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ITV abandons the South Bank

(February 2017)

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IS
Inspector Sands
John posted:
Did Pebble Mill ever have issues with light and sun? I presume it was the first programme to use a windowed ‘studio’ in the UK.

Thames had a windowed studio for their first regional news programme, the studio was the foyer of the old Rediffusion building
http://www.tvstudiohistory.co.uk/images/television%20house%20today%20through%20window%20400p.jpg
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 5 May 2018 1:37pm
WH
Whataday Founding member
It says a lot about the initial incarnation of London Weekend that it didn't occur to them to build a studio overlooking the Thames in the first place.
JK
JKDerry
It says a lot about the initial incarnation of London Weekend that it didn't occur to them to build a studio overlooking the Thames in the first place.

They did. David Frost was the original owner of London Weekend and in 1968 they started work on the London Studios complex in the south bank. Work would take 4-5 years to complete, and so they had to use the old studios at Wembley which were originally owned by Associated Rediffusion the original London weekday franchise holder from 1955-1968.
BL
bluecortina
It says a lot about the initial incarnation of London Weekend that it didn't occur to them to build a studio overlooking the Thames in the first place.

They did. David Frost was the original owner of London Weekend and in 1968 they started work on the London Studios complex in the south bank. Work would take 4-5 years to complete, and so they had to use the old studios at Wembley which were originally owned by Associated Rediffusion the original London weekday franchise holder from 1955-1968.


I think the post may be referring to the fact that the South Bank TV Centre didn't have any studios with a view of the Thames when it was first opened - which is true, they came much later.
DE
deejay
I don’t think views were really a consideration when LWT built their London Television Centre. Properly built studios with sound soak walls, full lighting grids, scenery access, artistes’ areas etc were considered the pre-requisite, not a good view. It’s only in recent years that studios have had glass walls which is supposed to tie a show into a location. I think This Morning at Liverpool was arguably the real game changer in that respect (though BBC Birmingham using the Foyer for Pebble Mill at One was also innovative - though the view was hardly instantly recognisable as Birmingham).
JK
JKDerry
It says a lot about the initial incarnation of London Weekend that it didn't occur to them to build a studio overlooking the Thames in the first place.

They did. David Frost was the original owner of London Weekend and in 1968 they started work on the London Studios complex in the south bank. Work would take 4-5 years to complete, and so they had to use the old studios at Wembley which were originally owned by Associated Rediffusion the original London weekday franchise holder from 1955-1968.


I think the post may be referring to the fact that the South Bank TV Centre didn't have any studios with a view of the Thames when it was first opened - which is true, they came much later.

OK. 1993 was the turning point then for the launch of the London News Network at the South Bank complex.
LS
Lou Scannon
They did. David Frost was the original owner of London Weekend and in 1968 they started work on the London Studios complex in the south bank. Work would take 4-5 years to complete, and so they had to use the old studios at Wembley which were originally owned by Associated Rediffusion the original London weekday franchise holder from 1955-1968.


I think the post may be referring to the fact that the South Bank TV Centre didn't have any studios with a view of the Thames when it was first opened - which is true, they came much later.

OK. 1993 was the turning point then for the launch of the London News Network at the South Bank complex.


Hadn't LWT News already been coming from the South Bank studio with real windows for a period before Carlton/LNN etc came along?
JK
JKDerry

I think the post may be referring to the fact that the South Bank TV Centre didn't have any studios with a view of the Thames when it was first opened - which is true, they came much later.

OK. 1993 was the turning point then for the launch of the London News Network at the South Bank complex.


Hadn't LWT News already been coming from the South Bank studio with real windows for a period before Carlton/LNN etc came along?

LWT News had a backdrop with TV monitors didn't they?
AN
Andrew Founding member
LWT News 1991
JK
JKDerry

Yes, but they had a monitors background first
IS
Inspector Sands
The original studio with the windows was studio 10 on the 10th floor. It was originally built for an in vision continuity strand called Weekend Live presented by Mike Smith. That must have been 1988/9ish as for one weekend it was called '21 Live' for their anniversary.

It was later used for their Friday night regional show 6 o Clock Live and Crime Monthly, Channel 4's Business Daily and LWT News. After LNN opened Studio 7 it was used for Granada Talk TV

The location of the studio an still be seen as the windows in the tower where it was look different
AN
Andrew Founding member

Yes, but they had a monitors background first


1991 is before LNN and 1993

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