TVARK is the on-line TV museum. The site is intended as a tribute to the work of television presentation and graphics, and to preserve a slice of our social history. Through images and video clips, we present those modest little chunks of television that are never repeated: idents, programme promotions, opening title sequences, public information films, commercials, daily start-ups and closedowns, break bumpers and station clocks. Each item is accompanied by a short written analysis and review.
 
The site is run as a non-profit making organization. It was started ten years ago in the dial-up era, as one man’s hobby, called ‘Television Ark.’ Over the years, as the site has grown, 10 people have become involved, all passionate about TV and all of whom have brought clips from their own collections of off-air television recordings. We also receive donations from other collectors, and the site now has access to over 9,000 vintage recordings.
 
TVARK is above all an educational resource. It is popular at home and abroad, used by teachers and students in schools and colleges. It is also recognised by people within the TV industry; our archives are frequently used by industry professionals, who find their own master copies of programmes have been wiped over the years. We have supplied information and clips for broadcast documentaries, presentation & news programmes, as well as broadcasting websites.
 
Our archives are deemed so valuable that we have worked with several TV companies to assist them with archiving material. Recent examples include:
 
• Archiving project with LWT in preserving continuity
 
• Archiving project with BBC in preserving local news
 
• Providing ITN and BBC with news footage for the Edinburgh TV Festival '04
 
• Providing BBC with footage of vintage Christmas BBC1&2 idents for a festive comedy series in 2007
 
• Clips and information for BBC documentaries such as “Charlie Brooker’s Screen Wipe”
 
• Assisting S4/C archives
 
We receive positive feedback from TV researchers, producers, presenters, designers, art colleges, teachers, media students as well as those who relish the obvious nostalgic values of the site. Visitors to the site often comment that browsing the pages brings alive happy memories from their childhood TV viewing. They enjoy reviewing old adverts and TV shows, with their once well-known catchphrases and theme tunes, which would otherwise be consigned to oblivion.
 
We have been recognized by the UK national press and BBC radio. You’ll find links to TVARK from many major websites including:
 
• BBC Cult TV
 
• BBC Top of the Pops 2
 
• BBC TV in the 40's.
 
• BBC North West Tonight
 
• The British Film Institute
 
• The Sci-Fi Channel
 
We work very hard to create accurate descriptions of our content. TV personalities and presenters, production teams, film crews and even retired broadcasting employees have all made contact, to pass on their memories, insights, gossip and otherwise unknown information about the clips we feature.
 
Many pages have been authorized by TV companies and permission has been given to use their material, these include:
 
• Granada Archives
 
• ITN
 
• Scottish TV - for schools programmes
 
• S4/C - for schools programmes
 
• Moving Image Communications Ltd - for TVam
 
• The South West Film TV Archive - for TSW and Westward material
 
• Film Images Ltd - for all the Public Information Films
 
• Warner Brothers for WBTV
 
We hope TVARK gives as much pleasure to you, as it has to us.

TVARK is dedicated to Valerie Lovell Hackett - 15th July 1943 - 2nd October 2004