[Nobby]

That article also says they are AI controlled so I assume they don't know anything and have just made something up (I've only read the headline).

[Newsroom]

Back in Studio B for the News at Six.

The following article from The Times claims that two of the robotic cameras in Studio B almost crashed during Monday's News at One.
www.thetimes.co.uk 

And I almost choked on something after only reading that headline! 'AI controlled cameras'. Our Electric Friends are trying to escape Prison Cell Block B.

[xlalonce]

They're coming for us.

Holy cow

[mouseboy33]

What?! It was a big investment on those creepy weird black towers on tracks ...seems like there are more cost efficient tried and tested solutions used by broadcasters around the world. Seems like overkill IMO. Save some license fee money. Ehhh. Not my money. Oh well.

Those things remind of the Dr Who episode - Stones of Blood. LOL

[LDN]

twitter.com  

From the Broadcast article: 

The merger of BBC News’ domestic and international news channels may ultimately be reversed, former BBC director general Tony Hall has suggested.

In a wide-ranging discussion on Roger Bolton’s Beeb Watch podcast, Hall said of April’s merger that “It’s early days but I wonder whether it will last”. 

He called for the BBC to invest more its news operation because it is a “core resource for all of us in the UK and a core resource for the world.” 

Of course, the opinion of a former DG doesn't really change anything -- but it is another prominent voice among those opposed to the way the two channels have been so carelessly smashed together.

[UTVLifer]

Interesting BTS thread on how they do the 6/10 to London handover in B

twitter.com 

[Spencer]

What?! It was a big investment on those creepy weird black towers on tracks ...seems like there are more cost efficient tried and tested solutions used by broadcasters around the world. Seems like overkill IMO. Save some license fee money.  Ehhh. Not my money.  Oh well.

Those things remind of the Dr Who episode - Stones of Blood. LOL

I was actually just about to say that I could genuinely see runaway robot cameras forming the premise for a Dr Who episode. 

Even the name Electric Friends sounds like a potential band of sinister robot baddies.

[thePineapple]

The following article from The Times claims that two of the robotic cameras in Studio B almost crashed during Monday's News at One.
www.thetimes.co.uk 

We basically learn 2 things from the article.

1) That there was "a near crash between two AI-controlled robotic cameras" and so "a studio engineer had to manually push the kit back into place to finish the programme."

2) That the set cost £10mn - I'm not sure I've seen that figure before - although the Times just pass it off as common knowledge so maybe I've missed something.

Interesting that they quote a source as saying "It was chaos yesterday — the programme only just managed to stay on-air." I mean sure - but isn't a news operation often chaotic behind the scenes? It hints - to me - that this story is going for hyperbole, so I'd take the other stuff with a pinch of salt too.

[DTV]

2) That the set cost £10mn - I'm not sure I've seen that figure before - although the Times just pass it off as common knowledge so maybe I've missed something.

No, the £10m figure has been around since the launch. When queried, it was suggested that the camera system was a not insignificant part of that cost as they had undertaken a lot of development to make a bespoke version of the electricfiends system for the BBC. This was then justified because the system would be then rolled out to other studios (i.e., the B figure was a disproportionate upfront cost), though we haven't seen any evidence of that yet (not that I'm complaining, mind).

[lepeterrr]

I'm presuming BBC London has been coming from D whilst B has been out of action?