ITV Breakjumper (Breakflash)

Well technically the 'black gap' as I call it, is only on ITV in the GMG North regions, the SMG regions and UTV. It is was something which both ITV and Channel 4 did for years, know one knows why, I guess it was just technical. But Sky came along and they started showing the ads in one go without the black gap, then soonafter Channel 5 had their breakflash, then Channel 4 did it, then any ITV Region controlled from LNN does it now. When I was in London in June, I managed to watch a bit of ITV1 down there and it is very difficult to get used to that style of break, when you've grown up with the black gap. But I guess it's technical reasons, more promotion and it does look kind of cool in a way.

It all goes back to the IBA days and what was described, by them, as a "perceivable pause".

That meant that the viewer had to be certain that one commercial had finished before another was allowed to begin.

In practise, about twenty frames of black were needed for Mr Viewer's brain to register this pause.

Hence, optics were invented. They are just twelve frames long and give the "perceivable pause" in twelve twentieths of the time. Hence more commercials in less time. Hence more advertising revenue in less time.