ITV merger: regional job losses and studio closures

Well the studios were built in the 1960's for Southern Television, then later TVS and Meridian, so they've been used a hell of a lot. But like others which were built at the time they've become outdated and knackered and they don't look good on the skyline, such as Pebble Mill or Oxford Road.

I love that building! lol I pass it every weekday on the train to my Uni. I have fond memories of passing it noticing the massive silver TVS symbol and visiting the old scrapyard on the other side in the late 80's when I was 4 or 5.

We must be getting close to the announcement about the Meridian buildings in both Maidstone and Northam.

I think I'd put half-a-crown on news about somewhere like Fareham, in about a week or so.

Yep - I think it is a foregone conclusion that both Northam and Maidstone will close, and all that will be left is a tin shed making local news shows - from somewhere like Fareham...

It's always a shame when they close studios like these - a dump it may be, but the Northam studios actually seemed pretty endearing to me - that hideous building, brightened only by the oversized sun logos everywhere.

I appreciate that it is probably an economic decision - but surely they could modernise the current studios, perhaps rent some bits out to other companies, and use them for making local news programmes instead.

(Out of interest, does the Southampton version of Meridian Tonight come from the Northam studios?)

Media Guardian now reporting planned closure of part of GTV's Manchester site...

Not good news at all about Quay Street, but you can tell Granada want to sell up as they seem to be doing it with all of their stations, but it'll leave Coronation Street in a bizzare position, but I wonder where they will move to in Manchester. But if you look around Quay Street now it is a completly different place, as all of the buildings surrounding Granada TV, seem to be big new office blocks, while Granada's studios, are the odd one out in that area. Plus they've shut Granada Studios Tour, so I assume they want to sell that bit of land too, but they include some of Quay Street in that too.

If the Bernsteins were still alive today they would be very shocked at the state of Granada.

I am too suprised they haven't closed down Tyne Tees' studios in Newcastle, seeming that hardly any national programmes are made there.

As at TODAY, both the Southampton and "Newbury" editions come from Northam.

Quay Street is definitely going to be demolished.... I heard it from my mate (former series editor of Granada's "Lunchtime Live") who still has many friends working there. So very good insider info...
I believe the plan is to move the staff into the listed buildings on the site - the warehouses next to Corrie Street.

They should move Granada Reports back to Liverpool now SHOP! has gone.

Well I'd say believe your mate, according to what was on Granada Reports tonight it looks like they're moving into a converted building at the back of the current complex, the building which they showed, I think was part of the Granada Studios Tour, but it now looks and probably is abandoned.

But if you have actually been around Quay Street recently, like myself, it is surrounded by new buildings, and The Museum of Science and Industry, making Granada TV the odd one out. But I don't know if they're still doing this but they were building something on Granada's Car Park or something which was very close to it at least.

That would be a good idea to move the news back to Liverpool, as they still have a Newsroom, and they still have a studio, and they still have that building obviously.

But some programmes made by '3SixtyMedia' will be buggered, such as Phoenix Nights, as I assume they want to pull down the main building which has the main studios in them. But I assume again that they will probably move some programmes down south. But what is wrong with the current building, okay it looks like a dump, but it's being used and from what I've seen and heard it's very modern inside.

See also http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1089278,00.html