Not sure it can revert to the BBC, as the BBC doesn't have an OB department as such anymore (it was sold to SIS in the first place). There's no way State Occasions (think Trooping the Colour, State Opening of Parliament, Cenotaph etc) could be done from a News SNG (which is the only form of Outside Broadcasting that the BBC still runs in house).
Don't forget that BBC Wales and BBC Scotland still have their own proper OB trucks (ex-SIS, and in fact ex-BBC OBs) in-house.
Glasgow's is now HD, whilst Cardiff were using their one to do both Rugby and Crimewatch (from a Music/Radio studio I believe) for quite a while. (They were BBC OB/SIS Live units OB11 and OB12 I believe)
Think BBC Northern Ireland have recently replaced or refurbed the OB truck that provides facilities for the Blackstaff House studio as well, but not sure if it gets to do other stuff (or whether it's like the old BBC OB's Type V that was effectively bricked up at Lock Keepers Cottages to provide facilities for The Bigh Breakfast back in the day)
Last edited by noggin on 6 November 2013 12:55am - 2 times in total
I was talking to some friends about SISlive over the last week - one told me that the BBC Sport contract was maybe only about a third of SISlive's business, and he was concerned about there maybe not being enough slack elsewhere in the industry to pick up the rest. Another mentioned something which also turned up this week's Private Eye: what they euphemistically referred to as "one-off state occasions". I'm not sure if the plans for such OBs would revert for the BBC, or if a new contractor would have to draw them all up from scratch?
I heard at IBC in September, that SIS told the Beeb
'it's all or nothing please'
when they submitted
their bids for contract renewal. I didn't believe any organisation (particularly one with very strong competition) could show such arrogance but the more people I talk to in the UK OB business, the more it appears to be true. If it really is true, then good on the Beeb for calling their bluff. Not good for the 'rank and file' staff though
An ITV insider over on DS reckoned that it all might be deliberate and that SIS wanted to get out of the OB business and deliberately threw in the 'all or nothing' clause alongside their ridiculously uncompetitive offer.
I have absolutely no idea whether that conspiracy theory is justified, but it's an interesting twist if true… It's never nice for people to lose their jobs - will many staff be picked up by the new contractors for e.g. BBC Sport work?
:-(
A former member
The problem for SIS is alot of Bookies are no longer using them to provide feeds to said shops, Corals (Im sure William hill) have there own TV service, I do believe Ladbrooks and Betfred are to follow.
I was talking to some friends about SISlive over the last week - one told me that the BBC Sport contract was maybe only about a third of SISlive's business, and he was concerned about there maybe not being enough slack elsewhere in the industry to pick up the rest. Another mentioned something which also turned up this week's Private Eye: what they euphemistically referred to as "one-off state occasions". I'm not sure if the plans for such OBs would revert for the BBC, or if a new contractor would have to draw them all up from scratch?
I heard at IBC in September, that SIS told the Beeb
'it's all or nothing please'
when they submitted
their bids for contract renewal. I didn't believe any organisation (particularly one with very strong competition) could show such arrogance but the more people I talk to in the UK OB business, the more it appears to be true. If it really is true, then good on the Beeb for calling their bluff. Not good for the 'rank and file' staff though
An ITV insider over on DS reckoned that it all might be deliberate and that SIS wanted to get out of the OB business and deliberately threw in the 'all or nothing' clause alongside their ridiculously uncompetitive offer.
I have absolutely no idea whether that conspiracy theory is justified, but it's an interesting twist if true⦠It's never nice for people to lose their jobs - will many staff be picked up by the new contractors for e.g. BBC Sport work?
I don't know, I'm sure some will, there's constant 'churn' within the OB industry. Looking at it philosophically
there's still the same events to be covered, so you'd reasonably expect the same total number of staff to be involved. Will be interesting to see how much of SiS's fleet ends up with the other companies, the 'guarantee' staff associated will be in a good position to follow them on.
The problem for SIS is alot of Bookies are no longer using them to provide feeds to said shops, Corals (Im sure William hill) have there own TV service, I do believe Ladbrooks and Betfred are to follow.
I have a feeling Coral's operation is based at SIS's Milton Keynes base though. I think they offer bespoke channels for different chains now.
I have absolutely no idea whether that conspiracy theory is justified, but it's an interesting twist if true⦠It's never nice for people to lose their jobs - will many staff be picked up by the new contractors for e.g. BBC Sport work?
Yes, a number of people are already moving to other providers to continue working on the BBC Sport contracts.
