Live across South Yorkshire
Posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 8:17am. #
I walked into the BBC’s Western House this morning, let myself in through the security gates with my pass, and toddled off to Studio GC – one of the contribution studios on the ground floor.
As I walked into the contribution studio area (there are at least four studios), there was a man with a white beard, who sidled up to me and enquired whether there was a Guinness World Record for “most radio interviews before breakfast”. Ludicrously, he’d just come from Television Centre (probably 5Live, possibly Radio 4), to do more radio interviews – his fifth this morning – this time for BBC Radio Wales. Shunting interviewees between buildings is an odd thing to do, but I’m sure someone somewhere thinks it made sense.
Pushing the heavy studio door, I put on some suspiciously light headphones, and was transported to Sheffield, where a rather enjoyable breakfast show was going on, courtesy of the rather splendid Toby Foster. BBC Radio Sheffield breakfast has clearly changed since I used to listen many moons ago; from a twee local magazine show to a programme full of personality, fun, and enjoyment.
I was there to talk about advertising on new media – things like Facebook and other things. I managed to amass a great amount of stories yesterday, thanks to some opportune Twitter questions, and managed to regale South Yorkshire with some vaguely amusing tales. I think.
It was certainly an experience, walking into a radio studio and doing a live piece up the line to Sheffield. I spent some time doing notes last night, which certainly helped – I’m glad I took the time to scribble some information down and bring it in.
I’m also glad I took the time to listen to a bit of Toby’s programme. Along with an old colleague, Paul Walker, he presents a great-sounding breakfast show. If I was back in Yorkshire again, it might just be the breakfast show I’d listen to. The internet bit within the Pure Evoke Flow might get a bit of use…
Photo: Dave Spellman. Used under licence.
Callum
Ian Anderson
Rob
martin
If you’re a BBC local radio producer, it’s very, very difficult to interview someone live from TV Centre, unless they’ve been booked by GNS, which is the bit of BBC News which does national stories for local stations.
There’s only one proper unstaffed “contribution” studio — and that’s no-where near the Radio 4 and Radio 5 studios, which might conceivably be useful if stations are sharing guests.
Unless you know exactly how to sweet-talk a Five Live or Today producer into putting their guests into one of the little workshop studios near their desks, it really is simpler to say: “Tell you what, get on the central line, get off at Oxford Circus, walk up Great Portland Street, it’s on your left.”
Madness, I know.
(My own views, not those of my employer, etc etc etc!)