Forces TV

A solely graphical blue look was first introduced to Forces TV in 2017, to coincide with the launch of the channel on Freeview in the UK. The main ident for the channel introduced at the time remained in use here in 2021.

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The break bumper for Forces TV features the same logo on blue background, with a simple rippling effect applied.

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An example of the End Credit Promotion style for Forces TV. A simple graphical resize of the screen, shown here over the closing titles of classic BBC sitcom Citizen Smith.

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The same blue, orange and white colours get applied to footage to make up the promo style for Forces TV.

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Another promo from 2020 on Forces TV, here promoting one of the many comedies on the channel.

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Unlike many smaller stations, Forces TV features its own news programming with a military slant, provided as part of the British Forces remit. The opening titles to the evening programme here.

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One of several graphical menu styles from Forces TV to promote the line up of shows coming up on the channel that day.

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A larger font in a second menu style for the channel, here promoting 'Next', 'Then' and 'Later' on the channel.

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A third menu example from Forces TV, this time promoting an extended line up of shows with times on the channel the following day.

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While the majority of presentation over the festive period remained unchanged, a special Christmas ident from Forces TV was used in 2020. Featuring some fairly generic stars and a seasonal jingle adorning the usual Forces TV logo.

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Another festive addition to Forces TV for the Christmas 2020 season saw special messages from families and serving military members broadcast on the channel to keep people in the services connected. These messages were dual-branded with both BFBS and Forces TV branding.

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Despite having carved out a popular niche with its mix of military news and archive programming, the long term future of Forces TV was not to be. The channel had been carried on Freeview on the Com7 HD mux, but this had always been earmarked as temporary with a plan to be replaced by 5G mobile services eventually. When this mux closure finally happened on June 30th 2022, BFBS decided the UK channel would not be viable to continue running, choosing instead to focus on their forces news provision online and international services for the military. The UK channel closed at 11am on June 30th, but true to their style a special closedown package was put together. After a short montage of channel shows, announcer Andy Marriott led into a classic style night time channel closedown, complete with a playing of God Save The Queen (something the channel could readily get footage for) and even a 'don't forget to switch off your set' message. In a modern broadcasting world where channels come and go on a whim, this remained a rare way to bow out a channel with real class.

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