BBC - 60 years since first TV ident

This is an interesting report on BBC Breakfast shown on 2 December 2013 about the 60th anniversary of the first BBC TV ident.
It was known as the 'bat wings', but was later replaced by the more familiar 'globe' symbol.
All copyrights belong to the BBC.

[@kami-kun_va]

R.I.P. Martin Lambie-Nairn 1945-2020 He identified the world of telly, one channel at a time.

[@Highland_Moo]

He also came up with the idea of Spitting Image…..the credits used to say he was the person responsible for thinking it up.

[@endrightwinglunacy]

This is awesome. I've never seen the clock model before. I hope someone is taking good care of these models.

[@oscarplymouth8103]

I'm sure they are taking care of them at the BBC. Some of the old regional models may have not had such a lucky fate. :(

[@spig021]

I’ve see them at New Broadcasting House in a meeting room.

[@pyeltd.5457]

@@spig021 it's in Yorkshire

[@spig021]

A brilliant insight & great to see the original models from the 70's & 80's. Shame that they couldn't get the globe plugged in & working, instead of being manually rotated!

[@theedgeofcurrentunderstanding]

My thoughts exactly.

[@pyeltd.5457]

What's the point. Just watch your old VHS tapes

[@josha254]

​@@pyeltd.5457shaddap

[@chrisbell9344]

These idents are so iconic. The original ‘BBC Noddy’ has to be an all time classic

[@Blubatt]

I really do believe that the BBC should bring the globe back. A lot of older elements seem to be coming back on TV Presentation today. Channel 4 has a clock again (or sorts), CGI is being replaced with filmed stuff again. Current BBC One doesn't stand out much anymore, its a bit dull really. If the globe comes back, it'll look grand again.

[@dominicmgm]

Also, BBC Two has started using the classic idents from 1991-2001 again, except they are in wide-screen and have the current BBC Two logo.

[@robinvanags912]

My feelings exactly!

[@callumarnold7896]

Ben Attwood Xx2

[@callumarnold7896]

Ben Attwood Xx2oh

[@callumarnold7896]

Ben Attwood Xx2

[@Ravinder2220]

My favourite is the hot air balloons idents. Love the music on them too. Also I like the 90s idents on BBC 2. My favourite is steam ident

[@suuuzuuukiii]

Ravinder2220 My favourite is the Paint ident from the late 90's.

[@Ravinder2220]

GreenFireyCursor Productions - Animations and More! Paint ident is cool. The paint colour in use is called viridian.

[@LEGOGames1000YT]

1:38 Whoa! Not so fast! The BBC actually replaced the Batwings with an ident using *the map of the UK* in 1960. It was only in 1963 when the globe began to be used.

[@c-028]

1:45 Actually BBC could mass produce those ident models and sell it as souvenir.

[@chloedevereaux1801]

to make up the lost cash from all of us whom refuse to pay their illegal license fee!!!!! i don't watch tv by the way not since 1997.

[@97channel]

I'd pay so much money for that BBC2 clock.

[@suuuzuuukiii]

97channel Me too.

[@MattTheSpratt]

@@suuuzuuukiii How hard do you reckon it would be to build?

[@edcola6671]

97channel Same but what I would pay a fortune for is a BBC2 ident prop. Especially the one used in Paint.

[@Aerojet01]

@MattTheSpratt , @Edcola & @Jay hardy I would start with 3D printing to create the shape and then add the clock detail. There are companies and amateur designers who offer a printing service.

[@rksj8108]

Me too

[@cataclysmic_eas]

2:38 rip martin lambie nairn :(

[@Bobbyandmog]

God Bless His Soul

[@JoeyXSmith]

Love the bat wings one. Wish they bring it back in some way.

[@pyeltd.5457]

But it's Nazi

[@theothercd]

@Pye Ltd what the hell

[@markxist]

The new idents - OAP swimmers, zumba class - are absolutely awful. Bring back the globe. I don't know why the hot air balloon one was so quickly dispensed with

[@erictang7365]

Markxist iii

[@acesigma06]

Because it was crap?, but yes, should bring the BBC globe back

[@pyeltd.5457]

@@acesigma06 why was it crap. Don't you like to see your island landscapes with the classic globe? You must love the new Brexit made oneness idents for a new era out the EU.

[@stepheng8779]

@@pyeltd.5457 No just because it was crap.

[@mxbx307]

That BBC 2 clock was from the 1979 channel identity that came in to replace the spinning disc 2 on its right. The stripey 2 identity was used all the way through to Easter 1986 and looked very dated by then. BBC 1 had already had its look updated twice in the same period, the globe model shown here is the 1981 variant with the different font. The stripey 2 was on air at the same time as the earlier BBC globe model which had solid lettering instead of the stripes. And the 1985 globe wasn't really "computer generated" as such, it was baked on to ROM chips shoved into a small computer almost like how old video game systems used to work. I think there were switches and different configurations to make it do different things.

[@pyeltd.5457]

It was Computer Generated but it was not a 3D render. It was a 2D animation made to look like a 3D globe and it was probably 32 bits that was like a Sega 32X splash screen. The Computer they used in the 1980s would of been far more powerful than a NES

[@NCTStudio]

It’s just as beautiful as the day we lost it😊😊

[@AsbestosMuffins]

with modern lighting the globe would be an amazing effect, even back then it looked good

[@edcola6671]

My favourite idents from the BBC are the BBC Two Curves, the BBC One mechanical globe seen in this clip, the BBC Four Idents, and don’t forget the famous 90s 2s, too!

[@dantebrooklynavenue4462]

I would pay so much for that BBC1 World Spinning Model.

[@Katherinevincentandliamvincent]

My Favourite BBC 2 Ident Is The Underwater Ident From 2001.

[@stuff31]

Mirror Globe FTW

[@Highland_Moo]

The hot air balloon floating over the castle…..that’s where I live. Eilean Donan Castle not far from the Skye Bridge that crosses Lochalsh onto the Isle of Skye. I always liked the balloon idents….differents places in Britain that you may not get to visit so you can watch them for a few seconds.

[@jacksugden8190]

Balloons 1997-2002

[@ManF3]

What's your favourite BBC ident? Mine is BBC Two's idents from 1991 to 2001.

[@bwc1976]

I can see how the bat wings could be seen as creepy and menacing, and the music certainly didn't help. Still better than anything they've had since 2002 though.

[@ivandinsmore6217]

The modern idents are horrid compared to the ones from the 80s

[@neiltrevor2162]

My best 1 is the 1981 bbc 1 ident

[@pinedelgado4743]

Awesome as a possum with a blossom, BBC!!!

[@glassowlie]

They'll probably do this again in October

[@oscarcrane1790]

I didn't know the bbc2 late 1974 where made from discs

[@digitalmediafan]

Compared to the very slick professional ID's on Australian TV over the decades anything here has always been embarrassingly amateurish in comparison..

[@femiodejayi4481]

digitalmediafan I'm sorry, what do you mean by "embarrassingly ameturish"?

[@digitalmediafan]

Technically and visually very poor

[@femiodejayi4481]

digitalmediafan That's not really an explanation. Plus, we do not need to spend thousands of pounds to make an ident. Yes, Australia has good idents, but BBC IDs are good in their own way. I mean, just look at the BBC 2 IDs from 1991-2001. They are terrific!

[@frazzleface753]

Aussie idents in the 80s were terrible. Nine dots.....wow-wee.

[@marvy3022]

@digitalmediafan Oh piss off. Channel 7,9 and 10 were commercial channels. This is the BBC we're talking about, they are a public broadcaster, not a commercial channel. The ABC in Australia had idents were dated until they made the computerised ident from 1985. Look at Channel 4's ident from 1982, a commercial channel in the UK. They were miles ahead of what Australia had at that time.

[@digitallifeline162]

They stopped putting the clock on a music stand after the carelessly driven tea trolley!!!

[@jamesphlames7498]

Interesting how the people responded to that first ident with a negative, evil outlook. Reminds me of the church nowadays how they are constantly telling us that we're nearing "the end" days! 🤣

[@publicznespodniekochamivan5068]

Moster Bester Newester Oldester

[@dermotheaney]

"Yes, let's catch up on the weather" It's only been an hour since the weather was on, lets see what I missed, more clouds? more rain? oh please do tell...seriously, who in the right mind keeps up on the weather bar fishermen and mountain rescue.

[@tvtitbitsTV]

It fills in air-time. Something these channels now have plenty of. A shame they can't find enough quality content to fill it, though.

[@suuuzuuukiii]

#bbc

[@davejones9130]

Hate the new BBC idents they are really awful bring back the graphic idents one of the best being Channel 4. Why channels think we want to see little films I don't understand.

[@minerbloxer6471]

Wait, they were macanical?

[@nxx99]

Yes.

[@weridarchivething6407]

GRT One Used The Same Logo Of Idents

[@julianhanc8272]

That's BBC One

[@julianhanc8272]

In Gapia, the equalment is GRT

[@centminst1984]

oh yeah that one from logofanonpedia

[@Matt78778]

😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

[@sarah20025]

hhehe

[@user-nx7mo8jd7c]

I like this mechanical & i want the bbc1 mirror globe mechanical ident in 1 country i like & i want all bbc1 mirror globe mechanical ident so much & i pay so much money on piggy bank 💵💴💶💷💰

[@javierruizdelatorrebernal1603]

oiiiiï

[@user-nx7mo8jd7c]

Also i like this mechanical & i want the bbc1 & bbc2 clock mechanical bbc1 clock mechanical on 1 country & bbc2 clock mechanical on 1 country but also i like this mechanical & i want bbc2 mechanical striped ident i like so much & i pay so much money on piggy bank in 60 years ago 💵💴💶💷💰

[@tuningred]

bvc

[@mancnq1]

They should change the BBC's logo to a blue rosette.

[@innuendotiger9204]

I couldn't care less what the ident is the bbc licence fee is far too high for the rubbish they show

[@suuuzuuukiii]

#bbc