BBC London moving to Manchester, well Salford.
Posted:
The Beeb is moving the majority of its production t’up North to Manchester, in a location change which has proved somewhat controversial. London has long been considered the hub of all things media related in the country, with the old smoke drawing actors and filmmakers to it like a magnet to a bigger, more powerful, magnet. In recent years its sway has lessoned somewhat however, with BBC steadily ceding productions to other areas. The massive success of BBC Wales in creating some of the most popular programming on The Beeb is a clear indication of this.
The cost of the move is estimated to be around £1 Billion which is certainly nothing to be shrugged at. But let’s be fair, the iconic television centre was beginning to look a little bit scuzzy, a brown cardboard box with random white blobs stuck to the side. Media City UK on the other hand, looks like something out of Minority Report. Modern and eye catching, overlooking Salford Quays, it sends out the right message.
The Beeb is not the only media company investing in the area. ITV has been increasing its presence at the location with their flagship - Coronation Street - getting filmed there, courtesy of a new set. With Channel 4 also rumoured to be considering moving some of its departments to Salford, the locale has an air of vibrancy about it. Furthermore, it has been argued that Manchester is a far more centralised location for a corporation which purports to serve the whole of the UK.
Couple this with the huge amount of jobs development which will now take place in the area, with London already over saturated with media professionals, tens of thousands of hopefuls from the North have already applied for vacancies. Such a broadening in terms of opportunities can only be a good thing, with The BBC standing to benefit from an influx of new blood. Those left stranded in London will also be snapped up within minutes by competitors.
The Beeb’s move represents a brave step to improve creative output and reach a wider audience across the UK, with Manchester perhaps being more representative of the country as a whole than London.
Besides, everyone agrees that Manchester is a great city. Apart from Carlos Tevez.