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The New Hull-based BBC TV Region

(May 2002)

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DH
David H
Aaron posted:
David H posted:

Rubbish!!!! Thanks to the introduction of digital television, I think it is perfectly possible to alter Britain's TV Transmitter network, geography permitting. I think Sandy Heath can be dismantled and replaced by a transmitter near Northampton and one near Cambridge, This way the anomaly of Anglia TV's (and of Look East (Norwich)) presence in Northants can finally be eliminated.


What is it with you and your hatred of BBC East/Anglia in Northamptonshire?

Northamptonshire is covered very well by both of the above and people actually like the coverage it gets on both BBC and Anglia, and because of the opt's/split regions, most news is from the west of the region.

There is no reason to get rid of Sandy Heath, even the relay in Northampton relays BBC East/Anglia, so forget that idea. As for putting up 2 new transmitters in Cambs and Northants, what do you expect everyone who uses Sandy Heath to do? Get new aerials?

An example of a bulletin the other day on Anglia was one story coming from Spalding in Lincs, then another from Harlow in Essex, thats how big the Sandy Heath area is.


Right, here I go: Northamptonshire is an EAST MIDLANDS county and Northampton itself is close to the middle of England, so having an East Coast station in the town is bizarre to say the least.

Also Sandy Heath isn't the only transmitter that covers Northants. The Waltham transmitter (Central (East)/East Midlands Today) covers Northampton and everywhere to the north of the town. The Oxford transmitter (Central (South)/South Today) also covers the county town and everywhere to the south of it.

Plus, if you've read any of M D R's posts about Central News (East), Aaron, you'll know that CN East is the best bet for regional news if you live in Northants and don't want to pick up the Devil's Airwaves from Sandy Heath, that wreched and useless transmitter in Bedfordshire.

Finally the Dallington Park relay in Northampton doen't have to relay the Devil's Airwaves, it could relay Waltham instead. I think most aerials town point to the main transmitters (Oxford, Waltham and Sandy Heath - GRRRRR!!!!) and the Dallington Park relay is there to fill in the odd gap of TV coverage in the town.

i really feel for those in Northants who pick up the Devils Airwaves. Here's my advice: if you can, WATCH WALTHAM INSTEAD!!!!!

If Sandy Heath was replaced (PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN!!!), everyone would need to get their aerials redirected and boy, if I lived in Northants, I'd hold a BUGGER OFF SANDY HEATH party.
KA
Katherine Founding member
Devil's Airwaves? Bugger Off, Sandy Heath? He's talking my lingo!! There might be some copyright problems!!

Anyhows, I've always thought the Sandy Heath transmitter is too ridiculously powerful for its own good. It'd be better off being reduced in power, and serve Herts, Cambs and Beds alone.

Did you know that you can still get the Sandy Heath signal in northern Nottinghamshire? Ludicrous!
CO
Cornerstone
noggin posted:
I suspect (but don't know for fact I admit) that Leeds/Hull will be treated like Southampton/Tunbridge Wells. Split News, common features.

Tunbridge Wells and Southampton are independent regions - but given the smaller scale of the TW region, and the reduced studio and editing facilities available, it makes sense to share features programmes.


Also, EMT broke away fully from MidsTdy more than a decade ago, yet the Sunday politics/Thurs documentary are still a Birmingham-based shared show for both regions (Although in more recent years, there have very occasionally been sepearate Nottingham-produced Thurs documentaries.

So I would agree that it seems most likely that the Leeds and Hull regions would have shared (Leeds-based) features shows, despite seperate main news programmes - seeings as two pairs of regions already do this.
AA
Aaron
David H posted:

Right, here I go: Northamptonshire is an EAST MIDLANDS county and Northampton itself is close to the middle of England, so having an East Coast station in the town is bizarre to say the least.

Also Sandy Heath isn't the only transmitter that covers Northants. The Waltham transmitter (Central (East)/East Midlands Today) covers Northampton and everywhere to the north of the town. The Oxford transmitter (Central (South)/South Today) also covers the county town and everywhere to the south of it.

Plus, if you've read any of M D R's posts about Central News (East), Aaron, you'll know that CN East is the best bet for regional news if you live in Northants and don't want to pick up the Devil's Airwaves from Sandy Heath, that wreched and useless transmitter in Bedfordshire.

Finally the Dallington Park relay in Northampton doen't have to relay the Devil's Airwaves, it could relay Waltham instead. I think most aerials town point to the main transmitters (Oxford, Waltham and Sandy Heath - GRRRRR!!!!) and the Dallington Park relay is there to fill in the odd gap of TV coverage in the town.

i really feel for those in Northants who pick up the Devils Airwaves. Here's my advice: if you can, WATCH WALTHAM INSTEAD!!!!!

If Sandy Heath was replaced (PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN!!!), everyone would need to get their aerials redirected and boy, if I lived in Northants, I'd hold a BUGGER OFF SANDY HEATH party.


I think you're going a bit over the top here! Whether it's East Coast or East Midlands, the thing that matters is the news and BBC East/Anglia cover Northampton very well. I'm not saying that Central East don't though either.

I'm totally aware of the different transmitters that cover Northampton, I live in an overlap area too and can pickup the same. I choose to watch Carlton London here in South Beds as I personally don't like news from miles away in Peterborough lol.

The point is, people who point to Sandy Heath do have a choice, no one is forcing them to point to Sandy Heath. I'm not an Anglia fan either, so I'm certainly not sticking up for them, it's just many people in the Northants area probably like news from Northampton, Corby, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and wherever. On the other hand, some might like news from Leicester etc so point to Waltham.
DH
David H
Katherine posted:
Devil's Airwaves? Bugger Off, Sandy Heath? He's talking my lingo!! There might be some copyright problems!!

Anyhows, I've always thought the Sandy Heath transmitter is too ridiculously powerful for its own good. It'd be better off being reduced in power, and serve Herts, Cambs and Beds alone.

Did you know that you can still get the Sandy Heath signal in northern Nottinghamshire? Ludicrous!


I'm sorry, Katherine, but I feel the same way about Sandy Heath as you do about Belmont. Don't worry I won't use your lingo in future. I also think the Sandy Heath transmitter is way too powerful. I certainly don't think it should cover Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire or Essex. The area it should cover is the one you suggested, Katherine.

Sorry, Katherine. GROVEL, GROVEL.
DH
David H
After re-reading your post, In Tune, I realised the half-hour 6.30pm programme from Hull is the next stage to divorce from Leeds. So, as BBC Leeds are stiill involved in the production of this programme, finding a seperate title for just a half-hour programme and an opt-out during the 10 o'clock News would be silly.

It is however very necessary to have a new title for the Hull-based BBC TV Region's regional news programme when the Hull studios and the divorce from Leeds are complete. So what it says in my signature could still be true........
DH
David H
Aaron posted:
I'm totally aware of the different transmitters that cover Northampton, I live in an overlap area too and can pickup the same. I choose to watch Carlton London here in South Beds as I personally don't like news from miles away in Peterborough lol.


OK, then Aaron, here's a question:

Which transmitters cover your area? I doubt you can pick up Waltham in Luton!!!
AA
Aaron
David H posted:

OK, then Aaron, here's a question:

Which transmitters cover your area? I doubt you can pick up Waltham in Luton!!!


I live just north of Luton, and yes, I can get Waltham, albeit fuzzy, though perfectly watchable, but it's only on a set top aerial/booster. Most people in the area use either Crystal Palace, Sandy Heath or Oxford, or a combination of them.
DH
David H
Coming soon......

my first website. It'll show you what the Look East (Hull) website might look like and also who the presenters might be. Plus there will be some other things like a map of the area covered by the programme, etc. So, WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!
MD
M D R
I know someone who lives in Spalding, but they don't get Anglia- only Yorkshire and Carlton Central.
KA
Katherine Founding member
David H posted:
Coming soon......

my first website. It'll show you what the Look East (Hull) website might look like and also who the presenters might be. Plus there will be some other things like a map of the area covered by the programme, etc. So, WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!

I'll be viewing, but only after a dose of Wicked Strength anti-depressants!!
KA
Katherine Founding member
M D R posted:
I know someone who lives in Spalding, but they don't get Anglia- only Yorkshire and Carlton Central.

That's strange, that. According to the Analogue Television Reception Predictor at www.wolfbane.com the transmitter signal strengths for Belmont and Sandy Heath are exactly equal in Spalding. Look at the link below to see what I mean:

http://www.wolfbane.com/cgi-bin/tva.exe?DX=L&OS=TF2422

Might their aerial not be configured to receive Sandy Heath? I know that sometimes, Spalding does get a mention on Anglia.

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