Even after news and the manchester bound parts leave there's still quite a bit of BBC left in the area that can move in, maybe ditch the White City building(s) and concentrate everything at TV centre
Isn't that a bit backwards?
Not really - TVC has studios and a decent broadcast infrastructure (although Red Bee handle playout, TVC still houses the distribution and satellite uplink gear, as well as being a huge international comms hub - not just for the BBC, but for ITV and other broadcasters as well)
White City is an anonymous office building, which is quite unpleasant to work in, with little in the way of TV production facilities, other than some edit suites.
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Wasn't BBC White City only built in the 1990s or something, whereas "BBC Shepherd's Bush" (a.k.a. TVC) is many decades old?
White City was built as an office building - TVC as a studio centre. They don't compare
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Surely if any BBC building in London is for the chop, it'll be Shepherd's Bush?
If BBC Resources is sold off, and News has moved out then it might be no longer part of the BBC, but it is still a hugely important studio production centre - and very well set-up to actually make studio programmes...
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I actually thought that was the whole idea - i.e move everything to White City/Broadcasting House/Manchester/wherever else, so as to get rid of TVC?
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Possibly - makes selling Resources a bit easier - potentially.
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Given the age of TVC, it must be crumbling/asbestos-ridden (or something else) by now?
A lot of the asbestos in the important areas has been removed - though the work continues to remove it. Each studio re-fit usually includes some asbestos removal work - but it is in a much better state than 20 years ago.
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By the way, I've heard of something called "BBC Portland Place" - is that one-and-the-same-thing as "Broadcasting House" (in the same ways that "BBC Shepherd's Bush" and "Television Centre" are)?????
BBC Broadcasting House is in Portland Place, just as BBC TV Centre is one of the BBC Buildings in Shepherds Bush. The BBC used to have loads of buildings in Shepherds Bush (Kensington House, Woodstock Grove, Sulgrave House, Union House, Threshold House, Lime Grove etc.)
They still have Centre House, White City, The Media Centre etc.
White City is an anonymous office building, which is quite unpleasant to work in, with little in the way of TV production facilities, other than some edit suites.
And the Watchdog Office, although whether one considers that to be "TV production facilities" is another matter!
White City is an anonymous office building, which is quite unpleasant to work in, with little in the way of TV production facilities, other than some edit suites.
And the Watchdog Office, although whether one considers that to be "TV production facilities" is another matter!
Watchdog is produced by parking an OB truck outside White City and running cameras into the office space - in just the same way that you could do the show from pretty much any office building. Don't really count those as "production facilities" - though the OB truck obviously is!
("Holiday Hit Squad" is produced similarly)
There was a small office studio and gallery in White City for a while run by BBC News to make The Money Programme - but this was removed years ago.
Yes, and the BBC Govenors (or whatever they are now) are based there too.
Ah, so that'll be why they're not too fussed about TVC losing so many of it's departments!
Eh? Why would their office location affect that decision?
Also the govenors (along with the chairman and DG) have never based been at TV Centre. They moved to White City when BH started being re-built and then moved to Marylebone as part of a post-Hutton idea to distance them from the editorial process
BBC Broadcasting House is in Portland Place, just as BBC TV Centre is one of the BBC Buildings in Shepherds Bush. The BBC used to have loads of buildings in Shepherds Bush (Kensington House, Woodstock Grove, Sulgrave House, Union House, Threshold House, Lime Grove etc.)
They still have Centre House, White City, The Media Centre etc.
Do they still have that big building in Victoria Road, next to North Acton tube?
White City is an anonymous office building, which is quite unpleasant to work in, with little in the way of TV production facilities, other than some edit suites.
And the Watchdog Office, although whether one considers that to be "TV production facilities" is another matter!
Watchdog is produced by parking an OB truck outside White City and running cameras into the office space - in just the same way that you could do the show from pretty much any office building. Don't really count those as "production facilities" - though the OB truck obviously is!
("Holiday Hit Squad" is produced similarly)
There was a small office studio and gallery in White City for a while run by BBC News to make The Money Programme - but this was removed years ago.
So provided the BBC make lots of programmes from offices not neccessarily owned by themselves using OB equipment which used to be theirs but was also flogged off they won't need TVC. Especially if you get lots of indie production companies to make the stuff where you need a studio audience - the indies will hire the London studios for a day or so. ITV won't need them as they will be filling their schedules with lots of American crap and wall to wall Emmercorrie.
Mark Thompson can hot desk in a portacabin in Elstree & Manchester as by the time he's finished there will be bu***r all left of the BBC for him to run
TVC is an iconic building that is unique in terms of architectual style and funtionality. It is much loved by staff and the public
Well said. For very visually aware people, the attitude to TVC here is surprising - it is an icon of its age and is a fine example of structural concrete design.
