Text on Text

Yesterday cult text was exaimed. I now relise that the golden age of cult text was really some years ago when teletext wasn't quite sure of what to do with itself and tried some odd things for short periods of time. See telesofware which probably should have been included. You'll find it in the excellent and only-known-to-me database of teletext that sits in my sidebar under the title history of text. It doesn't work but by the time I write this it should. All you have to do is remove the extra http:// at the beginning of the adress.

Today is Pop Text day. No not pop tarts that's something else. Pop text is the teletext that has made a significant impact upon society. It has been remarked upon by the media and the masses alike. Interestingly most of the Pop text examples are from ceefax in contrast with the Cult text which hid out on C4.

Teletext holidays-p200-ITVBy far the most obvious example of pop text. An inclusion in the dictionary can' t be far off for teletext holiday. In the digital age it has florished with it's own TV channel and services on digital text. If you accully read the offers there not as cheap as there made out to be. Well there always seems to be one which you will inevitbly miss and have to watch the 107 page loop again. Until a few years ago may have been cosidered cult text but TV ad's and flashy web-sites have propelled it further into the nations conciousness as has an extremly funny Peter Kay stand up act.

Football results-pages vary see 302-Ceefax
Many football fans will tell you the tense trauma of watching your teams fortunes on teletext. Waiting for the page to come round again, hoping and praying that there will be a late goal or six. Becoming less popular with the event of Sky Sports News and other live from the ground saturday programs that keep you up to date with all the latest blah, blah,blah,blah. Still relvent to millons though and though popular media has only passingly noted these hallowed pages (Gary Linker famously said watching Wimbledon would be more interesting on Ceefax) they Pop text status is well deserved in my book.

Subtitles-p888-All services
This may be pushing it a bit but they certainly are popular with the deaf and undeaf alike. A know many people with full hearing who choose to watch programs with subtitles. I can see why. I can't explain why but I've done it myself many times. It's strangly compelling. It has also been thrust into the spotlight by it's mistakes. The live news updates are tricky ones to cover I'm sure and there have been incidents there. The most recent one I remember though is when on The Weakest Link Anne Robinson called someone a "Dim-wit"(think that ws it) and the subtitle read Prick instead. There was public outrage. This is mainly because the public has nothing better to do. See America where there is an even greater public who don't even have teletext to while away their time and how wound up they got about Janet Jacksons nipple. Subtitles where the original purpose of teletext so we should all be very greatful to them. And many of you are. Hence they are Pop Text.

Now and Next-p120 on Itv+C4-p606 on both Ceefax
I can't really talk of any social signifgancw with this one. nor has there been much media refernce to the humble function. However it is likly the most used page on teletext. Just like roncell it does exactly what it says on the tin. It tells you what is on terrestial British televison now and next. And it doesn't even take up a full screen.