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Closure of BBC Television Centre?

(January 2007)

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SP
Spencer
bbcrocks posted:
was pebble mill at birmingham?


Do you have a carer?
:-(
A former member
this is starting to sound like another Pebblie mill!
TI
timgraham
bbcrocks posted:
Quote:
Why not just do what they did with Broadcasting House. Close it down, give it a complete overhaul, get rid of the antiquated stuff that ain't needed and re-open it. For gawd's sake don't flaming get rid of it.
That would be a good idea - broadcasting house is looking good

was pebble mill at birmingham?

I was just reading about it on Wikipedia - it used to be there, before all the studios were moved in 2004.
OH
ohwhatanight Founding member
I think it's a good opportunity for the BBC to move to new modern premises and have a totally upto date facility which will be more efficient to run and give the license fee payers more value for money.
SI
simpfeld
John posted:
Article from Media Guardian regarding the possible future of BBC Television Centre:

For almost 50 years it has been an icon of British broadcasting, the distinctive home of historic TV shows such as Top of the Pops and Blue Peter. But Television Centre in west London, an analogue relic in the digital age, now faces closure as part of plans by the BBC to sell off the 13-acre complex.
The news will be greeted with a mixture of delight and nostalgic dismay by BBC staff, who have toiled for years in a 1960s building designed on the back of an envelope, long before the advent of high definition and satellite television.



Typical technobabble excuse crap, as if a move from Analogue to digital makes the difference. Changing to making crap reality shows outside rather than decent stuidio based shows maybe but lets not blame digital or HD shifts.
LU
Luke
simpfeld posted:
John posted:
Article from Media Guardian regarding the possible future of BBC Television Centre:

For almost 50 years it has been an icon of British broadcasting, the distinctive home of historic TV shows such as Top of the Pops and Blue Peter. But Television Centre in west London, an analogue relic in the digital age, now faces closure as part of plans by the BBC to sell off the 13-acre complex.
The news will be greeted with a mixture of delight and nostalgic dismay by BBC staff, who have toiled for years in a 1960s building designed on the back of an envelope, long before the advent of high definition and satellite television.



Typical technobabble excuse crap, as if a move from Analogue to digital makes the difference. Changing to making crap reality shows outside rather than decent stuidio based shows maybe but lets not blame digital or HD shifts.


those are the words of the Guardian writer, not an 'excuse' from the BBC.
AS
Aston
A couple of things:

> I might be wrong, but I'm sure that Television Centre is currently listed?

> I don't think it'll happen, there's too much history there, those walls have seen too much. I'd rather see the building get an overhaul to be mostly offices, leaving just a few studios than it be sold and knocked down. In this instance they should sell the new "Media Centre" buildings which could easily be used for offices for ANYTHING corporate or even a call-centre. However, to lose such a specialised building/facility as Television Centre would be a disgrace...
DD
DarkestDreams
I quite like the mailbox in b'ham, hovever the tv centre is a traditional bbc thing they should just update it - not sell it
AN
Ant
I have mixed feelings on the topic. It would be good (and probably better for the long-term) if the BBC moved to more modern premises. Bearing in mind TVC was built in the 60s. But it would be a shame to see the BBC move out - it's just an iconic building.
DB
dbl
Ditto with Antz, OK the BBC are looking ahead with the latest studio technology (HD etc..) however this building is iconic it's been used in many title sequences (including Live & Kicking) it would just be a shame to see it go Sad
MA
marksi
I'm sure I've said this before on here...

On the odd occasion I am working in W12 these days it's usually at the Broadcast Centre. I get no sense of excitement walking through those doors, yet even when I was working at Television Centre every day I always got a buzz and a feeling I really was at the home of tv.

That said, it's been clear for a long time that it was being run down. Everything is moving out. There will be very little left there in the next few years (Manchester move permitting).
IS
Inspector Sands
simpfeld posted:

Changing to making crap reality shows outside rather than decent stuidio based shows maybe but lets not blame digital or HD shifts.


It's nothing to do with reality shows, the reduction in studio use is across all genres. Improvements in video technology make it far easier and cheaper to film on location than in the past. Most of BBC and ITVs top programmes would have been made in a studio 20 years ago - drama, comedy, cookery shows, DIY shows. Now they are all made on location.

There is still studio production, but more and more programmes only need cheap small studios, which TV centre can't provide. In fact many recent studio based programes have built their own rather than rent a studio - Terry & Gabby, Richard & Judy, Watchdog. The big LE programmes still need big studios but they are rarer today

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