For those who have never heard of BBC Select, let me briefly introduce you to the service, as it was.
BBC Select was a service that broadcast on the downtime of BBC1 and BBC2, usually between about 2am and 6am. Programmes were very specialist and usually only available by subscribing to them. An occasional free to air programme did occur, mainly towards the end of the service.
BBC Select began in January 1992. The programmes may have been scrambled but the bits between them certainly were not. You’d have this rolling identity with the station theme that carried on for about 6 minutes a time, then just before the programme began, you’d go to the ident, which faded out, and then the scrambling began, and the programme started.
The service ended in 1994 through lack of use. This all happened prior to the launch of BBC News 24, which didn’t happen until 1997. After BBC Select finished, BBC came up with the BBC Learning Zone for overnights on BBC2.
It has to be said that the logo is very simple, just a gold ring. It actually comes from the gold ring of communication that circles the globe on the BBC’s crest of arms.
Here’s the video of the signature theme to BBC Select, the one that aired repeatedly in a 6 minute loop.
I used to love that music. Sounded almost like a very extended fanfare. Reminiscent as well of the startups of old that used to occur on both BBC1 and ITV.
More later here on Ident City. Stay tuned!
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