What does teletext mean?
Teletext is a broadcast information system that sends text and simple graphics through television or radio signals, allowing compatible sets to display pages of news, weather, listings, subtitles, and other reference material. The word is now chiefly associated with the late twentieth century, when teletext provided a practical alternative to newspapers and an early form of on-demand information. Viewers selected numbered pages using buttons on a remote control, and the system became familiar through its use for public-service announcements, sports results, programme information, and accessible subtitles. Although largely displaced by the internet, interactive television, and streaming services, teletext remains a significant part of broadcasting history. It also illustrates how television was transformed from a medium for scheduled audiovisual programming into a platform capable of transmitting and displaying structured information.
nounA broadcast information system that transmits text and simple graphics through a television or radio signal for display on a compatible screen. It was widely used for news, weather, listings, subtitles, and other reference information before the internet became dominant.
- A broadcast system that transmits textual information and simple graphics through a television or radio signal for display on a compatible receiver.
- An individual page or screen of information presented through such a system.
"The station changed the forecast on teletext just before the evening news."
"Residents complained that the important election results were missing from the teletext service."
"The museum preserves recordings of televised teletext pages from the 1980s."
Usually uncountable when referring to the broadcast system or service; “teletexts” is an uncommon plural for individual pages or transmissions.
"The archive contains recordings of several teletexts from the 1970s."
Before the internet put news on your screen, teletext turned an ordinary television into a scrolling encyclopedia.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of teletext
Teletext combines the Greek-derived prefix tele-, meaning “far” or “at a distance,” with text, from Latin textus, meaning “written text” or “textile.” The compound reflects the transmission of written material over a distance rather than the physical delivery of printed pages. The tele- element is also found in words such as telegraph, telephone, television, and teletype, all of which developed from the same idea of communicating over long distances.
How teletext is actually used
Teletext is now largely dated, though it remains a familiar historical reference and is still used in some countries and specialized contexts. In British English it strongly evokes the service provided through television sets in the late twentieth century; usage is less prominent in the United States.
Easily confused with teletext
Teletext broadcasts text and graphics through a television or radio signal, whereas a telex sends messages through a teleprinter or telecommunications network.
Teletext is a broadcast service received on a television or compatible receiver, while texting sends written messages over a mobile or internet-based network.