Teletext In View
Teletext in View
The teletext broadcasts began with both Ceefax and the independent service Oracle in the mid 70s. The service itself looked very basic by modern standards, with only 8 colours, some blocky graphics and simple effects, but over the decades people grew to love the service. The end of the 90s saw the beginning of the end though. With it being pushed out of the emerging digital spec in the UK (contrasted with the continent), and the growth of the internet making the text services less profitable, the service hit decline. Teletext, the main commercial provider on ITV, Channel 4 and Five effectively pulled the plug at the end of 2009, with Ceefax due to disappear over the remaining years of digital switchover.
During its heyday, the teletext services had an unusual side benefit. They were great for filling hours of unprofitable overnight space cheaply. All you needed was a text generator that could sit playing pages in a loop for hours without anyone monitoring, and you were sorted. To celebrate the end of the service, we take a look back at some of these 'in vision' appearances.
During its heyday, the teletext services had an unusual side benefit. They were great for filling hours of unprofitable overnight space cheaply. All you needed was a text generator that could sit playing pages in a loop for hours without anyone monitoring, and you were sorted. To celebrate the end of the service, we take a look back at some of these 'in vision' appearances.
Oracle Advert - 1990
A promo for Oracle, billed then as 'The Ultimate Newspaper'. Oracle originally ran the service on ITV and later Channel 4 from launch in the 70s until the end of 1992. After a campaign to prevent the complete loss of commercial teletext in the early 90s, Oracle ended up losing out in the infamous 1991 Franchise Renewals to a new company, Teletext Ltd, who ultimately broadcast for the remainder of the analogue service. Clip courtesy of Iam Burn.
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4-Tel on View Ad - 1989
4 Tel was Channel 4's own service, containing listings and information on Channel 4. Ran seperately to Teletext, it was eventually phased out in favour of an alternative service provided by Teletext Ltd themselves. During its lifetime, overnight closed time on Channel 4 was often filled with 4-Tel on View; a loop of the usual pages played out in broadcast form, with a series of animations between. Shown here, an ad for the service, courtesy of Ashley B.
4-Tel on View (Intro) - 1996
Recorded from overnight Channel 4 in 1996, there now follows a series of animations from throughout the 4-Tel on View sequence. The sequence itself, in this case, went on for around 10 minutes, with short animations in between. First, a friendly chap brings out a crumpled up paper, and welcomes us to 4-Tel on View!
4-Tel on View (Highlights) - 1996
Moving from TV Listings to TV Highlights pages, with seemless and swish transitions. Powerpoint, eat your heart out!
4-Tel on View (Competition) - 1996
Hey little man, open that door, it's competition time!
4-Tel on View (About) - 1996
Just in case you've been watching this loop for several minutes, somehow evading ear damage from the 8Khz tones, and still don't have a clue what you're actually looking at... our friend jumps out of the TV to tell you!
4-Tel on View (End) - 1996
Coming to the end now, and everyone's favourite man of Lego appears from a magic door, first to warn you about those pesky imitation services (I hear people impersonating animated block characters on TV was a big issue in the mid 90s), before wrapping up the 4-Tel loop!
BBC2 (Closedown to Pages on Ceefax) - 2001
Switching from commercial television over to the BBC now, and it's the end of the day for BBC2 in 2001... so there's just time to say a few goodnights, before switching to Pages From Ceefax. And if they thought UK Economic Growth hitting a 2.5 year low was a major issue then, they certainly wouldn't like our 2008 economy...
