A VISIT TO THE BEEB OR ‘THE PINK PALACE’
What an afternoon we all had on a recent visit to the ‘Pink Palace’ as it is affectionally known locally, because as the name implies, it’s a pale pinkish metal framed building with red window frames!.... So, a visit to the BBC TV studios at Newcastle where our local TV station is situated.
This was a specially organised trip by president Rod for our club, though groups can be accommodated, with a small cost per head.
When you enter the building the ‘Dr Who Tardis’ greets you and where better than to have a team photograph even though you are not taken back in time....as many of us would have liked!!
The tour lasts about three hours and, during this time you see all the broadcasting facilities the building has to offer to keep us up to date with what’s happening in the North East of England on the day.
Walking through the actual studios, sitting at the newsreaders desk and standing in the tiny studio from which the weather bulletins are produced was a fascinating experience for all seventeen of us, though the weather studio was a tight squeeze!!
So, we walked through the studios with its many cameras and huge lighting rigs set up in the darkness of ceiling voids and briefly experienced the facilities used and needed every night for broadcasting all our BBC local news and weather bulletins.
We had a fascinating tour through the archives, the newsrooms for both radio and television, a historical tour of BBC history through the years, the characters and personalities of local and national names and finally we had the opportunity to make own piece of history by recording a short radio spoof, complete with sound effects and voice-overs. This proved to be very popular with our more vocal and creative members!
All in all we had a great afternoons’ visit and president Rod gave our two guides a very positive thumbs up for looking after us and for being so patient with the barrage of questions the followed them round during the course of the afternoon.
What an afternoon we all had on a recent visit to the ‘Pink Palace’ as it is affectionally known locally, because as the name implies, it’s a pale pinkish metal framed building with red window frames!.... So, a visit to the BBC TV studios at Newcastle where our local TV station is situated.
This was a specially organised trip by president Rod for our club, though groups can be accommodated, with a small cost per head.
When you enter the building the ‘Dr Who Tardis’ greets you and where better than to have a team photograph even though you are not taken back in time....as many of us would have liked!!
The tour lasts about three hours and, during this time you see all the broadcasting facilities the building has to offer to keep us up to date with what’s happening in the North East of England on the day.
Walking through the actual studios, sitting at the newsreaders desk and standing in the tiny studio from which the weather bulletins are produced was a fascinating experience for all seventeen of us, though the weather studio was a tight squeeze!!
So, we walked through the studios with its many cameras and huge lighting rigs set up in the darkness of ceiling voids and briefly experienced the facilities used and needed every night for broadcasting all our BBC local news and weather bulletins.
We had a fascinating tour through the archives, the newsrooms for both radio and television, a historical tour of BBC history through the years, the characters and personalities of local and national names and finally we had the opportunity to make own piece of history by recording a short radio spoof, complete with sound effects and voice-overs. This proved to be very popular with our more vocal and creative members!
All in all we had a great afternoons’ visit and president Rod gave our two guides a very positive thumbs up for looking after us and for being so patient with the barrage of questions the followed them round during the course of the afternoon.
If you are interested in finding out more about Whitley Bay Rotary Club, please contact us either on enquiries@whitleybayrotaryclub.co.uk or by telephoning 07419 736989.