BBC National/News Channel from New Broadcasting House

There have been some very poor decisions and messy stuff on BBC News re Syria over recent days.

On Thursday night the coverage of the vote was just awful. It was happening during the Ten, so the NC should have gone their separate way, or simulcast World (not sure if they were covering). Instead I had to watch Parliament which is just a live feed with no analysis.

When the vote came in at the end of the Ten they were on 'other news' and briefly threw over to an flustered Nick Robinson who wasn't even sure if he'd heard it correctly. Then they closed the programme, had some trails and Clive Myrie popped up as if nothing had just happened before he eventually crossed to Matthew Amroliwala who at last took control.

Last night's 6 was much much better in that they simulcast World for the Kerry speech and then Rajesh Merchandani chaired a discussion with some big hitters - Diplomatic Correspondent, Arabic Editor (great you can get him now in same building) and Security Correspondent. However this was all spoiled when the crashed into the end of the 6 just as Fiona was saying goodbye. One trail would have sorted this - but at least we got the coverage!

I guess splitting the Ten and the News Channel is quite tricky at the moment, as there isn't a spare studio at that time of day?

The VR studio is being used by BBC London temporarily, and Newsnight are in the big studio - with World and the News Channel/Ten in the other two. Once BBC London's studio is back in service they will have a bit more latitude as presumably the VR studio will be available for News Channel duties if they need to avoid simulcasting?

Otherwise they'd need to move the News Channel into a single camera studio with very limited resources?

What facilities are available if splitting the 10 was required for something that World wouldn't want to carry? A single camera would probably be ok as breaking news is usually incoming contributions or loops of footage but is there a gallery that has enough facilities to handle that kind of programme?

Could they not move over to the 60 seconds studio, or use the weather balcony and route the camera to the 60 seconds gallery?

And where does 60 seconds move to?

Well first, is BBC Three obligated to broadcast 60 seconds? If they are not then drop it for the night. If they are then 60 or the breaking to decamp to one of the studios on the upper floor (MCA?).

The smaller galleries that do 60 Seconds or similar are newsroom based and not equipped for much more than they do. Very limited in sound and production terms.

There is (are?) the MPA(s?) - which do some of the longer pre-recorded international news bulletins (Swahili, Russian etc.) but I'm not sure how suitable they are for non-built programmes.

Once the BBC London studio and gallery are back in the mix they will have some spare capacity - but they are effectively a studio and gallery down at the moment.

http://www.mobypicture.com/user/dickiewelch/view/15892206

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If there is a dire need for the national bulletin and the News channel to separate for a domestic issue then Salford has the capacity and the facilities to carry the News Channel. Tight shots on the presenter can cover the sports branding if needs be, they have a full set of astons and bugs, they do have a news team up there for Breakfast and The Andrew Marr show. In case of emergency I reckon they could easily carry the News channel for 15 mins to 30 mins if they have to.

I agree with you about the capicity but If it is 10 O'Clock where are they going to get the presenters from? I dont think a Sports Presenter has experience to cover a major story

Well...North West Tonight have presenters in from before Breakfast starts, and all the way through until after the late news, so if they are really desperate then one of them could present the split?

Well if it is a major incident, most likely they will have sent out a senior journalist and they will be anchoring for the location (recent example, Mishal Hussain in Cairo), what the News Channel would probably need most urgently from Salford is a gallery to handle on screen content such as astons, lcation bugs, split screens etc. I'd be more worried about having a director up there who can handle it rather then in studio presenters if I'm honest.