Service Information was a regular programme in the early days of colour television in the United Kingdom that gave out engineering information for the radio and television trade. These announcements were made by the BBC continuity announcers of the time and were read over in-vision captions. The programme was broadcast on BBC2 three times a day, 10.00am, 11.30am, and 2.30pm each weekday from 23 October 1967 to 1975, then once a day at 10.30am from 1975 until the final broadcast on 23 December 1982. The IBA had a similar programme called Engineering Announcements.
Service Information bulletins would be preceded with a clock for two minutes and a catchy theme which was called Walk & Talk, played by the Syd Dale Orchestra, later replaced in 1978 with Swirly by Roger Limb. The clock was electronically recoloured in a variety of colour schemes in order to differentiate it from the clock used for BBC2's main presentation.
Transmitters and relays
The bulletin would then start with information regarding current transmitters and relays being either on reduced power or off air. This would then be followed with news of brand new transmitters and relays and when they were due to come on air. Details of trade shows or exhibitions next and anything else related to the technical development of colour television at the time. Then there would be a recap of the day's transmitter news followed by a caption showing the address of the BBC Engineering Information Department.
Trade test colour films
The bulletin would then end with a rundown of the trade test colour films being shown on that particular day. "And now we are returning to the colour test card and music until Play School at eleven o'clock" would be a familiar closing phrase.
Bulletin length
Service Information bulletins generally lasted an average of two or three minutes but on Wednesday 25 August 1971, the longest Service Information bulletin known was aired, which ran for 11 minutes.
Tuning information
A Monday to FridayTuning Information bulletin was added to BBC2 in the heyday of colour coming to BBC1 and ITV from 10 November 1969 to 31 December 1970 at 6.15pm. with an extra transmission for a two-week period from 17 November 1969 until 28 November 1969 broadcast at 4.30pm.
Continuity announcers
The Service Information spots were often looked at by the BBC as a training ground for their new continuity announcers. Here they could deliver concise and informative speech for a few minutes at a time and broadcast relatively safely to a smaller than usual viewing audience. Amongst the continuity announcers who could be heard during this period were:
Example transcript
Here's a sample transcript of a 10 o'clock Service Information bulletin from Friday, 24 August 1973 which includes the announcement concerning the last day of trade test colour films being shown.
