'In vision' Continuity announcers.

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,886

I know this thread may seem a bit sad but stick with me. The idea for this thread was part of a topic of conversation in our local this pm. Some of the younger members here may not have a clue what I'm talking about, but does anyone remember the days when we actually used to see some well turned out individual sitting in front of a picture of a landmark relating to the TV stations location to tell us what was coming on next? One of my friends tells me that on some channels this person would even have a leather armchair and an 'egg plant' for company. I live in what was the Anglia TV area where we had a passive tiger toy hosting 'Birthday Club', sometimes we even had a clock! Some continuity faces turned up on our local news and reading out local commercials, so I'm told. Anyway, hopefully someone will come to my rescue and post an answer!

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Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 155

Not sad at all! An interesting part of TV history

This web site http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/presenters/ has a selection from the last 30 years or so and has local tv reporters as well as continuity announcers. (It's also good for other TV nostalgia too!)

I think different regions phased them out at different times - I moved to the North East (Tyne Tees) from the Midlands (Central) and was surprised to see continuity announcers still on TTTV. Hadn't had them for years on Central since (I think) Mike Prince (and that may well have been ATV).

Sadly I think I know too much about this subject and I really don't know why...

Member for

14 years 5 months

Posts: 4,956

Absolutely not sad and how I wish they would return so that we can dispense with the endless trailers for forthcoming programmes, This criticism applies to radio as much as television.:mad:

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,886

Many thanks for your kind words Misha and for that link, its frightening the TV memories that its kicked off! This is getting worse now as my partner has just told me that at Christmas time the Anglia bods used to sit in a big armchair in front of a fake fireplace adorned with cards and holly! Forgot to mention that the landlord chipped into our conversation today and said that he had recently been to Germany to visit his daughter and he's sure they still use the 'real person' formula there

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17 years 10 months

Posts: 877

I remember th continuity announcers from my youth as well. I would prefer them to thannoying habit of advertising the next or upcoming programmes at the bottom of the screen whilst the current show is still going,or even the habit of shrinking the end credits to advertise the next show just as i want to see the cast list.:mad::(

Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 155

Many thanks for your kind words Misha and for that link, its frightening the TV memories that its kicked off!

I know - you can get lost in there for days!

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17 years 10 months

Posts: 194

MacDonald Holby and was it Silvia Peters or Mary Peters? I can remember the Interval between programmes. There was a windmill, a potters wheel or a horse drawn plough ploughing a field.
I am positive that we have not progressed in a civilised way. I agree with all the complaints mentioned above re at the end of programmes.

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14 years 5 months

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Sylvia - Mary was the Northern Irish Olympic pentathlete....:)

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15 years

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Sylvia Peters and Mary Malcolm,who I believe died only recently,are two presenters I remember from my far-off youth.
This site has some videos of the little interlude films that used to appear between BBC programmes in the 50s,including my favourite,the white kitten.

http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/index.htm

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,234

I remember th continuity announcers from my youth as well. I would prefer them to thannoying habit of advertising the next or upcoming programmes at the bottom of the screen whilst the current show is still going,or even the habit of shrinking the end credits to advertise the next show just as i want to see the cast list.:mad::(

Bang on, that man!

I go back to the days of Diddy David Hamilton doing this on Granada TV in the 60's.

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24 years 2 months

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And who could forget the test pattern with the girl and the cuddly toy! Is that ever on now btw?

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14 years 5 months

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Not a chance. I think the BBC is in denial that it can't have adbreaks so every spare microsecond is taken up with trailers for future programmes - often the same programme ad nauseam.:(

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,234

And who could forget the test pattern with the girl and the cuddly toy! Is that ever on now btw?

I'm sure I've seen it at 3am (ish) during the text type broadcasts.
They tracked that girl down last year didn't they?

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,886

I understand so. Apparently her name is Carol Hersee, now in her 50s and working in the costume dept. at the BBC. She holds the official world record for the face most seen on TV. Her father, who was a senior engineer at the BBC, designed the pattern. Rumour has it that she still possesses the toy! Please believe me I'm not an 'anorak, but once I started searching on this I couldn't stop!;)

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15 years 1 month

Posts: 479

Please believe me I'm not an 'anorak, but once I started searching on this I couldn't stop!;)

But that does make you an anorak.:D

Member for

15 years 11 months

Posts: 422

Back in the 70's I think HTV West used to have an announcer who was very good at his job, but the major problem was, he couldnt tell the time from the clock. When the station closed down at night, he used to break out in a cold sweat shake and fumble about in his chair and eventually guesses the time after many attempts, normally getting it wrong.
Ian

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24 years 2 months

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But that does make you an anorak.:D

Oh 'eck noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo;)

Member for

17 years 10 months

Posts: 194

Perhaps someone will give the correct reason for the shrinking of the credits to advertise the next programme, but I think it is because of the remote control and so many channels to change to that the BBC/ITV wants to beat the channel flicker and let them know whats on next before they flick channels.
It does not make it good practice though.

Member for

17 years 10 months

Posts: 194

Sylvia Peters and Mary Malcolm,who I believe died only recently,are two presenters I remember from my far-off youth.
This site has some videos of the little interlude films that used to appear between BBC programmes in the 50s,including my favourite,the white kitten.

http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/index.htm

Thanks for the info I will check it out.

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,234

Perhaps someone will give the correct reason for the shrinking of the credits to advertise the next programme, but I think it is because of the remote control and so many channels to change to that the BBC/ITV wants to beat the channel flicker and let them know whats on next before they flick channels.
It does not make it good practice though.

This makes a lot of sense.
A lot of the time, no point flicking these days, most of the programmes on Sky have ads at the same time. Especially the sky stuff I watch......Discovery/History/Eden...all that lot up there past 520. And NOT the GodSquad terrorist Church stuff from America.

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,234

I understand so. Apparently her name is Carol Hersee, now in her 50s and working in the costume dept. at the BBC. She holds the official world record for the face most seen on TV. Her father, who was a senior engineer at the BBC, designed the pattern. Rumour has it that she still possesses the toy! Please believe me I'm not an 'anorak, but once I started searching on this I couldn't stop!;)

I also remember that the test card was the only way to tune the telly! "Set" as it was called. Remember trying to get the Horizontal and Vertical hold right LoL!! You could also get the colour perfect by using BBC news, the newsreader was perfectly lit. If you had colour that is!