Product Description
15 September 2005 - 50 Years of Independent Television - Norvic Limited Edition first day cover (20)Until 1955 television services in the United Kingdom were provided only by the state-owned British Broadcasting Corporation, but that year saw the launch of the first services provided by privately owned companies with services funded by advertising or 'commercials' - and hence 'commercial television'.
Royal Mail celebrates the 50th anniversary of Independent Television with a set of 6 stamps and a Smilers Sheet. The stamps feature six TV genres where ITV has made an impact:
Drama - Inspector Morse
Soaps - Emmerdale
Comedy - Rising Damp
Cult TV - The Avengers
Factual - The South Bank Show
Games show - Who wants to be a millionaire?
The Norvic limited edition cover shows a television from the 50s, with a caption partly in contemporary and partly in earlier style.
Postmark choices:
- Birmingham postmark shows an early television with set-top antenna
- Manchester postmark showing television camera & operator