[IronRoad]

Did Meridian, Westcountry, Carlton and GMTV do secret on-air testing of their transmission infrastructure before officially launching at midnight 1st 1993?
Or was it all expected to work?
I know they would have rehearsed, and in GMTV’s case they showed footage of their pilots, but when it came to the big switch how could they be certain?
Also, was there a standby should one of the new franchisees launch not gone according to plan?

Mod note: Split out from the 'Media Amnesty' thread.

Living in Cornwall in 1992, I actually saw Westcountry “switched in” on several occasions in the weeks leading up to January 1st. It was always done during a network programme (Emmerdale was normally chosen)… one the first part was a few minutes in, there would be a visible switch in video feed… and Oracle would vanish! Just before the commercial break, TSW would switch back in, adverts would be played, then shortly after the second part of Emmerdale, the switch would happen again, loss of Oracle and then just before the end credits, would be switched back to normal.

That way, Westcountry could test their output was going to TX’s directly, the viewers really don’t notice (unless using Oracle or subtitles)…. I have to add this was from the Redruth transmitter (which also switched to Westcountry late on 1st Jan! 🤣)…. other programmes may have been “tested” on Carson Hill, Huntshaw Cross, Beacon Hill etc…