This always brings back great memories of my seaside summer hoidays in the south west as a kid. Being from ATV land myself, this was the only time I got to watch Westward. I can remmber pestering the owners of our guest house in Weymouth if I could watch this and then Gus Honeybun whilst we had breakfast! Thanks for posting this!
A great start up from Westward tv featuring some of the local sights and scenes from their region accompanied by a great west country themed soundtrack. From the days when it was a privalage, honour, and pleasure for each itv company, whether big or small, to serve their local audience.
Wow! Fantastic nostalgia and in remarkable quality! I love it when the camera pans out on Drake's Golden Hind at the end of this sequence. More than likely this would be followed by an announcement of today's programmes by Roger Shaw. He rocked!!
same here. i used to catch this when i visited my sister in devon in the 70s. our main channel was the wonderful ATV. i always loved this ident and start up though. it stuck in my mind over the years. i miss regional tv. cheers atv midlands UK
Tiger I cannot believe what has happened to ITV over the years. Its one of the saddest stories in television. It caters for the lowest possible denominator. Im glad i was around to see these glory days when they really put the viewer first. all those wonderful regions contributing to the ITV network. cheers ATVmidlandsUK
I so remember this and how I wished it would be over quicker in those days so the TV shows would start. Now I watch it I could do so for hours! such memories from the wonderful days of ITV programming. I can't thank you enough gbfsc for posting it!
On days out to Plymouth I’d always ask my parents if I could see the studios at Derrys Cross (?) with the map on the side. If I remember it lit up at night showing the locations of the transmitters.
Effing brilliant, thanks for posting. This stuff brings back so many memories. I used to watch this all the time when i was a kid, I loved the music and all the locations it showed !
i remeber it so well, used to get up early on sat mornings and wait for it to come on, used to get the ibn 1st, to tell you what transmiters were working, love it.
TV has never been the same since. ITV schools & colleges on a weekday, Tiswas, Thunderbirds and Stingray on a Saturday. And Roger Ollerenshaw (Shaw) is still around!...
As a 50 year old disabled man who lives in the South,this is the first time I"VE seen this statt up,Impressive! Peter Cadbury gave it"s franchise to TSW sixmonths earlier if I remember. A goldern Era for ITV when Regional Television [on ITV at least] meant just that! HAPPY DAYS! GOD BLESS!
+garry simpson He didn't give TSW its franchise early, the IBA did. The boardroom problems got so bad at Westward that Peter Cadbury was chucked out by the other boardroom members. Things also got so bad that the boardroom struggles made it into the national press. Because of that and the boardroom problems themselves, the IBA gave the franchise to TSW. But things continued to get worse, to the point where Westward's managerial issues got so bad that they were unable to continue running the station. So Westward themselves went bust in August 1981 and the IBA had no choice but to allow TSW to begin running the station 4 months early, but on the condition that all the Westward branding etc was to be kept until the official start of the franchise on January 1st 1982. The boardroom problems began in the early-mid 70s when management at the Westward HQ in Plymouth and Westward's offices in London became suspicious of each other's intentions and activities and they just escalated from there.
+Aidan Lunn Thank You Aidian Is it true that [the late] Peter Cadbury could start a fight in a phone box,which did not help? Lovely to hear from you again My mother is in a Care Home,so I am no longer a disabled carer,but I still might have to stump up £685.00p a week for her BUPA Care home. from the new year. I miss her] I have had 13 operations in my life time and in the late 70"s when I went to Poole General Hospitial one side of the ward had Southern the other side of the ward had Westward and in those days the 12 BBC English Regions had seperate continuity for the same BBC TV programmes. Including a young Kate Adie for BBC SOUTH in 1978. Aidian have you seen ITV In the Face on Viemo Video? If you have what do you think of the videos? Best Wishes from Barry [My older brother] and myself. I hope to hear from you soon GOD BLESS!
I've no idea if he did that, that just sounds like an expression. I know he was particularly confrontational with people about his private life, though. He entered into a legal dispute with Devon and Cornwall police, although I can't remember what for! Sorry to hear that about your mother. I hope you aren't forced to work in something you can't do by Ian Dunked in S**t (Ian Duncan Smith). I haven't and I'm not particularly interested in watching them anyway.
+Aidan Lunn Thank You. I expect I will have to work even though I have Cerbral Palsy,because thanks to Ian Dunkin Tit,my bank account is £1000 over the legal limit,so it looks like ALL MY Disabilty Benifits will cease. in the New Year. GOD HELP ME and my Mum. Why was Southern so upset about losing thier Franchise. GOD BLESS!
Because they felt they had done nothing particularly wrong and they had served their region well. But if you look at Southern material from 1981, it's as though they were still stuck in 1958 but in colour. Compare that with TVS' presentation from a year later and there is such a contrast! TVS feels fresh, vibrant, modern (for 1982)! TVS embraced what the 80s brought for the South as a whole. Southern seemed to ignore it and plodded on as if it was still 1958. Also Southern had become rather arrogant, in their 1980 franchise application, the IBA decided that their application didn't go into enough detail so requested that they submit more detailed plans. It was also felt that the fact that the company not having its main offices in the South (they were in London) was a contributory factor also. This was the same reason given for TWW's downfall over a decade earlier, to be replaced by HTV... This is all pure speculation amongst TV presentation geeks, as the IBA had never made any of their franchise outcome reports publicly viewable, so we don't know for definite the reasons why they lost. Southern felt they had done nothing wrong. They had in fact developed an arrogant attitude, thinking that they would automatically win because they had served the region so well over 23 years and not considering where to locate their main HQ. The situation at Southern certainly wasn't as bad as the one at Westward, that's for sure!
definately lost something good. ITV makes my toes curl today in comparison. this was TV with integrity, style and charm. these stations were proud to serve their regions and the viewers identified with them. shame its all about profits and shareholders now with the viewer way down the list. atvmidlands
Best start-up sequence of the ITV franchises ever.
Viewers from the Scilly Isles to Weymouth got to see this
The world has deteriorated. Watching the Westward startup from the 70's is far more entertaining than what's on in the 2020's.
You are so right there then too as well of course for sure.
This always brings back great memories of my seaside summer hoidays in the south west as a kid. Being from ATV land myself, this was the only time I got to watch Westward. I can remmber pestering the owners of our guest house in Weymouth if I could watch this and then Gus Honeybun whilst we had breakfast! Thanks for posting this!
A great start up from Westward tv featuring some of the local sights and scenes from their region accompanied by a great west country themed soundtrack. From the days when it was a privalage, honour, and pleasure for each itv company, whether big or small, to serve their local audience.
The blandness of a national ITV has resulted in reduction of interest in it.
Wow! Fantastic nostalgia and in remarkable quality! I love it when the camera pans out on Drake's Golden Hind at the end of this sequence. More than likely this would be followed by an announcement of today's programmes by Roger Shaw. He rocked!!
Tv which will see the likes of never again.
Miss it so much ❤️
How wonderful to have stumbled across this - my earliest TV memory! Thanks so much, it's made my day!
Wish we could naturally back to the good old days, much better tv back then
watching this from Canada. westward was the best start up, and best one for the southwest! rock on Kenneth macleod!
This is nice.
Amazing!
same here. i used to catch this when i visited my sister in devon in the 70s. our main channel was the wonderful ATV. i always loved this ident and start up though. it stuck in my mind over the years. i miss regional tv.
cheers
atv midlands UK
Very good quality, Westward TV is sadly missed, thanks for posting.
Tiger
I cannot believe what has happened to ITV over the years. Its one of the saddest stories in television. It caters for the lowest possible denominator.
Im glad i was around to see these glory days when they really put the viewer first. all those wonderful regions contributing to the ITV network.
cheers
ATVmidlandsUK
I so remember this and how I wished it would be over quicker in those days so the TV shows would start. Now I watch it I could do so for hours! such memories from the wonderful days of ITV programming. I can't thank you enough gbfsc for posting it!
Great footage of South West England in the 1970s
westward had the best start up
On days out to Plymouth I’d always ask my parents if I could see the studios at Derrys Cross (?) with the map on the side. If I remember it lit up at night showing the locations of the transmitters.
The Golden days of ITV....
Brings back so many memories - thank you.
Effing brilliant, thanks for posting. This stuff brings back so many memories. I used to watch this all the time when i was a kid, I loved the music and all the locations it showed !
Oh the memories. I loved that galleon!
Asjemenou.
This was an important part of the early morning ritual on a Saturday, or when off sick from school. Some of us practically memorised the entire medly!
i remeber it so well, used to get up early on sat mornings and wait for it to come on, used to get the ibn 1st, to tell you what transmiters were working, love it.
Love it, Went on that car ferry a few times as a child, and loving how empty the M5 was.
A38 at Marsh Mills in Plymouth not the M5
@@trevortestertrev5531 just saw the 3 lanes of traffic,and just assumed. However still.nice to see the roads empty, bit like today
The M5 stops at Exeter.
TV has never been the same since. ITV schools & colleges on a weekday, Tiswas, Thunderbirds and Stingray on a Saturday. And Roger Ollerenshaw (Shaw) is still around!...
As a 50 year old disabled man who lives in the South,this is the first time I"VE seen this statt up,Impressive! Peter Cadbury gave it"s franchise to TSW sixmonths earlier if I remember. A goldern Era for ITV when Regional Television [on ITV at least] meant just that! HAPPY DAYS! GOD BLESS!
+garry simpson He didn't give TSW its franchise early, the IBA did. The boardroom problems got so bad at Westward that Peter Cadbury was chucked out by the other boardroom members. Things also got so bad that the boardroom struggles made it into the national press. Because of that and the boardroom problems themselves, the IBA gave the franchise to TSW. But things continued to get worse, to the point where Westward's managerial issues got so bad that they were unable to continue running the station. So Westward themselves went bust in August 1981 and the IBA had no choice but to allow TSW to begin running the station 4 months early, but on the condition that all the Westward branding etc was to be kept until the official start of the franchise on January 1st 1982.
The boardroom problems began in the early-mid 70s when management at the Westward HQ in Plymouth and Westward's offices in London became suspicious of each other's intentions and activities and they just escalated from there.
+Aidan Lunn Thank You Aidian Is it true that [the late] Peter Cadbury could start a fight in a phone box,which did not help? Lovely to hear from you again My mother is in a Care Home,so I am no longer a disabled carer,but I still might have to stump up £685.00p a week for her BUPA Care home. from the new year. I miss her] I have had 13 operations in my life time and in the late 70"s when I went to Poole General Hospitial one side of the ward had Southern the other side of the ward had Westward and in those days the 12 BBC English Regions had seperate continuity for the same BBC TV programmes. Including a young Kate Adie for BBC SOUTH in 1978. Aidian have you seen ITV In the Face on Viemo Video? If you have what do you think of the videos? Best Wishes from Barry [My older brother] and myself. I hope to hear from you soon GOD BLESS!
I've no idea if he did that, that just sounds like an expression. I know he was particularly confrontational with people about his private life, though. He entered into a legal dispute with Devon and Cornwall police, although I can't remember what for!
Sorry to hear that about your mother. I hope you aren't forced to work in something you can't do by Ian Dunked in S**t (Ian Duncan Smith).
I haven't and I'm not particularly interested in watching them anyway.
+Aidan Lunn Thank You. I expect I will have to work even though I have Cerbral Palsy,because thanks to Ian Dunkin Tit,my bank account is £1000 over the legal limit,so it looks like ALL MY Disabilty Benifits will cease. in the New Year. GOD HELP ME and my Mum. Why was Southern so upset about losing thier Franchise. GOD BLESS!
Because they felt they had done nothing particularly wrong and they had served their region well.
But if you look at Southern material from 1981, it's as though they were still stuck in 1958 but in colour. Compare that with TVS' presentation from a year later and there is such a contrast! TVS feels fresh, vibrant, modern (for 1982)! TVS embraced what the 80s brought for the South as a whole. Southern seemed to ignore it and plodded on as if it was still 1958. Also Southern had become rather arrogant, in their 1980 franchise application, the IBA decided that their application didn't go into enough detail so requested that they submit more detailed plans. It was also felt that the fact that the company not having its main offices in the South (they were in London) was a contributory factor also. This was the same reason given for TWW's downfall over a decade earlier, to be replaced by HTV...
This is all pure speculation amongst TV presentation geeks, as the IBA had never made any of their franchise outcome reports publicly viewable, so we don't know for definite the reasons why they lost.
Southern felt they had done nothing wrong. They had in fact developed an arrogant attitude, thinking that they would automatically win because they had served the region so well over 23 years and not considering where to locate their main HQ.
The situation at Southern certainly wasn't as bad as the one at Westward, that's for sure!
@ATVmidlands5581 Well said. I miss the days when as a child on holiday in Devon I used to watch this over breakfast. And Gus Honeybun, too.
Sweet!
definately lost something good. ITV makes my toes curl today in comparison. this was TV with integrity, style and charm. these stations were proud to serve their regions and the viewers identified with them. shame its all about profits and shareholders now with the viewer way down the list.
atvmidlands
I’ve just seen this for the first time in
Superb
Music is An English Overture.
So much for progress......
it was better before.
please can someone post up WESTWARD HO, by Hastings Mann. That was the earliest startup music.
@medicdeano An English Suite by Paul Davis
Anyone know who or what the music if from?
3:29
Shame hat ITV no longe has studios in Plymouth.. Westward and TSW served the South West well. ITV West is crap.