No, the TVTimes listings represent what was intended to be broadcast at the time the TVTimes went to press. It is important to draw a distinction between this and the programmes as they were broadcast. Although in the vast majority of cases this was the same, schedules were disrupted by things such as industrial action and major events.

TVTiP includes programme listings for the TVTimes. No additional information is included. However, about one third of entries, approximately 80,000 records contain the complete text of the listings in the TVTimes. The remaining two thirds do not have a programme description. This is a compromise made to achieve the full chronological range 1955-1985 within the time and financial constraints of the project.

No, there are a number of gaps in the data as a result of industrial action which prevented the TVTimes being printed. These are listed here.

The following companies broadcast in the London area September 1955 – March 1985:

• Associated Rediffusion, Monday to Friday, September 1955 – June 1968;
• Associated TeleVision, Weekends, September 1955 – June 1968;
• Independent Television News, September 1955 – March 1985;
• London Weekend Television, 19:00 hrs Friday to Closedown Sunday, July 1968 – March 1985;
• Thames Television, 07:00 hrs Monday to 19:00 hrs Friday, July 1968 – March 1985;
• Channel 4, November 1982 – March 1985.

Yes. IPC Media, which owns the TVTimes, has agreed that the data is available for non-commercial use only. TVTiP is only available to bona fide students, researchers and teachers in further and higher education in the United Kingdom and to BUFVC members.

Libraries chose to keep copies of The Radio Times perhaps because of its association with the BBC and the wholesome values of public services broadcasting. The image of listings magazines as cheap, popular and disposable may have contributed to the decisions of libraries not to retain copies of the TVTimes in their collections.

Briefly, it is the only place where complete listings information can be found. In the initial years of independent television, Independent Television Companies owned the copyright to listings. The TVTimes was published in the London Region and seven other independent television franchises. Other regions published their own listings magazine. In 1968 a single company called Independent Television Publications was formed to publish one listings magazine title in all regions. The Channel Islands retained their own magazine, The Channel Viewer. In the 1990 Broadcasting Act Independent Television Companies were forced to surrender their monopoly of listings.

TVTiP is an innovative contribution to the resources underpinning research into Independent Television. Among the benefits to researchers are:

• networked access to TVTimes listings, previously not available to researchers in television;
• database format allows researchers to search and browse listings;
• ability to download data for personal research;
• enables quantitative analysis of programme output;
• informs the study of the development of scheduling from 1955 - 1985;
• instantly find information on individual programmes and series;
• supports biographical research of presenters, performers and production staff;
• informs research into the history of independent television history at key moments including the launch of independent television 1955, Pilkington Report 1960, ITV Franchise Renewals 1968, launch of Channel 4 1982.

TVTiP is accessed via the BUFVC Website and is authenticated by ATHENS. TVTiP is free at point of access to all staff and students in further and higher education institutions in the United Kingdom and to BUFVC members.

The data for this database was derived from the copies held at the British Library, Colindale. These paper copies can be consulted there. As well as listings, they include the articles about programmes and much pictorial material. As a by-product of this project, these paper copies were transferred to microfilm, and copies of that microfilm can be purchased direct from the British Library, Microfilm Sales, British Library Newspaper Library, Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HE. Tel: + 44 (0)20 7412 7351; Fax: + 44 (0)20 7412 7396 Microfilm-Sales@bl.uk.