Unit 32: Assignment 1: Task 1

Channel Identification:
Television indents are used by a broadcaster as a way as a filler that gets slotted between programmes and adverts, and is also used as a way to display what programmes are coming up next in the schedule, these indents usually feature the channels logo as well as an interesting clip or image, and a narrator who usually reads out the schedule for the next few hours.

The first indent appeared on British television on BBC1 in 1953, and was used as a way for viewers to differentiate channels as commercial television began to grow and become more popular. The ident was nicknamed "Bats Wings", as it took the shape of a bat.

Nowadays, almost every major broadcaster has their own unique ident, which get updated regularly due to the constant advancements in technology.

In 1960, the first "BBC TV" logo was introduced, and would appear on top of a map of Britain split into the BBC's broadcast regions. However the most famous ident known simply as "The Globe" appeared in 1963, which would rotate as the BBC TV logo would appear, and a narrator announced "This is BBC television". Since then, all of the idents for BBC1 has featured a globe in it in some way.

BBC2 was introduced in 1964, and all of the idents from the channel have all made use of the number 2 in some way.

Idents in Modern Television:

In the early 90's, the emergence of satellite television meant that television idents became even more important for a broadcaster, as an ident could be used to identify a channel in an instant, and could also be used to show what kind of content would be shown on the channel, for example the kids channel CBBC has idents that usually features characters in some of it's programmes, as well as animations that would display the channel as quite childish, and playful.

Organisation of the Schedule:

An ident can often play an important role in terms of keeping a channels schedule organised, and can be used as an ideal opportunity to provide the audience with information for scheduling on that channel, as it often features a narrator reading out the schedule, keeping the audience up to date on what's upcoming on the channel. This information may be used to entice the viewer to continue watching that channel, instead of switching over to another channel instead.

Segmentation of the Scheduling:

Non-commercial channels, such as the BBC, do not have time between programmes that advertisements provide for commercial channels, such as ITV & Channel 4. Idents are therefore used to add time in-between programmes to:

• Provide information 
• Promote a variety of programming
• Regulate the scheduling
• Provide a break for studio workers

Television idents can also be used for a number of more complex reasons. Whilst idents can be used for simple identification of a channel, an ident is also a chance to provide the audience with information about the channel, and can also reflect the type of programmes broadcasted on the channel.

It is important to make sure that an ident sets the right tone and that it is appealing toward the target audience. A good example of this is when BBC Four arrived, it had built it's reputation on being more factual and informative, and thus, the idents reflected this to the audience. It is also important that the tone set is appropriate for the age group of the channel. For example, channels such as Cbeebies and CBBC are going to have different idents to channels such as BBC 1 and BBC Four, as they are aimed at a target audience of a younger generation.

Creating corporate identity:

Nowadays, television channels are no longer restricted to one country, such as the BBC having branches of it's broadcasting in America and Asia. This means that idents can be used to create a brand in a range of different locations. Consistency across the range of channels helps to create a brand identity that can be sold across the world.

Creating a brand and encouraging brand loyalty:

Building a "brand" for a particular channel is vitally important. It encourages an audience to stay loyal to that particular channel, or broadcaster.