Net gains: Tuning in to TV

August heralds the silly season and with it television's annual lull before the autumn schedule kicks in. No better time then for a spot of telly nostalgia - and I don't just mean a quick dose of satellite reruns of The Sweeney.

Let's begin gently. Frogger TV (mudhole.spodnet.uk. com/frogger/tv) is a forum for the discussion of any television-related theme. There is the occasional ominous looking thread (`Local news programmes - best and worst?') but the content by and large tends to be wistful.

Meanwhile, Kaleidoscope (www.petford.demon.co.uk/kaleidos), a non-profit making group, has been capitalising on the strength of feeling for classic television since 1988. The site contains lengthy articles on obscure and vintage programmes, and also has a directory of organisations should you wish to explore further. The site itself is nothing to write home about, but at least has an infectious enthusiasm for the material.

For a glimpse into the interests of the truly esoteric telly fanatics, Andrew Wiseman's 625 site (625.simplenet.com) is a revelation. For the most part, 625 is a competent survey of television industry news and developments. Rummage around though, and you'll come across pages dedicated to BBC and ITV station idents (for some reason Thames TV's ident is remembered particularly fondly) and an index of downloadable public information films.