UTV rebrand

It might be U105. UTV in this case could mean Havelock House.

As I said above, I was told spring 2018 a while back. The fit out was supposed to have been completed before the end of last year.

From shipbuilding to programme making... Belfast harbour will have a new resident when @utv moves to its new high rise home this summer. @UTVNews pic.twitter.com/XLYtAeo7w4

— Mark McFadden (@MarkMcFadden) February 24, 2018

Would make a decent "real window" view for the next UTV Live set, no?

Wasn't Frank's Twitter username previously one with UTV in it? I'm quite sure some others have changed too. I wonder if the on air talent are being encouraged to stop using UTV in usernames?

That would be a good idea, but I suspect that was taken from the roof. To get a decent view you'd need to look out the corner over the East, and the windows and internal pillars don't lend itself well to that.

They're on the top floor of this pic... spot the pillars every 4 windows.

I thought I read somewhere that this building was supposed to be pillarless?

EDIT: found the reference on the Belfast Harbour site: "City Quays 2 is designed to provide column free rectilinear works spaces, allowing maximum space planning efficiency and flexibility. It will feature a ground floor coffee shop and surface car parking"

I think the internals might be, but definitely the exterior walls have pillars all the way round.

http://www.irishnews.com/picturesarchive/irishnews/irishnews/2016/10/21/165706616-c3d06710-2b38-4bfc-b704-0c478b44c3ca.jpg

Though this is a view from one of UTV's companies - TIBUS which show internal structure is pillar free.



Which gives you an idea as to how cramped it might be and how restricted the view out the window could be for a live window.

They could use cameras though on the roof - would be something BBC Newsline lost with their new studio that can become really obvious during the snow.

Actually, looking at those pictures, I agree that it may be rather cramped. Ceiling height isn't great for a studio either. Looks like 'UTV Live' will be getting the 'BBC Breakfast' treatment. If the whole operation is being squeezed in to one floor of that building, I can't see there being much in the way of studio facilities. I'll be interested to see how they deal with 'UTV Life'.

As he’s U105 as well as UTV and they are now separate companies, probably makes sense to have something neutral.

If they do it right, it could work quite nicely and the corner could be a feature if lit. Something like using it as using the pillar as LED screen mounts could disguise it.

The one advantage they do have in their favour is the direction it faces - if they use the corner looking out over East / South Belfast, they won't be affected by a flare from the sun after midday.

Not sure the set up would be that much different to Granada Reports which doesn't have a huge amount of height to it's studio but of course utilises a real view in the summer and a newsroom backdrop in the winter, plus can also pull a green screen across to create a CSO backdrop, as they did with the Munich special a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.itv.com/news/granada/2013-03-25/itv-news-granada-reports-moves-to-new-home-at-mediacityuk/

Of course though their "real window" can be any view they want - I suspect it's far more likely they'll get a view on screens rather than through windows.

Interesting that there’s a UTV News logo rather than UTV Live logo in this photograph that Mark McFadden tweeted yesterday.

They've done a splendid job. Fingers crossed for the big day in June. pic.twitter.com/3UASftpGf6

— Mark McFadden (@MarkMcFadden) February 24, 2018

And here’s a more realistic backdrop taken from inside the building by Jane Loughrey:

Stunning view from UTV’s soon to be new home. pic.twitter.com/g7UYJcUCJH

— Jane Loughrey (@janeyloughrey) February 19, 2018