Local Elections

Yes they were using the VR Studio @ Grays Inn Road for Jeremy Vine. Afterall it is one of the best VR Studios about and it's not like ITV were doing much with it that night!

It is technically possible - though in English regions you have to circumvent the opt-out circuitry to make it happen on digital as well as analogue - with a few exceptions (like Jersey and possibly Oxford).

However because the English regions infrastructure is based on "analogue as master" the result straps would appear keyed over the analogue network, even on digital outlets, so you'd end up with a soft 14:9 pillarbox for the duration of the opt.

English regions can't opt out with 16:9 digital network and straps keyed over - for all sorts of relative delay issues. It doesn't matter whether the region is a 16:9 or 4:3 region - they all run with 4:3 analogue network as master.

The same is true of Children in Need nigh - local straps are accompanies by soft and cropped network on digital...

Just out of interest, why?

Doesn't TVC have its own VR studio? Ie was it cheaper to rent at ITN for the night than set one up themselves?

Amazingly, no. At least, not of any decent size.


I guess so.

My goodness... what if...???

(ITN theme music) "From the headquarters of ITN, (switches to BBC News music ) the BBC Ten O'clock News with Peter Sissons and Trevor McDonald."

So they rented out one of ITN's studios for the night - perhaps when BBC News moves to Broadcasting House there might be a new VR studio installed.

I was quite suprised myself when I found out, and am told they were charged the earth.

Unlikely, when there's a one of the best in the country just up the road at ITN for them to use. Anyway, surely VR is a bit of a passing fad and trend in news, a bit like sitting down at a desk... By the way, did anyone see the French television coverage of the presidential debate? It was entirely in VR and whilst quite clever, simply did not look real at all.

They wouldn't have gone to another company if they were charged the earth! Common sense says it must have cost less than using their own studio.

That's what I'd thought - flicking through all the English regions on DSat showed this - so just how did BBC South East manage it? Their strap was overlaid on a full 16:9 picture, and the only slight glitch was a thin flickering white line at the top of the strap.

Did they, i don't know, cheat it somehow?

I'm not sure it was VR, actually. I saw some behind-the-scenes pictures on French TV as they were getting the studio ready, and it all looked like it was real. I think the images behind the candidates (a kind of pastel image of the Elysee Palace) were on big video screens.

I think you'll find they were, and it was probably their only feasible option, due to lack of their own facilities.

TVC has VR stuff but not as advanced as ITN's £1Million studio. It makes sense to use the best available hence why ITN's studio was hired. TV companies rent kit & studios off each other all the while this isn't a one off.