BBC South West
Encyclopedia
BBC South West is the BBC English Region
serving Devon
, Cornwall
and the Channel Islands
.
South West) consists of the flagship regional news service Spotlight
, the opt-out service BBC Channel Islands, the topical magazine programme Inside Out and a 20-minute opt-out during The Politics Show
on Sundays. A late night football magazine show Late Kick Off
is co-produced with BBC South
, BBC West
and the independent production company Pergall Media.
, BBC Radio Cornwall
, BBC Radio Jersey
and BBC Radio Guernsey
.
On weekdays, the four stations carry local programming between 5am and 6pm before joining together for networked programming between 6pm and closedown at 1am. Weekend evening programmes are also simulcast with stations in the BBC West
region.
station, Westward Television
) with ten-minute news bulletins on weekdays, originally presented by Tom Salmon. A year later, the bulletin was expanded and relaunched as the news magazine programme South West at Six (hosted by Sheila Tracy
) before being renamed again on 30 September 1963 as Spotlight South West.
An opt-out for the Channel Islands was introduced during the 1990s, beginning with short bulletins after the Nine O'Clock News
on weeknights, presented from a small studio at the Fremont Point transmitter. The service was expanded on 16 October 2000 and now incorporates the first half of Spotlights main 6:30pm programme (under the name BBC Channel Islands News) and the full late bulletin after the BBC News at Ten on weeknights. The service is now based at the studios of BBC Radio Jersey
in St Helier.
Following the merger of Westcountry
and HTV West to become ITV West & Westcountry in February 2009, Spotlight is now the only regional TV news service dedicated entirely to, and produced in, the South West, as the ITV service (The West Country Tonight
) is based in Bristol with bulletins and opt-outs for the region. Channel Television
continues to produce and broadcast its own dedicated local news service for the Channel Islands from its studios near St Helier in Jersey.
, with offices and television studios also in St Helier, Truro
and Exeter
.
The Plymouth studios were originally a Victorian villa on Seymour Road called Ingledene before being bought by the BBC following the Second World War and subsequently fitted out with technical facilities. A new colour television studio was added to the complex in 1974, allowing Spotlight to broadcast in colour for the first time. The studios are due to close later in 2011 when BBC South West is due to move to a new, purpose built broadcasting centre on the banks of Sutton Harbour opposite the Barbican
in Plymouth city centre.
BBC English Regions
BBC English Regions is the division of the BBC responsible for local television, radio, web and teletext services in England. It is one of the BBC's four 'Nations' - the others being BBC Scotland, BBC Wales and BBC Northern Ireland....
serving Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
.
Television
BBC South Wests television service (broadcast on BBC OneBBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
South West) consists of the flagship regional news service Spotlight
Spotlight (BBC South West News)
Spotlight is the BBC's regional news programme for the southwest of England, covering Cornwall, Devon, West Dorset, and Somerset. There is also a special version of the programme for viewers in the Channel Islands. The main version of the programme broadcasts between 18:30 and 18:58 on weekdays,...
, the opt-out service BBC Channel Islands, the topical magazine programme Inside Out and a 20-minute opt-out during The Politics Show
The Politics Show
The Politics Show is an hour long BBC One television political programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sundays. The programme usually starts at midday, but is often earlier or later when sporting events clash in the schedules. It was launched in 2003 and was originally presented by Jeremy...
on Sundays. A late night football magazine show Late Kick Off
Late Kick Off
Late Kick Off was a BBC One regional television football programme which was launched on 18 January 2010 and ran up to and including the 2010-2011 football season...
is co-produced with BBC South
BBC South
BBC South is the BBC English Region serving West Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, western Berkshire, Oxfordshire, south east Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight.-Television:...
, BBC West
BBC West
BBC West is the BBC English Region serving Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.-Television:...
and the independent production company Pergall Media.
Radio
The region is the controlling centre for BBC Radio DevonBBC Radio Devon
BBC Radio Devon is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Devon. It began transmissions on 17 January 1983, replacing a previous breakfast show for Devon and Cornwall broadcast on the local frequencies of Radio 4....
, BBC Radio Cornwall
BBC Radio Cornwall
BBC Radio Cornwall is the BBC Local Radio service for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the United Kingdom. It broadcasts from its studios on Phoenix Wharf in Truro on 95.2 in the east, 96.0 on the Isles of Scilly and 103.9 in the west MHz FM, as well as on DAB.Andrew George, MP for St Ives, has...
, BBC Radio Jersey
BBC Radio Jersey
BBC Radio Jersey is the BBC Local Radio service for Jersey, Channel Islands. It broadcasts from its studios at 18-21 Parade Road in Saint Helier on 88.8 FM, 1026 AM as well as online at Jersey....
and BBC Radio Guernsey
BBC Radio Guernsey
BBC Guernsey is the BBC Local Radio service for the Channel Island of Guernsey and the other islands in the Bailiwick - Alderney, Sark and Herm. It broadcasts from its studios at Broadcasting House in St Sampson's on 93.2 MHz FM-VHF and 1116 kHz AM-MW in Guernsey and 99 MHz FM-VHF in...
.
On weekdays, the four stations carry local programming between 5am and 6pm before joining together for networked programming between 6pm and closedown at 1am. Weekend evening programmes are also simulcast with stations in the BBC West
BBC West
BBC West is the BBC English Region serving Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.-Television:...
region.
Online and Interactive
BBC South West also produces regional news & local radio pages for BBC Red Button and BBC Local websites for each county.Television
BBC South West began a regional television service on 20 April 1961 (nine days before the first broadcast of the rival ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
station, Westward Television
Westward Television
Westward Television was the first ITV franchise holder for the South West of England from 29 April 1961 until 31 December 1981. After a difficult start, Westward provided a popular, distinctive and highly regarded service to its region, until public boardroom squabbles led to its franchise not...
) with ten-minute news bulletins on weekdays, originally presented by Tom Salmon. A year later, the bulletin was expanded and relaunched as the news magazine programme South West at Six (hosted by Sheila Tracy
Sheila Tracy
Sheila Tracy is a British musician, best known for her trombone playing, and as a broadcaster and journalist. She studied piano, violin and trombone at the Royal Academy of Music, then joined the Ivy Benson All Girls Band between 1956 and 1958...
) before being renamed again on 30 September 1963 as Spotlight South West.
An opt-out for the Channel Islands was introduced during the 1990s, beginning with short bulletins after the Nine O'Clock News
BBC Nine O'Clock News
The BBC Nine O'Clock News was the flagship BBC News programme launched on 14 September 1970, which ran until 15 October 2000, when it was controversially moved to BBC News at Ten....
on weeknights, presented from a small studio at the Fremont Point transmitter. The service was expanded on 16 October 2000 and now incorporates the first half of Spotlights main 6:30pm programme (under the name BBC Channel Islands News) and the full late bulletin after the BBC News at Ten on weeknights. The service is now based at the studios of BBC Radio Jersey
BBC Radio Jersey
BBC Radio Jersey is the BBC Local Radio service for Jersey, Channel Islands. It broadcasts from its studios at 18-21 Parade Road in Saint Helier on 88.8 FM, 1026 AM as well as online at Jersey....
in St Helier.
Following the merger of Westcountry
Westcountry Television
Westcountry Television, is the ITV franchise holder in the South West of England, replacing its predecessor, TSW , from the 1 January 1993...
and HTV West to become ITV West & Westcountry in February 2009, Spotlight is now the only regional TV news service dedicated entirely to, and produced in, the South West, as the ITV service (The West Country Tonight
The West Country Tonight
The West Country Tonight is a regional television news and current affairs programme, also including local sports news and local features of interest, produced by ITV West & Westcountry at its studios in Bristol...
) is based in Bristol with bulletins and opt-outs for the region. Channel Television
Channel Television
Channel Television is a British television station which has served as an Independent Television contractor to the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey...
continues to produce and broadcast its own dedicated local news service for the Channel Islands from its studios near St Helier in Jersey.
Studios
The regional headquarters and television centre is at Broadcasting House in the Mannamead area of PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, with offices and television studios also in St Helier, Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
and Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
.
The Plymouth studios were originally a Victorian villa on Seymour Road called Ingledene before being bought by the BBC following the Second World War and subsequently fitted out with technical facilities. A new colour television studio was added to the complex in 1974, allowing Spotlight to broadcast in colour for the first time. The studios are due to close later in 2011 when BBC South West is due to move to a new, purpose built broadcasting centre on the banks of Sutton Harbour opposite the Barbican
Barbican, Plymouth
The Barbican is the name now given to the western and northern sides of the old harbour area of Plymouth, Devon, England. It was one of the few parts of the city to escape most of the destruction of The Blitz during the Second World War...
in Plymouth city centre.