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What becomes of old studios when channels die?

(April 2012)

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JA
james
JasonB posted:
Quizmania still used their studio for the online revival in 2008.


They didn't actually. It was a studio set built to look like the old design (but on a MUCH smaller scale). Eventually they switched to CSO to make it look more decent.
GE
thegeek Founding member
BillyH posted:
It's not really an old 'channel', but the other week I was in the old BBC London newsroom at Marylebone High Street. A bizarre experience - a hell of a lot smaller than it looked on TV, and other than the lights being darker and the computers removed (a huge pile of old iMacs dumped in the corner) you'd think it was still in use. Even an old 'Metro' newspaper from 2009 casually lying on a desk.

Standing where the newsreader used to be was a surreal if awesome moment Very Happy


Interesting to hear there's so much left - it seemed that as soon as the BBC moved out, the builders were in, or at least that's what it looked like from the outside. In fact, given how much of a hurry BBC London were in to get out of there once the lease expired, I'm surprised the landlord's not re-let it yet!
IS
Inspector Sands
thegeek posted:
Interesting to hear there's so much left - it seemed that as soon as the BBC moved out, the builders were in, or at least that's what it looked like from the outside. In fact, given how much of a hurry BBC London were in to get out of there once the lease expired, I'm surprised the landlord's not re-let it yet!

It's had 'To Let' signs outside it since it was vacated (there's more traditional offices above the shops too) I'm quite surprised that nothing's happened to it as I too was under the impression that they were being forced out, presumably the rush was just a lease deadline.

I was expecting the back part (not the bit fronting the high street) to be part demolished and some replaced by housing by now. Some of the other buildings in the mews behind have been refurbished/redeveloped into flats over the last few years including the BBC's old TV training studio
DA
David
Inspector Sands posted:
David posted:
To answer some of my own questions...
Here we are shown around the facilities formally used by Avago and Nation 217/277 by a lady called Lauren.

Now, if I was in the market to hire some TV facilities I don't think Lauren would persuade me. The way she talks about the facilities I don't think she's even seen a TV programme let alone made one. I think potential customers will know what a blue screen and a gallery are for!


Maybe potential customers have never made a TV programme either. They seem to be targeting corporate clients more than traditional broadcasters.

Inspector Sands posted:
Quote:
Now, if someone knows where the Game in TV/YooPlay studios were/are then I will be able to sleep tonight.

One of those videos says Wapping Lane, I was a bit curious too as I know that area, and this looks like it


That is the location shown in the videos, the location that Avago and Nation 217/277 came from but I don't think that the YooPlay channel/Game in TV studio was in the same building. Both Avago and Nation 217/277 referred to their neighbours but on the odd occasion that Game in TV spoke about Avago, I didn't get the impression that they were in the same building.
ST
Stuart
cityprod posted:
The old Westcountry TV studios out at Langage are still standing, but little signs of activity, and not even an indication that the place has been sold or that it is actually on the market at all.

It's one of the many Industrial units on the Langage Science Park site owned by Plymouth City Council (IIRC), and was only rented by Westcountry TV.

I suppose in this economic climate it's likely to remain empty for a while.
DE
deejay
For a history of tv studios past and present, it's hard to beat http://www.tvstudiohistory.co.uk/. While it's mainly concerned with centres in London, the site does have increasing details on studio centres from the rest of the UK. It also focusses on production studios (i.e. multi-purpose studios, rather than office conversions and news-only studios), but is fascinating nonetheless and well worth a visit.
IT
itsrobert Founding member
Does anyone know what happened to ITN's old HQ in Wells Street in London when they moved out in 1990? I've never been there myself - is the original building still there or has it been demolished/re-developed?
BC
Blake Connolly Founding member
itsrobert posted:
Does anyone know what happened to ITN's old HQ in Wells Street in London when they moved out in 1990? I've never been there myself - is the original building still there or has it been demolished/re-developed?


Pretty sure it was in the location where there's a modern apartment block now, so it looks like it's been demolished.
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
Some legacy Central TV studio pictures here:
http://www.urbexforums.co.uk/showthread.php/1736-Central-Television-Studio-Birmingham-Jan-08

And here:
https://plus.google.com/photos/107733351130868241726/albums/5044793286823680257

The Gas Street studios that Central also used to use have had a new lease of life:
http://www.22gasstreet.co.uk/
KE
kernow
Neil Jones posted:
The Gas Street studios that Central also used to use have had a new lease of life:
http://www.22gasstreet.co.uk/

Central are still based there, but they now rent back part of the building after ITV sold it off.
MW
Mike W
kernow posted:
Neil Jones posted:
The Gas Street studios that Central also used to use have had a new lease of life:
http://www.22gasstreet.co.uk/

Central are still based there, but they now rent back part of the building after ITV sold it off.


Indeed, Children's, CPR, Transmission, Central News have all been reshuffled - after 7 or 8 years of lying completely dormant. As has the Central management suite and board rooms - now owned by 22GS, likewise Studio East they let as a TV studio OR office!

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