Changes to Teletext

Not that unsurprisingly but they've slashed the number of news pages from 16 to 10, though IMO it can't be too difficult to keep those extra 6 pages even if it's just older stories remaining in the index longer, or taken from the sport/entertainment sections.

Anyhow, the thing I find most bizarre is the decision on Digital Teletext (on Freeview at least) to drop the 1/4 screen window and have the story full page. They were fine as they were really, and considering one of the main selling points of Digital Text was the ability to continue watching the programme in-vision it just seems rather odd to drop it.

I assume, in my opinion, etc. etc. etc.

As with most cutbacks they are dressed up as 'improvements' .

I'm sure McMahon will be devestated, others however might wonder what the point of teletext is these days.

Does anyone know of any sort of usage figures for the system, especially the digital version?

The "News in Pictures" page turns out to be just one picture.

I find that Ceefax is no longer that big at all.

I suppose the only reason 'teletext' is still so comprehensive, is because of the itv network. imagine if it was run by itv plc!

when I didn't have the Internet, i found teletext v. useful—it would be a shame if it dissolves away.

it will go fhutt when digital comes in anyway as it's on anologue signal

It has no connection with any ITV company and never has done, it just broadcasts on their analogue channel

Their regional setup is also a totally different set up, they could have 26 regions if they wanted

They still get it on Digital cable with no antenna.

Yes, but that's to do with Virgin Media, not ITV, They presumably just suck it off the analogue transmissions and send it to the boxes

i've always regarded 'teletext' as an ITV company in itself. didn't it replace Oracle on the same day as the other ITV companies changed in 1993?
What I meant was, had the ITV network not existed, teletext wouldn't be a company in its own right, so its service wouldn't have been so significant to a one-big ITV as its service is to teletext limited (teletext is its main product)—it is down to the ITV network setup that teletext still exists so big as it is now. does that make any sense :-S?

Not much no.

If ITV the channel didn't exist then of course Teletext wouldn't either, of course. It is a separate license and did start on 1/1/1993 but it's always been distant from the ITV companies (and channel 4 and five).

Unlike Oracle which the ITV companies had an operational and historical link with, Teletext has always been distant from them. The news service isn't supplied by ITN or the ITV regions and it's distribution and transmission is done on a separate network (the first time the Teletext signal and the vision signal of the ITV company meet is at the transmitter) in fact their regions can be configured seperately from ITV's.

The other reason why ITV Also the various ITV companies had their own space in the VBI for their own text service and subtitling.

Yes, but when/if ITV's transmission facilities move to Chiswick Park, they will be a lot closer, because that's where Teletext Limited are based as well!