 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2017) |
A clock ident is a form of television ident in which a clock is displayed, reading the current time, and usually alongside the logo of that particular television station. Clock idents are typically used before news bulletins and closedown, though in the past quite commonly preceded regular programming. In the United Kingdom, it is also very much associated with schools programming.
Clock idents are typically displayed as an analogue clock, although some broadcasters have experimented with digital clocks. [1] In particular, during the 1970s and 1980s, many ITV regions in the UK adopted digital clock designs, which are overlaid onto a coloured card using CSO. The backgrounds were generally static, but some clocks had movement. For example, Associated-Rediffusion had a spinning Adastral. The final clocks from 1995 to 1998, used by RTÉ One and RTÉ Two, were overlaid onto a video background.
The first station clocks were mechanical, but were converted to an electronically generated format in the 1980s. [2]
A clock will usually match a TV channel's normal ident or idents; some broadcasters such as TVP from Poland and RTM from Malaysia are exceptions.
Clocks can be displayed in silence, but can also be accompanied by music or the voice of a continuity announcer giving programme information.
Traditionally, clocks have been used before programmes, as well as after programmes and at closedown or startup. Their use before news bulletins ensured that the bulletin began at the exact time dictated by the schedule. [3]
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, digital television became commonplace and clocks began to drop out of mainstream use - delays caused by digital systems meant that clocks were a few seconds slow. Most television channels no longer sign off at night, eliminating the need for closedown clocks. BBC One formerly used the clock ident from 1980s until Easter 2002 when it changed its idents from the Balloon and Clock to the Rhythm and Movement series. One notable exception is the Welsh-language channel S4C, which used a clock until 2007 at closedown and before news bulletins. In 2015, however, Channel 4 reinstated clock idents as part of the channel's relaunch. These idents are used before news programmes. [4]
France's public broadcasters have historically used clocks. One of the more famous examples was the clock belonging to RTF Télévision which featured a spiral clock face. Designed by Christian Houriez and introduced in December 1959 it was used throughout the 1960s. [5]
Clocks have also been used in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Poland, among others.
In Hungary, before 2015, MTV broadcasts clocks before MTV Híradó (their news bulletin) or other news programmes, to announce the New Year's Eve as well as before the national anthem. TV2 and its sister channel, SuperTV2, instead broadcast a five-second countdown before their news bulletins and occasionally other programs. RTL Klub is still known to broadcast clock idents before RTL Híradó and to announce the New Year's Eve since its start in 1997.
Analogue clock idents were used in both the public RTP channels in Portugal, until a major rebranding on 28 January 2002, at which time they were replaced by less obtrusive digital clocks. Clock idents in Portugal have mostly been used before newscasts, although they were sometimes used to align programming with the schedule for continuity.
Television stations in the Czech Republic mostly use clock idents before newscasts, whose overall branding packages usually include the graphics and music for the clock. Clocks are also shown on the New Year's Eve, with Czech Television traditionally using footage of a striking clock mechanism in the lead up to midnight.
There are clock idents also in the UK. One example is CBeebies' BBC Playtime, where the BBC logo appears in a light blue background with wind-up key noises, then the scene switches to a red clock with white eyes, a yellow face, green hands and blue numbers in a dark blue background, which ticks until it strikes and some children shout out the word "Playtime!". Then the clock shoots out star-shaped confetti, with a yellow star landing on the screen with the BBC Playtime logo appearing on it. This ident also appeared in Italy, more specifically on Rai Yoyo, but with "Playtime" replaced with "Play Children". The clock is also considered a character from the Teletubbies TV show.
Clock idents are not typically used in Asia, except in a few countries.
In Japan, NHK had an iconic mechanical clock ident from 1969 to 1985. The clock had a blue background and the clock piece was white; on the face plate multiples of 3 had two bars while the other numbers had one bar. There was also an NHK logo near the clock. [6] A variant of that clock design had a wooden background. [7] [8] NHK introduced many clock designs after 1985, although the classic clock as mentioned earlier continued to remain in occasional use as recently as the early-1990s. NHK still broadcasts clocks prior to the 7 a.m. news.
In China, CCTV-1 broadcasts clocks at 5 seconds before the beginning of news programs at noon (since 2016), 7 pm (since 1988) and 10 pm (since 1994). Clocks are also broadcast on New Year's Eve every year at 10 seconds before midnight to announce the beginning of the New Year since 1984.
In Hong Kong, clock idents were used in between programmes, especially news bulletins, although they were not used during closedowns or start-ups.
In Southeast Asia, clock idents are broadcast on a few channels in almost all countries, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam. In Brunei, RTB broadcast clocks at sign-on (just before Brunei National Anthem as start of the channel), before their news programs, and before Islamic prayer times (Waktu Sembahyang); 4 or 5 times a day. In Cambodia, Channel TVK used to air an analogue clock ident before their TV programs in 1993–1996 and replaced by the digital clock in 1997 (started at 11h30–14h30 and resumed at 17h00–23h00).
In Indonesia, TVRI used to air clock ident before its main news programmes, notably Berita Nasional and Dunia Dalam Berita . The ident accompanied with seven-note tune that resembles the first note of Mars Pancasila (March of Pancasila). The tune is so iconic that it is included into current ident of the latter starting on 2015. However, TVRI no longer use clock idents since mid-2014.
In Malaysia, RTM broadcast clocks on sign-on and sign-off, but clocks were cancelled in 2009. Clocks on RTM had music until 1978 but on some occasions, such as before main news program, it had background music. TV3 used clocks before their news programs from 1 January 1985.
In the Philippines, the networks of Broadcast City (BBC-2/City2, RPN-9/New Vision 9 and IBC-13/Islands TV 13) aired clock idents during advertisement breaks from 1970s/early-1980s until 1986 (BBC-2/City2) and mid-1990s (RPN-9/New Vision 9 and IBC-13/Islands TV 13). ABS-CBN-2, MBS-4/PTV-4, ABC-5, GMA-7 and SBN-21 doesn't broadcast clock idents.
In Singapore, Mediacorp broadcast clocks before their news programs. From 1 June 1980, such clocks were sponsored. [9]
In Thailand, Channel 3 used to air an analogue clock ident before their news programs in 1986–1995 after Channel 3 cancelled their joint news program with Channel 9, and in sign-off sequences before it became 24 hours in 2002, but while TV3 had temporary closedowns in May 2010, TV3 did not use clock idents. Between the 1990s and 2009, Channel 3 aired digital clock video counting up to 8 am and 6 pm for the national anthem. Currently, clocks incorporated to Hourly News Updates on both Channel 3 (Channel 3 HD, Flash News) and Channel 3 SD (News 28). Channel 7 used clock idents in the 1990s, and again between January and February 2010 before becoming 24 hours broadcasting on 1 March 2010. Channel 11 used digital clock idents in sign-ons before becoming 24-hour broadcasting on 1 April 2008. Thai PBS used clock idents in 2016 Before Breakfast Program. Channel 5 and Modernine TV are not known to use clock idents. Voice TV using digital clock counting down for 5 seconds before morning edition of Voice News that replaced Wake Up Thailand in 2014.
In Vietnam, VTV and HTV broadcast clocks at sign-on. On VTV, digital clocks are broadcast for 3 seconds before the main news program. But Hanoi Television have broadcast a clock ident sign on 5:30 am since 1997. THVL broadcast clocks at sign on until 2012.
In Israel, in the period between the 1970s and the 90s, Channel 1 showed a clock ident before Mabat (primetime news) or some other news programs, as well as sometimes during closedown. Nowadays, Israeli TV stations replace them with ads or other programs. As of recently, a short countdown ident announcing the news is played, however, since the news program starts at a much more random time, there is no clock on screen.
Clock idents were used in Australia from the 1960s until the late 1980s by ABC-TV, as well as by a number of commercial TV stations including SAS-10 Adelaide. [10]
The first ABC-TV clock idents were in black and white. With the introduction of colour TV in Australia in 1975, ABC-TV introduced a white clock on a brown background with "ABC Colour" branding. [11] This later changed to a white clock on a blue background. [12] The final iteration of the ABC-TV clock ident was a white clock on a red background, which was seen as late as 1989. [13]
Since the Soviet era and even to this day, there have been clock idents shown in most channels of Russia, those include the famous Channel One Analog Clock ident with music changing every 12 hours depending on the time of the day, a CGI Kremlin tower clock shown before news on RTR's Russia 1, with the respective ding-dong sounds, and other clocks from other channels, including digital clocks, with the logo on the bottom, top or elsewhere, or even without it. Clock idents are also common in all post-Soviet states to some extent.
Certain other channels, like STS, do not broadcast news programs but do show a clock sometimes between programs, at special or scheduled checks or at closedown, though a nightly closedown is rare in Russian channels since most of them are already broadcasting 24 hours a day.
After a tragedy, or on a national remembrance day, those clock idents are shown silent and their color may be changed.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, it was common for TV channels in Chile to have clock idents that are broadcast during some commercial breaks, and usually included a sponsorship; for example, Canal 13's clock was tied to Beiesdorf's products. [14] Some channels also accompanied the clock with the temperature and humidity at the moment of broadcast.
Though most channels dropped clocks by the early 1990s, Canal 13 kept its clock, reformulating it to show it digitally over the respective sponsorship (which switched from Beiesdorf to Telefónica Chile). Additionally, the clock was restricted to appear only before Teletrece (its main newscast). [15] A similar clock was introduced by competitor TVN during the mid-2000s. Both were dropped by the end of the decade, as permanent clocks were added to newscasts.
With the gradual advent of 24/7 broadcasting in Chile, Chilevisión re-introduced clock idents in 2022, being shown again during some commercial breaks, but with the time being shown digitally.
It is very rare to see clock idents in the United States on television. KCET in Los Angeles, California used one in the 1970s. Another rare clock ident is one with Cookie Monster moving the hands of a paper clock wrong and then placing them right. This ident also appeared in Europe, more precisely Italy.
S4C is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience. S4C's headquarters are based in Carmarthen, at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David's creative and digital centre, Yr Egin. It also has regional offices in Caernarfon and Cardiff. As of 2024, S4C had an average of 118 employees. S4C is the fourth-oldest terrestrial television channel in Wales after BBC One, ITV and BBC Two.
ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend Television was its weekend counterpart. Granada's parent company Granada plc later bought several other regional ITV stations and, in 2004, merged with Carlton Communications to form ITV plc.
ITV Channel Television, previously Channel Television, is a British television station which has served as the ITV contractor for the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey and broadcasts regional programme for insertion into the network ITV schedule. Until November 2011, Channel Television was one of four ITV companies independent from ITV plc alongside the two STV regions in Scotland and UTV in Northern Ireland. The station has been owned by ITV plc since 2012 and the licence was transferred to ITV Broadcasting Limited in March 2017.
Grampian Television was the original name of the Channel 3 service for the north of Scotland founded in 1961 and now named STV. The northern region's coverage area includes the Northern Isles, Western Isles, Highlands, Grampian, Tayside, and parts of north Fife.
SVT1 is the primary television station of the Swedish public service broadcaster Sveriges Television in Sweden.
Station identification is the practice of radio and television stations and networks identifying themselves on-air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name. This may be to satisfy requirements of licensing authorities, a form of branding, or a combination of both. As such, it is closely related to production logos, used in television and cinema alike.
BBC World Service Television, often abbreviated to WSTV, was the name of two BBC international satellite television channels between 1991 and 1995. It was the BBC's first foray into worldwide television broadcasting. In Europe, it was the successor to BBC TV Europe, which it replaced on 11 March 1991. The service was also launched in Asia as a 24-hour news and information service with minor differences, a precursor to BBC World News, launched on 14 October 1991.
The BBC One Balloon idents were a series of idents used on the British TV channel BBC One from 4 October 1997 to 28 March 2002. The balloon theme replaced the computer-generated spinning globe that had been used as the main ident on the channel since 1991, and marked a radical departure from the traditional spinning globe which had been the channel's primary identity since 1963. It launched on the same day as a BBC-wide rebrand, and thus the new idents also carried the new BBC logo. The channel's name also changed from BBC1 to BBC One. This was the last ident set used by the channel when it fully closed down; the last proper closedown took place in the evening hours of 8 November 1997. Starting the following evening, BBC News 24 would broadcast on BBC One during closedown, which continues today.
In broadcasting, a commercial bumper, ident bumper, or break-bumper is a brief announcement, usually two to fifteen seconds in length that can contain a voice over, placed between a pause in the program and its commercial break, and vice versa. The host, the program announcer, or a continuity announcer states the title of the presentation, the name of the program, and the broadcast or cable network, though not necessarily in that order. On children's television networks, they are sometimes called external eyecatches due to the resemblance of internal eyecatches in anime and there is usually no voice over, but some bumpers do feature one. Bumper music, often a recurring signature or theme music segment, is nearly always featured. Bumpers can vary from simple text to short films.
The history of BBC television idents begins in the early 1950s when the BBC first displayed a logo between programmes to identify its service. As new technology has become available, these devices have evolved from simple still black and white images to the sophisticated full colour short films seen today. With the arrival of digital services in the United Kingdom, and with them many more new channels, branding is perceived by broadcasters to be much more important, meaning that idents need to stand out from the competition.
ABC TV, formerly known as ABC1, is an Australian national public television network. It is owned and operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and is the flagship ABC Television network. The headquarters of the ABC TV channel and the ABC are in Ultimo, an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales.
The BBC Two 1991–2001 idents were broadcast from 16 February 1991 until 19 November 2001, and again from 9 July 2014 until 26 September 2018, on BBC Two in the United Kingdom. The idents, which consisted of a sans-serif '2' in Gill Sans, accompanied by the colour viridian, were created by branding agency Lambie-Nairn, who also created the Channel 4 logo.
The "Virtual Globe" was the method of creating the BBC1 symbol that was used between 16 February 1991 and 4 October 1997.
The Central Television of the USSR was the state television broadcaster of the Soviet Union.
The BBC Two "Two" ident was the station identification used on BBC2 between 30 March 1986 and 16 February 1991. It was the last non-corporate look for the channel, and the only look until 2018 that did not feature a numeral '2' in the design.
The launch ident was a television station identification used by BBC Two between their launch night in 1964 and the introduction of colour in 1967.
The presentation and the identities of the BBC News channel in the UK alongside its international counterpart and the BBC Parliament coverage channel use specific identities that demonstrate their remit and purpose.
A sign-on is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off, which is the sequence of operations involved when a radio or television station shuts down its transmitters and goes off the air for a predetermined period; generally, this occurs during the overnight hours although a broadcaster's digital specialty or sub-channels may sign-on and sign-off at significantly different times as its main channels.
In the United Kingdom, television closedowns originally took place frequently during the daytime, and sometimes for a few hours at a time. This was due initially to Government-imposed restrictions on daytime broadcasting hours, and later, budgetary constrictions. The eventual relaxation of these rules meant that afternoon closedowns ceased permanently on the ITV network in October 1972. The BBC took a long time to abandon the practice, and did not commence a full daytime service until the autumn of 1986.
This is a timeline of the history of Granada Television, and of the television interests of its former owner Granada plc.