Central's Finest Era

Well TV-Ark now has the coverage of the best ever era for Central with regards to presentation. Loads of idents and an update to the Central News West page as well with another opening from the fantastic 1997 era.

Carlton was well and truly in, and they were getting ready for a changeover - regional programmes were being copyrighted as "Carlton Television" but still with "Central Programme" endcaps. But 1997 was a wonderful era, the greatest idents Central has ever seen, the great team of announcers and great news programmes for all the regions. It's rare to find such a good example of classic and fantastic presentation so late in the 90s.

Just goes to show, Carlton had been in there for a while - but Central was still very much the station it deserved to be. Just a shame the name was to go just 2 years later and then both Central and indeed Carlton would lose out to a merger to create "ITV plc." Do check it out, as it really is classic presentation.

http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvmidlands/itvmidlands/idents/central1997as.jpg http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvmidlands/itvmidlands/idents/central1997es.jpg http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/itvmidlands/itvmidlands/idents/central1997hs.jpg

Just browsed, and with a bit of tweaking, they could be modern enough for a look today. Fantastic idents!

I have to agree with you James.

Those idents are amazing, I'm glad I saw them for real, being from the Central region. I'm sure there must be some old videos at home with some of those idents on...

I guess you have to live there. The seem a little cheesy and cheap, especially the music.

Cheesey and cheap is definatley not how you could describe the Central Cake animations.

When the new cake logo was introduced Central used many variations to ensure the presentation never looked tired with regular new packages.

It only went downhill when the cake went.

Many ITV regions acknowledge that out of vision presentation was at it's strongest in the midlands.

I'd forgotten about all those idents completely! Got to be the best idents from Central!

A bit OT but I have just seen the 1997 Central News West Titles from TV-Ark for the first time and absolutely LOVE the music!

Does anyone know if it is Library music and if so what is the album number?
(Don't worry I'm not requesting the music just info on it)

I can see why they're so popular, and I know that to some it is criminal to criticise them any way at all.

BUT.

The music is so God damn awful. They could be used as the soundtrack to Chucklevision and nobody would notice anything wrong. It's like the olden days Calendar music that everyone loved so much - a cross between a MIDI file and a composer having a laugh.

Idents probably from the "music house" library, thats all i've ever seen written about it, the news theme is most likely kpm, no idea about album numbers

pure class - it really brings home how much things have changed in the last couple of years - but i'm still aware that in some respects we were lucky in the midlands, retaining local continuity till the end.

they certainly were the best ever set of central idents - with the spectacular 3D animation found in the channel 4 idents, the variety found in the bbc 2 idents with the very strong branding central had worked so hard at.

its also sad to hear paul, ted and andy again after all this time - its not the same without them.

i know we can never return to the glory days - but i do wish lnn could have replicated some of the style and tone shown in the clips. i mean what would excite (or catch the viewers attention) more ... gaby yorath standing doing nothing before emmerdale - or a glitzy cheerful animation which hammers home the fact you are watching the nations favourite channel - with the corporate logo being the centrepiece.

I really miss the old Central

That is a disgraceful thing to say! I have wondered when there would be a website with these idents on and TV-Ark has done us proud.

If you have lived in the Central region during this time, you would have been proud to have been watching the channel and these idents show why the Central Cake is now sorely missed by so many.