Final COW closedown

[paulboy76]

A real landmark among British TV closedowns, although I personally was tucked up in the land of nod when this was shown!

[Noodles37UK]

End of an era. Funnily enough I left home that week!

[Haleyboy007]

Ha ha. I love clips like these!

[Glenn1967ful]

I always had to stand when this was playing.

[9acmotoko9]

Call me old-fashioned but I think TV should still be like this today cuz I bet it seemed so special and stuff when test cards and these closing down tunes came on. I wouldn't know though cuz I was born in 1996, so I can only remember from about 2001 and onwards, but I don't remember much about TV. All I know is they should bring back some of this stuff! :D

[ctbeachbm]

The old BBC 1 closedown was so quaint and simple.  Those were the days.....

[3oMethylmorphine]

One of my earliest childhood memories is watching that BBC globe that "unfolded" as it span around. I was born in 1986.

[kaihiwatari111]

@3oMethylmorphine Is it the one in th 90s? u know the crystal ball looking one?

[kaly13]

@3oMethylmorphine This reminds me of the BBC Video ident of that era...

[eltonator]

@3oMethylmorphine I remember the globe you're talking about - they used to have them at the beginning and at the end of the Fireman Sam tapes I watched as a kid.

[k5uk]

FIRST ONE I'VE SEEN

[JimmyArnold23]

what is it with bbc one and the world?? at first it was the globe, then a balloon with a planet-earth print on it, then all those dances from around the world, and now its those circles (which is the same shape of the world)! are they worried they might offend foreigners, or are they trying to stop racism???

[wirhannah]

Wasn't the globe about how they as a corporation brought people together, or something?

[Goldie267]

World Peace?

[coolhatcc]

The dancers are GAY!

[reldex143]

What was the next one after what Dave Adey said about the new look for BBC1 (and BBC2)?

[exploder76]

After this clip, it was the BBC1 Virtual Globe identification that was debuted on Feb. 16, 1991, Saturday at 9:00 a.m. before "Going Live!"

[reldex143]

Thanks for your reply. This Computer Originated World or C.O.W. was designed by Oliver Elmes, the guy who designed the BBC2 Logo in 1979. It was animated by the VAX-II Computer and Quantel Paintbox machine.

[sfuhere]

I always thought this was a rather classy "look". Very clean and unfussy. So much calmer than the stuff we have now, which is calculated to distract you and scream for your attention.

[walshy2866]

When did they stop playing The National Anthem at closedown?

I know they don't really close down these days but it was a nice touch.

[allenjeremy]

It was in 1997 as the BBC had launched BBC News 24 so BBC1 had decided to scrap the closedown and show BBC News 24 throughout the night.

[Meanmanmartin2007]

Hi.

Is there anyone who can put up the first showings of the BBC1 and BBC2 idents introduced in 1991.

[MisterShazam]

Salute!

[kamilek]

Closedown from 15th Ferburary 1991

(Early hours Saturday 16th Ferburary 1991)

Clock from 1.45am...

[malmsimp]

Go, go Dave Adey!

[Visonu]

Do you remember who this announcer was? If you don't, it was Dave Adie.

[AirealFilms]

This is the 15th of Feburuary 1991.

[deselmes]

To be just that bit more precise, it's 1:45 AM on the 16th.

[wolfschmidt11]

farewell,cruel world.

[shirleygibson]

The BBC1 golden globe runs between 1985 to

1991, and changes a new look in mid February

[fraserkatie]

It was all done with memory chips and circuit boards and was in a big generator box that kept thousands of images on the circuit boards so when you put them all together these big circuit boards you got the COW globe ident!

[jsmall147]

it took a little while b4 the anthem finally started!

[LuigiEspadachin]

Why did they call these 'COW' images?

[mrivera1]

COW stands for Computer Originated World, which the ident was; a big computerized globe.

[LuigiEspadachin]

Oh, cool. I never knew that. ^^ Thanks.