But were BBC 1 Regional closedowns the norm or the exception? How much of the main evening schedule had regional continuity?
Here in the South, it was from the intro to the 17:40hrs national news (there was a one min promo for South Today at 17:39hrs, though that was there from much earlier and lasted into the 80s), until close down. Only weekdays though.
Don't remember a single occasion when BBC North East appeared in-vision.
In fact, there didn't seem to be much local continuity at all that I remember. What little there was was quite poorly produced as I recall -- there was a curious echoing effect on the voice. I'm not sure (I was too young) but ISTR that it was mostly Tom Kilgour who made most of these announcers.
A little strange given the copious use of IVC on the other side.
I may be imagining this but I'm sure I heard that BBC NE had a slightly different form of local continuity in the 80s - there was an experimental set up where when network put the COW globe to air there was a signal in the VBI that triggered Newcastle to cut (in vision only) to their locally branded version.
Obviously lettraset hadn't reached BBC East in 1984 - this is how they were doing menus during regional junctions!
JJ
jjne
Dear oh dear -- that BBC East slide. Makes Border look professional...
I don't recall any evidence for the BBC NE globe -- although that isn't to say it did not happen.
What I am not quite sure about is the arrangement at New Bridge Street -- according to Transdiffusion they only had two studios -- one for Look North, the other for smaller bulletins and continuity, but they had a separate announcer for the late news. I suppose it could have been recorded. Perhaps the makeshift nature explains the poor sound quality of the announcements in the 1970s -- if they didn't have a proper studio for them....
I agree with JJ - the only time I recall seeing the 'BBC North East' globe during the COW era was before local news/local opt-outs. The system Steve mentions may have been trialed briefly, but I don't recall ever seeing any evidence of it.
I visited the 'Pink Palace' in the late 80s and was shown the pres suite (nothing more than a desk with about four monitors above it) and it seemed to be unmanned during a mid-evening on a Thursday - no-one even appeard to be monioring the output from there. I was told from another contact that the newsreader (or technical member of staff) had to insert a key to allow an opt to take place, and remove the key after the opt. He also told me that this was the reason for a screen-jump several seconds before and after an opt, due to someone being too 'heavy' with the key/equipment. Could have been a genlock/natlocking issue though I guess.
I visited the 'Pink Palace' in the late 80s and was shown the pres suite (nothing more than a desk with about four monitors above it) and it seemed to be unmanned during a mid-evening on a Thursday - no-one even appeard to be monioring the output from there. I was told from another contact that the newsreader (or technical member of staff) had to insert a key to allow an opt to take place, and remove the key after the opt.
Yes, Southampton had a key too, when I visited in 1995. Standard BBC procedure for English regions I suspect.
He also told me that this was the reason for a screen-jump several seconds before and after an opt, due to someone being too 'heavy' with the key/equipment.
I believe there was an experiment to find a system to automatically replace the network globe with the regional versions across England but that this was several years before the COW... I'm guessing about 1980 when regional continuity itself stopped?
On a different note, until the early 90s BBC Scotland only covered the junctions from about 12.30pm on Sundays. I seem to remember though that sometimes we'd see the Scottish globe but hear the network announcer for a couple of the links on Sunday morning before BBC Scotland formally took over... but I'm guessing this was just because the announcer was in early and using their initiative and not some automatic system!!
I believe there was an experiment to find a system to automatically replace the network globe with the regional versions across England but that this was several years before the COW... I'm guessing about 1980 when regional continuity itself stopped?
On a different note, until the early 90s BBC Scotland only covered the junctions from about 12.30pm on Sundays. I seem to remember though that sometimes we'd see the Scottish globe but hear the network announcer for a couple of the links on Sunday morning before BBC Scotland formally took over... but I'm guessing this was just because the announcer was in early and using their initiative and not some automatic system!!
Think this actually keep happening even when the 1998 re-brand took place, this was more liked to the Saturdays mornings.
12.15pm ident from live and kicking into Grandstand, most time that come from london. Scotland CA never appeared until 17.15pm for Allo allo and then News at 17.40pm
I believe there was an experiment to find a system to automatically replace the network globe with the regional versions across England but that this was several years before the COW... I'm guessing about 1980 when regional continuity itself stopped?
On a different note, until the early 90s BBC Scotland only covered the junctions from about 12.30pm on Sundays. I seem to remember though that sometimes we'd see the Scottish globe but hear the network announcer for a couple of the links on Sunday morning before BBC Scotland formally took over... but I'm guessing this was just because the announcer was in early and using their initiative and not some automatic system!!
Think this actually keep happening even when the 1998 re-brand took place, this was more liked to the Saturdays mornings.
12.15pm ident from live and kicking into Grandstand, most time that come from london. Scotland CA never appeared until 17.15pm for Allo allo and then News at 17.40pm
I think the same used to be true on weekday mornings until the advent of all day daytime TV. It used to be a bit of a " treat " as well to see the national UK globe on Christmas mornings for example, but over the last few years it's all been BBC Scotland branded. I know Scotland opts out a lot, but it would be a good way to save money if they reverted to the UK continuity more often. BBC Scotland on BBC One and Two still have a bad habit of cutting into the network continuity just before the programme starts or to show one second of a trailer from the network and then cut to their own. You'd think they would have mastered this by now?
Anyone able to shed anymore light on the BBC Scotland invision continuity from the early 80s?
That's right. BBC Scotland didn't routinely cover daytime junctions until 1986 - as I remember just those they needed to cover and the two main lunchtime links at 1230 and 1300.
In fairness, you very rarely see accidental glimpses of the network symbol or trails now as the nations work off a clean feed from Red Bee and the majority of trails are played out locally on BBC1.
Of course, it may happen occasionally but I think people imagine it is a much more regular occurance as they remember what it sometimes used to be like!!
Of course, it may happen occasionally but I think people imagine it is a much more regular occurance as they remember what it sometimes used to be like!!
I think when you start to notice these things they start to stick in your mind as well.
Like the microphone clunk on Tyne Tees -- I had it in my head that it was a regular occurrence, but when I look back at the old clips it was masked well for most of the time, and the majority of times it did happen were no worse than say BBC HD is now (which also has a somewhat 'clicky' announcer mic).
