1950s-60s 1969-81 1981-91 1969-74  
The first version of the famous 'mirror globe' contraption, introduced at midnight on the first day of colour transmissions on BBC1 on 15th November 1969. The large COLOUR caption was no doubt added as a continual reminder to viewers owning black-and-white sets (in other words, the vast majority of viewers) that the television was no longer monochrome, and maybe it's about time they got themselves a colour set! There has been some debate over the colours that this globe was first seen, though there is little hard evidence to prove it was anything other than the blue and black shown here. One episode of BBC2's Sounds of the Sixties contains an archive clip taken from the night of 17th November 1969, which shows this globe with a blue background and white continents and lettering. However it is almost certain that the ident was never actually shown like this; it is believed instead this clip was colourised from a black-and-white telerecording - but was done in the wrong colours... 
This image, taken from the BBC2 documentary Missing Presumed Wiped , shows the globe in its 'raw' form, and shows that it was indeed actually coloured blue and black. Later incarnations had the colour added electronically.  
Left: the clock was used for much more than just the news in the 1970s - this showing of the clock in 1971 introduced an episode of Blue Peter. Right: this slide promoted an edition of Jackanory in the same year. Watch a clip  
Despite the introduction of the colour ident in 1969, curiously there was to be one more black-and-white globe (this image is a mock-up based on the colour globe). Though almost identical in appearance, this was in fact a separate globe to the colour one. Quite what the purpose of this globe was is unclear - its colour sister tended to be used regardless of whether the programme it was introducing had been made in colour or black-and-white. However the existence of this second globe questions whether was this a universal practice. Another possibility is that it may have had a role in schools presentation, which remained in monochrome for some time into the early 1970s. Indeed, there is evidence to prove there was a second clock, omitting the 'COLOUR' caption, which was used during schools output. However the globe would have surely have seen limited use during this type of programming; the 'piechart' countdown device, which had been around since the 1960s, was generally used to lead into schools programmes. One further suggestion is that this globe may have been a back-up in case the regular one failed - but then surely there was no reason for omitting the 'COLOUR' caption. Any more thoughts?  
Back to the colour globe, and in 1972, or possibly late 1971, the lettering and the BBC logo were updated, and it also appears the colour levels were turned up to eliminate the shadowing on the reflection. But this wouldn't be the last time the globe was fiddled with... Watch a clip Watch an extended clip (no audio) Meanwhile the regions also used blue-and-black idents when they were upgraded to colour. Most retained their own static circular logo in place of the globe, but some, like BBC North from Leeds, went a bit more elaborate with a rotating 'N' symbol!  
Updated versions of the clock and slide design. 
Oh yes, and there was the black-and-white globe (again, this image is a mock-up). Anyone actually remember seeing it?
1974-81 
The globe changed colour at the end of 1974, generally believed to be between Christmas and New Year 1975. At first the original 1969 mirror/globe contraption was retained, with a big new logo. The new colours were added electronically. 
The clock was also changed to reflect the new colour scheme.  
This ident had a habit of varying its appearance over the years. In particular, at some point early on, probably 1976, the globe was replaced and postioned at a higher angle, and the mirror made less curved (above); but further changes in mirror curviness and globe positioning seem to have been made subsequently.  
Eventually it settled down in appearance, as shown above. Watch a clip (no audio)
Watch another clip (shorter, but with audio)  
Despite the change of the globe at the end of 1974, the early 1970s style of programme slide continued to be used for some time. However by 1976 this new design had been introduced which would persist for nearly a decade. Note that the design has nothing at all to link it to the globe ident. The twin-striped BBC1 logo would appear on various captions in the 1970s, and even the Christmas idents, but it took until 1981 before it finally appeared on the regular globe. These are typically wonky and off-centre examples of slides; Doctor Who is seen here with Leela (Louise Jameson) in 1977. 
In 1976 the regions ditched their individual symbols and introduced their own spinning globes, normally with the region name written underneath the BBC1 logo. BBC Northern Ireland had a particularly poorly defined, smudgy globe (above). Around this time many English regions would make use of their own globes and continuity throughout BBC1's evening output, even up as far as closedown. This practice ended in the early 1980s as a cost-saving measure. Of course separate continuity in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland survives to this day.  
Above: as an aside, Michael Crawford and Noel Edmonds are seen here sporting knitted BBC1 jumpers for the infamous BBC Christmas VT tapes of 1978 and 1979. The 1975-81 globe would prove to be the longest serving BBC1 symbol, and when the time finally came for a change, well it didn't really change that much. Click on the next page for more. 1950s-60s 1969-81 1981-91 | 
