Thames 1976 – 1989 Branding

In 1976, Thames introduced a new coloured version of its ident. A decade later, in 1986, they revamped the ident once more, transitioning to a digital format.

Thames Start-Up

New, it's not

Quality: ST

Date unknown

Views: 297

Format: 4:3

Thames Start-Up

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 375

Format: 4:3

Thames Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1977

Views: 1724

Format: 4:3

Thames Ident

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1981

Views: 1201

Format: 4:3

Thames Clock

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1983

Views: 298

Format: 4:3

Thames Clock

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

25th December 1984

Views: 300

Format: 4:3

Thames Clock

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1988

Views: 333

Format: 4:3

Thames Clock

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

15th January 1988

Views: 386

Format: 4:3

Thames Clock

New, it's not

Quality: ST

26th May 1988

Views: 295

Format: 4:3

Thames Start Up

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th August 1988

Views: 502

Format: 4:3

Thames In-Vision Continuity

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

30th October 1979

Views: 712

Format: 4:3

Handover to LWT

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

2nd January 1981

Views: 294

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

24th December 1981

Views: 453

Format: 4:3

Thames Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

28th December 1981

Views: 102

Format: 4:3

Handover to LWT

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1st January 1982

Views: 279

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1982

Views: 390

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1982

Views: 403

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

8th September 1982

Views: 365

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1983

Views: 462

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1983

Views: 306

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th August 1983

Views: 328

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1984

Views: 346

Format: 4:3

LWT Handover

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1984

Views: 419

Format: 4:3

Handover to LWT

New, it's not

Quality: ST

20th April 1984

Views: 257

Format: 4:3

Start-Up

New, it's not

Quality: ST

28th April 1984

Views: 285

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

31st December 1984

Views: 241

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

3rd January 1985

Views: 343

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

13th February 1985

Views: 288

Format: 4:3

By June 1985 a new Thames backdrop is introduced to the presentation studio.

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 273

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 259

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

19th December 1985

Views: 265

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

23rd December 1985

Views: 289

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

24th December 1985

Views: 405

Format: 4:3

Thames Start Up

New, it's not

Quality: ST

25th December 1985

Views: 188

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

25th December 1985

Views: 257

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1986

Views: 244

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: LQ

1986

Views: 247

Format: 4:3

Start-Up

New, it's not

Quality: ST

25th December 1986

Views: 229

Format: 4:3

Closedown

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1st January 1987

Views: 322

Format: 4:3

Thames Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

27th March 1987

Views: 122

Format: 4:3

Thames Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

27th March 1987

Views: 102

Format: 4:3

Start-Up

New, it's not

Quality: ST

25th December 1987

Views: 332

Format: 4:3

Handover to LWT

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

26th August 1988

Views: 376

Format: 4:3

Handover to LWT

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

4th November 1988

Views: 505

Format: 4:3

Thames Programme Promotions

Creating a trailer is an art form in itself, and broadcasters often employ whole departments whose sole responsibility is to plan, assemble and produce them. The best programme and film trailers usually consist of a well-judged selection of funny or startling clips, cut to dramatic or catchy music and linked with arresting or quirky voice-overs. But it was not always the case. During the 1970s and early 1980s, it was possible for trailers to comprise of just of one thirty-second clip, with a caption superimposed on the end, or perhaps a line of narration delivered live by the duty continuity announcer. No matter what the era, it seems fair to observe that the sophistication of any trailer grows in proportion to the availability of time and budget, for editing and for graphics. With Thames TV broadcasting for twenty-four years, many different styles of trailer can be detected among their on-air promotions. Often they relied on the vocal talents of Bruce Hammal to deliver the puncy narration, always ending in a well-emphasised channel identification, “…ON THAMES!”

Carry On Abroad

New, it's not

Quality: ST

Date unknown

Views: 124

Format: 4:3

Thames Tonight

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 106

Format: 4:3

This Week promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

29th June 1978

Views: 91

Format: 4:3

Thursday promo

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1979

Views: 176

Format: 4:3

New Year 1985

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1984

Views: 279

Format: 4:3

Thames Monday

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1985

Views: 323

Format: 4:3

Tonight Boon

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1988

Views: 129

Format: 4:3

The Bill promo

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1988

Views: 175

Format: 4:3

Codename Kyril

New, it's not

Quality: ST

22nd March 1988

Views: 106

Format: 4:3

Wednesday at 8

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

4th April 1988

Views: 139

Format: 4:3

King & Castle

New, it's not

Quality: ST

28th April 1988

Views: 414

Format: 4:3

Thames Holding Slides

The various holding slides and captions that used to pop up just after a show had ended, leading into an ad break with the name of the programme coming next. These examples of “break teases” are listed in date order,

Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1975

Views: 107

Format: 4:3

Mel Brooks

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1978

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

By 1980 a new style of holding slide was introduced

The New Avengers

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

The Sullivans

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1982

Views: 105

Format: 4:3

Another style of holding slide introduced in 1982

Meteor

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 91

Format: 4:3

Monday Matinee

New, it's not

Quality: ST

Date unknown

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

Taxi

New, it's not

Quality: ST

Date unknown

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

Bowls Classic

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 105

Format: 4:3

Continuity

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

Next

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 108

Format: 4:3

Next

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

Date unknown

Views: 90

Format: 4:3

First Tuesday

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1984

Views: 91

Format: 4:3

Cartoon Time

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1984

Views: 109

Format: 4:3

Skating

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1986

Views: 91

Format: 4:3

The Sullivans

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1986

Views: 100

Format: 4:3

Knight Rider

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1986

Views: 120

Format: 4:3

Daytime

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1986

Views: 106

Format: 4:3

Blockbusters

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1987

Views: 158

Format: 4:3

Sweethearts

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1987

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

Emmerdale Farm

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1987

Views: 109

Format: 4:3

Nine to Five

New, it's not

Quality: ST

1988

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

Magnum P.I.

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

1988

Views: 99

Format: 4:3

In 1988 a new style appeared

Thames Miscellaneous Items

In the summer of 1984 a major strike was called, this time, over Thames’s management unilaterally issuing new rostering schedules (overtime payments for transmission staff), and the use of new cameras and editing equipment. There were no internal discussions of the potential savings that could be derived from new shift patterns, but there was a strong sense that union controls had to be removed before the company embarked on increasing its operations. The technicians walked out, but the station was off the air for just one day as management and administration staff took over their roles. On Monday 27 August, ATTC technicians walked out again over the new shift patterns; the strike ended on 3 September 1984, at 1pm after the union agreed to rostering according to need, while the management dropped plans for ending six day working fortnights. Bryan Cowgill said: “The need for sensible change in the way we conduct our operations has been at the heart of this dispute. The outcome of a damaging and costly dispute has resulted in substantial progress towards a more realistic and effective way of working”.Over the following four weeks, further discussions took place about implementing the plans while introducing new technologies. On Wednesday 17 October, another strike was instigated, as talks failed to reach agreement. The union warned against a management-run service, as it would be a recipe for total network disturbance and a massive loss of programmes, but Thames claimed that it would be justified due to the strike being unofficial.[22] On Tuesday 23 October, a management-run service started operating; the company claimed the revised schedule was popular with the viewers. The strike finally ended on 3 November 1984, after 62 film editors agreed to the new conditions, while the ACTT agreed as well to start negotiations about the introductions of new technology. Additional episodes of network productions were screened to help clear the backlog, since no outside programmes were broadcast. Thames said: “We are delighted in the outcome of the dispute which we believe is in the best interests of everyone who works at Thames

Thames Start Up

New, it's not

Quality: ST

3rd September 1984

Views: 237

Format: 4:3

Today on Thames

New, it's not

Quality: HQ

23rd October 1984

Views: 157

Format: 4:3