[Former Member 406]

I hope when Plymouth gets the new set that they're allowed to use a desk. There is a sofa at the other end of the studio which they can keep as it is for fluffy stuff and Politics South West.

It's not a question of being "allowed".

It has previously been revealed in this forum (I can't recall by whom or in which thread) that each region has been/will be asked whether they want the "sofa & coffee table" variant or the "office chair & full-height desk" variant of the standard set design that is being rolled-out.

It'll be interesting to see whether the few regions that are currently desk-based stick with being desk-based or finally cave-in to the sofa trend. I highly doubt that any regions will go the other way (i.e. from sofa to desk).

It is my understanding that each English Region will only have a set with the same overall parameters as already seen on EMT and MT (i.e. with no allowance for a secondary presentation area, even in a studio large enough to accommodate one). Therefore if Spotlight retains a desk-based style, they will not then have a seperate sofa area elsewhere.

[Steve in Pudsey]

The same principle as TC7 not using the entire studio space for the barco set to avoid the expense of additional barco cubes, I imagine.

But I guess there's nothing to stop Southampton or Newcastle building additional sets in the available space as a local initiative, perhaps reusing elements of the old set?

[Stuart]

It is my understanding that each English Region will only have a set with the same overall parameters as already seen on EMT and MT (i.e. with no allowance for a secondary presentation area, even in a studio large enough to accommodate one). Therefore if Spotlight retains a desk-based style, they will not then have a seperate sofa area elsewhere.

I don't see why Plymouth, with a relatively large studio, would even have to move out for the installation of the new style set.

They can just decamp to the sofa area to broadcast the bulletins for a couple of weeks (stopping work during broadcasts) and then just retain it afterwards.

I don't see any advantage in dismantling the 'soft area' set, simply to leave it as empty space, when it can easily be used for other programmes or the fluffy stuff with guests if you've retained a desk in the revamped area.

[chaose]

I don't see any advantage in dismantling the 'soft area' set, simply to leave it as empty space, when it can easily be used for other programmes or the fluffy stuff with guests if you've retained a desk in the revamped area.

Normally I would say you wouldn't want to retain parts of an old set so as not to mix two different eras of branding. But this is the BBC, so that's probably exactly what's going to happen 

[Stockland Hillman]

Plymouth would have complexities that don't exist in other regions.

It's fairly new so should be long down the priority list, has mixed presentation positions in a way most regions dont.

Frankly taking off the awful red perspex horizontal layer over the scenic background and using a vertical one in places would make it 80% of the shots look like the New design anyway

The fact its the only stand alone region on Mosart (NW is obviously linked to National Breakfast) complicates changes. That's a lot of bespoke template building whilst other HD upgrade regions are using essentially cut and paste setups on gallery and graphics tech.

[James]

I don't see any advantage in dismantling the 'soft area' set, simply to leave it as empty space, when it can easily be used for other programmes or the fluffy stuff with guests if you've retained a desk in the revamped area.

Couldn't agree more. The sofa area isn't very 'BBC News' anyway, and never has been. It's often lit in blue/purple and this works well for the fluffier segments. I don't see any harm in them keeping this alongside a new desk based set, seeing as they've got the space.

I'd even go as far to say that a few slight tweaks to the existing studio, such as changes to the glass perspex behind the desk, and installing a couple of monoliths would be enough to refresh the studio, giving it a NBH Studio D look.

I'm usually all for consistency, but Spotlight already has an excellent setup. They often use VR graphics overlayed onto the sofa area, giving an effect similar to the catwalk screens in NBH Studio E & C. A new studio would in some ways actually be a downgrade for them, as would reduce the presentation areas that they have, due to the standardisation across the regions.

[Mike]

What was the first regional news programme to go to a sofa only for presentation? I know a few of the BBC English Regions got 'soft' areas between 1999 and 2000 with the first corporate sets.

Earliest example and programme?

And more contemporary times, in the last 30 years? I can only think of Central News (I think all 3 were early adopters, all around 1999/2000 time, and BBC LDN in 2001.

[London Lite]

London Tonight gained a soft area for interviews and their showbiz bulletin during the LNN era.

[Spencer]

I think I remember seeing a video of Look North (Leeds) in the 80s with a beige sofa based set in the Judith Stamper era.

I think this was on TV Ark, so sadly can’t find any examples.

[Robert Williams]

South Today also used to use a sofa in the 1980s:

www.youtube.com 

There was also an earlier version around 1983/84 which had a large screen behind the sofa - this was similarly was on TV Ark but I can't find on YouTube.

To stretch the point a little, the South East news from 1983-84 was a part of Sixty Minutes which had a sofa-based set in the latter part of its existence.