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On This Day...12th October
Channels
1996
Channel 4 replaces its long-running idents with a new concept based around four circles, created by its in-house design team. The '4' lost its familiar colour scheme and was significantly reduced in size.
Each circle signified something different about the channel's programmes: one of the circles would always contain the channel identification - the '4'; another would show the time at which the programme was to be transmitted; a third circle showed an image which clearly identified the programme; the final circle (not always used) was supposed to signify the first thing that came to mind when you thought about this programme.
The full concept was only realised on promotional trail endboards and programme slides; on the channel's idents, three of the circles would remain empty, whilst the other contained the '4' logo.
EXTERNAL LINK: Channel 4 presentation: 1996 - 1999 (TV Whirl).
Each circle signified something different about the channel's programmes: one of the circles would always contain the channel identification - the '4'; another would show the time at which the programme was to be transmitted; a third circle showed an image which clearly identified the programme; the final circle (not always used) was supposed to signify the first thing that came to mind when you thought about this programme.
The full concept was only realised on promotional trail endboards and programme slides; on the channel's idents, three of the circles would remain empty, whilst the other contained the '4' logo.
EXTERNAL LINK: Channel 4 presentation: 1996 - 1999 (TV Whirl).
Miscellaneous
1948
The first BBC TV outside broadcast from 10 Downing Street – an interview with Commonwealth prime ministers.
Programmes
1958
The first edition of Grandstand airs on BBC TV.
1960
The first episode of Here's Harry airs on BBC TV.
1975
The 1,000th edition of Grandstand airs on BBC One.
1981
The final episode of Blood Money airs on BBC One.
1981
The final episode of Winston Churchill – The Wilderness Years airs on ITV.
1984
The final episode of The Magnificent Evans airs on BBC One.
1984
The first episode of Morgan's Boy airs on BBC One.
1987
The first episode of Fortunes of War airs on BBC One.
1988
The first episode of The Return of Shelley airs on ITV.
1989
The first edition of Around the World in 80 Days airs on BBC One.
1997
Another Audience with Freddie Starr airs on ITV.
1998
The final episode of Reckless airs on ITV.
2000
The final episode of The Ruth Rendell Mysteries airs on ITV.
2004
The first edition of The Paul O'Grady Show airs on ITV.
2016
The final episode of National Treasure airs on Channel 4. Written by Jack Thorne. Starring Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters and Andrea Riseborough.
2018
The first edition of Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip airs on ITV.
2020
The final episode of Us airs on BBC One.
Test Card/Teletext In-Vision Music
1988
BBC One tape Decanter airs for the first time.
On This Day...12th October
Births
1906
Former radio announcer and TV voiceover artist, Bob Danvers-Walker.
1946
Former TV news presenter, Bob Warman.
1952
Former TV/radio weather presenter, Anne Purvis.
1955
TV news presenter, Sally Magnusson.
1956
TV presenter, Neil Buchanan.
1973
TV/radio sports presenter and former TV announcer, Mark Chapman.
1986
TV news presenter, Nancy Kacungira.
1999
TV presenter, Adam Beales.
Events
1986
John Humphrys presents News View (BBC Two) for the first time.
Research for On This Day in TV History is by Paul R. Jackson.
Details about test card/teletext in-vision music and BBC trade test films are available as a result of decades of research and logging by members of the Test Card Circle.
Details about test card/teletext in-vision music and BBC trade test films are available as a result of decades of research and logging by members of the Test Card Circle.
TV Pres has been created to promote our partnership of independent television presentation sites. These feature high-quality, curated video content that documents the history of TV ephemera such as idents, promotions, advertisements, programme graphics and set design.
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