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ITV Schools on Channel 4 1987-1993

(June 2016)

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IN
Interceptor
Channel 4 was routed via the various programming contractors who applied their own advertising - I presume UTV and one or more of Border/Scottish/Grampian simply 'opted out' of the feed from Central?


Also I don't think Central were responsible for playout after it moved to Channel 4, the Rotomotion and Clock all came from Channel 4 Presentation. Central and ATV were responsible (the nominated contractor) for presentation of Schools programmes when they were on ITV until 1987 though.

That's interesting if true! Why did Channel 4 wait until September to implement their own look?
LO
lobster
Was it ever established who did the presentation package for this era of ITV Schools on 4?


i always assumed it was Central? most presentation departments of that era were only dabbling with graphics - when you think of what computing power was available at the time - that was pretty advanced - it still looks good now.
IN
Interceptor
Was it ever established who did the presentation package for this era of ITV Schools on 4?


i always assumed it was Central? most presentation departments of that era were only dabbling with graphics - when you think of what computing power was available at the time - that was pretty advanced - it still looks good now.

Central were, I think, the only company to use a CGI version of the rainbow ITV logo too. It's definitely consistent with the sort of things they were achieving at the time.
RO
robertclark125
It was definitely Channel 4 who done the playout of ITV Schools on 4 from September 1987. This was confirmed to me a few years ago in an email from ITV. As for the reason why Channel 4 waited until 14th September 1987 to start their own look? Well, very simply, those few days when the service was on ITV due to the general election, the service was still ITV for schools and colleges. It wasn't ITV Schools on 4, officially.

That said, the captions on the temporary relocation of the service on channel 4 were in a different font to that on ITV.
IN
Interceptor
I meant why did ITV Schools presentation continue until September 1993? I guess it makes more sense if Channel 4 were doing the presentation themselves all along.
:-(
A former member
Want CH4 still controlled by ITV until 1993?
IN
Interceptor
Want CH4 still controlled by ITV until 1993?

Yes - my point was it would seem weird if Channel 4 took over 'playout' and presentation of Schools in January, but didn't rebrand it until September. If they were doing playout all along, it makes more sense.
:-(
A former member
The other reason could be CH4 wanted to start a fresh from the new school year? instead of changing half way thought it?
BR
Brekkie
How did the advertising arrangement work pre-1993. Was it simply any ad aired on C4 funded C4 or was there an agreed levy that ITV paid to fund the channel in return for the advertising revenue (whether they made a profit or loss?).
SP
Steve in Pudsey
I think it was the latter, but I'm happy to be corrected.
RO
robertclark125
The reason why Channel 4 waited until September 1993 to launch their own new look was simply the start of the new academic year. ITV still provided a service to schools in the 1992-3 academic year. Although Channel 4 and ITV were now, in competition with each other, ITV still had to provide an outlet for the service for the last six months of ITVs service to schools.

Remember that the service didn't just consist of the programmes on air. Schools would've received planners, wall charts, booklets, and programme materials, most, if not all, would've had marked "ITV Schools" somewhere. So, it would've not been ideal for Channel 4 to drop the ITV brand midway through an academic year. Remember also, Channel 4 didn't take full control of the schools service until September 1993. Until then, end caps for the schools programmes may well still have ahd "A so and so production for ITV or ITV Schools"
Si-Co and Interceptor gave kudos
DE
deejay
... And until 1992, ITV regional contractors (plus TVam and Oracle) and Channel 4 were independent companies providing programmes to networks owned by the Independent Broadcasting Authority. The IBA owned the transmitters and the networks, the companies made the programmes (or in channel 4's case, commissioned them). The IBA also made the rules and enforced them very strongly.

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