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Fleet Street reacts to BBC Breakfast move to Salford
How-Do reads with interest, and an occasional deep sigh, the reaction of the London-based press to yesterday's news that the BBC could be set to move its flagship Breakfast show out of the capital and into its new departmental base at Salford's MediaCityUK.
As reported on How-Do, news of the proposed relocation broke yesterday when James Laidler, a BBC producer, tweeted "Awful mood in office today - emerges Breakfast is very likely moving to Salford by 2012 and we'll have 6 months to decide if we go too.”
In a demonstration of the power of social media - which can't have been lost on Laidler, who handles "all things social media for BBC Breakfast" - the story then spread with some speed and ferocity, appearing across numerous industry and gossip sites and blogs.
Today it proved to be the turn of the mainstream press to respond, led, in it's own inimitable style, by The Sun.
Staff were, readers were told, both "fuming" and "furious" at news of the plans, with one unnamed insider commenting: "This is utter madness. To say people are upset is an understatement."
In an open display of clear neutrality on the matter, the title also pointed out that BBC Breakfast was "already in for an autumn battering from ITV's sexed-up GMTV with Christine Bleakley."
You can judge the paper's standpoint here. How-Do thinks its choice of pictures to illustrate the comparison between MediaCityUK and the BBC's London base is, well... interesting.
The Independent meanwhile offered a more sober assessment of any planned relocation, noting that Breakfast's move could "provide a more visible reminder that the corporation's national output does not all emanate from London."
Torin Douglas, BBC media correspondent, was quoted as opining: "If BBC Breakfast were to move to Salford, viewers could really start to notice that the BBC was making more of its programmes in the North.
"Breakfast runs for three hours a day on BBC 1 – and the Salford Quays waterfront and new buildings could provide a highly visible backdrop for the programme."
However, issuing a note of caution the title noted that "persuading the programme's famous guests to travel far from the capital will not be easy, as ITV show This Morning found when it broadcast from Liverpool.
"Producers of breakfast radio and television are accustomed to sending early morning taxis for interviewees, but an appearance on Breakfast might in future necessitate a journey north the night before and an overnight stay."
It also noted of the show's presenters: "It remains to be seen whether Williams, Stayt and other star Breakfast presenters such as Bill Turnbull will be prepared to follow the programme north."
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Fleet Street interestingly though had "no opinion" when ITV effectively centralised into their "beloved London" - and thousands of people at the axed/castrated regional studios lost their jobs!
Love the thought Salford Resident, think we can define that as PSB television with a justification for the move alone? Bring it on! Ha ha.
No 6, Maybe a ducking stool with room for Hazel Blears too?
Ha ha yes Salford resident, what more can BBC Breakfast want when they've got Councillor Merry on their doorstep?
This is great news on all fronts and we do have quite fast trains and planes and a motorway (for less time critical travel). The whole Media City and perception of Salford needs a boost and this will help enormously. As for famous guests? Its hard to walk anywhere in Manchester without coming across some sort of celeb' or genuinely important individual with national appeal.
Eveyone know's that all the best talent is in the North. The BBC breakfast show should be based in Manchester, if the presenters don't want to move then they can easily be replaced. As for getting people on the show, we are in the midddle of the country and have an International airport and plenty of celebs live around here.
Chris, the problem is that the Fleet Street titles have, in addition to their depressingly London-centric views, a blindingly obvious agenda against all things BBC - particularly as far as any media outlet with relations to Rupert Murdoch is concerned (God, Sky News is awful).
As a group they can't wait to put the boot in at the slightest opportunity. This sort of thing is manna to them.
The BBC is arguably the jewel in the crown of the UK media industry, with a bullet-proff reputation for producing excellent quality output across the globe.
We may not like the fact that it doesn't have to compete, unlike the rest of us, for an advertising lifeline, but I'm glad we have it and actually strangely proud of it too.
Fleet Street et al should wake up to the fact that it is respected, often loved, as an institution. The more they put the boot in the more readers will be inclined to ditch their publications/channels and go straight to the BBC for all their news and opinions.
@ Chris - spot on.
The London luvvies and the fleet street press pack best get used to the fact. It's called the British Broadcasting Corporation not London Broadcasting Corporation.
...and if you don't like it staffers go get a job in the commercial world. No DIDN'T THINK SO? See you in a few months then ;-)
Don't worry, we only eat southerners on a full moon oop North...
I really cant see what all the fuss is about, first of all BBC Breakfast’s presenter aren’t big house hold names that they cant be replaced, there is plenty of talent in
the north. I understand that getting people on the show might be harder but when
you have most of the UK’s soaps as well as footballer and there wife’s base around the northwest, which is the type of guest breakfast shows usually have. Manchester is located in the middle of the UK so better for the whole of Britain. Londoner there’s life outside the M25.