[bbctvtechop]

The output will be fully joined from March 6th with a full launch date of April 3rd. During this transition period, there will be no planned facility for breaking UK news.

Bizarre choice. Presume there's reasoning behind the decision but surely it makes sense to have something there?

I presume if there is something really really worth breaking in for UK audiences we will find a way.

Presumably BBC Two will also get WBR which then segues into Politics Live.

So I assume this means the last full separate proper News channel hour is the 17:00 next Friday. 

Yes. 

Still no news on new graphics... not even the slightest speculation... Are we STILL sticking to the 2008 spinning globe intro with Gill Sans place names in the transition period? Ahh the anticipation is killing me...

The email says "new presentational elements ... like countdowns and titles" but doesn't elaborate. I personally haven't seen anything new so if there is a style change it will just be in the video files making up the titles etc, otherwise there would have been weeks of piloting if, for example, all the graphical elements were changing (lower thirds etc) 

It'll be interesting to see if the opening "with the latest headlines for viewers in the UK and around the world" is dropped on 6 March as well. It's not used on the overnight simulcasts, presumably because UK viewing figures are miniscule anyway!

However, a comment on studios: the news that A is going to actively be used is very disappointing, frankly. It simply looks terrible.

Agreed. 

However, a comment on studios: the news that A is going to actively be used is very disappointing, frankly. It simply looks terrible. I was hoping that a revamp of E, including work in the newsroom and the former weather balcony / Outside Source area would allow for a solid “main studio” and secondary presentation space; A’s gallery then being used effectively for playout of the U.K. stream only and the studio not appearing on screen.

My reading is that A is only being used for the UK opt in the interim and that they'll move the UK opt to the balcony studio at the same time as E is reopened. Otherwise you'll end up with workmen in the back of shot of either E or J - which probably isn't the greatest backdrop.

My understanding is that E or J (weather/OS balcony) will not be used at all in the future. Whether that will change once next financial year's money becomes available is unknown.

Then at launch everything will comr from C with UK opt outs from A. 

One is left to wonder whether whether they will be able to do a little refurbishment of studio C in the month that it will be empty during daytimes...

This is my assumption. 

0900-1900 from Studio E, evenings and overnight from C during the transition period. Then at launch everything will comr from C with UK opt outs from A.

This may be me being thick but does this mean that after the transition period and when the new channel launches “officially”, studio E is no longer being used or it’s just a case of everything in studio C whilst E is getting refurbished?

My interpretation is that E will be mothballed. The email is very clear that the "core channel" will be entirely from C except special programmes, and UK opt outs from A.

The output will be fully joined from March 6th with a full launch date of April 3rd. During this transition period, there will be no planned facility for breaking UK news.

Bizarre choice. Presume there's reasoning behind the decision but surely it makes sense to have something there?

I presume if there is something really really worth breaking in for UK audiences we will find a way.

Presumably BBC Two will also get WBR which then segues into Politics Live.

So I assume this means the last full separate proper News channel hour is the 17:00 next Friday. 

Yes. 

Still no news on new graphics... not even the slightest speculation... Are we STILL sticking to the 2008 spinning globe intro with Gill Sans place names in the transition period? Ahh the anticipation is killing me...

The email says "new presentational elements ... like countdowns and titles" but doesn't elaborate. I personally haven't seen anything new so if there is a style change it will just be in the video files making up the titles etc, otherwise there would have been weeks of piloting if, for example, all the graphical elements were changing (lower thirds etc) 

It'll be interesting to see if the opening "with the latest headlines for viewers in the UK and around the world" is dropped on 6 March as well. It's not used on the overnight simulcasts, presumably because UK viewing figures are miniscule anyway!

However, a comment on studios: the news that A is going to actively be used is very disappointing, frankly. It simply looks terrible.

However, a comment on studios: the news that A is going to actively be used is very disappointing, frankly. It simply looks terrible. I was hoping that a revamp of E, including work in the newsroom and the former weather balcony / Outside Source area would allow for a solid “main studio” and secondary presentation space; A’s gallery then being used effectively for playout of the U.K. stream only and the studio not appearing on screen.

My reading is that A is only being used for the UK opt in the interim and that they'll move the UK opt to the balcony studio at the same time as E is reopened. Otherwise you'll end up with workmen in the back of shot of either E or J - which probably isn't the greatest backdrop.

My understanding is that E or J (weather/OS balcony) will not be used at all in the future. Whether that will change once next financial year's money becomes available is unknown.

Then at launch everything will comr from C with UK opt outs from A. 

One is left to wonder whether whether they will be able to do a little refurbishment of studio C in the month that it will be empty during daytimes...

This is my assumption. 

0900-1900 from Studio E, evenings and overnight from C during the transition period. Then at launch everything will comr from C with UK opt outs from A.

This may be me being thick but does this mean that after the transition period and when the new channel launches “officially”, studio E is no longer being used or it’s just a case of everything in studio C whilst E is getting refurbished?

The email is very clear that the "core channel" will come from C (during UK produced hours) and UK opt outs will come from A. I interpret this to mean that E will be mothballed.

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As for the UK opt outs...

There will be the ability to opt out on the UK version for domestic breaking news between 0900 and 2300 (doesn't state whether this is 7 or only 5 days a week). As above these will be from Gallery/Studio A and:

will be able to take control of the UK feed at any moment including during scheduled programmes

A few examples of when the opt out will happen are given:

[*]Verdict in a court case
[*]A political event especially one not being covered by BBC Parliament
[*]"Continuing coverage when core channel has other commitments" (I presume this means the back half hours on the World version?) 


I still don't understand how having a whole studio, gallery, crew, presenter, producer and supporting editorial team ready to go at a moment's notice for 14 hours a day is any cheaper than just producing programmes (using content already being made by the World version and other outlets) for that time anyway, especially if they drop all the live interviews except during breaking news. But those kind of working outs are far beyond my pay grade.