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BBC Learning Zone

R.I.P (November 2015)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
AN
Andrew Founding member
The full version had a shorter version though, where the music didn't match up. The middle bit which included the acorn on a webpage that looked like a window from a web browser using Windows 3.1 were cut out

Original version
1:10 here


Cut version


These clips also show how the menus changed from leaves to falling acorns and generally looked more modern in the 15 years between the clips, but only the shorter ident remained.
Last edited by Andrew on 17 November 2015 8:14pm
BE
benriggers
There were usually only two elements to the overnight Learning Zone on BBC Two, typically the acorn ident (which had a full version and a trimmed version (the growing leaves only). The other element was the menus, typically shown over a background of falling acorns which IIRC could be different colours on different days (I presume there was a reason for this but I never found out what it was).


Because of different zones each night e.g. OU = blue background, Schools = red background, Languages = green background. Can't remember Work Skills one though.
JA
james-2001


Interesting that the ident there is the 4:3 version cropped to 16:9, unlike the version posted on the previous page which is proper 16:9!

Almost like the 2001 "remixed" CBBC idents which were also 4:3 versions cropped to 16:9 even though there are 16:9 versions in existence.
MA
Maaixuew
Education stuff is still on BBC Four mostly. Its seems like a more national channel these days.


What a great post. Bravo! I hope you're proud of yourself for that lovely contribution.
VM
VMPhil


Interesting that the ident there is the 4:3 version cropped to 16:9, unlike the version posted on the previous page which is proper 16:9!

Slightly different logo as well - notice the spacing between BBC and Learning. Must have only had a clean copy of the 4:3 version (without a logo burned in).
IN
Interceptor
So, do we know for sure whether or not it has been binned off? Could it be that it'll only run during exam times? Seems odd that BBC's viewer relations would advise to keep checking listings? (Not that I know anybody who actually used it for revision.)
JA
james-2001
Possibly viewer relations don't know, so "checking listings" is the only advice they can offer. We all know how bad communication within organisations can be!
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
So, do we know for sure whether or not it has been binned off? Could it be that it'll only run during exam times? Seems odd that BBC's viewer relations would advise to keep checking listings? (Not that I know anybody who actually used it for revision.)


Must admit when I was first introduced to the Learning Zone in the 1990s by a friend you could write off to the BBC for a pamphlet/flyer that would list what was on and when. That was back in the day when they were running Open University programmes and a nice mixture of other things and it filled up the entire night from 12:30am onwards.
JA
james-2001
The good old days when you had to send off for flyers, listings, factsheets and the like, the days of stamped addressed envelopes! The internet's put an end to that, though!
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
The good old days when you had to send off for flyers, listings, factsheets and the like, the days of stamped addressed envelopes! The internet's put an end to that, though!


No it hasn't.
The option is still available, though of course it's cheaper to use the internet for the same job. Not everybody has the internet though.
JA
james-2001
As good as though- how often do you see TV shows giving you an address to send off for a factsheet now?
BE
benriggers
Confirmed. It's gone from TV. Now online only.


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