Midlands Today
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| Midlands Today | |
|---|---|
 Midlands Today titles |
|
| Format | Regional News |
| Starring | Nick Owen, Suzanne Virdee |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | BBC Birmingham and BBC Midlands |
| Running time | Main bulletin: 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC One West Midlands |
| Original run | 28 September 1964 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | East Midlands Today |
Midlands Today is the BBC's regional television news programme for the West Midlands region, which comprises the West Midlands county, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It also covers northern parts of Gloucestershire (including Cheltenham and Gloucester), as they are part of the Ridge Hill transmitter's coverage area. Midlands Today began on 28 September 1964, from a small studio in Broad Street, Birmingham.
Midlands Today's signal originates from Sutton Coldfield or can be watched in any part of the UK (and Europe) on digital satellite channel 979 on the BBC UK regional TV on satellite service, via Astra 2D at 28.2 degrees East. The latest edition is also available to view again on the Midlands Today website anytime.
Midlands Today is produced by BBC Midlands and broadcasts on BBC One during the regional news opt-out from the main London network feed. The programme is produced and broadcast from the BBC studios in The Mailbox, Birmingham which has been its base since 25th October 2004. Journalists are also based at newsrooms in Wolverhampton, Coventry, Hereford, Worcester, Stoke, Shrewsbury and Gloucester.
The programme began broadcasting from a small room in the Birmingham Registry Office and moved to the custom-built Pebble Mill broadcasting centre in Edgebaston on 10 November 1971. It remained there until the studios closed on 22 October 2004.
Until 1991, "Midlands Today" covered the entire Midlands region - the East Midlands counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire are now covered by BBC East Midlands Today based in Nottingham.
The main 6.30pm presenters are Nick Owen (formerly known as a former presenter of Good Morning with Anne and Nick) and Suzanne Virdee. Other presenters include Kay Alexander, Michael Collie, Sarah Falkland, Satnam Rana, Bernardette Kearney and Ashley Blake. Shefali Oza and Simon Keeling present weather and Ian Winter is the main sports presenter.
Former presenters have included Tom Coyne, the late Alan Towers (until July 1997), David Stevens, David Davies, Kathy Rochford (who transferred to the East Midlands), Sue Beardsmore, Matt Smith, Julian Worricker and Michael Buerk.
Senior presenter Alan Towers's sudden on-air departure in July 1997 (after twenty five years) brought about one of the most controversial moments in the programme's history when he shared indignant views on the state of BBC management, describing them as pygmies in grey suits wearing blindfolds.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Broadcasts
| Time | Presenter(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0630 | Kay Alexander/Sarah Falkland/Satnam Rana | During BBC Breakfast, includes Traffic News & Weather |
| 0700 | Kay Alexander/Sarah Falkland/Satnam Rana | During BBC Breakfast, includes Traffic News & Weather |
| 0730 | Kay Alexander/Sarah Falkland/Satnam Rana | During BBC Breakfast, includes Traffic News & Weather |
| 0800 | Kay Alexander/Sarah Falkland/Satnam Rana | During BBC Breakfast, includes Traffic News & Weather |
| 0830 | Kay Alexander/Sarah Falkland/Satnam Rana | During BBC Breakfast, includes Traffic News & Weather |
| 0900 | Kay Alexander/Sarah Falkland/Satnam Rana | During BBC Breakfast, includes Traffic News & Weather |
| 1330 | Nick Owen or Suzanne Virdee | During BBC News at One, includes Weather |
| 1500 | Nick Owen or Suzanne Virdee | A quick update including sign language. No weather. |
| 1830 | Nick Owen & Suzanne Virdee | During BBC News at Six, flagship 30 mins bulletin. Includes Weather & sport |
| 2000 | Daniel Pallet/Sarah Falkland/Suzanne Virdee | Quick news update, part of the BBC News (8pm summary). Includes a quick weather update presented by the anchor. |
| 2230 | Nick Owen or Suzanne Virdee (Ashley Blake on Fridays) | Last news update as part of BBC News at Ten Does not include weather. |
| 1730 approx, Saturdays | Sarah Falkland or Michael Collie | 5-10 programme, including local sports results. Does not include weather. |
| 1952 usually, Sundays | Michael Collie | 5-10 programme. Does not include weather. |
| 0730, Fridays (Inside Out) | Ashley Blake | 30 minute programme |
| 1200, Sundays (Politics Show Midlands) | Sarah Falkland | 30 minutes- 1220-1250 (regional) |
[edit] Reporters
- Patrick Burns (Political Editor)
- Liz Cooper (North Midlands Correspondent, Stoke)
- Lindsay Doyle
- Bob Hockenhull (Wolverhampton & the Black Country Correspondent)
- Ben Godfrey
- David Gregory (Science & Environment Correspondent)
- Giles Latcham
- Cath Mackie (Video Journalist)
- Andy Newman (Herefordshire/Worcestershire Correspondent)
- Michele Paduano (Health Correspondent)
- Peter Plisner (Transport Correspondent)
- Colin Pemberton
- Kevin Reide
- Peter Wilson (Home Affairs Correspondent)
- Joanne Writtle (Shropshire/South Staffordshire Correspondent)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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