Teletext set to end

Mr.Nice Guy · 18-07-2009 12:53am #1

I've just learned Teletext is coming to a close in the near future 2 years ahead of schedule.

Teletext to switch off in January

The Teletext news and information service on analogue channels will end in January next year, two years ahead of schedule, its owner has announced.

The service will close early owing to "current economic conditions", said Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT).

Teletext services are broadcast on the UK's free-to-air commercial channels - ITV, Channel 4 and Five.

Some digital services will also halt, but holiday services on Freeview and other commercial pages will remain.

Travel sites Teletextholidays.co.uk, Thisistravel.co.uk and Villarenters.co.uk will also stay in operation.

Falling audiences

All Teletext's news and information services - both on analogue and digital - will cease in January 2010, putting 70 jobs at risk at the unit's base in Chiswick, west London.

"The continued fragmentation of television audiences and the growth in the use of the internet has resulted in a significant reduction in the audience and volume of commercial activity generated by the television services," DMGT said.

The move was also blamed on industry regulator Ofcom, which had indicated Teletext could lose its public service licence after 2014 - which would mean that Teletext would have to pay for the signal that carries its text-based news service.

DGMT said: "This has also contributed to the decision to discontinue the public service."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8154022.stm

I must say I'm gutted as I've been a regular reader of Teletext since I was a kid. Anyone else really disappointed at this news? My favourite Telextext service was Digitiser which was a great source for computer game information but I tended to read a lot of the pages on sport, TV, films, news and of course, Bamboozle.

It's the end of an era. A technologically outdated era but still...damn.

amacachi · 18-07-2009 12:58am

That's pretty annoying. At first I thought from the thread title it would just be the analogue version. Some good stuff on channel 4 still, the current video games pages are pretty good, would like to see them have a site, course I'm sure they work for more than just the one place, but still.

End of an era indeed.

xp90 · 18-07-2009 1:01am

Lets start a petition?

dmcg90 · 18-07-2009 1:02am

amacachi wrote: »

That's pretty annoying. At first I thought from the thread title it would just be the analogue version. Some good stuff on channel 4 still, the current video games pages are pretty good, would like to see them have a site, course I'm sure they work for more than just the one place, but still.

End of an era indeed.

Digitiser (now Gamecentral) will run on Digital Teletext and here: http://www.teletext.co.uk/gamecentral/default.aspx so not too bad then. It's the only service I would miss if it got discontinued.

amacachi · 18-07-2009 1:15am

dmcg90 wrote: »

Digitiser (now Gamecentral) will run on Digital Teletext and here: http://www.teletext.co.uk/gamecentral/default.aspx so not too bad then. It's the only service I would miss if it got discontinued.

What about this line?

All Teletext's news and information services - both on analogue and digital - will cease in January 2010, putting 70 jobs at risk at the unit's base in Chiswick, west London.

Diabhal Beag · 18-07-2009 1:28am

We have the internet now so its OK.

dmcg90 · 18-07-2009 1:38am

amacachi wrote: »

What about this line?

Digital Text is staying and I doubt they are going to axe such a historic and popular service as Gamecentral

Mr.Nice Guy · 18-07-2009 1:58am

dmcg90 wrote: »

Digital Text is staying and I doubt they are going to axe such a historic and popular service as Gamecentral

But the page you linked to says it will be axed...

The end is relatively nigh

We've got some bad news we're afraid: GameCentral is set to close its doors from January of next year.

Alas, the whole of Teletext editorial is disappearing from screens on analogue and digital TV, as well as online. See p139 for more info.

However, we're not dead yet and GameCentral will continue with service as normal right up until they nail the coffin shut in the new year.

http://www.teletext.co.uk/gamecentral/inbox/f4d39cf06202bbd1141668d01b9b76dc/The+end+is+relatively+nigh.aspx

Analogue AND Digital TV AND online.

dmcg90 · 18-07-2009 3:16am

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

But the page you linked to says it will be axed...

Analogue AND Digital TV AND online.

DAMM IT

carlop · 18-07-2009 3:20am

I used to be addicted to teletext when I was younger, it was where I'd go for any football news and things like bamboozle were great for passing the time.

I guess in the internet era teletext was always doomed, it's a service that is just not needed anymore, but it will be missed.

kumate_champ07 · 18-07-2009 3:30am

i dont know who uses it anymore. prob old people who never learned how to use computers. its not needed anymore with the internet.

when i was a kid i learned how to make mini pizzas from aertel. u take a cream cracker, spread some tomato puree on it and top it off with cheese. u can add some spices too. whack it in the microwave for 15secs and ding, mini pizza

Amalgam · 18-07-2009 4:11am

Planet of Sound pulled gossip (twice) from a music site I run, ooh the excitement!

I'll miss the TV Listings.. and oddly, now and then, the news headlines.