The NEW Central West and BBC Midlands thread

Whats happening here, you usually get captures within 2 minutes of being on in this thread (well with BBC Midlands anyway).

sadly there have been software/hardware issues which have left me unable to capture for the last few months - my captures over the past couple of days have been possible through me borrowing some kit over the weekend.

not to mention the fact that the other capture-er in chief, ison now residing in the living hell that is london.

So after watching BBC Midlands Today (tonight) I really think that although the tight close up shots could do with a little less clutter the general design of the studio is excellent. The programme has a really nice feel to it, a good presenting team and good regional stories. The only thing letting such a great effort down is the poorly designed graphics. The astons are awful, way to large for the font size and the live bug is just a joke, as was the annoying sports plasma graphic with that football; what is it 1986 a computer generated football because "ooh this is sports news" honestly.

From a progrmme POV I couldn't understand why on the report about whether people wanted to come and look around the BBC's studios to see how the programme was made they included footage of people saying 'no', this doesn't really make the programme look very good - does it!? Also die hard brummies will have to confirm or not whether that was the Carlton tower block on the package with the female presenter on the canal?

Nick Owen and his co-presenter are an excellent duo and she clearly has national material written all over her. Well done to all involved!

Finally can I just say how bad this studio / newsroom makes the BBC's National News look, I think its the first time that a regional studio is bigger and better than its National leader. Sort it out!

Yes sadly I don't have a clue what this fab new Midlands Today experience is like. I feel so far from Kay.

I would appreciate if there's ANYONE out there with access to Sky/Midlands telly puts some captures up so I know what it's like. Don't think I can wait until I get home in 3 weeks time!

it was the alpha tower, which is next door to central's old broad street studios.

I wish I knew, I could have captured some from tonights programme. Itwould have probably not been worth it anyway, as I cant configure my card props.

Images now on The TV Room

Great stuff...I hope the presenters 'interact' with the rest of the Mailbox from time to time (like Look East at The Forum in Norwich, occasionally the sport or someting is presented from different locations in or around the building OT but LE's funniest moment was doing sport out on the front of The Forum, the presenter had a pint of lager, which turned into an empty glass, and then more empty glasses after every report - it made me laugh anyway )

Also can I say what a great Newsreader Nick Owen is, he has a real 'warmth' that you don't seem to get anywhere else.

Ahh-ha.
Couple of points..


1) The bed was too high over the headlines at the top of the show

2) MT must have one of the worse 'live' captions anywhere. Why have a MASSIVE 'Live' caption in yellow on one side of the screen, with the location lurking around in a size around 90% smaller and in a weird washed out lilac colour on the other?

3) Couldn't the big screen have a wireless picture switcher? It doesn't look too good having a big black cable disappearing up the back of it.

4) We were told we could come and 'watch the show being put together and go out' but were never told exactly how.

5) No end stab? The bed just stopped dead, and we crashed back into network.

That said, it looks smart and fresh - 8.75/10

Does anyone know why there is an image of the gallery at the back of the studio?
http://thetvroom.com/area-b/images-bbc-midlands/images-2004-b/bts-14.jpg

to fool the viewer one presumes. if the cameras only catch a glimpse of it, it looks a bit more impressive than a bare studio wall.

Well, having seen the captures on The TV Room, I must say I'm quite impressed, the studio looks great and the newsroom looks absolutely VAST. Astons are a let down though, and that Live bug is a bit nasty.