MG
Some may not find Crossroads 'valuable or important' - however with every edition currently being released on DVD Granada Ventures obviously think they are.
Episodes have been lost since 1997 with the shifting around. Two black and white film 1973 episodes and a couple of quads from 1975, 1977 and 1978.
Inspector Sands posted:
Most of the archive has been moved before, some several times. They won't lose or get rid of anything important or valuable - programme masters are assets after all.
Some may not find Crossroads 'valuable or important' - however with every edition currently being released on DVD Granada Ventures obviously think they are.
Episodes have been lost since 1997 with the shifting around. Two black and white film 1973 episodes and a couple of quads from 1975, 1977 and 1978.
HR
As the main building holds the Northern Transmission Centre, as well as the archives, I think we can read into it that either these will be moved, or that the studios are indeed being mothballed.
Austin Mitchell has just been on Calendar saying he is going to work with Yorkshire Forward to get some production back in to the centre. Anybody got a spare few quid, we'll buy the place!
Austin Mitchell has just been on Calendar saying he is going to work with Yorkshire Forward to get some production back in to the centre. Anybody got a spare few quid, we'll buy the place!
FG
I know that YTV does produce a lot of programmes and was one of the big five in ITV at one stage .But look at all the other studio doors that have closed at ITV recently.
Border never even got a mention which was disgusting when it closed two weeks ago. Westcounrty in Plymouth also gone now .Point is what about all the others that have been brushed under the carpet .
Also alot of people have lost their jobs in the past when the NTC was set up at Leeds.
It is sad that ITV are closing Leeds and i think for the people that are going to be out of a job it's awful for them .
Border never even got a mention which was disgusting when it closed two weeks ago. Westcounrty in Plymouth also gone now .Point is what about all the others that have been brushed under the carpet .
Also alot of people have lost their jobs in the past when the NTC was set up at Leeds.
It is sad that ITV are closing Leeds and i think for the people that are going to be out of a job it's awful for them .
:-(
A former member
Nottingham was also sold of to a uni? and Birmingham got knock down.
Maidstone got sold of to other comany . so ITV have been good at getting rid of places
Maidstone got sold of to other comany . so ITV have been good at getting rid of places
HA
harshy
Founding member
Calendar, gave us a good look round the studios, nice reception area, but you can tell Studio 4 hasn't been in use for some time as it Bruce's Play Your Card Right's sign on it, and that I'm sure hasn't been made for 10 years!
But you just knew for example they never marketed The Leeds Studios simply by looking on their website, they never changed it, it always said coming soon and probably will forever until the domain runs out.
But you just knew for example they never marketed The Leeds Studios simply by looking on their website, they never changed it, it always said coming soon and probably will forever until the domain runs out.
HR
Quote from ITV in the Yorkshire Post says 'the studios are being mothballed now, so that when the upturn comes, ITV will be in a strong position to fight back'.
But with who? Surely you can't just re-recruit 192 staff overnight. And what are you gooing to make, if all the talent has gone? Also it claims it only effects a quarter of the workforce at YTV, I think somebody is getting the sums wrong.
But with who? Surely you can't just re-recruit 192 staff overnight. And what are you gooing to make, if all the talent has gone? Also it claims it only effects a quarter of the workforce at YTV, I think somebody is getting the sums wrong.
HA
harshy
Founding member
There are some good photos on the Yorkshire Post website, here's one of them from YTV's heyday in the 80s, having grown up with many of Yorkshire's national and regional programmes, I feel very sorry for the staff who have worked there, some since its inception and seen many changes and ultimately run down to its end.
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/YPOS/TH0_432009271896ytv.JPG
Courtesy Yorkshire Post
http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/YPOS/TH0_432009271896ytv.JPG
Courtesy Yorkshire Post
NG
Maidstone Studios, unlike the Central studios in Nottingham and in Birmingham, was never part of ITV Plc though. It was built and owned by TVS, who lost their franchise in 1992, and took the studios with them when they went through a number of owners. It wasn't really ITV who got rid of Maidstone... (One reason that the studios are still making programmes?)
Anglia's former studios in Norwich have just been re-equipped in HD, and are now part of EPIC.
noggin
Founding member
623058 posted:
Nottingham was also sold of to a uni? and Birmingham got knock down.
Maidstone got sold of to other comany . so ITV have been good at getting rid of places
Maidstone got sold of to other comany . so ITV have been good at getting rid of places
Maidstone Studios, unlike the Central studios in Nottingham and in Birmingham, was never part of ITV Plc though. It was built and owned by TVS, who lost their franchise in 1992, and took the studios with them when they went through a number of owners. It wasn't really ITV who got rid of Maidstone... (One reason that the studios are still making programmes?)
Anglia's former studios in Norwich have just been re-equipped in HD, and are now part of EPIC.
IS
Well they had too many, they couldn't keep them all. There's no point in ITV having lots of studio complexes, there was massive over capacity
623058 posted:
so ITV have been good at getting rid of places
Well they had too many, they couldn't keep them all. There's no point in ITV having lots of studio complexes, there was massive over capacity
IS
Austin Mitchell has just been on Calendar saying he is going to work with Yorkshire Forward to get some production back in to the centre. Anybody got a spare few quid, we'll buy the place!
It would be nice to see a similar arrangement to what's happened with the former Anglia studios in Norwich.
Huddy Refreshed posted:
Austin Mitchell has just been on Calendar saying he is going to work with Yorkshire Forward to get some production back in to the centre. Anybody got a spare few quid, we'll buy the place!
It would be nice to see a similar arrangement to what's happened with the former Anglia studios in Norwich.
NG
Well they had too many, they couldn't keep them all. There's no point in ITV having lots of studio complexes, there was massive over capacity
Absolutely. ITV had lots of regional studios dating back from the days when every franchise had to have their own studios to make studio shows.
There was no way that number of studios could be cost-effective in a commercial market, particularly as the studios weren't always that great, or in particularly useful locations.
Maidstone is close enough to London to get a decent amount of overspill or long running productions.
Other studio centres were never going to be cost effective without sustained ITV regional studio production - location-based shows are both cheaper and allow you to be more "regional" by getting out and about. (In the 60s and 70s you couldn't do this cost-effectively - as there was no low-cost location recording system - film was expensive and portable VT didn't really exist other than low-quality 3/4" UMatic)
Drama production is now more specialised and doesn't need purpose built TV studios - it can be done in 4-wallers or sound stages more cost-effectively.
It is a real shame that the ITV structure couldn't be retained - but it was grossly costly. Fine in an era where the industry was awash with advertising cash - not sustainable in the current climate. The pensions alone are huge - and I haven't heard of any asbestos discussions yet. (Potential Asbestos compensation payouts in the future were an issue in the failed sell-off of BBC Studiso AIUI)
I wouldn't be at all surprised if ITV joined the BBC at Media City at Salford. They would be able to rent office space, and studios, and capitalise on their existing freehold sites? No need to own studios 24/7 when you can rent them as and when you need them...
As for the mothballing of Yorkshire - could that be because the current property market is non-existent. No point selling it yet...
I suspect the future for ITV studios outside London will be a couple of drama units (a bit like the BBC have in Birmingham for Doctors) for specific dramas - so an Emmerdale operation and a Corrie operation.
I would expect the other operations outside London to be office space for (mainly freelance / short-term contract) production teams - with possibly some in-house editing in office accommodation. Studios for in-house ITV Productions entertainment/chat shows/game shows/sit coms etc. rented from 3rd party suppliers as required not owned outright. One-off dramas and drama series shot in 3rd party sound stages or 4 wallers.
TLS is an exception to this - as it is a popular facility, in a good location, and seems to get a reasonable amount of work with long-term ITV and non-ITV customers. (GMTV, This Morning, ITV Sport etc.)
noggin
Founding member
Inspector Sands posted:
623058 posted:
so ITV have been good at getting rid of places
Well they had too many, they couldn't keep them all. There's no point in ITV having lots of studio complexes, there was massive over capacity
Absolutely. ITV had lots of regional studios dating back from the days when every franchise had to have their own studios to make studio shows.
There was no way that number of studios could be cost-effective in a commercial market, particularly as the studios weren't always that great, or in particularly useful locations.
Maidstone is close enough to London to get a decent amount of overspill or long running productions.
Other studio centres were never going to be cost effective without sustained ITV regional studio production - location-based shows are both cheaper and allow you to be more "regional" by getting out and about. (In the 60s and 70s you couldn't do this cost-effectively - as there was no low-cost location recording system - film was expensive and portable VT didn't really exist other than low-quality 3/4" UMatic)
Drama production is now more specialised and doesn't need purpose built TV studios - it can be done in 4-wallers or sound stages more cost-effectively.
It is a real shame that the ITV structure couldn't be retained - but it was grossly costly. Fine in an era where the industry was awash with advertising cash - not sustainable in the current climate. The pensions alone are huge - and I haven't heard of any asbestos discussions yet. (Potential Asbestos compensation payouts in the future were an issue in the failed sell-off of BBC Studiso AIUI)
I wouldn't be at all surprised if ITV joined the BBC at Media City at Salford. They would be able to rent office space, and studios, and capitalise on their existing freehold sites? No need to own studios 24/7 when you can rent them as and when you need them...
As for the mothballing of Yorkshire - could that be because the current property market is non-existent. No point selling it yet...
I suspect the future for ITV studios outside London will be a couple of drama units (a bit like the BBC have in Birmingham for Doctors) for specific dramas - so an Emmerdale operation and a Corrie operation.
I would expect the other operations outside London to be office space for (mainly freelance / short-term contract) production teams - with possibly some in-house editing in office accommodation. Studios for in-house ITV Productions entertainment/chat shows/game shows/sit coms etc. rented from 3rd party suppliers as required not owned outright. One-off dramas and drama series shot in 3rd party sound stages or 4 wallers.
TLS is an exception to this - as it is a popular facility, in a good location, and seems to get a reasonable amount of work with long-term ITV and non-ITV customers. (GMTV, This Morning, ITV Sport etc.)