BS
You enter the BBC on "Level 7" of The Mailbox.
On the entrance level, there's a BBC shop (flogging CDs, DVDs etc of BBC programmes, mugs etc bearing BBC logos, Nick Owen's autobiography, the "The Archers" board game...), a tiny drinks/snacks counter, a few intranet computers for public use (access to bbc.co.uk only, of course), nothing but a window seperates the public from one of the radio WM studios - stare at a presenter while they're live on air!
There's also an upstairs part of the Public Space, containing a small exhibition of BBC and/or television history, etc. You can stand in front of a CSO curtain, looking into a camera with autocue, directly below which is a TV on which you can see yourself with the midlands weather map behind you.
If you stand by the staff-only revolving doors that lead into the newsroom, you're dangerously close to the studio - in fact you can see the back of the presenter(s)' head(s) if they're on-air when you visit!
When you're in the CSO weather map part of the Public Space, you can look through a window straight into the Gallery.
On the entrance level, there's a BBC shop (flogging CDs, DVDs etc of BBC programmes, mugs etc bearing BBC logos, Nick Owen's autobiography, the "The Archers" board game...), a tiny drinks/snacks counter, a few intranet computers for public use (access to bbc.co.uk only, of course), nothing but a window seperates the public from one of the radio WM studios - stare at a presenter while they're live on air!
There's also an upstairs part of the Public Space, containing a small exhibition of BBC and/or television history, etc. You can stand in front of a CSO curtain, looking into a camera with autocue, directly below which is a TV on which you can see yourself with the midlands weather map behind you.
If you stand by the staff-only revolving doors that lead into the newsroom, you're dangerously close to the studio - in fact you can see the back of the presenter(s)' head(s) if they're on-air when you visit!
When you're in the CSO weather map part of the Public Space, you can look through a window straight into the Gallery.
BS
Worth going for the sake of "being able to say you've been", but it's rather un-spectacular.
I like the novelty of standing on the footbridge over the canal, outside the rear end of The Mailbox, and being able to (just about) see both the BBC and ITV studios from that vantage point. Might as well walk up Gas Street while you're there, past the front of ITV Central. Although I don't think any of the ITV signage is visible from that vantage point, so you have to know what the building looks like. You can have the "BBC Birmingham" branded windows in front of you, and the ITV Central building off to your left.
You could do a circle. If you've entered The Mailbox from the front, you'd visit the BBC first, then ITV in Gas Street. Then, from Gas Street, you could return to the shoppy (etc) part of the city centre via the Centenery Square type route, rather than doubling back on yourself and going back through The Mailbox. I've done it a few times.
I like the novelty of standing on the footbridge over the canal, outside the rear end of The Mailbox, and being able to (just about) see both the BBC and ITV studios from that vantage point. Might as well walk up Gas Street while you're there, past the front of ITV Central. Although I don't think any of the ITV signage is visible from that vantage point, so you have to know what the building looks like. You can have the "BBC Birmingham" branded windows in front of you, and the ITV Central building off to your left.
You could do a circle. If you've entered The Mailbox from the front, you'd visit the BBC first, then ITV in Gas Street. Then, from Gas Street, you could return to the shoppy (etc) part of the city centre via the Centenery Square type route, rather than doubling back on yourself and going back through The Mailbox. I've done it a few times.
TV
and of course once you've had a go at being shefali, you can send a weblink to all your friends and they can watch it online!
tvmercia
Founding member
Work of Artifice posted:
You can stand in front of a CSO curtain, looking into a camera with autocue, directly below which is a TV on which you can see yourself with the midlands weather map behind you.
and of course once you've had a go at being shefali, you can send a weblink to all your friends and they can watch it online!
PO
I agree, it's quite a pleasant circular route from Mailbox through to Brindleyplace along the canals - you can nip out onto Gas Street from the canal and yes, the ITV Central signs are visible. I saw one of the Central News presenters walking down the canal to Tesco at the Mailbox the other day. Then carry on along the canal and have an expensice coffee outside the Costa Coffee in Brindleyplace square - or the Icon Gallery in Oozles Square does very nice tapas - and I had one of those rather good (but pricey) "Gourmet Burgers" today from the new place by the canal.
As you go over the bridge at the back of the ICC, glance up the canal to the NIA where Gladiators and the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest came from. Then go straight through the ICC - ask if you can look into the Symphony Hall if you've never seen it as it's quite impressive. The BBC used one of the halls at the ICC to record Call My Bluff a few years ago too - Pebble Mill must've been busy!
When in Centenary Square go past the Big wheel and look to the right - you can see the old Central/ATV studios on Broad Street (before they are demolished) and the 26 storey Alpha Tower which was also part of Lou Grade's ATV empire!
So there you are - several TV related things for you to see, and quite a pleasant wander around the city too - then you can go back and hit the shops in the Bullring!
Work of Artifice posted:
Worth going for the sake of "being able to say you've been", but it's rather un-spectacular.
I like the novelty of standing on the footbridge over the canal, outside the rear end of The Mailbox, and being able to (just about) see both the BBC and ITV studios from that vantage point. Might as well walk up Gas Street while you're there, past the front of ITV Central. Although I don't think any of the ITV signage is visible from that vantage point, so you have to know what the building looks like. You can have the "BBC Birmingham" branded windows in front of you, and the ITV Central building off to your left.
You could do a circle. If you've entered The Mailbox from the front, you'd visit the BBC first, then ITV in Gas Street. Then, from Gas Street, you could return to the shoppy (etc) part of the city centre via the Centenery Square type route, rather than doubling back on yourself and going back through The Mailbox. I've done it a few times.
I like the novelty of standing on the footbridge over the canal, outside the rear end of The Mailbox, and being able to (just about) see both the BBC and ITV studios from that vantage point. Might as well walk up Gas Street while you're there, past the front of ITV Central. Although I don't think any of the ITV signage is visible from that vantage point, so you have to know what the building looks like. You can have the "BBC Birmingham" branded windows in front of you, and the ITV Central building off to your left.
You could do a circle. If you've entered The Mailbox from the front, you'd visit the BBC first, then ITV in Gas Street. Then, from Gas Street, you could return to the shoppy (etc) part of the city centre via the Centenery Square type route, rather than doubling back on yourself and going back through The Mailbox. I've done it a few times.
I agree, it's quite a pleasant circular route from Mailbox through to Brindleyplace along the canals - you can nip out onto Gas Street from the canal and yes, the ITV Central signs are visible. I saw one of the Central News presenters walking down the canal to Tesco at the Mailbox the other day. Then carry on along the canal and have an expensice coffee outside the Costa Coffee in Brindleyplace square - or the Icon Gallery in Oozles Square does very nice tapas - and I had one of those rather good (but pricey) "Gourmet Burgers" today from the new place by the canal.
As you go over the bridge at the back of the ICC, glance up the canal to the NIA where Gladiators and the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest came from. Then go straight through the ICC - ask if you can look into the Symphony Hall if you've never seen it as it's quite impressive. The BBC used one of the halls at the ICC to record Call My Bluff a few years ago too - Pebble Mill must've been busy!
When in Centenary Square go past the Big wheel and look to the right - you can see the old Central/ATV studios on Broad Street (before they are demolished) and the 26 storey Alpha Tower which was also part of Lou Grade's ATV empire!
So there you are - several TV related things for you to see, and quite a pleasant wander around the city too - then you can go back and hit the shops in the Bullring!
BS
The title sequence during this look for Central News (West) featured a shot of the Gas Street building, accompanied by a booming male voiceover that said something like: "Live from Carlton in Birmingham, this is Central News at Six".
lilhelen posted:
Thanks for that!, i think i will do. The ventral building actually looks strangely familiar, has it been on air before in any of the network itv shows?
The title sequence during this look for Central News (West) featured a shot of the Gas Street building, accompanied by a booming male voiceover that said something like: "Live from Carlton in Birmingham, this is Central News at Six".
DE
No- Pebble Mill's main TV Studio had been closed by then! Although Studio-A at the Mill was used (rather naughtily) as a "four waller" for the production of Doctors until the end.
Pootle5 posted:
The BBC used one of the halls at the ICC to record Call My Bluff a few years ago too - Pebble Mill must've been busy!
No- Pebble Mill's main TV Studio had been closed by then! Although Studio-A at the Mill was used (rather naughtily) as a "four waller" for the production of Doctors until the end.
LI
Had a really good day actually! Couldnt get any pics in the BBC bit because i was being followed by a security guard, they arnt very friendly there to visitors considering its PUBLIC! managed to get some of Central however. It seems they are renting office space.......a move maybe to come ? The images are quite big files so may take some time to load.http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/1.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/2.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/2.jpg