BBC1
~ BBC 1 ~
BBC1 is the oldest channel in Britain. It was launched way back whilst people were still watching in Black and White. The BBC had previously broadcast on radio only, and had been funded by people paying a licence fee. This system continues with television to this day, and is the reason the BBC does not show adverts during its breaks, and doesn't cut as much out of programmes! To see the idents from the 2002 launch, click on the link at the bottom to go to its special page. 2006, coming soon!
BBC1 1981-1997
BBC1 1981
The BBC's famous mirror globe ident was in use for several years, with variations to the writing underneath. The entire ident was mechanical, created using an actual mirror and a lit rotating globe. Clip courtesy of James Hadfield.
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BBC1 1985 (The COW Globe)
This ident, more commonly referred to as the COW globe due to the fact it was computer-generated, was introduced around 1985, and remained in use until around 1991. As with all of the logos on here it has the trademark globe. This example is from 1990.
BBC1 Closedown 1985
...And here is the shutdown for the BBC from the COW era, showing both the clock, and globe. Thanks to James Hadfield for this!!
BBC1 1988 (The COW globe... with subtitles!)
A slighty different version of the COW ident, this time with the word 'subtitles' underneath.
BBC1 1992
In 1991, BBC brought in this new package, still with the globe, but using much more advanced computer graphics in the background, and now played off laserdisc.
BBC1 Closedown 1995
A complete version of the BBC1 shutdown from the mid 90s, showing the clock, playing 'God Save The Queen', then fading to black. After 30 seconds the testcard then comes on. An obscure warning if you have a laptop like mine (ie where the speakers are close to the harddrive). That high-pitched tone can cause the hd to go into click of doom mode if played for more than a few seconds. Not sure what the technical explanation for that one is!
BBC Select 1992
BBC Select was a largely encrypted service which ran overnight on BBC1, catering to specialist audiences (such as nurses and lawyers). This file features some of Testcard F, and a short section of the holding music used between programmes. Thanks to Iam Burn for this.
BBC1 (1997-29/3/2002)
BBC1 1997 (The Balloons)
In 1997, the BBC spent a small fortune on a revamp of the BBC corporate logo, the last one for many years. Coinciding with this, instead of the plain computer generated globes, the BBC 1 balloon was introduced, and the letters B B C were made into squares, rather than the slanted ones that had preceded it, and had been in use for years before. It was the first time the BBC experimented with a large number of idents too. This shows just one of them. This one was recorded in 2001, after the addition of the Beeb's website address.
BBC1 1998 (Bridge)
The introduction of digital in 1998 gave viewers the chance to see more of the scenic landscape in the idents. Towards the end of 2001, they were occasionally fed out in 16:9 on analogue, of which this is an example. Dodgy sound abound here!!
BBC1 Schedule Changes - 12/9/2001
After the events of September the 11th 2001, Television stations were thrown into chaos, as schedules had to be hastily adapted to allow for extra news coverage. As such, rather than the usual promos, both the BBC and ITV (yes even network ITV!!) produced timetables for the continuity announcers to read out. This is the ammended schedule from the 12th September on BBC1.
BBC1 2001 (Blue Planet Balloon)
Here we have a special balloon ident, introduced shortly before the BBC's groundbreaking wildlife series 'The Blue Planet' went to air.
BBC1 2001 (Walking With Beasts Balloon)
And then another special balloon ident, for another sort-of wildlife program. This time 'Walking with Beasts'.
~ Acknowledgements ~
BBC Television - http://www.bbc.co.uk