Unit 32 Assignment One - Task One

TV idents were first introduced in 1953 by the BBC to remind viewers watching the channel that they are watching the BBC, TV idents would be introduced in multiple TV channels in the years to come and would soon be changed as technology progressed and would be used for different purposes.
Almost every TV channel would have a television ident and are usually shown before and after a programme has finished. When idents were introduced they would usually consist of a little animation and were very basic and simple just to show the television channel name and logo.

As the years progressed and technology got better television idents would begin to change, they would even show snippets of upcoming shows that were going to start or even whats going to be on soon to keep the audience watching. The BBC would change their ident every couple of years whilst keeping with the same template (a circular image logo), they would have better animations and also introduce a smooth and soothing voice over telling you that you were watching the BBC channel. One of the BBC's famous idents were introduced during the 1960s which would have the globe as the circular image and the BBC name underneath.

Television idents purpose was at first to remind people what Television Channel they were watching, this was because when the idents were first introduced the televisions wouldn't either have a remote control or TV guides so knowing what channels you'd be watching would've been a challenge. As televisions and technology improved the idents would begin to change purpose and generally improve. In recent times idents would be used in a more smart way by enticing viewers to the channel, depending on the channel and what types of programs they air on the channel they would begin to have idents that suit the channel for example national geographic channels would have idents featuring animals and wildlife which tells the viewer that the type of programmes shown on this channel will be about wildlife whilst comedy central would have idents which are funny and vibrant which show that they will have comedy type shows. BBC four have the library ident that would include a woman in a library placing books on a shelf with a moving ladder. the library setting gives a very intellectual feel to the ident which is important for a channel like BBC four as they include intellectual programs.

Any audience members that do not enjoy the programmes shown on idents or the ident style can easily switch off and watch a new channel whilst any audience members that enjoy the show and style would stay on.
A television channel would use schedules to see what programmes would be on during each hour, for example a programme would start at 5 and end at 5:30 where another show would begin till 6. Schedules can sometimes lack behind or get ahead and that is where television idents would be used by taking up time in a channel's schedule for example when a schedule on a channel is at least a minute or thirty seconds ahead/behind they would maybe have an ident play right before or after a TV programme to fill up space on the schedule, this allows for a much smoother run on the channel and allows for a schedule that fits into an hour. Idents would often be too short or too long for the schedule they are meant to play into, to fix this idents are often cut short or made to be fit into a loop which could play for the extra couple of seconds. An example of a looping ident would be the BBC One ident where hippopotamus mammals would swim in a circle to form the BBC One logo.

Television idents would also be used to brand an identity to a channel or maybe tie in a particular brand with a channel for example the TV channel 'ITV' would use the programme 'X Factor' in its idents as a promotion for the programme as well as a promotion for itself by having the X Factor fans to check out the channel as well as the fans of the TV channel to check out the programme. Television channels can use brand loyalty in order to create merchandise related to their channel by using idents in order for advertisement, this can go with many different products and is an easy opportunity for channels using idents for advertisement. Using this advertisement the channel can gain more popularity and the product being advertised can also gain popularity. Television idents are used to create brand loyalty which makes the viewer more familiar with the brands; this allows for a marketing opportunities for large companies to show off their products or make them want to take a look at their products.
Television idents would also use events to promote the channel such as seasonal events like christmas or maybe even major events such as the World Cup on sports/news channels, audience that enjoy those types of events can familiarise themselves with the channel due to the idents.
ITV Christmas Ident 2013:

BBC Sports World Cup Ident:

Television idents could even have a continuous series of idents such as the BBC Sports ident above which show famous football sport players on an adventure to get to the Brazil World Cup. This allows a promotion opportunity for the channel to even use famous celebrities to gain viewers, fans of these football celebrity players can take a look at the channel that shows this ident. Television channels can package and re-package television idents that are often used to sponsor and promote larger events or new series of programmes.