Text on Text

But you'll always have your obiesty to remember it by. Just to let those interested(who?) know there was indeed a teletext advent calender this year. I seen it, meant to take a picture the next day, couldn't find the page the next day.Frankly it wasn't well advertised.But rest assured it was there.

What will soon not be there is the Viewers Poll on ITV's teletext service.At least not as we know it. From what I gather the new system will be that a 'motion' is suggested at the start of the week, viewers send in their opinions on it and then it is voted on at the end of the week. The news section itself will also be expanded slightly, with two-yes two, extra news stories. This probably the first teletext change since I've been writing this blog, and God knows I don't want to think about how long that has been, that I'm not entirely cyinical about. Seems like a good idea. A little hopefully-infoming disscusion before a 1'000 odd right-wing pensioners tell us their still uninformed opinions might be nice. Thats not alltogether uncyincal, but neither is it all cynical. The front page of the news section is also going to be reorganized to make it "more relevent." Vauge as that is, I will assume it will involve more local news on the front page rather than, say, a pixilated Dizzie Rascal rapping out the political section.

Which reminds me, and it actully did that wasn't a sleek link, the political section is also getting revamped. And not in the cut-and-replace-with-adverts-way. A feature which keeps you up to date with MP's speechs will be added along with more political stories. I suspect their wasn't actully a political section before this revolution, but let them have their moment.

And Finally...is the new section which will report on the "wackier" stories of the week. See, that was a sleek link. This particulary welcome after the very slow and quiet death of 10 things we didn't know last week on Ceefax. It was a little-less-nothing as someone once said. Didn't even get a proper send off from myslef. You know it wanted it.

There will probably be cuts to less used pages later in the year but for now we may enjoy as a renewed interest from Teletext Ltd in their first born.Merry 28/9th of December!

It's almost Christmas(sort of) and time for new teletext news. In fact, although I could be mistaken, it may now be advent and so a a teletext calender should be wheeling it's way towards our screens. I have to say I wouldn't have remembered about that charming little page had it not been for the person who used the radio times site to search for teletext/advent and found this blog. Havn't found it yet, but it was fairly obsucre. I did find that teletext are offering to write a letter from Santa to your child. Disturbing at best.

I'm also informed sunny Espana is the scene of the latest inovations in teletext. In a web exclusive from variety magazine, it's reported that Fingertext is the new big thing. variety magazine neglects to mention quite what it is, but does say it publishes on two big spanish channels and "helps auds surf digital universe." Now one of the words in there doesn't look like a word to me.

Well, Google provides me anwsers to these questions.Firstly, Fingertext is a method, probably trademarked, used by activa multimedia that basicly amounts to digital teletext, but can also be used for an old-fashioned style teletext. The choice is up to the TV channel or network themselves, but fingertext can do both or integrate them. It can even change skins. Worthy of whatever award it won indeed( first prize at the Interactive Digital Television Congress if your wondering).

Secondly, Google confirms Auds is not a word. It is the profile name however, of a blogger on this site. It is also fairly regulary used to variety magazine's website, supplying the bizzare but hilarious head line

Auds chow down at Thanksgiving B.O

On a last note it's a welcome return for page of the day!