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The ITV strike of 1979
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Glenn A
11-08-2013
It's just over 34 years since the biggest strike in television history occured and ITV was off air for ten weeks, meaning viewers only had two BBC channels to watch and quite a lot of people became angry at losing shows such as Coronation St and Crossroads. It was also odd seeing a blue caption on ITV stating it was off air and it seemed like the strike was going on forever. Anyone else have memories of this strike?
Howard_Hockey
11-08-2013
Was that also during one of the power strikes? At that time everything seemed to be on strike, undertakers, TV, trains, you name it!
pete taylor
11-08-2013
http://coronationstreet.wikia.com/wiki/1979_ITV_strike
lotrjw
11-08-2013
What do you think would happen today, if staff of a TV company, like ITV, were that peed off at the management? I cant see a full scale strike happening today!
Belligerence
11-08-2013
Welcome home to ITV!
ftv
11-08-2013
Channel TV effectively had a no-strike agreement with its staff and struggled on although it was not able to maintain a full service. It relied on films and VT flown from the mainland.A strike of any length would have bankrupted them.
wizzywick
11-08-2013
Originally Posted by lotrjw:
“What do you think would happen today, if staff of a TV company, like ITV, were that peed off at the management? I cant see a full scale strike happening today!”

Mrs. Thatcher virtually made it impossible for the type of strike in 1979 to occur again.
northantsgirl
11-08-2013
I think ITV could have run an emergency service as they did in 1968, they chose to pull the plug instead thinking it would weaken the unions resolve- it didn't.
Glenn A
11-08-2013
Originally Posted by Howard_Hockey:
“Was that also during one of the power strikes? At that time everything seemed to be on strike, undertakers, TV, trains, you name it!”

It was after the Winter of Discontent, but coincided with a strike at The Times and industrial action at the BBC, which meant television was badly disrupted throughout the year.
Caxton
11-08-2013
Originally Posted by lotrjw:
“What do you think would happen today, if staff of a TV company, like ITV, were that peed off at the management? I cant see a full scale strike happening today!”

Neither can, I because few would care, missing Coronation Street for a few weeks would be no tragedy and there are now more alternative channels to watch.even on what the limited Freeview has to offer.

Also TV has far fewer staff and most stuff is automated now than what it used to be then and I imagine a respectable service of sorts could be provided.
zippydoodah
11-08-2013
Originally Posted by Belligerence:
“Welcome home to ITV!”

Indeed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IRAoRdeif8
Glenn A
11-08-2013
Welcome home to ITV, welcome home!
These days even if ITV was heavily unionised and had an all out strike, not that many people would care if it went off air as we all have Freeview and Sky.
Steve9214
11-08-2013
Originally Posted by Glenn A:
“Welcome home to ITV, welcome home!
These days even if ITV was heavily unionised and had an all out strike, not that many people would care if it went off air as we all have Freeview and Sky.”

If the TV unions had not been "broken" there would be no Freeview or SKY.

Don't forget when SKY started it actually had the status of a "pirate" broadcaster as it had no UK Government licence.
Digifriendly
11-08-2013
Was at the European Open Golf at Turnberry in 1979 only to see empty TV towers as strike prevented any coverage from ITV. Almost certain there was no coverage of Ryder Cup either.
DUNDEEBOY
11-08-2013
Remember it well it was three months it was off for July to October 1979 was just very young at primary school but remember the excitement when it was resolved and itv was coming back.

After all for three months you were left with just bbc1 and bbc2
DVDfever
11-08-2013
Originally Posted by Glenn A:
“It's just over 34 years since the biggest strike in television history occured and ITV was off air for ten weeks, meaning viewers only had two BBC channels to watch and quite a lot of people became angry at losing shows such as Coronation St and Crossroads. It was also odd seeing a blue caption on ITV stating it was off air and it seemed like the strike was going on forever. Anyone else have memories of this strike?”

I remember that happening - I was 7 at the time, but I don't remember power cuts from earlier in the '70s, partly because I was too young to remember and partly because I didn't rely on electricity as I do now. If all the power went off on a regular basis, I'd be well pissed off.

If Snake Plissken really did shut down the Earth, I'd be bored as hell!

Originally Posted by lotrjw:
“What do you think would happen today, if staff of a TV company, like ITV, were that peed off at the management? I cant see a full scale strike happening today!”

It would never happen again. There's a recession and if someone goes on strike, there's always someone else willing to step into their shoes.

Also, unions have no power any more. Wherever I've worked over the past 20 years, where strikes are possible, a strike doesn't mean picketing outside the workplace all day, it means having a lie-in and putting the Xbox on.
majorgart
12-08-2013
Originally Posted by DUNDEEBOY:
“Remember it well it was three months it was off for July to October 1979”

Actually it was Monday August 6th when the ball started rolling and Thames pulled the plug during a networked Best Sellers . Part one was on at 9pm but as Thames were the channel sending the signal part two due at 10.30 after the News didn't get shown until a year later.

But it took until Friday of that week for all the regions to follow including Channel but they came back within a few days and showed a summer of a much improved schedule .
Imports , films and independent productions , although not many independents at that time - only The New Avengers IIRC .
Restricted hours from Channel too but at least they were on air.
ITV returned in October , fortunately during half term for many kids who were able to enjoy the daytime showing of Spartacus .
Rich Tea.
12-08-2013
Just 10 at the time and recall it well, especially the big switch back on. I think the first thing that came back on was the ITV News at 5.45pm with Leonard Parkin, which was mid-week during the school half term on Wednesday, 24th October, 1979.

I've always thought that the BBC had their own all out strike blanking screens out for a time as well, during the same era, but feel I must be wrong on that.

One can wonder what the nation might be like if ALL telly was blanked out for a 9 week stretch from this point in August until late October. I wonder what positive and negative effects absolutely no TV until late October this year would have on the UK?
JCR
12-08-2013
Originally Posted by Steve9214:
“If the TV unions had not been "broken" there would be no Freeview or SKY.

Don't forget when SKY started it actually had the status of a "pirate" broadcaster as it had no UK Government licence.”

The tv unions were absurd back in the day; there is a story in Matthew Waterhouse's autobiography, Blue Box Boy, saying Swap Shop was pulled one Saturday, because one of the tech guys had it in his contract that he had to get a space in the car park at tv centre, when he got there he got told the car park was full, so he refused to work and several others followed him out, cancelling that day's Swap Shop.
Sad_BB_Addict
12-08-2013
I had a friend who was a district nurse and she said she visited lots of homes that had their TVs on all day showing the ITV strike caption or test card, in the hope that it might come on again.
Kevin_Tipler
12-08-2013
Remember it well. Only two channels throughout the summer, not that I cared as I was 19 at the time and out most nights. I remember when it came back they showed 3-2-1 and Quatermass, starring John Mills. True, it wouldn't happen now and it wouldn't have the same effect as there are more channels with Sky and Freeview, as well as ondemand TV and DVDs.
ftv
12-08-2013
I don't recall the BBC ever having an all-out strike.The news people did strike on occasions, there was one over the introduction of new technology and there might have been a few local disputes. But they would have enough senior managers and recorded material to keep going. They were, in any case, different unions from ITV.
finlux
12-08-2013
Originally Posted by majorgart:
“Imports , films and independent productions , although not many independents at that time - only The New Avengers IIRC .”

Wasn't The New Avengers LWT?

Originally Posted by Sad_BB_Addict:
“I had a friend who was a district nurse and she said she visited lots of homes that had their TVs on all day showing the ITV strike caption or test card, in the hope that it might come on again.”

I'm sure I read somewhere that ITV had a million viewers during the strike!
lotrjw
12-08-2013
Originally Posted by Rich Tea.:
“Just 10 at the time and recall it well, especially the big switch back on. I think the first thing that came back on was the ITV News at 5.45pm with Leonard Parkin, which was mid-week during the school half term on Wednesday, 24th October, 1979.

I've always thought that the BBC had their own all out strike blanking screens out for a time as well, during the same era, but feel I must be wrong on that.

One can wonder what the nation might be like if ALL telly was blanked out for a 9 week stretch from this point in August until late October. I wonder what positive and negative effects absolutely no TV until late October this year would have on the UK?”

That would have to include all freeview and freesat channels, at the very least! as pay TV channels would most likely try and put the price up at first to keep those channels on air!
If all the pay channels also went on strike too, then people would cancle their pay TV subs and that would be an end to Sky and Virgin and would cripple BT!
Bannsider
12-08-2013
Has the strike actually ended? It doesn't feel that way in UTV land.
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