Broadcasting House, Salford Quays & TVC

How much is listed (wanted to be listed)?

It's only the donut and TC1, isn't it?

From English Heritage's website the listing is for:
BBC TELEVISION CENTRE, INCLUDING THE MAIN CIRCULAR RANGE EXCLUDING THE SPUR, THE ORIGINAL SCENERY BLOCK AND THE FORMER CANTEEN

The full listing including description of notable architectural features is here:
http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1393371

To me it reads the the "BBC Television Centre" logo on TC1 is also part of the listing?

Not just the production team - the guests too. Election Nights only really work with a rotating carousel of guests, and they probably spend most of the night shuttling around in cabs between Grays Inn Road, TVC and Osterley.

PQ doesn't have enough incoming and outgoing lines for a general election either. I forget the number of sat trucks that were out on election night last year, but it was at least 30. For things to run smoothly, you need to have a receiver on each channel, and there's barely enough in TVC for that as it is!

I don't know how flexible the space is in terms of plug-in points for cameras etc, but I can see the atrium of BH working as an election studio. You could get some nice crane shots in there, you don't need to build a balcony, and they might even be able to open up that glass wall at the back of the studio. (It'd probably still need another gallery in the building to get involved for OS switching, and possibly another studio floor in use for a hub operation.)

I read that as saying that it's a modern addition, and therefore not architecturally important.

Considering it was only introduced in 1997 in its current form, I'd be surprised if it's on the listing.

There is a mention on Wikipedia about there being a deal between the BBC and EH - they wouldn't list the building while the BBC were using it because it limits their operations but they would return the original features once the BBC have finished using the centre.

It would be nice to see the original sign (or a replica) return.

I wonder if they will restore the fountain.

Incidentally, the original sign was in the Egyptian typeface created by the Design Research Unit for the Festival of Britain in 1951.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/5791583750_a9a75e8809.jpg

It can still be seen in many places around the building - notably the big floor numbers inlaid in the floor in the south hall, and the 'transmission' signs outside the studios.

Yep - and occasionally you still find "pre-Gill Sans" signage in hidden corridors.

It is a beautiful building, with some very nice, modernly equipped studios (and some that are a bit less nice and a bit less modern)

When management describe it as "an analogue building in a digital age" you realise that they haven't got a clue what they are talking about IF they are referring to the studios. However I think they are usually referring to the office accommodation used by production teams and programme makers who aren't studio based. In that regard TVC is less than ideal. It doesn't have much of the infrastructure you take for granted in modern office accommodation - and is much more expensive to upgrade to modern standards. It also doesn't have the same flexibility in office space terms.

In an ideal world the 8 production studios would be retained and marketed properly as a facilities operation - but it isn't clear whether the numbers will make sense for this, and you would still have to dispose or repurpose other areas of the site)

The BBC have, apparently, made a significant commitment to using the Peel/SIS Media City UK studios in Salford - so I suspect that BBC studio shows may well move up the M1. Some of the more recent statements from the BBC have suggested that more shows may well move to Salford...

Slightly ominous that Richard Deverell (who, when running BBC Children's, moved Blue Peter from a decent studio show to a shadow of its former-self, and appears not to be a huge fan of studios) is responsible for the BBC W12 property now...

Annoying as it is for BBC Accountants and Managers, a well built studio is still the best place to make a lot of shows to a high quality. You can't do everything in converted office space - whilst still keeping standards high...

I used to work at TVC in the late 80's, and selfishly can't believe that this grand old lady in is her final years

I remember sitting in the third floor restaurant and you had, all at the same time, multiple monsters in costume from Dr Who, newsreaders on their break, the cast of Hi-de Hi etc, artists who were there for Top of the Pops and Blue Peter presenters all sitting there tucking into their lunch. Was a sight to behold!!!

Times move on, be gentle with her BBC

When top of the Pops was filming, the TVC BBC club was the place to be, before and after transmission