Ceefax was the BBC’s text-based TV news service which taught a generation of journalists to write stories in chunks of four paragraphs which made sense whatever scrolling page of an article the reader landed on. Here Ian Westbrook marks the Ceefax anniversary – in four paragraphs.
Ceefax turned 50 on Monday and to mark the occasion, about 90 former members of staff went to a celebration event in central London.
Among those attending was Field McIntyre, the widow of the service’s first editor Colin; Adrian Robson, from the initial launch team; and former editors Graham Clayton and Pete Clifton.
Pete gave a speech recalling his time in charge, and reminding everyone just how powerful Ceefax was in its heyday as the UK’s first on-demand news service.
Former Ceefax journalist Steve Rosenberg, now the BBC’s Russia editor, sent in two video messages – one in speech and one on the piano – because he was unable to be there.
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