In 1964, in anticipation of colour PAL transmissions set to begin in 1966, the original 443-foot (135 m) lattice tower was replaced by a taller 1,265-foot (385.5 m) guyed mast, identical to the structure at Belmont transmitting station in Lincolnshire.

[5] Yorkshire Television commenced broadcasting from the Emley Moor transmitter following the reorganisation of the ITV franchises on 29 July 1968.

[6] The cylindrical steel mast was regularly coated in ice during the winter, and large icicles formed on the guy wires, placing them under great strain.

For this reason, amber warning lights on the tower operated when ice was a hazard, and notices were posted on the fence adjacent to Jagger Lane, below the guy wire crossings.

[7] On 19 March 1969, a combination of strong winds and the weight of ice that had formed around the top of the mast and on the guy wires caused the structure to collapse.

Although a falling stay cable cut through the roof of a local church[8] and across the transmitter site buildings, no one was injured.

The Independent Television Authority (ITA) owned a collapsible emergency mast, 200 feet (61 m) tall, which was moved to Emley from the Lichfield transmitting station so that some service could be restored.

[7] Damping modifications, including hanging 150 long tons (150 t) of steel chains within each structure, were made to similar masts at Belmont and Winter Hill.

UHF (625-line colour) transmissions commenced on 21 January 1971, and the older VHF (405-line black and white) system became operational on 21 April 1971.

The top of the tower is 1,949 feet (594 m) above sea level, due to the site's elevated position on the eastern edge of the Pennines.

[11] In 2002, English Heritage granted the tower Grade II listed building protection under UK law, being the lowest and most common of three categories, for meeting its criteria of significant architectural or historic interest.

The area is important for RF, radio frequency transmission, and from the foot of the structure, both Holme Moss and the Moorside Edge transmitter are visible.

Its television coverage area is one of the largest in the UK; covering most of Yorkshire and parts of the East Midlands including Leeds, Sheffield, York, Chesterfield, Worksop and Mansfield.

Repairs were estimated to affect around five million homes; however, a spokesperson for National Grid Wireless announced that the work had been scheduled around major events.

Disruption to some or all Freeview services was expected to last for around two months, during which time a reserve transmitter would continue to broadcast the five main analogue channels.

In March 2018, a temporary 1,063 ft (324 m) mast was erected so that work could be undertaken on the main tower's transmitting arrays without interrupting transmissions,.