That would be a very interesting situation, if the GMG North stations got one announcer but Meridian and Anglia got a completely separate one, with Anglia's being the only one recorded.
Can't see it happening meself. The way Leeds works either Meridian and Anglia will move lock, stock and barrel or not at all. It would just be too much like hard work to move one but not the other. Unless they planned to have all separate continuity for all 6 stations, which I'd have heard about if it were true (and it certainly isn't).
The whole lot will be going from Southampton, it's a question of when not if. What may well be happening in the short term is as with Granada (and indeed Border) where a feed will be sent down to Southampton announcerless and Meridian will put their announcer over the top and switch for their own programming, but that was only done as an interim measure as the *old* Leeds centre (pre-1998) was only designed for 2 stations (YTV and Tyne Tees) and had to be re-fitted for the other two stations. In any case putting a recorded announcement out for Anglia and a live one for Meridian over that sort of set-up would be just plain daft.
JA
james
What would be the point in any case in moving from Southampton to Leeds. Ok so GMG North (YTV) can sack a few Meridian announcers and save a few bob. But what other benefits, and surely it would cost money to move them and install equipment ect is it worth it?
james on 11:09 pm on Dec. 29, 2001
What would be the point in any case in moving from Southampton to Leeds. Ok so GMG North (YTV) can sack a few Meridian announcers and save a few bob. But what other benefits, and surely it would cost money to move them and install equipment ect is it worth it?
In any case, continuity arrangements currently around the network are as follows (to summarise)
LWT/Carlton, Central and UTV -- independently produced (continuity / transmission)
Meridian / Anglia -- Meridian (c/t)
Channel -- Overlaid dirty feed from Meridian, independent transmission and continuity.
HTV Wales / Westcountry -- Cardiff transmission, independent continuity
HTV West -- Meridian transmission, but I'm fairly sure independent continuity (the announcers are certainly different to Meridian's)
Scottish / Grampian -- Glasgow (c/t)
Border / Granada / Tyne Tees / YTV -- Leeds (c/t).
Is it worth it? debateable, Tyne Tees' move to Leeds cost a LOT more over the 5 following years than Tyne Tees had spent over the previous 5 years on transmission/continuity, allowing for inflation. So probably not.
(Edited by jason at 11:17 pm on Dec. 29, 2001)
MO
mole
So Nick
you sound very knowledgeable
did /do you work in tv?
I'd imagine that when Yorkshire-Tyne Tees was bought by GMG and Granada was moved to leeds, they foresaw that other stations might join leeds aswell in the future (Border did soon after) and so made it reasonably easy to add more stations.
JA
james
Exactly it`s not worth it. What does Leeds currently have Southampton doesn`t?
Nothing. Indeed Southampton is currently better than Leeds.
However, and I have to say I still don't agree with it, but if as has been said GMG are spending lots of money upgrading Leeds (AGAIN!!!) with a fancy new continuity style (hmmmm...), then it might make sense to only upgrade one centre rather than two.
The question of saving money has never really rubbed with me. It is possible to provide perfectly serviceable transmission for not a huge amount of money, so quite what spending a few million pounds every few years to reduce the number of centres you have does to the bottom line I really don't know. It certainly doesn't cost
millions
each year to transmit a station!!!
JA
james
What could this new style of continuity be exactly any idea`s. Surely not in vision
Oh coming next slides, nicer switching between trailers, idents and programmes, maybe the odd graphical effect (at first, can't see that lasting very long). You know, bringing Leeds up to scratch with the minimum standard other stations take for granted?
Except we still have generic trailers, differently-branded idents depending on what kind of programme you're watching (local or network), boring straight-laced B-grade announcers...
Theres nothing wrong with YTV's announcers, I'm sure you wouldn't be saying the same if the Continuity centre was in Newcastle, and all Tyne Tees' old announcers were doing it all
And what exactly is wrong with fading idents into programmes, rather than cutting through black?