The end of Ceefax

In a time before the world wide web there was Ceefax: a place to go for all the latest news and football scores, anytime of the day.

Launched on 23 September 1974, Ceefax was the first teletext service in the world and provided subtitles for a whole host of BBC TV programmes. But as the digital switchover comes to its conclusion Ceefax, meaning to “see facts”, prepares to say its final goodbye along with analogue TV.

After 38 years the service will be turned off, along with the last analogue TV signal in Northern Ireland, by Olympic champion Dame Mary Peters on 24 October at 23.30 BST.

If however you yearn for cheesy music and blocky graphics check out the BBC’s tribute to Ceefax to reminisce about slow loading times and clever pictures made from seven-colours.

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