CBeebies on BBC One ECP

I've noticed upon watching early CBeebies continuity how it really felt like the last few days of CBBC on Choice, minus the name of the strand and of course, the presenters and continuity style.

One thing I discovered was that CBeebies on BBC One initially had a revolving ECP in the shape of a blob, in-keeping with the bug patterns of the presentation, with the presenters on the right reminding viewers to switch to the CBeebies Channel. This was usually followed by a promo for either CBeebies or CBBC, before handing over to CBBC One:


However, from Autumn 2002, the ECP was dropped, with the continuity link playing after the programme's credits, usually with the presenter making or doing something, and once again reminding viewers to switch to the CBeebies Channel. This was accompanied by an ambient tune of bells and light percussion, in the style of the strand's jingle in the idents:


Anybody know why this was changed?

Presumably because some credit styles (especially imported programming) wouldn't suit it.

CBBC had a similar design, but much smaller in the bottom right. It also lasted a lot longer but eventually they just started putting the credits on the TV screens in the background.

Also according to tvtropes (so I'm not sure how true this is)

ITV were even worse sometimes. Anything shown on GMTV or SMTV didn't have the credits shown at all (GMTV cut the opening titles down to just a titlecard too).

There was a time on CBBC programming where the credits for a lot of programmes in the mid to late 2000's I think it was were set up and done in such a way as to facilitate an ECP or squeeze of some sort, and then for whatever reason it never happened, or at least not on the CBBC Channel.

Of course CITV after 1998 squeezed everything and then some more. Doing well to get an endcap sometimes. This carried on well into the new century, probably up until they stopped coming out of Birmingham and started coming out of Manchester. Of course by that point it was just a squeeze for the sake of squeezing and to hell if it was readable, whereas previously there was some effort to allow credits to be legible.

Although of course after 2002 most CITV programmes credits were done in the house style of the main channel, the main exception being My Parents Are Aliens, Art Attack (I believe) and possible something else, a policy which didn't last long as they didn't quite seem to know what they wanted credits to be.

Diggit used to show the credits. Scrolled across the bottom of the screen in the final scene so fast you couldn't read them. A lot like many US channels do now rather than show the proper credits. In fact it's quite interesting how we see the "proper" credits on many US shows (even if they are squashed down to unreadable), whereas they aren't seen in the US at all... unless they make streaming or DVD/Blu-Ray anyway.

I’m not sure that they were as quick as credits in the US, but watching through modern refresh rates makes the scroller hard to read as it still does for shows that use them now.

Back when CBeebies presenters didn't talk to their audience like everyone is a baby.

By the way I think CBeebies is great, I just think current presentation and continuity isn't as good as it used to be. Same could be said for CBBC really.

You don't think it's so great when you have young family members and have to watch it for hours on end...

I do have to mute parts of CBeebies because they sing too much. Please CBeebies... stop singing everything!

Perhaps recital would be better, all together now:
"There once was a man from Nantucket..."

The irony is that at that the time of both channel's launches, some of the forum members were complaining about the condescending undertones of the presenters, recently, I uncovered a Guardian article regarding the departure of head of BBC Children's Programming, Nigel Pickard, from October 2002, which also mentions both BBC children's channels having mixed fortunes.

So, even though CBeebies and CBBC are still going strong after nearly two decades, can we say they were an overall good investment in revamping the children's strand for the digital era?

Presentation aside they are propping up the children's sector in this country by quite some margin. Had it been left to the commercial sector the youth of today would be feasting on American imports and think we can summon the emergency services by calling 9-1-1. (yes I know BT bodged the system to intercept these calls but that's not the point).