Southern Television

Background

Southern Television started broadcasting to the South and South East Of England on 30 August 1958 by a consortium of Associated Newspapers, The Rank Organisation (UK), and Amalgamated Press(they dropped out before the station went on air and were replaced with D.C. Thomson and Co.). Southern was known for their local programming and shows like Day By Day, Worzel Gummidge, and others. They were replaced by TVS due to them having bolder ideas then Southern which caused them to lose the 1980 franchise round. Their final programme called Its Goodbye From Us aired on 31 December 1981 and ceased broadcasting at 12:45 am, abruptly shutting down their transmitters and ending their 24 year legacy. Their shows were sold to Southern Star Group.

1st Logo (1958-1960)

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Logo: On a gray cloudy background, we see an 8-pointed star which resembles a compass. We zoom into the star and the southern point descends downward. "SOUTHERN" and "TELEVISION" appear letter by letter on the left and right sides of the southern point, respectively. "PRESENTS" appears alongside the point as well.

FX/SFX: The zooming, descending, and the letters appearing.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extinct. This logo exists on the 625.uk.com website.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (1960-1964)

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Logo: On a black background, we see a long white diamond shape appear on the screen. The diamond turns to reveal that it is a model of an 8-pointed star with the southern point extended (in a more simplified design than the previous logo). It is revealed that it is actually two 8-pointed stars that are perpendicular with each other. It keeps turning to the right as "SOUTHERN TELEVISION PRESENTS" in white appears letter by letter like in the previous logo. The star keeps turning until it fades to black.

FX/SFX: The model star turning.

Music/Sounds: Just a soft drum roll while it's fading in, or silence.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (1964-1969)

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Note: The fanfare, as described below, can be heard here.

Logo: On a black background, we see "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION" in a white, bold font. "INDEPENDENT" and "TELEVISION" disappear off the top and bottom of the screen respectively, leaving the screen as an 8-pointed star (more simplified than the previous one), with the southern point extended slightly, which zooms in to the center of the screen. "SOUTHERN", in a white, bold font, appears below the star.

FX/SFX: The zooming and moving of the words.

Music/Sounds: A dramatic horn and flute fanfare, composed by Steve Race, who was the musical director at Associated-Rediffusion. There are two arrangements. The first one has louder and shriller brass with the flutes staccatoing their notes (except their last one). The second one has quieter brass and the flutes slur their notes.

Availability: Extinct.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo (1964-January 1, 1982)

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Logo: Against a blue background, a white circle enlarges in the center of the screen, followed by an "X" whose lines are enclosed within the circle, and a cross shape whose lines protrude from the circle with the bottom line slightly extended, forming the Southern logo. The word "SOUTHERN" from before appears below the star.

Variants:

• This logo originated in black-and-white, with the background in black.
• There would also be a version with "INDEPENDENT TELEVISION" at the beginning just like before, but in a different font.
• Sometimes, after the logo finishes, it cuts to a blank screen, and a circle wipes in the words: THE STATION
  THAT SERVES
  THE SOUTH
• A still version appeared at the end of programs, sometimes with copyright info below. For color programs, "COLOUR PRODUCTION" would appear just under the franchise's name. A still/filmed variant was seen at the end of Worzel Gummidge.
• Another still version appeared at the end of a non-Southern Television programs with the text "COLOUR PRESENTATION" and no copyright info below.
• A still B&W variant exists with the text reading "PRESENTATION" instead of "COLOUR PRESENTATION" and no copyright info below. This variant preceded pre-1960s B&W Warner Bros, MGM, Universal, Paramount, United Artists, pre-1958 Selznick movies and non-Southern TV programs.
• The startup featured the still version of the logo with a white tube on the left side of the space under the text, with the text "IBA" inside and "INDEPENDENT BROADCASTING AUTHORITY" next to it. After a few minutes, it fades into a different Southern logo, same as before, except the star would be replaced with an analogue clock at 21:29 or 9:29pm. The clock keeps ticking and then the screen fades to black after the clock is at 21:31.
• At Southern's final programme, And It's Goodbye From Us, at 00:45 (or 12:45am) on January 1, 1982, 45 minutes after their franchise contract expired, after the end of the show, the still version of the logo with "COLOUR PRODUCTION", and the show's copyright notice, "© SOUTHERN TELEVISION MCMLXXXI" (1981 in Roman numerals) fades in. After a while, the blue background fades to one resembling a starry night sky, the company name and the copyright notice disappearing at the same time to leave just the star. After a few seconds, the star starts spinning clockwise, faster and faster, before slowly zooming-out into the night sky background. The star is now very small, and the spinning continues. Finally, the guitar tune, with an echoey feel to it at the last note (see below) played, causing the spinning star to fade out to leave just the sky. The variant then shows us the sky for about 9 seconds, and the screen slowly fades to black.

FX/SFX: The star forming, the spinning of the star on the last variation.

Music/Sounds: A somber 9-note Greek-style guitar jingle. Again, there are two arrangements. The first one is more amateurish and has a more complex chord on the third note. The second one is more elegant and somber.

Music/Sounds Variant: In the early years, a crumhorn fanfare with timpanis would play, which would sometimes be abridged.

Availability: Extremely rare, possibly near extinction.

• Can be found on the rare Screen Legends UK VHS release of Beethoven's Fidelio.
• The presentation version was at the end a 1974 movie film That's Entertainment, after the 1958 Metro Goldwyn Mayer logo.
• It was surprisingly seen a colour-presentation variant at the end a 1942-film Yankees Doodle Dandy in mid-1980.
• The still/filmed variant of the "COLOUR PRODUCTION" version is retained on current prints of Worzel Gummidge.

Editor's Note: The closedown variant has a very ominous feel to it, but it is still a bittersweet way to end an ITV franchise.

Final Note: On the same day, Southern Television was replaced by Television South.

External Links

• Southern Television on TVARK