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About this sound

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The Thames Television ident jingle from London, with a bold brass fanfare announcing the station. Creators use it for retro intros, parodies and nostalgia edits.

This is the short station ident for Thames Television, the London broadcaster, built around a bright, punchy brass flourish that rises and lands with a confident, old-school television finish. The clip lasts just over eight seconds, long enough for the fanfare to feel grand without overstaying its welcome, and its slightly warm, analogue tone instantly signals a programme is about to begin. For viewers who grew up with British television, it triggers instant recognition and a wave of nostalgia, while for younger audiences it sounds like a deliberately retro, almost comically formal introduction. It works best as a dramatic opening cue that makes whatever follows feel like a proper broadcast.

Thames Television was the ITV broadcaster for London on weekdays from 1968 to 1992, and its station idents became a familiar part of British television culture. The short brass-led announcement heard here comes from that era of formal, confident channel branding, when a few seconds of music told viewers a programme was about to start. Clips of old idents have since circulated online among collectors and nostalgia fans, and creators now reuse this sound to give modern videos an instantly recognisable retro broadcast feel.

Pro Tip for Usage

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Place it at the start of a video over a channel ident or title card, and cut to your content on the final brass note. Pair it with grainy footage or vintage graphics, and avoid talking over the fanfare or it loses its announcement effect.

Use Cases

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  • Opening a retro-style YouTube video like a TV broadcast.
  • Introducing a parody news segment in an edit.
  • Starting a nostalgic compilation of classic British television.
  • Announcing a dramatic reveal in a comedy sketch.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the Thames Bwass sound?
It is a short Thames Television ident clip, built around a bold brass fanfare that announced the London station. The name 'Bwass' is a playful spelling of that brassy sound, rather than an official title.
Where does the sound come from?
It comes from Thames Television, the ITV company that broadcast to London on weekdays between 1968 and 1992. Its idents introduced programmes and became a familiar part of British television history.
Why do creators use this sound in videos?
Creators use it to open videos like an old television broadcast, instantly setting a retro, formal or nostalgic tone. It works especially well for parodies, intros and dramatic reveals that benefit from a grand announcement.

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