We don't see many, if any, analogue clocks these days on TV. Of course back in the 1980s Breakfast Time and TV-AM had analogue clocks (throughout the broadcast) but I'm sure the BBC later dropped it for a digital one, whereas TV-AM kept theirs (and a large chunk of the original presentation but that's another topic) until the end of their licence in 1992 and I suppose by that point most breakfast clocks were digital.
There was one occasion several years ago now where BBC Breakfast's digital clock failed, so they had to set a camera on a shot of a wall clock (set down on the sofa I think) and show that in the corner of the screen.
Allsorts including, but not limited, to the following:
1. Video recorder owners who scanned TV schedules for any programmes that just so happened to interest them that were broadcast when they were unable to watch them.
2. Shift workers who were at home during times when schools programmes were broadcast.
3. Parents who recorded schools programmes for their children's education or to help with homework. This was quite common.
4. Home educated children - although the numbers were far fewer than in recent years.
5. Adult education.
6. Recorded for export to foreign countries. A suitcase handler at an airport told me that barely a day would go by in the 1980s and 1990s without finding a suitcase packed with video tapes destined for a foreign country. Schools programmes were regularly encountered.
Why is that purple and green instead of blue and yellow?
The boys in Pres used to love mucking about with lurid colours for that countdown, it wasn't
proper broadcasting hours (it was defined as 'Trade Test') so presumably the 'Grown Ups' on the top floor didn't care ?
We don't see many, if any, analogue clocks these days on TV. Of course back in the 1980s Breakfast Time and TV-AM had analogue clocks (throughout the broadcast) but I'm sure the BBC later dropped it for a digital one, whereas TV-AM kept theirs (and a large chunk of the original presentation but that's another topic) until the end of their licence in 1992 and I suppose by that point most breakfast clocks were digital.
My understanding is that TeleMatin as seen on France2 still uses an analogue clock, there's no clock on the feed of it on TV5 Monde.
On the odd occasion the 'home' instead of 'international' feed has aired on TV5 Monde, the clock looks to be digitally generated these days - although it still has analogue hands.
Now this is obscure. But has to be one of the worst shows CITV aired in the late 90's. That theme tune is irritating!
It amazes me how many children's programmes have faded into obscurity and are now forgotten. Considering how few hours per day were devoted to children's programmes on BBC1 and ITV1 then theoretically children's programmes should be remembered and well documented on the internet. Has something gone wrong somewhere?
:-(
A former member
Let's be honest some of them were utter Crap.... And are best forgotten 😂
Now this is obscure. But has to be one of the worst shows CITV aired in the late 90's. That theme tune is irritating!
It amazes me how many children's programmes have faded into obscurity and are now forgotten. Considering how few hours per day were devoted to children's programmes on BBC1 and ITV1 then theoretically children's programmes should be remembered and well documented on the internet. Has something gone wrong somewhere?
Not every genre of programming got it right and as this thread has proved, some of it resonates with some people and not others. Nobody has posted common things in the thread that everybody likes and remembered - things like Art Attack, Grange Hill and Byker Grove for example, primarily because they all ran and ran - Art Attack was on the air for 17 years as was Byker, and Grange Hill knocked up 30, probably one of the longest running children's TV shows ever after Blue Peter.
A similar argument could be made for the Sunday night "God slot", the likes of Highway for example, the only example I can think of for it and I have no doubt there were others like Highway. I'm stuffed if I can remember any of them though.
Just because a programme is bad or unpopular doesn't necessarily mean that it's forgotten. Eldorado is infamous and a shining example of a truly awful programme.
Jackanory was probably the most unpopular programme on CBBC during the late 1980s. Few kids, or more latterly, adults I have met have confessed to watching Jackanory during this era on anything but a very occasional basis but every man and woman on the street knows about it.
The number of CBBC and CITV children's programmes of more recent years that have faded into obscurity and are now forgotten also raises questions, especially to those who gripe about American children's programmes or the satellite channels, about the quality of CBBC and CITV childrens programmes or fitness for the audience expected to watch them.
But likewise there are programmes remembered for being dreadful that were actually quite enjoyable. And indeed, Eldorado was dreadful at launch but recovered considerably to the point it was essentially EastEnderado by the time of its demise.