The BBC built a large studio complex a few years ago in Newcastle. I seem to remember that it was built to house regional news and radio for the North East region and also to make network programmes for children.
Apart from Look North are any other programmes made at this centre.
Has it turned out that this complex was money well spent or a shamefull waste of licence fee funds?
Over 20 years ago actually. It was a purpose built building and the lack of network TV production means the news studio is one of the larger regional news studios - there's only one other, much smaller studio as far as I know. The radio facilities now house a 24/7 operation as Radio Newcastle now provides overnight programming both to the local audience but also to the wider North East and Cumbria and occasionally the whole of the North.
Not really getting what might make it a "shamefull (sic) waste of licence (sic) payers funds" - I'd say they get a very good use out of it.
When it was built, the BBC still had very high technical standards for studio installations and also wanted to promote regional production. Newcastle and Southampton were both built by the same contractors and to the same specs - the idea was to have production studio space for programmes like Question Time and Why Don't You that toured the country. While they were never intended to be full Network Production Centres like Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, they were intended to supplement the studio space available for the network.
Newcastle's "pink palace" opened in 1988 (I think) and the studio was used to produce some programmes for the network (famously Byker Grove), whereas by the time Southampton opened, Producer Choice was looming and the BBC started charging itself ludicrous rates for use of it's own studios. For times when a production was in the main studios, both centres also had smaller news studios provided (Newcastle may also have a third, single camera studio...). Eventually the main production studios at Newcastle and Southampton became used for regional news only - excellent spaces they are too, if a little over the top. I wouldn't say that it was a shameful waste of money, just money spent under a completely different broadcasting climate. Neither centres would get built now to anywhere near the same spec.
Yep - ISTR that Newcastle was slightly compromised for Network production in ancillary facilities like make-up and dressing room areas. A couple of network shows were made there I think.
One side-effect of them getting decent kit in the 80s was that they were one of the last studios to be equipped with tubed cameras - which meant they took a while to be replaced (and along with Leeds were one of the last tubed studio centres?)
Didn't Southampton get equipped with a very nice lighting support system - but it was bought as an end-of-life special, and maintenance became an issue later on?
Southampton and Newcastle were new builds - and Plymouth was rebuilt on the original site at around the same time (and also done to a decent quality)
Norwich was also due to be extended as part of its refurb - and foundations were apparently dug, and doorhandles chosen, but then the programme was cancelled., and Norwich had their existing studio vision and sound facilities upgraded, but were left with their compromised studio space. Norwich eventually got an extension to their newsroom (built on top of the studio) in the mid-90s - but were always the poorest relation in studio space terms in the English regions.
When it was built, the BBC still had very high technical standards for studio installations and also wanted to promote regional production. Newcastle and Southampton were both built by the same contractors and to the same specs - the idea was to have production studio space for programmes like Question Time and Why Don't You that toured the country. While they were never intended to be full Network Production Centres like Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, they were intended to supplement the studio space available for the network.
Newcastle's "pink palace" opened in 1988 (I think) and the studio was used to produce some programmes for the network (famously Byker Grove), whereas by the time Southampton opened, Producer Choice was looming and the BBC started charging itself ludicrous rates for use of it's own studios. For times when a production was in the main studios, both centres also had smaller news studios provided (Newcastle may also have a third, single camera studio...). Eventually the main production studios at Newcastle and Southampton became used for regional news only - excellent spaces they are too, if a little over the top. I wouldn't say that it was a shameful waste of money, just money spent under a completely different broadcasting climate. Neither centres would get built now to anywhere near the same spec.
I think the secondary studio at Southampton was used to provide the Oxford opt for its first few years ?
Whenever Question Time visited Southampton in the 90s I'm fairly sure it used the TVS/Meridian studios at Northam, as did BBC South for a couple of regional discussion shows.
When it was built, the BBC still had very high technical standards for studio installations and also wanted to promote regional production. Newcastle and Southampton were both built by the same contractors and to the same specs - the idea was to have production studio space for programmes like Question Time and Why Don't You that toured the country. While they were never intended to be full Network Production Centres like Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, they were intended to supplement the studio space available for the network.
Newcastle's "pink palace" opened in 1988 (I think) and the studio was used to produce some programmes for the network (famously Byker Grove), whereas by the time Southampton opened, Producer Choice was looming and the BBC started charging itself ludicrous rates for use of it's own studios. For times when a production was in the main studios, both centres also had smaller news studios provided (Newcastle may also have a third, single camera studio...). Eventually the main production studios at Newcastle and Southampton became used for regional news only - excellent spaces they are too, if a little over the top. I wouldn't say that it was a shameful waste of money, just money spent under a completely different broadcasting climate. Neither centres would get built now to anywhere near the same spec.
I think the secondary studio at Southampton was used to provide the Oxford opt for its first few years ?
Whenever Question Time visited Southampton in the 90s I'm fairly sure it used the TVS/Meridian studios at Northam, as did BBC South for a couple of regional discussion shows.
Yes, Southampton Studio-B was used for the Oxford Opt when it started in 2000. 5 years or so later, the presenter moved to Oxford (sitting in reception at first then in the Oxford TV studio when it opened in 2005.)
Southampton Studio-A does have a very flexible lighting support system - it's mainly saturated dual-source lamps (2.5k I think) all on motorised pantographs. The really nice thing is that the pantos are themselves on tracks and can be dragged up and down the length of the studio. Very flexible.
When it was built, the BBC still had very high technical standards for studio installations and also wanted to promote regional production. Newcastle and Southampton were both built by the same contractors and to the same specs - the idea was to have production studio space for programmes like Question Time and Why Don't You that toured the country. While they were never intended to be full Network Production Centres like Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, they were intended to supplement the studio space available for the network.
Newcastle's "pink palace" opened in 1988 (I think) and the studio was used to produce some programmes for the network (famously Byker Grove), whereas by the time Southampton opened, Producer Choice was looming and the BBC started charging itself ludicrous rates for use of it's own studios. For times when a production was in the main studios, both centres also had smaller news studios provided (Newcastle may also have a third, single camera studio...). Eventually the main production studios at Newcastle and Southampton became used for regional news only - excellent spaces they are too, if a little over the top. I wouldn't say that it was a shameful waste of money, just money spent under a completely different broadcasting climate. Neither centres would get built now to anywhere near the same spec.
I think the secondary studio at Southampton was used to provide the Oxford opt for its first few years ?
Whenever Question Time visited Southampton in the 90s I'm fairly sure it used the TVS/Meridian studios at Northam, as did BBC South for a couple of regional discussion shows.
When I lived in the region in the mid 90s I remember one regional debate programme, with audience, which came from the main studio and involved South Today moving to the smaller studio for one edition.
I also remember all the breakfast opts being a self-op job for the presenter (coming from the smaller studio or perhaps even a single camera studio)... Pauline Brandt always had the look of a woman trying to rub her stomach while patting her head. Little did I know that two years later I'd end up using a very similar self-op system myself (thankfully out of vision).
When I lived in the region in the mid 90s I remember one regional debate programme, with audience, which came from the main studio and involved South Today moving to the smaller studio for one edition.
Same thing happened in Norwich in the late 80s. The Norwich studio had clapped out tubed cameras that had been in service since 1974, and Look East had by then moved into a newsroom studio (a bit like Newsroom SouthEast launched from - but MUCH smaller) using DXC3000 early 3CCD industrial/professional cameras. This left the studio free to do other shows (Children in Need, discussion shows, some quite nice links for BBC Two documentaries etc.) When Norwich got new Thomson cameras and a GVG 200 vision mixer in the late 80s/early 90s, they were able to revert to studio presentation for Look East again.
Look East also had access on occasion to the OUPC (Open University Production Centre) studios at Milton Keynes which they used at least once for Children in Need.
Quote:
I also remember all the breakfast opts being a self-op job for the presenter (coming from the smaller studio or perhaps even a single camera studio)... Pauline Brandt always had the look of a woman trying to rub her stomach while patting her head. Little did I know that two years later I'd end up using a very similar self-op system myself (thankfully out of vision).
Yep - many regions had self-op desks for early Breakfast opts, but some introduced non self-op techniques when VT content was introduced, but still used self-op for the daytime bulletins at on BBC One at 1000,1100 and 1200, and also the two in the afternoon on BBC Two which were often just in-vision reads and still stores. Some regions (Peter Levy in Leeds for instance) did self-op with VT - which is just showing off...
When it was built, the BBC still had very high technical standards for studio installations and also wanted to promote regional production. Newcastle and Southampton were both built by the same contractors and to the same specs - the idea was to have production studio space for programmes like Question Time and Why Don't You that toured the country. While they were never intended to be full Network Production Centres like Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, they were intended to supplement the studio space available for the network.
Newcastle's "pink palace" opened in 1988 (I think) and the studio was used to produce some programmes for the network (famously Byker Grove), whereas by the time Southampton opened, Producer Choice was looming and the BBC started charging itself ludicrous rates for use of it's own studios. For times when a production was in the main studios, both centres also had smaller news studios provided (Newcastle may also have a third, single camera studio...). Eventually the main production studios at Newcastle and Southampton became used for regional news only - excellent spaces they are too, if a little over the top. I wouldn't say that it was a shameful waste of money, just money spent under a completely different broadcasting climate. Neither centres would get built now to anywhere near the same spec.
I think the secondary studio at Southampton was used to provide the Oxford opt for its first few years ?
Whenever Question Time visited Southampton in the 90s I'm fairly sure it used the TVS/Meridian studios at Northam, as did BBC South for a couple of regional discussion shows.
When I lived in the region in the mid 90s I remember one regional debate programme, with audience, which came from the main studio and involved South Today moving to the smaller studio for one edition.
I also remember all the breakfast opts being a self-op job for the presenter (coming from the smaller studio or perhaps even a single camera studio)... Pauline Brandt always had the look of a woman trying to rub her stomach while patting her head. Little did I know that two years later I'd end up using a very similar self-op system myself (thankfully out of vision).
I think there was a self-op arrangement at South Western House - I'm not sure whether one was put into BH. I assume there must have been - but it's not there now. Southampton has two Studios and two galleries, plus a sound gallery. Neatly the architecture is such that either gallery can control either studio and in fact both can be on-air at the same time, to split regions (i.e. Oxford and/or Rowridge/Hannington). The opt infrastructure in integrated with the gallery in Oxford too - so any one of three galleries can be used to transmit to one or other or both sub-regions. Watch the 3pm opt on Fridays for the next few months for an example
I have heard talk of at least one regional audience panel debate programme being recorded in Soton Studio-A and one networked audience show.
Studio-B at Southampton was used most recently for South Today for about 3 weeks when the new set went into Studio-A. Mighty cramped it was too, as they insisted on a bench and weather cloth with three presenters. Generally though, B is empty.
I think there was a self-op arrangement at South Western House - I'm not sure whether one was put into BH.
South Western House with its camera poking through the corridor. They certainly had a self-op at BH for quite some time used during breakfast and in the mornings.
