However, when it becomes apparent they cannot do any deals because they have no commercial credibility, because they have walked away from the biggest sport in the country and left a number of clubs in a deep hole, then that is going to start affecting their share prices.

"That is not good for that to happen at a time when they are trying to merge."

Batchelor, who took control of the City just two months ago, added: "We would take the broadcasting platform, the broadcasting rights, and we would expect Carlton and Granada to facilitate that for us.

"Essentially, what we are doing is taking the pain away for them.

"We may have to buy the assets but we also receive money from the shareholders.

"They are going to have a public relations atomic bomb go off when the first club is forced to shut down.

"The time-scale is dictated by the fact the assets are devaluing as we speak.

"As they lose subscribers to Sky because they are not broadcasting the same content it is becoming worth less and less and less.

"There is a lot of pressure therefore to get things done fast.

"But given the number of negotiations I have been involved in this year then anything is possible."

ITV Digital hit the rocks after being unable to attract sufficient viewers to its pay-per view channels.

The pay channels were switched off last week, with only the free-to-air channels still broadcasting.

The ITV Sport Channel has been designated as free-to-watch.

ITV Digital was put into administration in March after failing to reach settlement with the Football League over outstanding payments on a £315 million deal to show matches.

Several League clubs could be threatened with closure if they do not receive the money they were promised under the original contract.

ITV Digital had attempted to re-negotiate the terms of the contract with the Football League but lower offers were rejected.

Updated: 09:32 Wednesday, May 08, 2002