ITV in the Face Episode 13: Ulster

[@DavidSmith-648]

5:17 got the music box ident instantly as a motif of the Irish folk song 'Mountains of Mourne'

[@BHAFC-5]

Oh cool

[@edwardburek1717]

It's a shame that UTV is now a reluctant vassal of ITV plc. If I was in charge of ITV, I'd have brought Julian Simmons to the mainland, just to introduce Coronation Street. Another UTV face of note would be Ivan Little, senior news reporter, who is more famous in the UK for his frequent appearances on It'll Be All Right On The Night. I still have severe doubts that he can ever pronounce "phenomenon" correctly, the poor sod.

[@johnking5174]

Ulster Television (UTV) had been available in the Republic of Ireland since the early 60s, with spill over signal venturing farily far into the Irish republic. When cable started properly in Dublin in the early 70s, UTV was part of the cable package. When other cable companies started from 1974 onward serving other areas, it was wither UTV or HTV offered on their packages.

[@johnking5174]

At 4:02 - this advert was placed in newspapers by Ulster Television who on February 18th 1963 opened their second TV transmitter at Strabane, County Tyrone, bringing ITV programming to the west, south west and north west of Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, Omagh and Enniskillen for the first time, 4 years after the east coast and Belfast got Ulster Television.

[@knshinn2]

Julian Simmons is, no irony, a BIG DAMN HERO.

[@johnking5174]

Just to let you know what we see here at 3:55 was promotional material for when Ulster Television extended it's transmission area to the western parts of Northern Ireland, areas which couldn't receive Black Mountain transmissions. A new transmitter was built in Strabane, County Tyrone & was opened on 18th February 1963, meaning viewers in Derry City could finally receive a decent picture instead of grainy reception, viewers in Strabane, Omagh & Enniskillen could get ITV at last. It also meant viewers in parts of County Donegal could get it too, with spill over signal.

[@Z0idberg78]

Great start to this one. Growing up in Ireland, we got UTV, and it was always darkly amusing to get a glimpse at other ITV regional news bulletins, which seemed to be along the lines of 'controversy at the nobbly knees competition today' by comparison. Having said that, they did have a type of Crimewatch show (more similar to Garda Patrol on RTÉ, to be honest) which tended to concentrate on stolen bikes and the like.

[@Sheffield_Steve]

27:40 "They got extra brownie points when they fired Kelvin McKenzie." Gotta admit, I felt a warm glow then!

[@foz775]

I've lived in NI for about 7 years now and Julian is a bit of a legend! 😂

[@opentellyonyoutube]

The "telly on a stick" continued to be seen after 1988 in the opening titles of BBC1's daytime television discussion programme "Open Air".

[@steve.wassall06]

Update: As of right now, UTV is pretty much ITV in all but name, the idents are the same, the IVC is no more, and they use all ITV branding.

[@glassowlie]

At that point the UTV name should be dropped

[@markc8956]

Luckily we'll never allow ITV to take our freedom here in Scotland!

[@johnboy8696]

There was another animated Ulster Television logo used very briefly in 1976 or 1977, and only then (as far as i remember) at the start of the 6pm local news magazine. It consisted of the second, colour logo being formed by a straight line moving left to right across the screen, then twisting into the logo itself with "Ulster Television" appearing at the bottom, to the first 12 notes of start up tune. Very nice, but very short lived and seldom used.

[@rachel.mcgowan]

There was also an obscure second digital-only channel called UTV2 which I never got to watch because it was replaced by the standard ITV2 before I got round to getting digital TV.. so I'm not sure what they broadcasted but I believe it was a partial simulcast of ITV2 before it actually became ITV2. Not much info on the web about it.

[@johnking5174]

Ulster Television was only available to 60% of Northern Ireland at launch from the Black Mountain transmitter in Belfast. Viewers in the west of Northern Ireland had to wait until 18th February 1963 with the launch of the Strabane transmitter before they could receive ITV programming. Strabane transmitter covered from Londonderry down to Enniskillen in the west of the province. Parts of Londonderry could manage to receive Black Mountain transmitter with a high gain aerial in 1959.

[@PS-ru2ov]

I remember the logo on a stick well good memories of being at my grannies in Coleraine NI

[@areasquirrel]

It has always looked strange to see Laurence Olivier's name in the consortium. He was the first face on Ulster Television, and on Halloween. You couldn't make it up. Beat that, Lord Derby. I met Julian Simmons when I was 8 at the opening of a Thomas Cook. I've watched him on UTV for as long as I can remember. I still have his autograph from then, which he wrote on an entry slip for the draw for the car they were giving away on the day. He leaned on the bonnet to write it, to the organisers' horror. Tough, he said, I asked nicely, so deal with it. The Santa Flashes finally died out in 2018. Julian appeared in vision to do them in 2017, but pre-recorded. His Corrie intros just aren't the same, now they're pre-recorded voiceovers. ITV's new graphics appear in trailers and break bumpers with the UTV version of the current logo, but UTV still use the previous live action idents of people just doing stuff, because reasons.

[@imrustyokay]

This is kinda sad now, considering both UTV being bought by ITV and Brexit to a lesser extent. Also a Young Eamonn Holmes at 10:20

[@Vampire.Vegan.]

"A severe dig in the bake" LOL Bloody love Julian

[@areasquirrel]

Continuity has been turned over to ITV in the Covid age as of April '20. The plc, without actually saying so, promises that UTV will return, that they will not use this as an excuse to bin the name. That will remain to be seen. It will be a moment to celebrate, respectfully of course, if we one day hear "But now on the UTV..." again. If.

[@areasquirrel]

Well, it was expected, but still, bollocks.

[@johnking5174]

UTV when launched in 1959 was only available to around 75% of the province. The originally had just one VHF transmitter based at Black Mountain in Belfast. They hoped this would cover the whole province, except west Ulster was a problem. The signal was very weak there. So in late 1962 plans were made to open a transmitter in Strabane (14 miles from the capital of the North West of the province Derry/Londonderry who already had a VHF transmitter there since 1957 broadcasting the BBC). The Strabane transmitter went on air in February 1963 bringing a decent UTV signal to the west, including Derry/Londonderry which had to rely on a poor signal from Black Mountain up until then.

[@alexmacleod3728]

Apparently Viewers who lived in Ballymena could get UTV and a Weak Signal from STV

[@johnking5174]

@@alexmacleod3728 Ballymena area being more east of the province had a slightly better chance of getting weak spill over signals from Scotland. UTV spill over signals ventured far into the Irish republic. Most of counties Donegal, Louth, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, parts of Sligo, Roscommon, Meath, West Meath, and north Dublin could receive UTV spill over. South Dublin and along the Irish east coast actually managed to receive HTV from Wales (TWW before HTV of course). UTV and HTV were available on cable television systems in the Irish republic since the early 70s. Cable had arrived in Ireland and spread much faster than in Britain, all down to the public wanting choice, as people in "one channel land" of RTE until 1978 wanted more choice. RTE eventually launched a second channel in 1978, but even then people wanted the UK channels. Cable did that. Helping those in non spill over areas.

[@jasonmcgilloway2829]

Broadcast quality insight and analysis. Researched and balanced narrative. Jason in Belfast.

[@johnking5174]

23:30 - The end bit of the original 1993 ident music was supposed to mean "You are watching UTV". Try it, and you see it fits.

[@theothercd]

wasn't it "utv is your tv"?

[@Vampire.Vegan.]

@@theothercd it was indeed

[@johnking5174]

Ulster Television's Launch Day Schedule on Saturday 31st October 1959 was - 4.45pm: Opening of Ulster Television. 5.10pm: Adventures of Robin Hood. 5.40pm: ITN News & Sport. 6.00pm: African Patrol. 6.30pm: Boy Meets Girl. 7.00pm: 77 Sunset Strip. 8.00pm: Saturday Spectacular. 8.55pm ITN News. 9.00pm: Professional Wrestling. 9.30pm Film, Task Force (1949). 11.30pm: The Florian Zabach Show. 11.50pm: Epilogue read by Sir Laurence Olivier. 12.00am Closedown.

[@MakerfieldConsort]

The "child's music box" used in the first ident is in fact a celesta. Think of a small upright piano, but instead of strings inside, there are metal bars like a glockenspiel.

[@RandomWolf]

It's a shame, really. After battling it's way out of ITV's homogenisation, UTV ran back into its arms in 2016 and left UTV Ireland for Virgin to experiment with. Still, it had a pretty good run, and at least it can still keep its name.

[@personmcpersonface8894]

A lost opportunity: Calling this video "UTV In The Face"

[@revinhatol]

Do you really know what the U in UTV stood for?

[@aliburns2150]

​@@revinhatolThe "U" in UTV is Ulster. So, Ulster Television.

[@DJPaoloDelaCruz]

Been following the series on Vimeo before the YT upload. Yep, the last-minute update at the end of the video did progress, but Granada-based ITV plc put the brakes of introducing "ITV Northern Ireland" to kill Ulster altogether; like the UTV name is just there on NI screens 24 hours a day (since ITV plc also holds national breakfast timeslots 😁) for ident purposes.

[@brucedanton3669]

Thank you for this-very nice and interesting too-well done!!

[@BHAFC-5]

21:08 Wow crickey gosh blimey new great YEAH!!!!!

[@josephx81]

Just to say In Vision continuity hasn't been used since 2016 when ITV took over the station and made it look identical then in April 2020 switched off the UTV channel and only kept the news and regional programmes, while everything else was the main ITV channel and continuity sadly

[@SgtBilby]

I'm surprised you didn't edit this piece due to - UTV was bought by ITV PLC - UTV Ireland is no more and sold to Virgin Media

[@ccateni28]

This is just a reupload. I don't think he will do that yet.

[@shrillbert]

As for the radio stations, they went back to being the Wireless Group and were then sold to....Murdoch.

[@goodolgranite8247]

Don’t forget that they got rid of in-vision continuity in 2016.

[@tfn9265]

I actually thought this one would be boring. If anything it's the most interesting one of all! Kudos

[@johnking5174]

Boring? Northern Ireland boring?

[@Viator19]

At least the ident jingle wasn't played with a flute.

[@archdukebigdogkoopa3821]

I love the 1993 ident.

[@Mchannnel]

UTV were the last corner with regional identity but it's coming to an end huh… Edit) UTV is fully gone so STV is the last regional station now. I hope you do an update for this episode

[@theothercd]

*stv intensifies*

[@Mchannnel]

@@theothercd stv will never be itv… they’re too proud to be stv

[@reginahyde1488]

Would you ever consider writing a book based on this?

[@applemask]

I could very well compile the scripts into a book if there's enough demand.

[@reginahyde1488]

@@applemask Well do!

[@paul83byrne]

Own up, youre the man who taped the test cards aren't you?

[@BHAFC-5]

Maybe he his, and maybe he isn't

[@minerbloxer6471]

Recorded in 2015? I hope that he likes… IT…

[@exospheriaUSA]

OH MY GOD IT DOES

[@tomekorzechowski5852]

Or UTV

[@europa2000man]

It's sad how UTV is no longer an independent company no more, since the later part of 2016. In general, I find everything since June 2016 to present has become a miserable and depressing place.

[@richiehoyt8487]

In spite of your, emm, _’challenging’_ view of the spatial and temporal dimensions, I have to say the last 5 or 6 years _have_ been pretty dismal and depressing, as you suggest! And that's even _before_ taking into account the Coronavirus Pandemic, War in the former Soviet Union and tragedy in my own life... It's as if, for getting on for a decade now, life has been just this squalid, seedy hangover where the drizzle and the overcast skies haven't lifted in no one _knows_ how long!

[@Blubatt]

Not being on of those posters saying 'UTV isn't independent anymore', but some of the stuff you bring up in this video does strike a few good points. As of 2020, ITV has phased out UTV branding, and now its called ITV, like the rest of the network. I do feel like this is a bad call, even with the troubles being a more distant element of the past. Obviously, I am not Northern Irish, so I can't comment.

[@laurenceodell2718]

You know it'll be a matter of time before STV goes under and sells itself off to ITV plc in due course... do you really want the whole UK to become a ITV-only network?

[@Blubatt]

@@laurenceodell2718 I said it was a bad decision, Laurence. I still think that. Losing the UTV branding, in favour of ITV, is not a good thing. The day STV sells itself to ITV plc, that will be a bad day for Channel 3. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are countries in the UK, and should have their own versions of ITV, unique from what we have in England.

[@juliehaywood948]

What Like S4C (Channel 4 Wales)?

[@johnking5174]

3:00 - The VHF transmitter in Derry/Londonderry was supposed to have opened fully by the autumn of 1956, however the IRA border campaign of 1956 as you said caused the delay, with the IRA blowing up the Sheriff's Mountain relay transmitter in the city. This delayed the start of BBC Television arriving in Northern Ireland's second largest city until Tuesday 17th December 1957.

[@TheGerkuman]

Despair despair despair despair

[@richiehoyt8487]

We live in a slicker, blander, age, it's true, but yes, some early UK TV idents *did* have a decidedly creepy air... Never mind 'creepy', the BBC's 'Batwings' were utterly *TERRIFYING!* looking like they should feature in one of Doctor Who's edgier episodes as the 'sigil' of a Television Channel in some HellWorld Dimension who's signal is bleeding through into ours... and portends unintelligible madness, unfathomable desolation - and utterly terrible cruelty! By contrast it would be hard, I think, to fault Roy Irwin's design for Ulster Television, which to my mind looked modern and exciting and for its time, futuristic, even! The accompanying musical theme, though, is another matter. Even the jolliest sailors' hornpipe, picked out in those music - box - type chimes would be unsettling; and this is no jolly sailor sailors' hornpipe! Honestly I don't know what it is, but it sounds as if it was rejected for use as the identifier for one of those spooky numbers stations on the grounds that it would sap the morale of its intended listeners - frankly, spies living dishonest lives deep undercover in unfriendly foreign lands where they are only one false move away from the torture chamber! Instead some high - level 'spook' in '5' or '6' had the bright idea of playing it to a large cohort of the British population instead - well, ok, the Paddys; I mean, what did you think, the Home Counties..? I mean, _really!_ - several times a day, possibly for years, to see if it would precipitate anything, and how long would it take... The answer being *(a)* about a decade, and *(b)* a conflict that threatened to tear the island of Ireland apart, and possibly that of Great Britain as well, in the manner of Yugoslavia! They later used the UTV network for an even more fiendish and subtle experiment - what would happen to a population exposed to that hideous purple and gold station livery over a similar period... Perhaps someone in all innocence thought it looked 'regal' or something, but it would beggar belief not to see a malicious hand in something so reminiscent of a bad acid trip underwent in the room of a budget chain hotel! A last word (if I haven't waffled on too long) about Roy Irwin's early graphic. I certainly can't fault it, as dynamic and ahead of its time as it looks, but I don't think I would have guessed the symbolism of beaming out television signals to the towns and cities of Northern Ireland in a million years (!) - although I possibly would have queried his geography! I have to say though, that while I don't doubt that that was his intention, I'm sure that that can't be _all_ that was in his mind. I doubt if I can be the only one who sees in it, dangerously but excitingly arcing electricity, reminiscent of the lightning buzzing around the top of the old RKO Radio Pictures transmission tower, beaming out *THRILLS!* and *EXCITEMENT!* to an avid public! tbh though, the Ulster Television logo in its original form was before my time, the one with which I was familiar with being the one where the zig zags are fizzing across a TV screen. I have no idea if there is meant be an implicit nod here, still, towards the geographically based diagram of Irwin but I had always assumed that _obviously_ one was supposed to be reminded of television static. Admittedly, a strange thing, perhaps, to wish your TV station ident to portray, especially when many viewers - such as my family - still relied on sets of dubious reliability; nevertheless, though, it seemed _'right'._ Certainly more 'right' than many of the other ITV logos; perhaps because it also seemed to have an air of breathlessness and adrenaline... and then, it struck me as I wrote: it reminds one of high - tech medical equipment, an ECG trace, perhaps... again, technically, not the association that one wants, but 'right' just the same. And what could be *more* right, really? Televisions electronic heartbeat coupled with the figurative, and literal, heartbeat of its audience!

[@reginahyde1488]

It was actually based on a local folk tune called "The Mountains of Mourne"

[@davidt-rex2062]

I saw my grans house