Central West and BBC Midlands Thread

But if they moved the desk back for other bulletins, wouldnt this mean we'd end up with the same desk in front of a window with red panels and plasmas? So the only thing about the set chaneg is the fact that they are going to have a sofa instead of a desk for the 6:30?

the set has been twisted around and extended making better use of the space (removing the partition) - so thats a positive step.

chas did say about the show being "relaxed" and whatever - and i would imagine that means sofa on all bulletins i guess we'll only know for sure on monday.

I thought it looked bigger on those shots. Why was there a partition in the first place?

I hope that they will adopt new titles, and perhaps a new logo, though I doubt they can with the corporate thing!

Well done Pebble Mill, another winner!

that is one of the great mysteries - a mix up with the original plans? - or plans for a soft set perhaps the bit beyond the partition looked like a workable area for a soft set on television, but in reality it is too pokey for anything.

compare and contrast

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jamesison/caps-2/caps004/cap479.jpg
(capture: ison)

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/pages/content/images/bbc1/midtoday02-14.jpg
(btw did the current set rather glam when we first saw it?)

as to the use of the partition - it has housed midland today's fabulous christmas tree's for the past few years

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/pages/content/images/christmas/mid01-04.jpg

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/pages/content/images/christmas/mid01-03.jpg

a few election related updates came from there

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/upload/300403--bbcmids01.jpg

nick's midlands report flood 2000 spectacular

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/pages/content/images/floods/mid03.jpg

a special midlands report about 11th september

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/pages/content/images/sept11/mid-01.jpg

and here you'll notice the edge of the partition

http://www.tvmercia.co.uk/pages/content/images/bbc1/midtoday00-08.jpg

Not strictly true - there were 16:9 digital studio facilities installed at Pebble Mill and there are digital network circuits into every regional TV broadcast centre these days - except Jersey (that is how the DTT opts into BBC One happen).

If Midlands Today had access to a digital 16:9 gallery and cameras (as Nottingham had) they would be able to move to 16:9 broadcasting (in fact they could do this with an analogue PAL gallery technically). However I suspect that the old 16:9 kit was not mothballed but was diverted to other areas of the BBC (like the analogue PAL nations - who were already broadcasting 16:9 stuff from PAL studios...) - and so I expect that a move to 16:9 will have to wait until a move to the Mailbox.

No indeed -- leave that to us. It’s an argument a day or your money back in the Wales thread.

I was very pleased to hear Kay welcome me yesterday morning -- I had hitherto felt slightly neglected whenever I tuned in to view the lovely system at work, but no longer. And I was also very pleased with the conservatory, superb all round.

Judging by the 'preview' MT showed of the transformation, it does seem all hopes are pinned on the sofa for the main interest, though I was hoping a more stylised departure may have taken place. But still, the midlands do seem to have the most imagination in the country.

It goes without saying that Derek can’t wait to watch on Monday -- which just adds to the growing number of non-midlanders who’ll be lending their support and tuning in.

I have got a feeling there is going to be a desk!

I don't think so, if there was it would probably be in the the new 'bright white' style, like the little coffee table thingy is.

I may be wrong but I THINK there is going to be a proper desk!

I know that the new set doesn't look too much like South Today, as it has cream and red walls, but let's not forget that South Today has cream and red walls, even though the red is back lit. What I'm saying, is that we shouldn't dismiss the idea of a South Today look to Midlands Today yet, as the pictures that we have seen so far show the set unfinished. It might look totally different when it is finished. There may even be a proper white glass desk, and they haven't put it in yet, so that it doesn't get paint dripped over it.

Tragically, I will be up in London on Monday so I'll miss the first programme. Perhaps they'll cover the relaunch in an item on the national news? I certainly think it's worthy of a "6 Special Report".

I'll be interested to see how they maintain a sufficiently newsy feel and prevent Midlands Today turning into, well, "Pebble Mill". Mind you, Nick will feel very much more at home on a sofa, I would have thought.

I await with baited breath. I'll have to watch the late bulletin on Tuesday for my first glimpse of the new look.