Abstract: A television receiver includes a high voltage kinescope driver amplifier having an input for receiving a video signal and a further input for receiving a character input signal from a low voltage character amplifier. When switching from a "run" mode to a "stand-by" mode, a control circuit generates a turn-off command signal for disabling the kinescope high voltage supply and concurrently initiating turn-off of the receiver deflection circuit at a controlled rate during a transition interval between the "run" and "standby" operating modes. The turn-off command is further applied during the transition interval to an input of the character amplifier so as to over-ride any character signal which may be present to drive the output of the character amplifier to a maximum brightness level which, in turn, over-rides any video signal applied to the high voltage amplifier.