Teletext switches off early as it fails to adapt to digital TV age

The Teletext information service has been switched off today on UK analogue and digital TV - ahead of the initially scheduled January 2010 closure.
The news and information platform has ceased running on ITV, Channel 4 and Five on analogue TV, along with ITV and Channel 4 on Sky and Freeview. All editorial services on Teletext Extra are also no longer available on Freeview and Freesat.
However, Teletext Holidays will continue to run on Freeview channel 101 and the commercial channels from 102 to 107 will also remain on digital terrestrial television.
The digital TV revolution brought a myriad of interactive TV services to digital TV households via "red button" applications and portals such as Sky Active.
Teletext failed to adapt to the changing media landscape and became an analogue dinosaur in the fast moving digital TV world.
And the growth of the internet in the home, triggered by the arrival of super-cheap broadband, also proved competition for Teletext that it was unable to match. As a result Teletext users steadily contracted over the years and the average age of user became older and older. The economics of the service deteriorated accordingly and DMGT has taken the decision to close the service as a result.