JA
Oh god, that music on the breakdown slide, that was played constantly on a loop for days when they were uncerimoniously yanked off air.
SP
There was an occasion where there was a genuine fire at TLS and the alarms went off a few minutes before GMB was due on air.
ITV at Chiswick played out filler material until 8.30 (luckily it was Good Friday so a less important show) and then managed to get Lorraine on air. That day's show happened to be a pre rec so somebody grabbed the backup tape copy as they evacuated and this was eventually played out, in SD, I think from ITN.
Was the filler material GMB-related? I’m curious as to what could “legally” be played out between 0600-0925, as that timeslot still has something of a special status. In the TVam/GMTV days only material produced or acquired by those companies would have been shown.
Here's the thread from the day it happened
https://tvforum.uk/tvhome/good-morning-britain-fire-41595/
I suspect it was legally being played out on behalf of ITV Breakfast and would have been a pre-nominated standby provided/approved by them.
Just watching the breakdowns section of TV ARK has made me wonder how such faults are dealt with today. I remember Good Morning Britain was taken off air several years ago due to a fire alarm. ITV played an emergency tape in lieu.
That was sorted out fairly quickly but does anyone know how an extended breakdown would be dealt with in terms of keeping broadcasting?
That was sorted out fairly quickly but does anyone know how an extended breakdown would be dealt with in terms of keeping broadcasting?
There was an occasion where there was a genuine fire at TLS and the alarms went off a few minutes before GMB was due on air.
ITV at Chiswick played out filler material until 8.30 (luckily it was Good Friday so a less important show) and then managed to get Lorraine on air. That day's show happened to be a pre rec so somebody grabbed the backup tape copy as they evacuated and this was eventually played out, in SD, I think from ITN.
Was the filler material GMB-related? I’m curious as to what could “legally” be played out between 0600-0925, as that timeslot still has something of a special status. In the TVam/GMTV days only material produced or acquired by those companies would have been shown.
Here's the thread from the day it happened
https://tvforum.uk/tvhome/good-morning-britain-fire-41595/
I suspect it was legally being played out on behalf of ITV Breakfast and would have been a pre-nominated standby provided/approved by them.
RO
Going back to the BBC breakdowns and if TV centre had to be evacuated, back in the day, what happened was, basically, a switch would be thrown, putting Birmingham (Pebble Mill) in control of the network. It would be probably a bit more complex than that. However, it didn't mean Birmingham controlled the TVC output remotely; all that happened was Birmingham would be the network centre, and they would network whatever programming they had, show any trailers etc.
I think during a power failure in 2000, when Birmingham took control of the network, the weather was done over a slide, and also an edition of Dads Army, which was lying in Pebble Mill, was shown.
I think during a power failure in 2000, when Birmingham took control of the network, the weather was done over a slide, and also an edition of Dads Army, which was lying in Pebble Mill, was shown.
IS
It was a bit more complicated than that and it was a last resort. IIRC there were other parts of TV Centre that could be used and only then was Pebble Mill used.
However once playout automation came in in about 1995 the first resort was to just load tapes in all the machines, take everything live out of the schedule and leave that running by itself.
That could potentially run a network for 5 or 6 hours in the meantime they're either back in or in Birmingham
However once playout automation came in in about 1995 the first resort was to just load tapes in all the machines, take everything live out of the schedule and leave that running by itself.
That could potentially run a network for 5 or 6 hours in the meantime they're either back in or in Birmingham
SP
Yes weren't they able to use either the VT area in Stage V or News in Stage VI as a first line of defence?
The occasion when Dad's Army was played from Birmingham was a strange one, it only went out on analogue, the automation kept digital working fine.
The occasion when Dad's Army was played from Birmingham was a strange one, it only went out on analogue, the automation kept digital working fine.
NL
Wasn't there a split between Dad's Army on BBC1 terrestrial and UK Today on BBC1 Digital?
Going back to the BBC breakdowns and if TV centre had to be evacuated, back in the day, what happened was, basically, a switch would be thrown, putting Birmingham (Pebble Mill) in control of the network. It would be probably a bit more complex than that. However, it didn't mean Birmingham controlled the TVC output remotely; all that happened was Birmingham would be the network centre, and they would network whatever programming they had, show any trailers etc.
I think during a power failure in 2000, when Birmingham took control of the network, the weather was done over a slide, and also an edition of Dads Army, which was lying in Pebble Mill, was shown.
I think during a power failure in 2000, when Birmingham took control of the network, the weather was done over a slide, and also an edition of Dads Army, which was lying in Pebble Mill, was shown.
Wasn't there a split between Dad's Army on BBC1 terrestrial and UK Today on BBC1 Digital?
RO
On the occasion I mentioned above, were regions able to show their regional news programmes? IIRC, they went into the Euro 2000 match programme, five minutes early.
RO
Actually, found this about the power failure in 2000 at TVC
https://www.desandmick.co.uk/television/powercuts/2000/
https://www.desandmick.co.uk/television/powercuts/2000/
RN
I bet Piers wasn’t best pleased.
Just watching the breakdowns section of TV ARK has made me wonder how such faults are dealt with today. I remember
Good Morning Britain was taken off air several years ago
due to a fire alarm. ITV played an emergency tape in lieu.
That was sorted out fairly quickly but does anyone know how an extended breakdown would be dealt with in terms of keeping broadcasting?
That was sorted out fairly quickly but does anyone know how an extended breakdown would be dealt with in terms of keeping broadcasting?
I bet Piers wasn’t best pleased.
DW
I bet Piers wasn’t best pleased.
Was before Piers joined. It was Ben and Susanna.
Just watching the breakdowns section of TV ARK has made me wonder how such faults are dealt with today. I remember
Good Morning Britain was taken off air several years ago
due to a fire alarm. ITV played an emergency tape in lieu.
That was sorted out fairly quickly but does anyone know how an extended breakdown would be dealt with in terms of keeping broadcasting?
That was sorted out fairly quickly but does anyone know how an extended breakdown would be dealt with in terms of keeping broadcasting?
I bet Piers wasn’t best pleased.
Was before Piers joined. It was Ben and Susanna.
IS
The occasion when Dad's Army was played from Birmingham was a strange one, it only went out on analogue, the automation kept digital working fine.
It was only to maintain the analogue networks, which of course at that point were the ones that the vast majority of viewers watched.
Both playout areas (for analogue and digital) stayed powered and working, but the analogue one was switched away as a precaution. If the situation had got worse the digital channels would just have gone off air. It just wasn't worth maintaining them with so few watching
The occasion when Dad's Army was played from Birmingham was a strange one, it only went out on analogue, the automation kept digital working fine.
It was only to maintain the analogue networks, which of course at that point were the ones that the vast majority of viewers watched.
Both playout areas (for analogue and digital) stayed powered and working, but the analogue one was switched away as a precaution. If the situation had got worse the digital channels would just have gone off air. It just wasn't worth maintaining them with so few watching
RO
According to the link I posted, Dads army was run from BBC South east, during the slot for the regional news. Everywhere else got their regional news. Dads army wasn't shown in full everywhere. However, the regional news programmes ended early as well as starting early, and the regions crashed into Dads army.
In Analogue only days, and until the advent of all regions on digital, BBC South East was also the BBC Network. Basically, the default region was BBC South East. So, in effect, in those days, regions were opting out of BBC South East. During the 2000 power failure, BBC South East came from TVC as well. When other regions were showing their regional news, BBC South East weren't able to do so. What I think happened was, the other nations and regions opted out of what Birmingham was broadcasting, on analogue, Dads Army, and showed their regional news. BBC South East would've been unable to broadcast, and so got Dads Army.
But, as the link mentioned, the regional news bulletins started early, 18:25, and finished early, at 18:50ish. So, the regions crashed into the end of Dads Army. BBC South done somewhat better, and ran five minutes of trailers for BBC Radio Solent!
In Analogue only days, and until the advent of all regions on digital, BBC South East was also the BBC Network. Basically, the default region was BBC South East. So, in effect, in those days, regions were opting out of BBC South East. During the 2000 power failure, BBC South East came from TVC as well. When other regions were showing their regional news, BBC South East weren't able to do so. What I think happened was, the other nations and regions opted out of what Birmingham was broadcasting, on analogue, Dads Army, and showed their regional news. BBC South East would've been unable to broadcast, and so got Dads Army.
But, as the link mentioned, the regional news bulletins started early, 18:25, and finished early, at 18:50ish. So, the regions crashed into the end of Dads Army. BBC South done somewhat better, and ran five minutes of trailers for BBC Radio Solent!