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Channel Television during the 1979 ITV Strike

How did it continue broadcasting? (June 2019)

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JA
james-2001
noggin posted:
james-2001 posted:
I think even transferring stuff to telerecordings was all but dead by the end of the 70s.


Telerecording was still in use at the BBC well into the 80s, to allow content shot on video to be included in inserts or programmes which were otherwise entirely shot and edited on film, and which didn't go through a VT edit. (As an example, I clearly remember a TV drama shot and edited on film, with film credits, based in a TV station, where the video output of the studio was included as a telerecording)


Though that's just portions of programmes for editing purposes rather than complete shows for distribution.
NG
noggin Founding member
james-2001 posted:
noggin posted:
james-2001 posted:
I think even transferring stuff to telerecordings was all but dead by the end of the 70s.


Telerecording was still in use at the BBC well into the 80s, to allow content shot on video to be included in inserts or programmes which were otherwise entirely shot and edited on film, and which didn't go through a VT edit. (As an example, I clearly remember a TV drama shot and edited on film, with film credits, based in a TV station, where the video output of the studio was included as a telerecording)


Though that's just portions of programmes for editing purposes rather than complete shows for distribution.


Yes - my point was that transferring stuff to telerecordings was still a 'thing' well past the 70s, so the means to do it hadn't gone from the industry, though it was no longer a routine process for international sales. (I think 1" VT and better quality 525/625 standards conversion were the keys to opening up VT sales more widely)
CO
commseng
I had assumed that they would have had dedicated telegraph lines from IRN with a "rip and read" service, similar to the BBC?
Did Channel not have a telex connection - or did IRN not have the ability to send the bulletin via telex every hour?
MA
Markymark
commseng posted:
I had assumed that they would have had dedicated telegraph lines from IRN with a "rip and read" service, similar to the BBC?
Did Channel not have a telex connection - or did IRN not have the ability to send the bulletin via telex every hour?


I think what Tony's suggesting, is what I suspected a few weeks back up thread, the NUJ probably weren't over happy about changing any work practice at IRN to additionally feed Channel ? How did sending multiple telexs work BTW, or was each ILR station sent the script in rotation ?
BL
bluecortina
TonyCurrie posted:
Markymark posted:
james-2001 posted:

I might be wrong, but I don't think any of what they showed on film was from the ITV companies, it was all films and US imports.


That's my understanding too, I recall a news paper article at the time, and I think Channel was getting stuff flown in, some of directly (well via LHR !) from the US ?


There were no programmes from other ITV companies (The New Avengers was made independently) but I think the films were provided by Leslie Halliwell's department. There vwas a fresh Feature Film every night.


Films and tapes were usually ferried between the companies by the ITCA so I would see no reason for this arrangement not to continue during the strike. I can't see any individual ITV company claiming exclusive access to bought in films and series so what you say makes perfects sense to me.
CO
commseng
Markymark posted:
commseng posted:
I had assumed that they would have had dedicated telegraph lines from IRN with a "rip and read" service, similar to the BBC?
Did Channel not have a telex connection - or did IRN not have the ability to send the bulletin via telex every hour?


I think what Tony's suggesting, is what I suspected a few weeks back up thread, the NUJ probably weren't over happy about changing any work practice at IRN to additionally feed Channel ? How did sending multiple telexs work BTW, or was each ILR station sent the script in rotation ?

I guess there were telegraph lines rather than telex lines used for sending normal feeds - maybe a mirror of the IRN audio lines?
LBC -> BRMB -> Piccadilly -> Metro -> Clyde with spurs off where required possibly. It would need someone who worked in ILR to confirm.
MA
Markymark
commseng posted:
Markymark posted:
commseng posted:
I had assumed that they would have had dedicated telegraph lines from IRN with a "rip and read" service, similar to the BBC?
Did Channel not have a telex connection - or did IRN not have the ability to send the bulletin via telex every hour?


I think what Tony's suggesting, is what I suspected a few weeks back up thread, the NUJ probably weren't over happy about changing any work practice at IRN to additionally feed Channel ? How did sending multiple telexs work BTW, or was each ILR station sent the script in rotation ?

I guess there were telegraph lines rather than telex lines used for sending normal feeds - maybe a mirror of the IRN audio lines?
LBC -> BRMB -> Piccadilly -> Metro -> Clyde with spurs off where required possibly. It would need someone who worked in ILR to confirm.


Oooh, now, in one of the later IBA Tech Reviews there's a diagram showing the IRN dist and cont networks.
I can't remember which one, and my collection is in deep storage at present (long story).

From memory BRMB, Piccadilly, Clyde, and I think Radio West (Bristol) were hub sites. There were also daisy chains, LBC>210 Reading> Victory Portsmouth > 2CR Bournemouth. It'll be on that NTL/IBA memorabilia site somewhere
JK
JKDerry
Here is the archive TV Times for the first full week ITV was back after the strike. The TV Times for Saturday 27th October until Friday 2nd November 1979

https://radiosoundsfamiliar.com/complete-tv-times-october-1979.php

As you will see the network was still struggling to get back to normal, even in the first full week back.
Closedown, Si-Co and Ne1L C gave kudos
NL
Ne1L C
Its less of a tv guide and more of a coming soon preview.

(PS thanks for helping get this thread up to 500 replies)
MA
Markymark
Ne1L C posted:
Its less of a tv guide and more of a coming soon preview.

(PS thanks for helping get this thread up to 500 replies)


At least they removed the full stop from the 'Welcome home to ITV' graphic on the front cover
NL
Ne1L C
I wonder if there was any guilt felt amongst union members at CTV at working while their colleagues were striking?

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