ITV Border - Identity

Identity

Throughout its history, Border has used one single logo, an abstract "B", known affectionately by locals as "The Chopsticks". It features a thick shape with a forker line crossing it and running either side of the shape. The overall shape represents a "B" for Border, with the background shape representing the catchment area and the line representing the border itself. The line actually divides the area into three parts, although one is very small: representing Scotland above the line, England below it, and the Isle of Man in the small area to the left.

The launch identity was a black caption with the white logo and "Border Television" beneath, over an announcement. The start-up routine was symbolic because of its distinctive and unchanging music and the announcement stating: "This is Border Television serving Cumbria, South Scotland, the Isle of Man and North and West Northumberland, from the Caldbeck, Selkirk and associated transmitters of the Independent Broadcasting Authority." This was replaced when colour came to the region by the same contents, contained within a rectangle on a blue background with a Colour caption outside the box. The colour caption was removed in the 1980s and the announcement said: "This is Border Television providing a full colour service to Cumbria, South Scotland, the Isle of Man and North and West Northumberland including Berwick-Upon-Tweed, from the Caldbeck, Selkirk and associated transmitters of the Independent Broadcasting Authority."

Border adopted the 1989 Generic look and used it until 1993. Their version was mildly well suited, as the contents of the "B" were recognisable in the "V" segment if the logo. This look was extensively used, even in the news department. In 1993, the ident was changed to the Border logo revolving out of thin air and featuring a background of pastel colours. The music was retained from the generic look. Border also began to use in-vision continuity more heavily.

In 1995, the logo was changed again to a 3D Border logo falling into place against a water-effect blue backdrop, which was set to the same tune as used previously but played on instruments to match the water theme. This was again updated in 1998, with the same sequence against a backdrop of spinning discs and blue and purple colours. New music was also composed featuring deep basses. The whole effect was to make Border have an authoritative and broadcaster tone.

In 1999, Border adopted the second generic look along with the rest of the regions, but did not use their logo in this look. From then on, Border only used network designs for idents; as from October 2002, Border idents featuring a celebrity with the ITV1 logo with the word Border underneath were used for local programming only. All other programming used network idents and from 2004 no regional idents existed. Border has ceased as an entity, productions attributed to ITV Productions or later, ITV Studios.