[HTVbest]

With the recent closures of BBC News services from Cambridge and Oxford it surprises me that the BBC haven't thought of merging Points West & Spotlight.

The BBC West region must be one of the smallest in the country so could easily be amalgamated in with Plymouth? 

Points West and Spotlight already share a lot of stories about Somerset as one programme serves the north of the country and the other the south.

[Stockland Hillman]

Both regions have a very strong ratings performance, and in areas that would be VERY vocal about any changes on a far bigger scale that the Cambridge or Oxford mergers.

That said, BBC West would have to move sites soon - BBC Studios already left Whiteladies Road, and that's an expense.

While the West is bigger than South West Region, a shiney recently refurbished Plymouth studio with Mosart automation might be tempting site for a merged region rather than build a new Bristol studio.

If the BBC got over its prerecorded news aversion, Like ITV, it would be far more likely.

However, were two years from a likely Labour government and that will bring assorted changes to funding and corporate goals at the BBC, so who knows - the past isn't necessarily a guide to the future.

[Superman1986]

I hope BBC Points West is next to get the new set rollout?

[HTVbest]

I hope BBC Points West is next to get the new set rollout?

It will probably be the last if they are having to move out of the current building.

[DTV]

I hope BBC Points West is next to get the new set rollout?

It will probably be the last if they are having to move out of the current building.

I believe that BBC West (as opposed to BBC Studios) moving out of the building is a medium-term project, with nothing actually decided upon yet. I expect that Points West will get a new set as part of the current rollout - Midlands Today are getting one and BBC Midlands are the only region confirmed to be moving anywhere in the foreseeable future.

[Steve in Pudsey]

But be careful what you wish for - Bristol currently has quite a big studio, but from what has been said the regions are all getting the same set, so the replacement may be a little bit underwhelming.

[MFTJA]

I would be surprised if all the sets were the same. Some of those studios are extremely tiny while others are quite big. I suspect it'll be a bit like the 1999/2000 set rollout. The regions all shared a similar design, but had differences based on the size of the studio.

[DTV]

I would be surprised if all the sets were the same. Some of those studios are extremely tiny while others are quite big. I suspect it'll be a bit like the 1999/2000 set rollout. The regions all shared a similar design, but had differences based on the size of the studio.

Yes, I would be surprised if all the sets were identical in dimensions - would be peculiar and not in keeping with the two prior standardised set rollouts. I'm also not sure it'd really be possible given the unusual dimensions of some studios - uniformity would severely and unnecessarily restrict camera shots, etc. in some regions. Plus it'd be a massive waste of space in certain studios and, given London now share the national studio, a bit unfair on those who have the space.

From what I recall, the assertion they would all be the same size came from one post on here from somebody I didn't recongise as an insider. I assumed the post was in the 'speculative, but not marked as such' category. Even if true, I'll wait to see it confirmed somewhere else before I believe it.

[Former Member 406]

But be careful what you wish for - Bristol currently has quite a big studio, but from what has been said the regions are all getting the same set, so the replacement may be a little bit underwhelming.

Indeed. We've heard that all BBC English Regions will get an identical size/shape of set based on the smallest studio, even if that set is then floating in the middle of much larger physical studio space.

Which English Region's studio is actually the smallest (and therefore the template)? Birmingham maybe (hence it being one of the first to change)?

Presumably, the new identical sets for the regions are intended to be around for a long time yet (e.g. 10 years+, or similar), and not subject to individual regions going rougue by refreshing the hell out of it in the meantime (South Today's "news café" era, anyone?).

This gives us the prospect of both Birmingham's and Bristol's impending building moves meaning that their respective "first version" of the new set will be in use for fewer years than other regions' ones. Also, foregoing the classic scenario of having a new style set to coincide with a new building in favour of having an identical replica of the last ever set from the old building. The on-air look of the bulletins therefore being as if no building-moved has occurred, which seems a shame.

[DTV]

Which English Region's studio is actually the smallest (and therefore the template)? Birmingham maybe (hence it being one of the first to change)?

Hull is slightly smaller than Birmingham, but also significantly longer - Hull is 13.5 x 7.2m (~97 sqm), while Birmingham is roughly 11 x 9m (~99 sqm). If the identical set thing is to be believed (which I doubt), this would mean that it'd have to fit in a space of 11m x 7.2m (~79 sqm) - which would be ludicrously small. The Washington studio is a similar floorspace (~80 sqm), but is virtually square so not as constrained with regards to depth. It'd also be quite a low set owing to Salford's set having an unusually low ceiling.

A set of that size would occupy just half of the Southampton, Bristol and Plymouth studios, as well as less than a third of Newscastle's. A major waste of space. It also wouldn't fit in the current Salford studio, owing to its weird shape.