FourText

FourText (originally 4-Tel) was the British Channel 4's ancillary teletext service from the 1980s until 2003.

Content

FourText provided listings and information about Channel 4's programmes, such as previews of programmes and further information related to the programmes. The service was separate from the auxiliary and separately-licensed teletext service also available on the channel. FourText also provided subtitles for Channel 4 programmes on page 888.

History

FourText, originally called 4-Tel, was first run in conjunction with ORACLE, the auxiliary teletext provider for Channel 4, in the 1980s. 4-Tel occupied pages 410-499 within ORACLE's page space.

When ORACLE lost its licence and was replaced by Teletext Ltd in 1993, 4-Tel moved to its own page space on pages 300-399. Channel 4 enlisted Intelfax to run the service.

In 2002, 4-Tel was renamed FourText. In addition, FourText also launched on digital television.

In 2003, Channel 4 ended their contract with Intelfax and contracted out the service to Teletext Ltd. The new service was named Teletext on 4 and operated on pages 400-499 (which replaced pages 300-399 as Channel 4's page space).

"4-Tel On View"

"4-Tel On View" was a similar concept to "Pages from Ceefax", providing Channel 4 with a selection of pages from 4-Tel, for broadcast before the day's programming began. It served as something of a substitute test card, with either a tone or music playing in the background. The pages were only broadcast on weekdays until C4 began breakfast-time broadcasting early in 1989. It ceased to be broadcast in January 1997, when Channel 4 began broadcasting 24 hours.

Like Pages from Ceefax, "On View" was originally transmitted as part of the standard teletext feed but made visible to all using an in-vision teletext generator. Viewers with teletext sets could watch 4-Tel on View at any time, by selecting page 466 of 4-Tel. In October 1985, On View moved to page 459, but was not usually available once Channel 4 had begun programmes.

In early 1986, 4-Tel adopted a new method of production for On View, introducing animated graphics to link the usual information pages. The animations were produced using a Magic RITE box and viewable only "in vision"; ordinary teletext sets could not (and still cannot) reproduce them. The animated version of On View did not have a page header, although one was briefly introduced in late 1987.

From 1984 to 1989, 4-Tel On View was transmitted in fifteen-minute bursts, alternating with Oracle On View and the ETP1 test card. In 1989, Channel 4 began breakfast-time programming so On View was relegated to just one 40-minute slot at 5:20am. Oracle On View disappeared entirely at this point.

4-Tel On View made what many thought was its last appearance on 31 December 1992, following the change of teletext franchise from ORACLE to Teletext Ltd. After a six-month hiatus, 4-Tel On View returned in July 1993. It would now be shown exclusively during Channel 4's closedown periods, because the ETP1 test card had been discontinued at the end of 1992.

ITV's "Nightscreen" once followed a similar format, but the teletext pages have now been replaced with a more modern form of multimedia and video playback technology.

ee also

* Sbectel - S4C's ancillary teletext service

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjfao5MGf3s YouTube: Classic 4-Tel On View from 1986]
* [http://teletext.mb21.co.uk/gallery/ancillary/c4-s4c/ 4-Tel and Sbectel gallery]