[Spencer]

Presumably the extra work required for GMTV’s fire was because it was a permanent gas installation which would have had to have been CORGI approved.

I’m guessing for a short run of Farmhouse Kitchen recordings, they could have just rigged up some temporary ducting out through the studio doors to take the smoke of the wood fire away.

Or they could have tried the Blue Peter campfire approach.

[JexedBack]

I’m guessing that Meridian would have had to work around the TVS Coast to Coast team for their news rehearsals ahead of launch?
Did they build their set in the same studio, or in another space at TVS?

Also would GMTV have had the opportunity to do a full rehearsal with the ITV regions for the local news opt? I sure I remember Michael Wilson saying something along the lines of “it’s the first time we’ve done this, let us know if it works, your news and weather from your own ITV region.”

[Stooky Bill]

I’m guessing that Meridian would have had to work around the TVS Coast to Coast team for their news rehearsals ahead of launch?
Did they build their set in the same studio, or in another space at TVS?

Also would GMTV have had the opportunity to do a full rehearsal with the ITV regions for the local news opt? I sure I remember Michael Wilson saying something along the lines of “it’s the first time we’ve done this, let us know if it works, your news and weather from your own ITV region.”

I don't see why they wouldn't have rehearsed the opt outs, after all the regions weren't doing them into TVam. However of course they wouldn't have been able to test the last bit as they couldn't put them to air until the new year.

As for TVS, yes good question and the same for 1982. Obviously they must have had the new sets built and rehearsed and ready to go for news years day. Both Southampton and Maidstone weren't short of studio space to move the old one into, or build the new one in.

In 1982 TVS started it's South East news in Southerns Dover studio which looked tiny so more of a challenge there I suspect

[Bluecortina]

I don't see why they wouldn't have rehearsed the opt outs, after all the regions weren't doing them into TVam. However of course they wouldn't have been able to test the last bit as they couldn't put them to air until the new year.

As for TVS, yes good question and the same for 1982. Obviously they must have had the new sets built and rehearsed and ready to go for news years day. Both Southampton and Maidstone weren't short of studio space to move the old one into, or build the new one in.

In 1982 TVS started it's South East news in Southerns Dover studio which looked tiny so more of a challenge there I suspect

Southern produced 'Day by Day' from Studio 3. When TVS took over they produced' Coast to Coast' from one half of Studio 2 with a 'Sports' set in the other half. One programme was transmitted directly after the other so it was very efficient - the cameras just swung round etc. 'Coast to Coast' eventually moved into Studio 3. Meridian produced 'Meridian Tonight' (South edition) from Studio 2 - the set was far too big to fit into Studio 3. Many retained staff worked on 'Coast to Coast' and 'Meridian Tonight' so it was no big deal really.

[Steve in Pudsey]

I don't see why they wouldn't have rehearsed the opt outs, after all the regions weren't doing them into TVam. However of course they wouldn't have been able to test the last bit as they couldn't put them to air until the new year.

It would have been the first time they could do the whole thing end to end for the reasons you mention, but I guess it was a unique opportunity as the ITV networking moved from BT to NTL, they could put the remotely controlled switching kit (that let GMTV's gallery put the regional studios on air) on the new outgoing NTL circuit (that wasn't being fed to transmitters yet) and test it to their heart's content while normal output continued on the old BT circuit to the transmitters.

[Stooky Bill]

Southern produced 'Day by Day' from Studio 3. When TVS took over they produced' Coast to Coast' from one half of Studio 2 with a 'Sports' set in the other half. One programme was transmitted directly after the other so it was very efficient - the cameras just swung round etc. 'Coast to Coast' eventually moved into Studio 3. Meridian produced 'Meridian Tonight' (South edition) from Studio 2 - the set was far too big to fit into Studio 3. Many retained staff worked on 'Coast to Coast' and 'Meridian Tonight' so it was no big deal really.

Thanks got that. So what happened in Dover? Presumably they didn't have two studios?

[Stooky Bill]

It would have been the first time they could do the whole thing end to end for the reasons you mention, but I guess it was a unique opportunity as the ITV networking moved from BT to NTL, they could put the remotely controlled switching kit (that let GMTV's gallery put the regional studios on air) on the new outgoing NTL circuit (that wasn't being fed to transmitters yet) and test it to their heart's content while normal output continued on the old BT circuit to the transmitters.

As far as I'm aware the only ITV region that changed it's distribution was Westcountry, and that was just between Plymouth, Cardiff, their small studios and transmitters. Network programmes coming into Cardiff would have been still via BT. Remember from 1/1/93 (or maybe a couple of years earlier when the IBA was abolished) the companies became broadcasters for the first time so Westcountry could contract anyone they wanted to get them on air.

The other big change that night was Channel 4 which was detached from ITV and went it alone with a new distribution network

[eggsontoast]

I seem to recall LNN TX was shadowing ITV for weeks before going on-air. The stability of the commercial LMS system was hugely important to Carlton/LWT and eventually was running at 99.9% performance.
LNN News did a far bit of shadowing but not everyday and often bulletins on some days and hour long shows another. The first few days of 1993 LNN actually transmitted LWT News branded bulletins. The launch of London Tonight brand was saved until Monday January 4th.
GMTV did a neat thing with distribution to the regions having "PresFax" type running orders showing timings to opt-out from NewsStar, but also Talkback in NICAM so the regions could all hear the St5 production talkback about late changes.

[eggsontoast]

Thanks got that. So what happened in Dover? Presumably they didn't have two studios?

Meridian launched it's local news service from Maidstone Studios, Southampton Studios and the new Newbury Studios. Dover wasn't involved as a base. Later the Maidstone Studios service was moved to the new New Hythe centre for a decade or so and then back again.

[Steve in Pudsey]

Ah maybe I'm getting mixed up with the C4 distribution changing