The Newsroom

BBC Nations and regions

When did they start? (May 2012)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
GO
gottago
Brekkie posted:

Channel Islands: 2003 (sub opt)

I think it's been discussed on these forums not too long ago that there was a short-lived Channel Islands opt-out at some point either in the 80s or 90s (I think it was the 90s).
MI
m_in_m
Brekkie posted:
That explains why Oxford got one then! Laughing


Am I correct in thinking that the now defunct Milton Keynes plan would have seen the Cambridge and Oxford sub opts joined together from MK or am I imagining that?

Would have been an interesting mix. Similar areas in many respects but also reasonably rivalery.
:-(
A former member
Scotland is 1952 for the bbc.
MW
Mike W
Brekkie posted:
And repeating for the BBC:

Scotland: ???
Wales: BBC Wales launched 1964 (BBC2 - 1965?), but previously Wales/West service from 1957
Northern Ireland: 1968?
London/South East: 1960, though seemingly largely neglected as a region until the mid-80s.
South West: 1961
South: 1961
West: 1957 with Wales, 1964 separate
Midlands: 1968 (BBC1 & 2)
East Midlands: Late eighties?
East: 1959
North: ???
North East and Cumbria: 1962 (previously North)
North West: 1968 (previously North)
Yorkshire: 1968 (previously North)
Yorks & Lincs: 2002
Channel Islands: 2003 (sub opt)
Oxford: 2000 (sub opt)

Some truly horrific BBC regional logos in the early years too it seems.


Midlands Today started in 1964 (Sept 28th) with Midlands News programming before then provided on BBC tv from 1960.
MS
Mr-Stabby
gottago posted:
Brekkie posted:

Channel Islands: 2003 (sub opt)

I think it's been discussed on these forums not too long ago that there was a short-lived Channel Islands opt-out at some point either in the 80s or 90s (I think it was the 90s).


Yup, in fact here is one of the bulletins from 1994.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixSha9fDnSk

Very basic operation. I remember watching it a lot when I was a kid. I always seem to remember it going wrong. Even the BBC itself forgot it existed when they did their 10 year anniversary bulletin not too long ago.
BR
Brekkie
Updated

Scotland: 1952
Wales: BBC Wales launched 1964 (BBC2 - 1965?), but previously Wales/West service from 1957
Northern Ireland: 1968?
London/South East: 1960, though seemingly largely neglected as a region until the mid-80s.
South West: 1961
South: 1961
West: 1957 with Wales, 1964 separate
Midlands: 1964 (News from 1960 on BBC TV)
East Midlands: Late eighties?
East: 1959
North: ???
North East and Cumbria: 1962 (previously North)
North West: 1968 (previously North)
Yorkshire: 1968 (previously North)
Yorks & Lincs: 2002
Channel Islands: 2003 (sub opt) (previously in 1994)
Oxford: 2000 (sub opt)
Cambridge: 1997 (sub opt)
CO
Colm
Brekkie posted:

Northern Ireland: 1968?


Can help you out on this: the first BBC NI regional news programme, according to The TV Room+, was in Autumn 1957.
EX
excel99
Brekkie posted:
Yorks & Lincs: 2002

Was initially a sub-opt before becoming a 'full opt'

Wikipedia (so accuracy can't be guarenteed) says the sub-opts started in 2001 (six minutes in the 6.30pm and full 10.25pm) before the enture 6.30pm came from Hull from 11th November 2002. Wikipedia also says daytime/weekends remained from Leeds after this date, though if they did, it wasn't for long
BR
Brekkie
Admitedly I'm outside of these regions but surprised the Oxford and Yorks & Lincs sub-opts ever began really, especially when you consider the situation in Scotland. Even more surprised they haven't been axed as part of DQF too.
MS
Mr-Stabby
Brekkie posted:
Admitedly I'm outside of these regions but surprised the Oxford and Yorks & Lincs sub-opts ever began really, especially when you consider the situation in Scotland. Even more surprised they haven't been axed as part of DQF too.


I believe they tried to axe Oxford opt not too long ago along with other sub-opts, and David Cameron wrote to Mark Thompson asking him not to do that because his constituency was covered by BBC Oxford. Thompson then claimed it was merely one of the ideas they were brainstorming, but it was at least seriously considered according to many.
IS
Inspector Sands
m_in_m posted:

You've omitted:

Cambridge: 1997 (sub opt)

And the current South East region which started in 2001
IS
Inspector Sands
Mike W posted:
BBC Regions started in 1927 as a radio region, the oldest being BBC Midlands (source is Wiki on this)

Although things were very different in the early days of radio broadcasting. Originally everything was local as there was no way to network. The London station started on 14/11/1922 and the following day the Manchester and Birmingham stations opened.

Once the connections got better they started doing national programmes and then in 1927 closed down the city stations and replaced with national and regional ones

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