Does anyone know how the positions are sorted between the broadcasters at the green in Westminster and at Downing Street? Is it a first come first served set up or is there an agreement over who gets the best background shot of Big Ben/No 10? I've noticed Sky seem to be quite far past No 10 on Downing Street.
If the events are big enough both are planned out by the relevant people in charge - the Number 10 press office for Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament for College Green. For College Green there has to be agreement about any big structures that are going up, where tents / gazebos are going, how many per broadcaster etc. There wasn't time for a new plan for today so it was supposed to be based on a plan drawn up for the referendum with 'They're going where X was, we're going where Y was, they've said we can have three tents' and so on. I think broadcasters started setting up so quickly yesterday that it was a bit more of a free for all than it would have been expected to be. (Although there were less broadcasters on the green today than after the referendum.)
In terms of Downing Street if it's a not a 'big' day it's generally sorted out amongst the different broadcasters. I haven't seen Sky's position (on air) today but they often end up next to the BBC, or sometimes ITN are next- so it may have been today ITN were next to the BBC. (I think when facing Number 10 today right to left it went BBC, ITN, Sky.) Remember that the BBC had a two camera position today (not sure if Sky or ITN did?) which would have needed more space. For a day like today it's all planned out and positions are marked on who goes where on the railings that are put up. The prime central position will go to the main camera producing the pool feed, not sure who that was today but Neon were the facilities company.
I think today there was BBC World after ITN and Sky, then CNN, then Reuters. The other side there were a couple of Associated Press positions, possibly EBU and some others. Once you've got them in that's basically the street full. Behind them go the snappers (where it is first come first served) who mark out their positions with tape on the ground. At the end of the street there is often a tent for the PA (as in the public address rather than the assistant or Press Association) for whoever is speaking. On a day like today once everyone is in place it's incredibly difficult to squeeze your way down the pavement.
(Incidentally the PA people used by Downing Street do a great job of getting the podium into place and removing it incredibly quickly. All pre rigged of course and just needing to be plugged in, but it's fun to see.)
On a major day like today radio positions (generally just the BBC, LBC were in amongst the snappers) are at the end of the street looking back down Downing Street- a little way away but it gives them a good view. Along with some more snappers for good measure, who we spent a while stopping encroaching any more on our (pretty small) area with a line of gaffer tape across the railings! With 5 Live, Radio 4, Newsbeat, 2 reporters doing all the local stations and Radio Scotland it was a tight squeeze- and we were also expecting the World Service.
As for Fiona Bruce I suspect she got caught outside Downing Street during the lockdown when Cameron left. She wasn't the only reporter who was!
Last edited by UKnews on 14 July 2016 12:04am - 3 times in total
