Currently, both companies own a 20% stake each in ITN, with other shareholders including United Business Media, Daily Mail & General Trust and Reuters.
In the new communications bill, the government has increased the stake that any one company can own in ITN to 40%. However, with Carlton and Granada working towards a merger, the two companies would already own a 40% stake. They want to be able to increase their holding in ITN.
In a report in The Times, Steven Anderson, controller of news, current affairs, arts and religion at ITV, said: "We should be able to own ITN. US networks like ABC, NBC and CBS are all allowed to own their news providers."
United Business Media and Daily Mail & General Trust are both thought to be likely to sell their stakes if the regulations are lifted, as neither is involved in television.
ITN provides 24-hour news coverage to ITV, Channel 4, Five and ITV's digital news channel ITV News. Last year, ITN came close to losing the contract to provide ITV with its news, after a consortium including BSkyB undercut its bid.
While ITN cut its contract from £45m to £36m a year, there are fears that any further cuts would damage the quality of the service.
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