BBC Television Service

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


1st ID (November 2, 1936-September 1, 1939, June 7, 1946-December 2, 1953)

Visuals: Over a black background, the logo starts with "B.B.C.". Below it is "TELEVISION SERVICE". Under that is the name of the system being used, either the Baird or the Marconi-E.M.I.

Trivia: In 1987, BBC made a classics movie and one clip has this logo, but instead of the Baird or the Marconi-EMI system, the Dolby system is credited.

Technique: A still, printed image.

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

2nd ID (Television Symbol) (December 2, 1953-October 7, 1960)


Visuals: On a black background, there is a "compass" with some bat wing-like shapes on the sides with "BBC" on the bottom. A gyroscope inside the centre of the compass spins around.

Trivia:

  • This ident was designed by Abram Games, a prominent British graphic artist. The model was built by J.F "Johnny" Johnson.
  • The model was filmed by a BBC camera team at Johnson's workshop. It was so fragile that the mechanisms stopped working immediately after it was filmed.
  • It was unofficially nicknamed "bat's wings" due to its design.

Variant: A version exists where the compass is moving in the same direction.

Technique: Live-action with cel animation for the "wings". Camera controlled animation for the variant.

Audio: Normally just an announcer, but did have its own music, which was a harp tune composed by Sidonie Goossens of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Availability: The variant is found on the 1959 General Election on BBC iPlayer.

BBC Television Service
BBC TV
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