This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2013/may/14/made-in-leeds-tv-north-broadcasting
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Made in Leeds: the next milestone for broadcasting from the North | Made in Leeds: the next milestone for broadcasting from the North |
| (8 days later) | |
| 3 May 1956: Granada Television launches transmissions from Quay Street, Manchester. Granada had been a cinema company for two decades before it became one of the country's first independent TV producers when it was awarded the ITV franchise for the north of England. | 3 May 1956: Granada Television launches transmissions from Quay Street, Manchester. Granada had been a cinema company for two decades before it became one of the country's first independent TV producers when it was awarded the ITV franchise for the north of England. |
| Independent TV had been a controversial issue for some time. Businesses and lobbyists called for a new commercial element in British broadcasting, while traditional voices at the BBC and in parliament warned of lower standards, vulgar Americanisation, and the danger of neglecting minority interests in the constant pursuit of ratings. The Beeb's first director general, Lord Reith, declared that commercial TV would have much the same impact on the fabric of British society as bubonic plague once had. | Independent TV had been a controversial issue for some time. Businesses and lobbyists called for a new commercial element in British broadcasting, while traditional voices at the BBC and in parliament warned of lower standards, vulgar Americanisation, and the danger of neglecting minority interests in the constant pursuit of ratings. The Beeb's first director general, Lord Reith, declared that commercial TV would have much the same impact on the fabric of British society as bubonic plague once had. |
| Granada chairman's, the Essex-born Sidney Bernstein, established Granada TV in Manchester, explaining with tongue only slightly in cheek that a casual glance at the city's rainfall charts made it an ideal place for television. On its launch night, Bernstein closed broadcasting with a "valentine" to the BBC, paying tribute to their global broadcasting stature. "I can only hope we do as well," he said graciously. | Granada chairman's, the Essex-born Sidney Bernstein, established Granada TV in Manchester, explaining with tongue only slightly in cheek that a casual glance at the city's rainfall charts made it an ideal place for television. On its launch night, Bernstein closed broadcasting with a "valentine" to the BBC, paying tribute to their global broadcasting stature. "I can only hope we do as well," he said graciously. |
| 24 June 1968. BBC Radio Leeds goes live with the immortal words uttered by a brusque, broad West Riding voice: "Radio Leeds? It's a bloody waste of time". | 24 June 1968. BBC Radio Leeds goes live with the immortal words uttered by a brusque, broad West Riding voice: "Radio Leeds? It's a bloody waste of time". |
| It was not the first local BBC station to go on the air – that was Radio Leicester the previous November. But under its first station manager – the mercurial, swashbuckling, dazzlingly egotistical BBC man Phil Sidey – Radio Leeds became perhaps the most famous. Dubbed "Radio Irreverent" by the more established press, Sidey's Radio Leeds became a fixture of the city's social life. "Give me ten Radio Leeds men and transport," wrote one London reporter after seeing the station in action, "and I will conquer the world." | It was not the first local BBC station to go on the air – that was Radio Leicester the previous November. But under its first station manager – the mercurial, swashbuckling, dazzlingly egotistical BBC man Phil Sidey – Radio Leeds became perhaps the most famous. Dubbed "Radio Irreverent" by the more established press, Sidey's Radio Leeds became a fixture of the city's social life. "Give me ten Radio Leeds men and transport," wrote one London reporter after seeing the station in action, "and I will conquer the world." |
| Two milestones in the history of broadcasting here on the Northerner's patch. For decades, these institutions and their staff have transformed the North, how we see ourselves and the rest of the world. With enduring productions like Coronation Street, "Granada From The North" relentlessly broadcast northern voices and northern stories to the rest of the country and beyond. And with its community-focused interviews and reports, BBC Radio Leeds made the city a better connected place, more aware and more informed about the lives of the people alongside whom they lived and worked. | Two milestones in the history of broadcasting here on the Northerner's patch. For decades, these institutions and their staff have transformed the North, how we see ourselves and the rest of the world. With enduring productions like Coronation Street, "Granada From The North" relentlessly broadcast northern voices and northern stories to the rest of the country and beyond. And with its community-focused interviews and reports, BBC Radio Leeds made the city a better connected place, more aware and more informed about the lives of the people alongside whom they lived and worked. |
| This year heralds another once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the face of media across our regions, to bring people together and share their stories with the world. Over the coming months, an array of new local TV stations are scheduled to launch throughout the UK. | This year heralds another once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the face of media across our regions, to bring people together and share their stories with the world. Over the coming months, an array of new local TV stations are scheduled to launch throughout the UK. |
| The switchover from analogue to digital TV freed up space on the broadcasting spectrum. In 2012 Parliament mandated Ofcom to offer this "white space" to a range of new local television services. As part of their most recent licence fee settlement, the BBC promised to offer £40m to the cause – mostly to pay for the technical infrastructure, as well as for regional BBC services to buy content from the new local stations. Each station was nonetheless compelled to be financially viable on its own terms, relying on advertising and sponsorship to pay for its broadcasts. | The switchover from analogue to digital TV freed up space on the broadcasting spectrum. In 2012 Parliament mandated Ofcom to offer this "white space" to a range of new local television services. As part of their most recent licence fee settlement, the BBC promised to offer £40m to the cause – mostly to pay for the technical infrastructure, as well as for regional BBC services to buy content from the new local stations. Each station was nonetheless compelled to be financially viable on its own terms, relying on advertising and sponsorship to pay for its broadcasts. |
| After a long application process which required potential operators to prove the strength of their ideas, their local partnerships and their business model, stations in the first nineteen locations are now preparing to launch their services – nineteen unique flavours and approaches to news, local life, entertainment and more. On the Northerner's patch, viewers throughout the Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Preston & Blackpool and Tyne & Wear regions will all see new stations come to their screens in the months ahead. | After a long application process which required potential operators to prove the strength of their ideas, their local partnerships and their business model, stations in the first nineteen locations are now preparing to launch their services – nineteen unique flavours and approaches to news, local life, entertainment and more. On the Northerner's patch, viewers throughout the Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Preston & Blackpool and Tyne & Wear regions will all see new stations come to their screens in the months ahead. |
| Made in Leeds is the station scheduled to launch this November across West Yorkshire on Freeview channel 8, Sky 117, Virgin, Freesat, and through an online on-demand service. It will transmit from Emley Moor and broadcast on digital terrestrial TV from the edge of the Pennines in the west to Selby and York in the east, from Harrogate and Knaresborough in the north to Huddersfield and Wakefield in the south (the Sky footprint is likely to extend even further). | Made in Leeds is the station scheduled to launch this November across West Yorkshire on Freeview channel 8, Sky 117, Virgin, Freesat, and through an online on-demand service. It will transmit from Emley Moor and broadcast on digital terrestrial TV from the edge of the Pennines in the west to Selby and York in the east, from Harrogate and Knaresborough in the north to Huddersfield and Wakefield in the south (the Sky footprint is likely to extend even further). |
| Every evening we will launch our prime time programming with a magazine show dedicated to the best of local life offering human interest stories, culture and arts, and a platform for new talent from the region. We will broadcast two half-hour live news bulletins every night alongside our schedule of core in-house programmes on cookery, sports, property and more, as well as new programmes made by local production companies. News and info updates as well as local shorts will run at the top of every hour throughout the daytime schedule of repeat broadcasts and acquired content. | Every evening we will launch our prime time programming with a magazine show dedicated to the best of local life offering human interest stories, culture and arts, and a platform for new talent from the region. We will broadcast two half-hour live news bulletins every night alongside our schedule of core in-house programmes on cookery, sports, property and more, as well as new programmes made by local production companies. News and info updates as well as local shorts will run at the top of every hour throughout the daytime schedule of repeat broadcasts and acquired content. |
| In terms of newsgathering our initial editorial focus will be on Leeds, but as we build our stature and our resources over time we want to develop more localised services on our patch outside of the city. But we know we will reach viewers far beyond Leeds, and our other programmes will aim to reflect that. Made in Leeds offers a platform for more focused local coverage, enabling us to make any kind of programmes that will appeal to viewers and sponsors across the region. When a big story breaks or a national event comes to Yorkshire, the BBC and ITV can by default only grant a few minutes to it; we can dedicate a whole evening's output to it if we think it will appeal to our audiences and we can do it justice. | In terms of newsgathering our initial editorial focus will be on Leeds, but as we build our stature and our resources over time we want to develop more localised services on our patch outside of the city. But we know we will reach viewers far beyond Leeds, and our other programmes will aim to reflect that. Made in Leeds offers a platform for more focused local coverage, enabling us to make any kind of programmes that will appeal to viewers and sponsors across the region. When a big story breaks or a national event comes to Yorkshire, the BBC and ITV can by default only grant a few minutes to it; we can dedicate a whole evening's output to it if we think it will appeal to our audiences and we can do it justice. |
| A core staff of 20 will make this happen at Made in Leeds: journalists, producers, camera operators, editors, technicians, and a sales team – all working from our studios at the Leeds Media & Broadcasting Centre at Savile Mount just off Chapeltown Road on the edge of the city centre. | A core staff of 20 will make this happen at Made in Leeds: journalists, producers, camera operators, editors, technicians, and a sales team – all working from our studios at the Leeds Media & Broadcasting Centre at Savile Mount just off Chapeltown Road on the edge of the city centre. |
| Made in Leeds is one of four local stations overseen by Made Television Ltd, the umbrella company which will become the largest player in this new market. In Leeds we are able to shape our own local editorial agenda whilst sharing content and ideas – not to mention backroom costs and sponsorship opportunities – with our sister stations Made in Bristol, Made in Cardiff, and Made in Tyne & Wear. All of these factors, along with the broadcasting technology available to us and our highly visible position at channel 8 on the electronic programme guide, enable us to succeed where previous experiments in local broadcasting have faltered. | Made in Leeds is one of four local stations overseen by Made Television Ltd, the umbrella company which will become the largest player in this new market. In Leeds we are able to shape our own local editorial agenda whilst sharing content and ideas – not to mention backroom costs and sponsorship opportunities – with our sister stations Made in Bristol, Made in Cardiff, and Made in Tyne & Wear. All of these factors, along with the broadcasting technology available to us and our highly visible position at channel 8 on the electronic programme guide, enable us to succeed where previous experiments in local broadcasting have faltered. |
| If that journalist from the capital thought that ten Radio Leeds men could take over the world, what might he think if he comes back to see Made in Leeds when the station goes live this year? The year 2013 will go down as another key milestone in the rich history of broadcasting across the Northerner region, and we hope you'll tune in. | If that journalist from the capital thought that ten Radio Leeds men could take over the world, what might he think if he comes back to see Made in Leeds when the station goes live this year? The year 2013 will go down as another key milestone in the rich history of broadcasting across the Northerner region, and we hope you'll tune in. |
| • Mark O'Brien is a Leeds-based writer and journalist and part of the Made in Leeds team. You can tweet Made in Leeds @madeinleeds | • Mark O'Brien is a Leeds-based writer and journalist and part of the Made in Leeds team. You can tweet Made in Leeds @madeinleeds |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. |