For some reason the BBC South and South-East local news this weekend are
sharing the same programme. I assume the presenters, including those for
the weather, are from the South-East as I don't recognise them or the
set (Tunbridge Wells?).

Is this limited to S/SE or are other local news programmes in the
country being combined? If not, has something happened to the BBC South
studios?

--

Jeff

On 06/03/2022 19:22, Jeff Layman wrote:
> For some reason the BBC South and South-East local news this weekend are
> sharing the same programme. I assume the presenters, including those for
> the weather, are from the South-East as I don't recognise them or the
> set (Tunbridge Wells?).
>
> Is this limited to S/SE or are other local news programmes in the
> country being combined? If not, has something happened to the BBC South
> studios?
>

I think it's only a weekend or Sunday arrangement. I noticed it last
Sunday but the weekdays were back to normal.

Phil M

On 06/03/2022 19:22, Jeff Layman wrote:
> For some reason the BBC South and South-East local news this weekend are
> sharing the same programme. I assume the presenters, including those for
> the weather, are from the South-East as I don't recognise them or the
> set (Tunbridge Wells?).

Have BBC News borrowed some people from regional news to use on the
Ukraine reports, not necessarily in front of camera reporting but
assisting others. There was (rather useless) woman on BBC News today
who I did not recognise.

On 06/03/2022 19:22, Jeff Layman wrote:
> For some reason the BBC South and South-East local news this weekend
> are sharing the same programme. I assume the presenters, including
> those for the weather, are from the South-East as I don't recognise
> them or the set (Tunbridge Wells?).
>
>
It's happened a few times. It might be Covid related staff shortages, or
more likely the engineering work that's been happening at Southampton
recent months to convert to HD.

Whatever, last night's bulletin was even more useless than the Sunday
night one normally is.

On 07/03/2022 08:43, Mark Carver wrote:

> Whatever, last night's bulletin was even more useless than the Sunday
> night one normally is.

Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!

--

Jeff

On 07/03/2022 09:17, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 07/03/2022 08:43, Mark Carver wrote:
>
>> Whatever, last night's bulletin was even more useless than the Sunday
>> night one normally is.
>
> Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!
>
They should just fill the 5 mins with a Tom and Jerry cartoon, just like
the old days

On 07/03/2022 09:53, Scott wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Mar 2022 08:43:36 +0000, Mark Carver
> <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On 06/03/2022 19:22, Jeff Layman wrote:
>>> For some reason the BBC South and South-East local news this weekend
>>> are sharing the same programme. I assume the presenters, including
>>> those for the weather, are from the South-East as I don't recognise
>>> them or the set (Tunbridge Wells?).
>>>
>>>
>> It's happened a few times. It might be Covid related staff shortages, or
>> more likely the engineering work that's been happening at Southampton
>> recent months to convert to HD.
>>
>> Whatever, last night's bulletin was even more useless than the Sunday
>> night one normally is.
> Could they not pre-record one programme in advance then do the second
> programme
The BBC have a hang up about pre-recording news bulletins, they simply
don't do it. (Unlike ITV now)

However, in this case, it wouldn't help, because a BBC region only has
one playout chain

On 07/03/2022 08:43, Mark Carver wrote:
> On 06/03/2022 19:22, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> For some reason the BBC South and South-East local news this weekend
>> are sharing the same programme. I assume the presenters, including
>> those for the weather, are from the South-East as I don't recognise
>> them or the set (Tunbridge Wells?).
>>
>>
> It's happened a few times. It might be Covid related staff shortages, or
> more likely the engineering work that's been happening at Southampton
> recent months to convert to HD.
>
> Whatever, last night's bulletin was even more useless than the Sunday
> night one normally is.
>

Look North never seems to have much relevance to me and my circle. It's
as if it's aimed at a different sort of person entirely, with different
interests and beliefs.

There again, Calendar's much the same.

Bill

"Mark Carver" <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:j8m5ndFitm9U1@mid.individual.net...
> On 07/03/2022 09:53, Scott wrote:
>> Could they not pre-record one programme in advance then do the second
>> programme
> The BBC have a hang up about pre-recording news bulletins, they simply
> don't do it. (Unlike ITV now)

The logistics of ITV's Calendar programme are intriguing.

Comparing the West Yorkshire version (Leeds-centred, probably from Emley
Moor, but I get it on Freesat) and East Yorkshire (Hull-centred, from
Belmont), they have the same presenters and sometimes even the same segments
(synchronised) though with different Chromakey backgrounds. Sometimes one
report differs between the two versions, and then when that finishes they
come back into sync again.

I presume all of it is pre-recorded, apart from if there is a live satellite
link to an on-the-spot reporter at a major story, though I suppose there's
no reason for that to be live, just recorded as-live, complete with the
several-second-delay cueing problems between studio and reporter, because it
is too close to transmission for the report to be recorded and edited
locally and then copied to the studio. You'd think if "live" satellite
reports are actually recorded in advance, they'd at least edit out the
couple of seconds when the studio hands over to the reporter and he is
waiting to get the cue to start speaking and for his contribution to get
back to the studio.

I wonder how far in advance Calendar, and other ITV regional news
programmes, are recorded? Presumably they want to record as close to
transmission to allow for late-breaking stories or updates to stories, but
far enough in advance that the same presenters can record all the segments
for all the regions that they cover so it *looks* as if the whole programme
is going out seamless and live.

On 07/03/2022 14:03, NY wrote:
> "Mark Carver" <mark.carver@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
> news:j8m5ndFitm9U1@mid.individual.net...
>> On 07/03/2022 09:53, Scott wrote:
>>> Could they not pre-record one programme in advance then do the second
>>> programme
>> The BBC have a hang up about pre-recording news bulletins, they
>> simply don't do it. (Unlike ITV now)
>
> The logistics of ITV's Calendar programme are intriguing.
>
> Comparing the West Yorkshire version (Leeds-centred, probably from
> Emley Moor, but I get it on Freesat) and East Yorkshire (Hull-centred,
> from Belmont), they have the same presenters and sometimes even the
> same segments (synchronised) though with different Chromakey
> backgrounds. Sometimes one report differs between the two versions,
> and then when that finishes they come back into sync again.
>
> I presume all of it is pre-recorded, apart from if there is a live
> satellite link to an on-the-spot reporter at a major story, though I
> suppose there's no reason for that to be live, just recorded as-live,
> complete with the several-second-delay cueing problems between studio
> and reporter, because it is too close to transmission for the report
> to be recorded and edited locally and then copied to the studio. You'd
> think if "live" satellite reports are actually recorded in advance,
> they'd at least edit out the couple of seconds when the studio hands
> over to the reporter and he is waiting to get the cue to start
> speaking and for his contribution to get back to the studio.
>
> I wonder how far in advance Calendar, and other ITV regional news
> programmes, are recorded? Presumably they want to record as close to
> transmission to allow for late-breaking stories or updates to stories,
> but far enough in advance that the same presenters can record all the
> segments for all the regions that they cover so it *looks* as if the
> whole programme is going out seamless and live.

Meridian do the same, only they have three subregions !
I gather the other two versions are recorded between 5pm and 6pm, and
that's the same for all of ITV's multiple regions, all the ITV regions
have a unified production work flow

NY <me@privacy.invalid> wrote:
>
> I presume all of it is pre-recorded, apart from if there is a live satellite
> link to an on-the-spot reporter at a major story, though I suppose there's

It could hardly be recorded after transmitting it! Please drop the
pre- :-)

--
Chris Green
·

On 07/03/2022 14:36, Chris Green wrote:
> NY<me@privacy.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> I presume all of it is pre-recorded, apart from if there is a live satellite
>> link to an on-the-spot reporter at a major story, though I suppose there's
>
> It could hardly be recorded after transmitting it! Please drop the
> pre- :-)
>

It could be recorded concurrently with transmitting it, so the pre- does
have some relevance. ;-)

Jim

On 07/03/2022 09:17, Jeff Layman wrote:
> Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!

Quite common, we are over a hundred miles from Glasgow and Shetland is
much further away.

On 07/03/2022 12:24, williamwright wrote:
> Look North never seems to have much relevance to me and my circle. It's
> as if it's aimed at a different sort of person entirely, with different
> interests and beliefs.
>
> There again, Calendar's much the same.

It was many years after Torosay started up before STV realised they did
not just cover their local area (I wrote/EMailed them)

In article <t05gek$v1m$2@dont-email.me>, MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:
> On 07/03/2022 12:24, williamwright wrote:
> > Look North never seems to have much relevance to me and my circle. It's
> > as if it's aimed at a different sort of person entirely, with different
> > interests and beliefs.
> >
> > There again, Calendar's much the same.

> It was many years after Torosay started up before STV realised they did
> not just cover their local area (I wrote/EMailed them)

They even covered Barra

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

In message <eehc2hljv5jvbsqd61jl2t348q4760k27t@4ax.com>, Scott
<newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> writes
>On Mon, 7 Mar 2022 14:36:08 +0000, Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:
>
>>NY <me@privacy.invalid> wrote:
>>>
>>> I presume all of it is pre-recorded, apart from if there is a live
>>>satellite
>>> link to an on-the-spot reporter at a major story, though I suppose there's
>>
>>It could hardly be recorded after transmitting it! Please drop the
>>pre- :-)
>
>I thought that once until I thought it through. I agree with Indy.
>
>'Recorded' could be recorded off-air for legal and archive purposes (I
>believe radio stations have an Ofcom obligation to do this - I expect
>TV is the same). 'Pre-recorded' is completely different, meaning that
>the whole programme is made in advance - maybe far in advance.

What really annoys me is when TV shows a concert and there's "Live" in
the title, when it's actually a recording of the event.
--
John Hall
"Home is heaven and orgies are vile,
But you *need* an orgy, once in a while."
Ogden Nash (1902-1971)

MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:
> On 07/03/2022 09:17, Jeff Layman wrote:
>> Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!
>
> Quite common, we are over a hundred miles from Glasgow and Shetland is
> much further away.
>

I’ve always been surprised at how poorly served the non central belt areas
of Scotland are. I think last time I looked at how much programming BBC
radio Shetland had it was an hour or two per day, the rest being from
Glasgow.

In article <t05j3s$2l6$1@dont-email.me>,
Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
> MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:
> > On 07/03/2022 09:17, Jeff Layman wrote:
> >> Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!
> >
> > Quite common, we are over a hundred miles from Glasgow and Shetland is
> > much further away.
> >

> I've always been surprised at how poorly served the non central belt areas
> of Scotland are. I think last time I looked at how much programming BBC
> radio Shetland had it was an hour or two per day, the rest being from
> Glasgow.

Think of the number of listeners.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On 07/03/2022 06:09 pm, John Hall wrote:

> Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> writes
>> Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:
>>> NY <me@privacy.invalid> wrote:
>
>>>> I presume all of it is pre-recorded, apart from if there is a live
>>>> satellite link to an on-the-spot reporter at a major story, though I
>>>> suppose there's
>
>>> It could hardly be recorded after transmitting it!  Please drop the
>>> pre- :-)
>
>> I thought that once until I thought it through.  I agree with Indy.
>
>> 'Recorded' could be recorded off-air for legal and archive purposes (I
>> believe radio stations have an Ofcom obligation to do this - I expect
>> TV is the same).  'Pre-recorded' is completely different, meaning that
>> the whole programme is made in advance - maybe far in advance.
>
> What really annoys me is when TV shows a concert and there's "Live" in
> the title, when it's actually a recording of the event.

Back in the late sixties, David Frost had a Sunday night chat show type
programme on LWT (whether pre-recorded, I can't say).

But one Sunday, he announced that The Beatles would perform live. And in
a sense, they did - live to cameras in the (or *a*) studio. But it was a
pre-recorded insert, recorded some time earlier than the rest of the
programme (which itself may have been a recording).

ISTR it was "Hey Jude".

On 07/03/2022 06:32 pm, Tweed wrote:

> MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:
>> Jeff Layman wrote:

>>> Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!
>
>> Quite common, we are over a hundred miles from Glasgow and Shetland is
>> much further away.

It happens in England too.

All Meridian news now comes from Southampton, even for south Essex.

> I’ve always been surprised at how poorly served the non central belt areas
> of Scotland are. I think last time I looked at how much programming BBC
> radio Shetland had it was an hour or two per day, the rest being from
> Glasgow.

Isn't BBC Alba aimed mainly at the fringe areas?

In article <j8n7hoFpac4U2@mid.individual.net>, JNugent
<jennings&co@fastmail.fm> wrote:
> On 07/03/2022 06:32 pm, Tweed wrote:

> > MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:
> >> Jeff Layman wrote:

> >>> Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!
> >
> >> Quite common, we are over a hundred miles from Glasgow and Shetland is
> >> much further away.

> It happens in England too.

> All Meridian news now comes from Southampton, even for south Essex.

> > I‘ve always been surprised at how poorly served the non central belt
> > areas of Scotland are. I think last time I looked at how much
> > programming BBC radio Shetland had it was an hour or two per day, the
> > rest being from Glasgow.

> Isn't BBC Alba aimed mainly at the fringe areas?

They don't speak Gaelic in Shetland = but Edinburgh has both Primary &
Secondary Gselic schools.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On 07/03/2022 20:16, JNugent wrote:
> On 07/03/2022 06:32 pm, Tweed wrote:
>
>> MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:
>>> Jeff Layman wrote:
>
>>>> Yep. "Local news" based 100+ miles away is not of much use!
>>
>>> Quite common, we are over a hundred miles from Glasgow and Shetland is
>>> much further away.
>
> It happens in England too.
>
> All Meridian news now comes from Southampton, even for south Essex.

From
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maidstone_Studios#Independent_ownership>:

"The Meridian newsgathering operation returned to Maidstone Studios in
2004, though the studio for the programme moved to Meridian's new base
at Whiteley in Hampshire. "

--

Jeff

On 07/03/2022 20:42, Scott wrote:

>
> Maybe in these days live meant not mimed.

I generally interpret "live" as meaning unedited.

Jim

On 07/03/2022 18:32, Tweed wrote:
> I’ve always been surprised at how poorly served the non central belt areas
> of Scotland are. I think last time I looked at how much programming BBC
> radio Shetland had it was an hour or two per day, the rest being from
> Glasgow.

As far as I can see Radio Shetland have 30 minutes at 17:30h ?

On 07/03/2022 08:42 pm, Scott wrote:

> JNugent <jennings&co@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>> On 07/03/2022 06:09 pm, John Hall wrote:
>>> Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> writes
>>>> Chris Green <cl@isbd.net> wrote:
>>>>> NY <me@privacy.invalid> wrote:
>
>>>>>> I presume all of it is pre-recorded, apart from if there is a live
>>>>>> satellite link to an on-the-spot reporter at a major story, though I
>>>>>> suppose there's
>
>>>>> It could hardly be recorded after transmitting it!  Please drop the
>>>>> pre- :-)
>
>>>> I thought that once until I thought it through.  I agree with Indy.
>>>> 'Recorded' could be recorded off-air for legal and archive purposes (I
>>>> believe radio stations have an Ofcom obligation to do this - I expect
>>>> TV is the same).  'Pre-recorded' is completely different, meaning that
>>>> the whole programme is made in advance - maybe far in advance.
>
>>> What really annoys me is when TV shows a concert and there's "Live" in
>>> the title, when it's actually a recording of the event.
>
>> Back in the late sixties, David Frost had a Sunday night chat show type
>> programme on LWT (whether pre-recorded, I can't say).
>
>> But one Sunday, he announced that The Beatles would perform live. And in
>> a sense, they did - live to cameras in the (or *a*) studio. But it was a
>> pre-recorded insert, recorded some time earlier than the rest of the
>> programme (which itself may have been a recording).
>
>> ISTR it was "Hey Jude".
>
> Maybe in these days live meant not mimed.

That's exactly what it did mean in this particular case.