Sale of BBC Television Centre confirmed by BBC Trust

Aren't you answering your own question there, kind of?

They do need to make this much clearer though financially - we need monetary figures, not numbers of jobs so we know how much is being saved and where that money is being diverted.

Although a 10% cut in commissions contradicts it, previously it was said they were cutting jobs to spend more on programmes - yet surely these programmes don't make themselves.





I don't think TV Centre is the icon it once was - just watching tonights reports and it looks old and decrepid rather than the centre of entertainment it was say ten years ago.


It certainly isn't used for the big studio shows anywhere near as much as it was a decade ago. In years gone by they'd have been three big studio shows on a Saturday night, now there is just Strictly Come Dancing.

There isn't much in the week too - virtually all daytime programming nowadays is done on location rather than in the studio, and with so much being moved around the regions they'll be even less in the future.


Scripted comedies and dramas are less likely to be studio based nowadays too and also done on location.



The most worrying aspect though IMO is the 10% cut to children's programming, especially considering the BBC is virtually the sole producer of original content nowadays. That is probably the final nail in the coffin for Blue Peter too - or their summer expeditions won't be much more than a day trip to Bournemouth in the future!

P.S. Good day to bury bad news and all that as ITV reveal up to 10m phone calls were affected in the premium rate scandal.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,2193240,00.html

No - but they don't need BBC staff to make them either. The BBC have moved from making 100% of their shows in-house (excluding acquisitions) in the 80s, to making 75% of their shows in-house through the 90s and early 00s, to the WOCC system that now exists of 50% guaranteed in house, 25% guaranteed independent with the remaining 25% a competition between in-house and indy.

That means that the trough staffing of a department (those required to make the minimum that can be expected) has fallen... The in-house departments, in factual and entertainment particularly, won't recruit new BBC staff if they have a new show, they will just hire freelance producers, researchers, APs etc. or at best offer short term contracts.

Yes - the programmes will be made - but either by indies, or by freelancers or short term contracts - not core BBC staff who have continuing contracts (and pesky things like pensions).

Probably sounding a bit OTT but you know, with advancing techologies, it wouldn't surprise me in many years to come if the BBC ditch studios and produce everything with CSOs or on location.

Hard times this digital age as far as costs are concerned.

Paxo has just made a very interesting 20 minutes of TV on BBC2, by grilling the chair of the BBC Trust and the ex-controller of BBC3. This barbecue basically showed what fruitcakes those people in charge of most of the BBC are.

Damn missed it. I can bet Paxman has blown his top over this.

BBC3 does seem the target of the newsmens anger - and while yes they produce alot of dross, I think they've proved themselves with a number of highly regarded comedies and dramas.

The Head of BBC3 actually made a very good point about why should what the BBC is doing for the licence payer of tomorrow be sacrificed for the institutions of yesterday.

That does happen, they don't often if ever send a 'BBC1' reporter and a 'News 24 reporter', often one is doing reports while the other is doing lives or one is relieving the other. But then often there is the workload to demand several reporters, it's very diffrent to ITV where they have one outlet to file for. The technology is irrelevant, it doesn't stretch time!

The example is a poor one because BBC London has had bi-media journalists for years

CSO still needs a studio!

Things are produced on location, that is part of the problem. Look at TV from the past - everything from cookery shows to costume drama was done in studios because that was the only way it could be done. Now cameras and other kit is lighter, more versitile and cheaper and everything is shot on location... often with pbetter results

Or a Broom Cupboard...?

I'm being stupid now, its late, I don't care.

Or a Broom Cupboard...?
I'm being stupid now, its late, I don't care.[/quote]
You know you are being silly, this has happened to every profession.

Cry, strike, moan, winge, it won't make a difference except you people loose money cos u not in work. They run the service, you don't get paid.

Actually, with CSO you just need a space, not a studio, but I take your general point.

But surely programmes made in-studio add to the variety of what is available ?

Many people have argued that the (long defunct) in-studio television play is television's one contribution to the visual arts, for instance.

here come the strikes!