BBC TV

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum




1st ID (October 8, 1960-September 29, 1963)


Visuals: On a black background is a white outlined circle. Inside the circle are four white blocks, three square and one rectangular. The square blocks contain the letters "B", "B" and "C" respectively, each letter in a bold italic font, and the rectangular block contains "tv". A map of the UK, divided into the seven BBC regions of the time (North of England, English Midlands, West of England, London, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), fades in behind the blocks.

Technique: A fade effect. In later years, none.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on BBC TV before their programmes up until the next logo came along.

2nd ID (September 30, 1963-Late 1963)

Visuals: On a white/black background is a globe. In the globe is 3 blocks saying ''B'', ''B'' and ''C''. Next to the blocks is ''tv''.

Trivia: This marks the first logo with the famous BBC globe, a staple for the television channel which would later be used for many years to come under the "BBC One" name.

Technique: Live-action model work.

Audio: None, but may contain music and/or a continuity announcer.

Availability: Seen on BBC TV for only a short-time until the next logo came along. A widescreen reconstruction of this ident appeared at the beginning of the 2013 movie An Adventure in Space and Time.

3rd ID (Late 1963-April 17, 1966)

Visuals: On a grey background is a white box with "B B C tv" on the bottom right corner. In the white box is a globe simply spinning.

Later Variant: From April 1964, "tv" is omitted, leaving just the BBC blocks in the bottom right.

Technique: Live-action model work.

Audio: None, just the announcer.

Availability: Like the previous ident, this was seen on BBC TV, but only until 1964 when the launch of BBC2 came along. The version with just the BBC blocks was seen on the newly renamed BBC1 from that year until 1966.

Final Note

After The Pilkington Report on Broadcasting was published in 1962, it was decided that a third television channel should be awarded to the BBC. This ultimately resulted in a split, with BBC TV being renamed to BBC 1 and the new channel being named BBC 2.

BBC Television Service
BBC TV
BBC One
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