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BuzzJack Music Forum _ Television _ BBC to switch off Red Button Text Service
Posted by: Mack. 17th September 2019, 07:35 PM
The decision spells the end of reading headlines, football scores, weather, travel news and more on TV sets, 45 years after the launch of Ceefax.
Red button text launched in 1999, taking over as Ceefax was phased out.
TVs will still be able to access other red button services, like picking a stage to watch at Glastonbury or a court to watch at Wimbledon.
"From early 2020, viewers will no longer be able to access text-based BBC News and BBC Sport content by pressing red," a BBC spokesperson said.
"It's always a difficult decision to reduce services, and we don't take decisions like this lightly, but we have taken it because we have to balance the resources needed to maintain and develop this service with the need to update our systems to give people even better internet-based services.
What do you make of this?
Posted by: Common Sense 17th September 2019, 07:37 PM
I think this is sad. I often check the news, weather, travel and entertainment news.
Posted by: Algernon Monqueef 17th September 2019, 07:39 PM
That's for old people. We have the internet now. Irrelevant.
Posted by: lewistgreen 17th September 2019, 07:41 PM
I reckon this’ll be bad for people of a certain age range (sorry!) but cant see it being an issue really. It’s just the BBC making the necessary change to everyone getting their news via other means
Posted by: WhoOdyssey 17th September 2019, 07:42 PM
Precisely, there are around 3.7 million over-75s who watch the BBC - many of which will likely not have/use the internet.
Posted by: Brett-Butler 17th September 2019, 07:42 PM
Yes, we all know about socialism, but what about the BBC Red Button?
Posted by: Common Sense 17th September 2019, 07:42 PM
Not everyone has the Net. Many old people still don't.
Posted by: Common Sense 17th September 2019, 07:43 PM
I remember Ceefax and Oracle which of course were much better and more comprehensive than the red button.
Posted by: Brett-Butler 17th September 2019, 07:46 PM
I like the Red Button as it's a good back-up if the internet goes belly-up, but unfortunately it probably doesn't have enough users to warrant the BBC continuing to pay for its use. It's the last vestige of the old Ceefax service, which I grew up on in the 90s, so it's a double shame.
Posted by: Steve201 17th September 2019, 08:35 PM
I usually don't use it anymore but know my dad certainly does!
Isn't the red button ran through the internet?
Posted by: Mack. 17th September 2019, 09:54 PM
Ceefax and Teletext those were the days.
I check the Red Button at.least every day when I wake up or when I come home. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have Internet access as this is a service gone.
Posted by: Steve201 18th September 2019, 04:47 PM
Yeh what was Ceefax Football?? Page 302?
Posted by: Mack. 19th September 2019, 01:51 PM
Yes, Ceefax Football was on pg302, Scores, pg316, Tables, pg324.
Posted by: dobbo 19th September 2019, 01:54 PM
Oh no!
Ceefax football scores takes me right to 06 in my dad's flat...
Posted by: Steve201 20th September 2019, 12:09 AM
You never forget lol
Posted by: Mack. 25th February 2020, 11:21 PM
Has managed to stay for the moment this.
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