actually the bulk of these old shows (other than pre-1980s kids shows intended for live TX [1]) are still in archives and during the 1990s and early 2000s most were transferred to broadcast video servers (a big machine like a cross between our streaming media server and a hard disk recorder).
This is how all the “UKTV” and Granada plus type channels operate
many are now being released on DVD so you can still watch them…
so perhaps the nostalgia is more for the better content quality of a lot of these shows?
When you had the 16 ITV companies and more BBC in house programming the “mainstream” shows could cross-subsidise more expensive/commercially risky projects such as kids or youth TV, or regional programmes which bred new talent before people were forced into exhibitionism on reality TV to try and get a presenters job…
Now with everything done by indies a lot of the money in TV leaks away to a few “big stars” (both celebs and business management) which actually stifles innovation and creativity (also a lot of celebs basically “buy” their own airtime by starting up their own indie and acting as executive producers of their own vanity projects!)
which is why telly in this country is so fucking crap these days as its all dependent on sponsorship and funding from big corporates, so no company is willing to take too many real risks with new talent/projects..
[1] as the videotapes were too expensive in those days (big 2″ reels of tape!)
