ARCHIVE: The TV Room
The 2am BBC Two/BBC Learning Zone junction.
Video content
[00:00:00] TELETEXT IN-VISION: it’s a little after 2am, and The Learning Zone still hasn’t appeared. It was due to start at 2am.
Pages from Ceefax + tone is still on air – and in the wrong aspect ratio.
[00:00:21] IDENT: a slide version of the BBC Learning Zone ident appears, in silence. Not the usual animated ident and voiceover. Something is wrong.
A little over 20 seconds later, a ‘TEMPORARY FAULT’ caption is overlaid.
[00:03:19] GRAPHIC: a bespoke breakdown slide appears. It reads:
“We’re very sorry, we’re unable to bring you the scheduled programme. We shall continue with the next programme at the published time.”
Within seconds, the ‘TEMPORARY FAULT’ text is faded out.
A pre-recorded continuity announcement is played, vocalising the on-screen message.
40 seconds later, test tone is added.
The programme due to be broadcast at 2am was The Pocket Guide to Parenting Plus.
The next scheduled programme was The New Get By in Spanish at 4am.
We can only assume that the caption and test tone remained until 4am.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: BBC Learning Zone breakdown graphic. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
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