It was Alright in the 1970s C4 Program

[Butts]

Did anyone watch this show last night ?

Although I lived through the decade I had forgotten how different TV was during that era.

Miss World contests with Terry Wogan making what would be considered today inappropriate comments.

The Professionals actors helping a busty young lady get dressed and undressed and giving her a slap.

Objectification of women was the order of the day with boobs everywhere.

Mink Coats on Sale of the Century......

And best of all smoking everywhere on TV in shows and panel games...Manikin Cigar adds on the box.

Some of our younger members may be quite shocked if they "tune in "

Next week it's Black and White Minstrels / Love Thy Neighbour.....et al

Those of you like me who lived through it - was it really that bad ?

 

[Hornet]

Did anyone watch this show last night ?

Although I lived through the decade I had forgotten how different TV was during that era.

Miss World contests with Terry Wogan making what would be considered today inappropriate comments.

The Professionals actors helping a busty young lady get dressed and undressed and giving her a slap.

Objectification of women was the order of the day with boobs everywhere.

Mink Coats on Sale of the Century......

And best of all smoking everywhere on TV in shows and panel games...Manikin Cigar adds on the box.

Some of our younger members may be quite shocked if they "tune in "

Next week it's Black and White Minstrels / Love Thy Neighbour.....et al

Those of you like me who lived through it - was it really that bad ?

Three day week, Winter of Discontent, UK bailout by the IMF, Inflation Rate of 27%, Rubbish uncollected, the Dead unburied, the IRA bombing campaign. Ah, the good old days. First job after leaving school in 1975 was good old BR. Today's youngster are too soft. Don't know they are born.

 

[AM9]

Did anyone watch this show last night ?

Although I lived through the decade I had forgotten how different TV was during that era.

Miss World contests with Terry Wogan making what would be considered today inappropriate comments.

The Professionals actors helping a busty young lady get dressed and undressed and giving her a slap.

Objectification of women was the order of the day with boobs everywhere.

Mink Coats on Sale of the Century......

And best of all smoking everywhere on TV in shows and panel games...Manikin Cigar adds on the box.

Some of our younger members may be quite shocked if they "tune in "

Next week it's Black and White Minstrels / Love Thy Neighbour.....et al

Those of you like me who lived through it - was it really that bad ?

I didn't see it but clearly the programme gathered the most noteworthy bits from the '70s to get their point across. Just watch some old Sweeney episodes when they are next on.
The problem is that broadcasting must be viewed in the context of when it was originally shown. There were comedy programmes that exploited humour at the limit of acceptibility, (e.g. Love Thy Neighbour) and also those that satirised the bigots of the age, (e.g. Until Death Do Us Part). The latter however, backfired on Johnny Speight when the monster that he created becamea spokesman for the bigots.

 

[Butts]

I didn't see it but clearly the programme gathered the most noteworthy bits from the '70s to get their point across. Just watch some old Sweeney episodes when they are next on.
The problem is that broadcasting must be viewed in the context of when it was originally shown. There were comedy programmes that exploited humour at the limit of acceptibility, (e.g. Love Thy Neighbour) and also those that satirised the bigots of the age, (e.g. Until Death Do Us Part). The latter however, backfired on Johnny Speight when the monster that he created becamea spokesman for the bigots.

I often wonder what comedians tell jokes about these days - their main subjects in the seventies seemed to be misogynistic, racist, homophobic, sexist or disabled in origin.

 

[overthewater]

What about Windy Miller being drunk, on a kids show!

 

[43021HST]

Obviously I never existed in the 70s but I'm a big fan of some of the media that came out then, it wasn't all bigoted mindless nonsense as I'm sure you're aware.

Some excellent films and TV from the 70s: Get Carter (my favourite film), Taxi Driver, The French Connection, The Law & Order mini series, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Sweeney; need I say there was some truly excellent British bands playing such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd all were still releasing albums. Also you seemed to have actual variety on the radio then, unlike now.

Culturally I think the 70s was a time of contrast with some truly legendary cultural gems and some serious dreck as pointed out in previous posts. Today things seem so blanded out and generic.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Some excellent films and TV from the 70s: Get Carter (my favourite film), Taxi Driver, The French Connection, The Law & Order mini series, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Sweeney

One does not simply forego Blazing Saddles

 

[Dave1954]

For those who missed it like I did the show will repeated this Wednesday Evening at 1100pm... Regards Dave1954

 

[Butts]

For those who missed it like I did the show will repeated this Wednesday Evening at 1100pm... Regards Dave1954

Is it not on 4OD ?

 

[Dave1954]

Most proberly on demand but I will record Wednesday night so I can view it at my leisure
regards Dave1954 ...

 

[Butts]

Most proberly on demand but I will record Wednesday night so I can view it at my leisure
regards Dave1954 ...

I urge all youngsters to watch it - it explains why we oldies are the way we are - or does it

 

[ac6000cw]

Three day week, Winter of Discontent, UK bailout by the IMF, Inflation Rate of 27%, Rubbish uncollected, the Dead unburied, the IRA bombing campaign. Ah, the good old days. First job after leaving school in 1975 was good old BR. Today's youngster are too soft. Don't know they are born.

....and rattly, bouncy, too cold/too hot DMUs (but with a driver's eye view from the front seats ), infrequent services, gently decaying stations, steam heat/vacuum braked Mk1s on secondary IC services, cars that rusted away so fast you could almost watch it happening (and anti-lock brakes and air bags were still things largely of the future).

On the other hand, it was the decade of northern WCML electrification, HST and APT projects (and Concorde)....and cheap excursions for the impoverished trainspotter

 

[Deerfold]

Most proberly on demand but I will record Wednesday night so I can view it at my leisure
regards Dave1954 ...

If we're going with a 70s vibe, surely once you've missed it, you've missed it.

 

[ac6000cw]

If we're going with a 70s vibe, surely once you've missed it, you've missed it.

VHS and Betamax VCRs were available in the late 1970s

 

[Deerfold]

VHS and Betamax VCRs were available in the late 1970s

But not common. By 1984 only just over 20% of households had a VCR.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I only got a VCR when I tore the ligaments in my ankle in 1985 and spent 5 weeks off work. You used to be able to get some really dodgy videos from rental shops before they introduced age certificates

 

[Hornet]

VHS and Betamax VCRs were available in the late 1970s

Ah, the good old Betamax. Remember mine. Size of a small City and the weight of a Cross Channel Ferry! They were BIG!

 

[Tom B]

Or Laserdisc!

 

[EM2]

Or Laserdisc!

I'll see your Laserdisc, and raise you a Philips V2000.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Or Laserdisc!

Now that's one format and a half! Still own three machines, and a collection of around 300 discs.

 

[Dave1954]

Watched part 1 bit grubby in some parts , fair to alright .... looking forward to viewing Part 2 , hopefully it`ll be a lot better .
regards Dave1954

 

[St Rollox]

Was there any particular reason why there was only three channels on UK tv during the 1970s.

 

[ac6000cw]

Was there any particular reason why there was only three channels on UK tv during the 1970s.

The idea of a second commercial channel had been around for a while but had not got past the 'discussions' stage - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_4#History

In fact when the UHF TV transmitter network was built in the mid-late 1960s (to carry 625 line analogue colour TV), there was 'passive' provision for adding another channel to the existing three networks (BBC1/BBC2/ITV), so it had been considered in the 1960s.

(Incidentally we are only two years away from celebrating the 80th birthday of TV - next time you go past Alexandra Palace on the train, that's where it all started in 1936, the world's first 'high definition' TV service was broadcast from there)

 

[Butts]

Was there any particular reason why there was only three channels on UK tv during the 1970s.

Licences were issued by The Government so it was down to them and I suspect some technical matters also came into play.

There were only three channels until 1982 when C4 started.

Amazingly we managed as we did without computers, mobile phones and a lot of other modern paraphernalia.

Arguably there was as much quality on 3 channels as there is on hundreds today.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Licences were issued by The Government so it was down to them and I suspect some technical matters also came into play.

There were only three channels until 1982 when C4 started.

Amazingly we managed as we did without computers, mobile phones and a lot of other modern paraphernalia.

Arguably there was as much quality on 3 channels as there is on hundreds today.

Absolutely agree with you, especially on the last point. There's very little in the way of quality programming on TV today, the jam is spread so thinly with such a myriad of available channels. Give us quality, not quantity

 

[St Rollox]

I'll take 300 tv channels and access to the Internet any day to 3 channels from a set that never quite got a proper picture.
Funny how the choice in tv grew just before the net became public.

 

[Butts]

I'll take 300 tv channels and access to the Internet any day to 3 channels from a set that never quite got a proper picture.
Funny how the choice in tv grew just before the net became public.

I doubt on any of the 300 Channels you would find anything as offensive (to some) in terms of racism and sexism in mainstream shows as was demonstrated in Saturdays episode.

I loved it, even some of The Black Characters featured and still alive thought there was nothing wrong with it.

 

[St Rollox]

Suppose it's a bit like Alf Garnett, it was supposed to make folks see how absurd racist views were.
Or so the writers claimed.
Finally the penny dropped that half the population were feeding off the Alf's racism and sexism.
And of course England never won the World Cup in 1966.
West Ham did.

 

[Tom B]

Now that's one format and a half! Still own three machines, and a collection of around 300 discs.

I am responsible for maintaining 14 which are in daily use. Currently expected to remain that way until 2018!

 

[Ash Bridge]

I am responsible for maintaining 14 which are in daily use. Currently expected to remain that way until 2018!

That's very interesting, we're at risk of going off topic here but are they domestic machines? And if so which models?would be very interested!