BBC1 closedown 30th March 1990

Including a *very* unusual NICAM stereo tone (GLITS tone) at the end, from the day before the infamous Poll Tax riots in London.

Many thanks to col2006ie for putting a date to this clip

(C) PARAMOUNT

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Education

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[morrismagic08]

I've always wondered this but never asked. What was the tone noise at the end of closedown for anyway? other than waking me up when i fell asleep during a film.

[AidanLunn]

@morrismagic08 It was either to try and wake up any asleep viewers or, probably here, for testing purposes. This was taken from the very early days of NICAM.

[cwilliams1976]

@morrismagic08 On BBC1 the tone lasted for ten minutes, out of courtesy to the national regions. Now, if there was local programming which was scheduled after closedown then Network would have to stay online until all the regions opted back in again otherwise there would be no valid network feed for the regions to opt back into. This was not the case on BBC2, as local programming was uncommon, and lasted for two minutes. BBC1's continuity suite by this time had been equipped for NICAM broadcasts

[AidanLunn]

@cwilliams1976 I should think so - the first NICAM transmission on BBC1 was in 1987, and why they used a double-speed variant of the GLITS tone is beyond me.

Oh, I just noticed who you are. Heaven knows why I'm talking to you, then.

[cwilliams1976]

@AidanLunn Because despite our differences you make excellent and interesting conversation. Also, I have noticed that you have uploaded twice as many videos as I have.

[AidanLunn]

@cwilliams1976 Well, I have 1,136 videos, according to my "my videos" list - you have 1,267, you have 131 videos more.

I knew I was poor at maths, but you take the piss!

[RobinCarmody]

One of the warmest announcers BBC TV ever had, David Miles - and still doing formal closedown sequences in the only place in UK broadcasting where they survive.

[AshleyMichaelSowerby]

This is from 18 days after I was born and how ironic that there should be a promotion for a screening of my all time favourite film ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. I find this clip makes for a rather surreal viewing experience on my part (being the only recording I have found that is anywhere close to the year and date of my birth and consequently from a time of which despite being alive I have no recollection) but nonetheless a very enjoyable one so thanks very much for uploading this Aidan.

[col2006ie]

This is also Friday 30th March 1990.