davidb

channel 4 are having a spot of bother with their funding ,itv cant afford regional news [ or at least say they cant ] the bbc want an ever increasing licence fee . the answer to the above ? quality not quantity ! bring back the closedown and the afternoon testcard .its generally accepted that tv in 70s was the golden era and what did they used to do back then ? the testcard and closedown were a vital ingredient ,they then only have to concentrate on good tv for the evening .just think jeremy kyle gets his p45

mysteriesofedgarwallace

And I used to love the Test Card music and transmitter information!

Rather that than 'I'm a Celebrity Has-been, Get Me My Pay-Cheque'

Marky B

If it means saving the regional news,then yes,I agree with it.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

EHV_Emmetts

I recall the BBC used to close down in the afternoon after they broadcast the schools programmes in the morning.

The test card, and particularly the music that would accompany it, was far more entertaining than all of the rubbish which is now transmitted at these times.

We don't need 24 hour a day television, we also don't need 200 plus channels.

I think this organisation have some very incisive points.

http://www.whitedot.org/issue/iss_front.asp

Chevyman

If we do have the return of the shutdown, I hope it is accompanied by the National Anthem

"Don't tread on Greta Garbo, as you walk down the Boulevard?"

Why not visit the Quiz Section?

marker

I would love to see this back I might then even watch tv again as I have given up !!! due to crap programs too many adverts with increased sound.
The only tv I am now watching is on my working 405 line black and white sets on which I show old films and 50s 60s tv stuff and yes even the odd advert its all much more civilised

Cheers Marker

hankoler

I think I would rather watch the test card than pay fat cheques to nonentities.

DB7

As an insomniac I'd be against it. The best was ITV Nighttime which included film review programmes, Casey Kasem's America's Top 10, imports like Sledge Hammer, the lamentable James Whale and a load of Hammer films and b&w b-movies.

hankoler

I would agree DB but how many times has a season of Brit. movies been on terestial tv.Instead we get the same old repeats that have done the rounds more times than the moon has been round the earth.

davidb

here she is test card fans with an instrumental of goldfinger ,how apt for britmovie

Steve Crook

It makes you cherish and appreciate them even more when it does happen
And it does happen, just not very often

Steve

winsfordtown

ITV made good afternoon television in the seventies - Indoor League, Crown Court and then they would repeat the previous year's 9 O'Clock drama such as 'Hunter's Walk', 'Raffles'. 'This Year, Next Year' etc.

Air Marshall

Indeed, i too would like to see a Shut down and the National Anthem played once again.

Here, here


AM

bhowells

I am in total agreement with Rowan Atkinson in a Points Of View spoof from Not The Nine O Clock when he says that the "test card is quite magfinicent and worth the licence fee on its own."

bhowells

I am all for bringing back the closedown and bringing the test card back into service. Meanwhile Youtube have plenty of clips of the test card to keep fans happy not only the famous test card F with the girl and the clowN but its black and white predessor Test card D.

Also there a plenty of clips of various ITV regions closedown announcements complete with cosy conitinuity announements, the national anthem and best of all the studio clock followed by the blank screen and the icing on the cake the high pitched whiney tuning signal.

It will be a great shame if the ITV regions stop the regional news programmes. ITV regions have lost most of their identity as it is, this will be the final nail in the coffin.

In the halcyon days of ITv, we were all familiar with the various ITV regions most of them produced programmes which were shown across the networks even if we didnt live in Anglia or Granadaland or Southern tv etcwe all had some idea of the flavour of each of these channels.

If the BBC calls a halt to regional news this will also be sad, all BBC regional varations are avalable on Sky and its interesting to look at the regional news magazine programmes, cosy and a bit naff some of them might be, they provide an essential service.