FourText
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FourText (originally 4-Tel) was the British Channel 4's ancillary teletext service from the 1980s until 2003.
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[edit] Content
FourText provided listings and information about Channel 4's programmes, such as previews of programmes and further information related to the programmes. The service was separate from the auxiliary and separately-licensed teletext service also available on the channel. FourText also provided subtitles for Channel 4 programmes on page 888.
[edit] History
FourText was originally called 4-Tel was first run in conjunction with ORACLE, the auxiliary teletext provider for Channel 4, in the 1980s. 4-Tel occupied pages 410-499 within ORACLE's page space.
When ORACLE lost its licence and was replaced by Teletext Ltd in 1993, 4-Tel moved to its own page space on pages 300-399. Channel 4 enlisted Intelfax run the service.
In 2002, 4-Tel was renamed FourText. In addition, FourText also launched on digital television.
In 2003, Channel 4 ended their contract with Intelfax and contracted out the service to Teletext Ltd. The new service was named Teletext on 4 and operated on pages 400-499 (which replaced pages 300-399 as Channel 4's page space).
[edit] 4-Tel On View
4-Tel On View was a similar concept to Pages from Ceefax. It consisted of a cyclically repeated subset of 4-Tel pages transmitted as a normal TV programme (and hence lost the interactive nature of "real" teletext). It was shown in the early mornings during the 1980s and 1990s before the start of each day's scheduled programmes. It served as something of a substitute test-card, with either a tone or similar easy listening music playing in the background. It ceased to be broadcast in January 1997, when Channel 4 began broadcasting 24 hours.
ITV's Nightscreen once followed a similar format, but the teletext pages have now been replaced with a more modern form of multimedia and video playback technology.
[edit] See also
- Sbectel - S4C's ancillary teletext service
