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http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> News and Comment >> Which channel next? http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1305050315 Message started by Administrator on May 10^th, 2011, 5:59pm

Title: Which channel next?
Post by Administrator on May 10^th, 2011, 5:59pm

Go North!!

The BBC director general, Mark Thompson, has admitted the corporation is looking at moving another channel to its new northern headquarters in Salford.

About 500 to 1,000 more staff could be added to the 2,300 already relocating to the new £600m MediaCityUK as part of a strategy to make the BBC less London-centric.

After more than five years of planning, staff are beginning to move from London into the new BBC North base, which will be home to its children's department, along with sport, learning, parts of Radio 5 Live, BBC Breakfast and parts of future media and technology by 2012.

Speaking at a launch to show the media the new buildings and offices that will house productions such as Match of the Day and Blue Peter, Thompson was asked if any more departments or channels could relocate.

"We're looking at it," he replied, adding that it is being discussed "as part of 'Delivering Quality First'", the review he initiated to make 20% of cost savings after last year's stringent licence fee settlement.

Thompson said there is additional "space if we choose to take it" at MediaCityUK and it could "be an opportunity to save money".

Peter Salmon, the BBC North director, said there is potentially space for "500 to 1,000 people".

The corporation also gave an update on the cost of BBC North – £189m to date. So far £40.8m has been spent on designing and kitting out the three BBC buildings, £86.5m on relocation packages, redundancy and recruitment, £74.8m on technology, £19.9m on moving and £11.3m on "professional services" such as surveyors to ensure the corporation is getting value for its money.

Set against that is the opportunity cost of the BBC departments chosen to move remaining in their current homes in Television Centre in west London and Oxford Road in Manchester and refurbishing them, which the corporation claims would be £44m.

The BBC revealed around 69% of the 390 people currently relocating have said they will buy a home in the north-west.

They will be entitled to a number of benefits, including a contribution from the corporation of up to £3,000 towards fixtures such as curtains and carpets, plus a taxable relocation payment of £5,000.

The generous allowance is estimated to cost the BBC just over £2m but that bill could rise if other staff who are due to relocate, such as those on BBC Breakfast, choose to buy homes.

The BBC also said 31% of staff moving have chosen to rent and take up a so-called "remote location" package, which entitles them to up to £1,900 per month in rental payments for two years.

Thompson said that once BBC North has been up and running for a few years "all that negativity [about the move] will vanish… and people will forget about it".

He pointed out that about 2,500 staff from other departments within the BBC had asked if they could relocate to Salford.

Thompson predicted that in years to come someone working at MediaCity will be running the BBC.

Salmon announced BBC North is bringing more employment to Greater Manchester, offering 100 apprenticeships and setting up a BBC North "ambassadors" scheme, which will give 16- to 19 year-olds looking for their first job a salaried six-month role working on the BBC's front desk.

The BBC also announced Salford will be host to the Sports Personality of the Year event in December and that for the first time, the BBC Philharmonic will play live on seven of the BBC's national radio networks, including Radio 1, as part of a new festival in June.

Separately, Salmon confirmed again that although he is currently renting in the north-west, he is buying a house next year.

By:- Tara Conlon.

Source:-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/10/bbc-salford-mark-thompson