Ceefax started in 1974 and was a world-leading service then. A new documentary produced by the BBC will tell the story of how this once industry-leading service has become a casualty of technological development.

As the signal has been turned off permanently, a comical ‘suicide note’ has been found online, lamenting Ceefax’s passing.

The note says:

By the time you read this, I will be dead.

When I first started out in 1974, I was the future ¬– TV’s first robot newsreader. But what once seemed cutting-edge is now regarded as hopelessly old-fashioned ,and I have been frozen out by the powers that be, yet another victim of BBC ageism.

I can’t take it any more. It’s a struggle to get up for the nightshift, ad my poor pixels are tired. My friend Oracle said it would end like this.

Goodbye cruel world.



Photo: Getty.