CBeebies forced out of Television Centre

While moving to Teddington shouldn't make too much of an impact for CBeebies on what are mere continuity links, Blue Peter's huge studio is part of the show's visual identity. Without it they won't have room to do some of the items which have gone down in history over the years - mass Carol services at Christmas, Scout jamborees with dodgy bonfires, driving vehicles in and out of the studio...now they'll have to do more location stuff and as a viewer you're left to question whether or not this WILL make savings or just cost more for a crew, etc.


Well this is where I do my UKIP bit and say this is one of many reasons to quit the EU, most have more importance than TV practices.



For "cost-effective" I tend to read "on the cheap" - and the amount of times the phrase "cost effective" is used on Red Bee's website in relation to its BBC playout operation is alarming. We are experiencing more pre-recorded continuity on BBC1 and BBC2 now than ever before and at times when you possibly wouldn't expect it either. And they call this progress...

The way I see it BBC playout is too important to be outsourced - you'd think that politically it would be regarded as a "must do ourselves" operation for appearance's sake - and we have already seen how the BBCs' willingness to devolve too much responsibility to outside companies, in this case Red Bee, has ended up costing the BBC1 controller his job.

With the area that we saw last week, they have a pretty big section of the studio that still retains the lit curtain, and could be used for carol singers, and artists to perform, etc.

Though thinking about it, they could instead of going into the studio, have the band and carol singers walk into the Blue Peter garden, which would look lovely if they had lanterns and lights in the trees with the dark evening sky.

And any vehicles could just be done outside TV Centre like other shows used to do.
It's an easier option for them to save money, and now that I've seen the space that the smaller studio has (all be it, not as much, but enough), there are ways around everything else.

For me, they seem to be giving up on makes and guests and features, it's more the content that I'd be worried about.

As has been explained to you many times before, Red Bee do not have any editorial input into what their channels put out. If the amount of pre-recorded announcements is increasing then that would be down to the BBC and no-one else.

And please name me a company, especially one in the service industry, that doesn't aim to be cost-effective. Who would engage their services if they weren't?

I think it's sad in cases like Blue Peter when they move into a smaller studio than they really should be, as it takes something away and puts limits on creativity.

However, if in the case of CBeebies there is a better offer which does not compromise the quality of the channel (it is only used for short links which don't need any sort of space or whatever), then they should go for it, as they can use the money thay've freed up for programmes (I think that's right isn't it?!).

Yep - that would be about right. Early conversions to 16:9 digital were taking place around then. The studio Newsround/Newsnight/Working Lunch comes from was upgraded from analogue to digital in 1996, with News moving in in 1997. It was re-equipped with 4:3/16:9 cameras to allow for 16:9 News programmes, and they made the switch in 2000.

So Red Bee does not have ANY input into the operation at all, even though it is they who pay the announcers and govern over matters such as their shift patterns (there was some fuss a while back over 12-hour shifts being introduced)?

As long as the on-screen results are what the BBC wants then isn't it down to Red Bee how that is achieved, as would be the case for any outsourced programme/service? Otherwise what is the point in outsourcing?

I agree. Blue Peter is a shadow of its former self. However that is all the BBC has decided it can afford it to be. Whatever you may think - the studio changes have saved money. Some of this will, I'm sure, have gone to the budget reduction required to meet the poor licence-fee settlement. However some of the savings will no doubt also have gone to taking the show on OBs more.

The OB units being used for BP are at the low-cost end of the spectrum - and are a fraction of the cost of a day in a medium-sized TV Centre studio... (And TV Centre is not significantly more or less expensive than other facilities of a similar size when it comes to medium/large studios AIU)



Well - the BBC can't decide that can it... It has to obey the law of the land. Democratic processes have chosen our government, and thus the laws the BBC must obey. We all have a vote... Hopefully we all use it.



Red Bee do what the BBC pay it to do. If there is more pre-recorded continuity on BBC channels that is because the BBC have decided to make the saving - not Red Bee.

And you are extremely naive if you think Red Bee cost Peter Fincham his job...

Red Bee had their part to play in that they prepared the material that was signed off by Mr Fincham, as was stated in the news coverage on the day.

That may be so, but as you say, it...



...and whilst he maybe shouldn't have been sacked, he was ultimately responsible. Sure, it was trivial TBH, but he should take his fair share of the blame.

Some interesting questions were raised from the whole incident, however, about how much responsibility the BBC should devolve to independents.

They made the promo with what they were given by the programme makers (RDF) and if a BBC employee signed it off instead of rejecting it and telling them to do it again then it's not Red Bee's fault

They pay their staff with what they are given by their clients and have to produce what their clients ask for.

AIUI the staff of Red Bee under most circumstances cannot even drop a scheduled trail without the permission of the BBC