Havelock House: TV history worth preserving?
The future of UTV’s former headquarters is in doubt. Developers want to knock it down and redevelop the site. Belfast City Council is set to decide whether to let them do this.
BBC English region cuts
The scale of the planned cuts to the BBC’s local and regional services in England will have taken many by surprise. The decision to cut dual presentation in the regions which still had it will …
Might some lockdown changes linger on?
As lockdown restrictions ease, now is the time to start keeping a watch on whether some of the changes made by broadcasters become permanent or indefinite.
No trade test on Sundays
Occasionally an old clip of what was once unremarkable everyday television provides a gateway into another world. A piece of continuity which has surfaced from a Sunday morning in June 1974 does just that. A …
Will ITV branding become the norm in NI?
The next few weeks should prove very interesting for those with a concern about UTV’s branding. The channel temporarily started carrying ITV continuity and trails on 2nd April because of the coronavirus crisis.
How did TCF become such an iconic BBC image?
It is an iconic BBC image – part of the brand heritage and as much a statement of the BBC of the 70s and 80s as the globe or the famous weather symbols. But the BBC …
Current BBC News branding comes of age
The current BBC News package is a direct evolution of the new look introduced in May 1999. Titles and sets have changed a few times, the music has been tweaked and the main news has …
A minor tweak with significant meaning for UTV?
A good detective spots little details – details which may seem insignificant but which can point to something of more importance. Only the most observant of pres fans will have immediately noticed a little change …
Can individual programmes affect the power of a brand?
Last year ITV took swift action following the death of a contributor on The Jeremy Kyle Show. They quickly concluded that the programme could have tarnished both the channel and the company’s reputation.
Archive find highlights poor technical quality of BBC NI 80s presentation
A rare find on YouTube highlights the poor technical quality of BBC One Northern Ireland continuity back in the day. The clip from 1980 includes a very poor blue and white clock (the network clock …