The South/South East Thread

I hope you didn't mind, but I noticed there wasn't a thread on news in the South & South East.

Matt Taylor of the national BBC weather did the South Today weather tonight, in the ACTUAL South Today studio. He mentioned he'll be on again this week until Wednesday.

Speaking of National and weather in the South, Has anyone seen Martyn Davies? I haven't seen him for weeks!

I started the last South/South East thread but its disappeared.

What has happened to Martyn I wonder?...must be on holiday. Robin is doing his shifts at the moment.

I wanted to mention this the other week but forgot.

The Saturday before last a man killed an elderly lady in Teston nr Maidstone, Kent. Indirectly, I know the guy so I was quite interested to see how the local news would cover it. I don't think it was mentioned on any of the Saturday's bulletins but I didn't find out until Sunday so can't be sure. Anyway, Meridian totally ignored the story! Their lunchtime bulletin consisted of one story (that crash with the stolen car, mother and kids from days before) and a signed/subtitled roundup. The longer evening bulletin seemed full of pre-package style reports with one or two 'major' stories but absolutely nothing about the death.

South East Today on the other hand carried it on their website early Sunday afternoon and it was the top story with pictures of the scene in that evening's bulletin.

Now I know it was a Sunday but was nobody in at Meridian - I thought they still had a base in Maidstone? If so, how can you rely on a service when they don't bother reporting about something happening in their back garden?

Asa

I know Meridian has a newsroom based at the old TVS studios at Vinters Park, but I'm surprised that they didn't have anything on that.

I hope Martyn comes back soon. I like both Robin and Gemma but I miss Martyn. Then again he's been a very busy chap towards the end of 2005 with Becky Mantin's absence (on the national) due to I'm A Celebrity and Gemma Humphries' absence (on Meridian) due to pantomine. I noticed he even did both the national AND the Meridian weather one night from Whiteley. I hope he's enjoying his time away and hope to see him soon.

Sorry for rabbiting on but I can't believe that Meridian's news studios still don't have the right colour scheme. The background is the new one, but the lighting is still blue and white. It looks really odd the way it is at the moment.

Matt's done this a few times before - he often covers for Alina.

Which leads me on to another question - what's happened to Mike Powell? He always used to fill in for Alina, but I haven't seen him for ages.

Shows how much of a short term memory I have!

As for Mike Powell, he works on BBC Points West in Bristol. He's their regular Breakfast news anchor now. Not sure how long he's been there but he's doing a good job.

When did it happen? Because the studio is away from the main newsroom at Vinters Park - therefore, there may not have been enough time to get the news etc. Meridian SE are a little slow on the newsgathering - especially on a Sunday.

All three of Meridian's sub-regions' news programmes now come from studios at Whiteley near Southampton. AFAIK, there are still newsrooms in Newbury and Maidstone as well as Whiteley itself. I understand the studio at Newbury is still there and is arguably far better than the new ones at Whitely. I remember some pictures of the new studios appearing on TVF a while back (probably when they opened) and people commented on how cheap the installation looked.

No, the original studio in Hambridge Lane has gone, they just have some office space and an ENG/ DTL inject point at a building in the town centre now.

Is this the old or current Newbury newsroom/office?

http://www.dolben.demon.co.uk/newschannel/newbury.jpg

Assuming that's May 2005, New.

That is the new Newbury newsroom at Strawberry Hill. The old building is in Hambridge Lane and currently vacant.