BBC Regional on DSAT >>

Any idea when th tests will start for the five regional stations for BBC1 on Digital Satellite?
And any other info?


thanks alot, Jord

I may be completely wrong, and someone will shout at me in a minute if I am.

As I understand it, BBC regional services will be available via their interactive service (push 'red'...). Therefore, you wouldn't see tests as such in the same way we saw ITV1 earlier.

I think I'm right, could be wrong.

thanks alot

There are currently 4 tests (don't know frequency) on one of the BBC transponders, which are showing BBC Choice and / or BBC Knowledge.  The reason there is only 4 is that the 5th region will be the main BBC ONE Channel, and you will select another region by Pressing Red.  The number of regions avalible on DSAT is expected to increase during 2002.

EDIT: I believe the frequency for these tests is 11.720H 27.0 2/3, though it may be that the DigiBoxes have been instructed to make this transponder or the channels on it invisible.

(Edited by MillyMaster at 7:28 pm on Dec. 7, 2001)


(Edited by MillyMaster at 7:30 pm on Dec. 7, 2001)

Apparently LDN are going to be the 'automatic' regional choice, with Leeds, Southmpton, Birmingham and Manchester being the other 4.

If you don't select an option, LDN will be the one you see.

Also LDN will replace UK Today as the regional opt-out back-up, in case a regional centre cannot produce a programme.

I think UK Today is being permanently scrapped, and LDN will replace that as a rule. then, if LDN goes down, Southampton will take over, then Leeds, Birmingham with Manchester bringing up the rear.

Actually - bizarrely - and it has almost never happened - it is likely that Norwich (Look East) would be the 2nd backup for the network sustaining feed for London, after Southampton, (even though it isn't in the first four to be launched on Satellite)

This is because the BBC Norwich patch still borders the BBC London patch, and would therefore be of a little relevance to London and Southampton viewers who would also see the programme on analogue. (Arguably Tunbridge Wells might make sense instead of Norwich, but Norwich was certainly 2nd backup last time I heard.

I think the last time that both Elstree (now London) and Southampton both were unable to go on-air was in 1995 or 6 - when neither presenter had turned up for the 0626 Breakfast opt on a monday morning... The opt was cancelled rather than Norwich being used!!

What sort of presenters do they employ at these places?

This would NEVER happen on Look North.

Surely they could have rang another presenter up, after all the presenter probably gets there at 4 or 5am.

Ha ha - 4 or 5 am?! You'd have been lucky!

Some very conscientious presenters I know were always on time but others seemed to have real problems getting in it seems!

Nowadays the presenter also often produces the bulletin though, whereas in previous times they really did just turn up and read, occasionally casting an eye over the weather telex just to know roughly what to adlib at the end to keep the bully on time! (Only needed to arrive with time to apply make-up...)

In the mid 90s it was really common to see BBC Southampton's Pauline Brandt read the 0627 in the Elstree region when a certain presenter didn't turn up!

Obviously I was going on Peter Levy's record, When he doesn't present the 6.28am bulletin, half of Yorkshire would wonder where he was!

Most regional centres it's a three person operation for the telly bulletins now, you know