Television Centre, Southampton
Encyclopedia
Television Centre, Southampton, also known as The Southern Television Centre, The Southampton Television Centre and unofficially as The Northam Studios and locally as The Dream Factory. It was home and headquarters of the three ITV
contractors for the South and South East region: Southern
, TVS
and Meridian
.
as replacement facilities for their converted cinema studios. The new complex would be located on the same site as the original cinema, on land reclaimed from the River Itchen. The new complex was state of the art and fully equipped for colour television, launched in the region in 1969. Southern moved into the new complex on 19 August 1969. The site had two large production studios, ready to produce many of Southern's programme productions for the ITV Network. It was from here that Southern's news operations were based also, with a separate studio for their news programme: Day by Day. The site also featured access to the river where Southern's motor boat Southerner
, could be moored allowing for easy and quick access for a news team to take to the water.
Operations continued at the Television Centre until 1980, when the latest ITV franchise round occurred. The region itself was sought after, with the region having the highest advertising revenues and Southern was replaced as ITV contractor by Television South
or TVS for short. Prior to the new company taking control of the region, Southern continued to use the studio complex but had no studio or office space within the buildings. In August 1981, TVS completed the purchase of the site including land for the future, equipment and news library. Office space for TVS was provided by the new company basing it's operations in Portakabins located in the car park, while Southern continued their operation inside the centre (later repeated by Meridian as they waited to take over from TVS). This was mocked on the closing night of Southern, with the song 'Portakabin TV', performed by Richard Stilgoe
.
The new contractor continued producing programmes at the Southampton base, and increased production significantly throughout their period. As a result they created a number of extensions with a new car park, scenery blocks, production offices and a location facilities garage in the ex Fairways Marine building. The main office building was connected to the studio block by an elevated walkway. TVS continued successfully until 1991, when another franchise round occurred and they lost, possibly as a result of financial problems the company occurred following the takeover of MTM Enterprises
.
The new franchise holder, Meridian Broadcasting
, originally had plans to base itself in an office unit as its operation required only presentation and play out facilities with a small studio for local news. They had no plans to make programmes themselves and would therefore have no use for a studio facility as large as the TVS base in Southampton. This would have left TVS with two studio complexes, the modern studios in Maidstone being their choice for a base as an Independent Production Company. However, following TVS's franchise loss, the two companies negotiated the takeover of the studios by Meridian
, ending in Meridian's purchase of the Northam studio complex. This also preserved a number of jobs originally not planned by Meridian. However, it still meant huge job losses: 100 of TVS's original workforce of 760 continued to work for Meridian, the others mainly working as freelances, many for independent companies.
On 1 January 1993, Meridian took control of the franchise. Despite not originally intending to own such a huge facility, they did put it to good use, with some productions made in the studios there. Meridian also rented out these studio spaces to other independent production companies, including programmes commissioned directly for Meridian. Following Meridian's merger with Anglia Television
and HTV
to form United News & Media, some playout and presentation facilities for these regions were moved to Northam, saving the company a significant amount of money. Their productions also increased in 1997 following the launch of Channel 5, which was part owned by United News Media, as many of the new channels programmes were made at Northam.
However, in 2000, United News Media was bought by Granada PLC, which in 2004, merged with Carlton Communications
to form ITV plc
, a new company owning all the ITV franchises in England, Wales and South Scotland. This also left the new company with at least 13 studio complexes: the production centres of all of the companies they had taken over. It was decided that this number should be reduced to The London Studios
, formerly of LWT
, The Leeds Studios, formerly of Yorkshire Television
and The Quay Street Studios (alternatively called 3sixtymedia), formerly of Granada
, with all other studio complexes being sold and replaced with small scale offices and news gathering centres.
Meridian's studio complex was not as big as some of the other production sites, was too close to The London Studios
to be useful and wasn't in a central location. It was surplus to requirements for the region, and was nearly 35 years old. It was therefore decided that the studios would be closed, and all operations moved to a new purpose built unit at Whiteley
. The last network production at the studios was in June 2004, with the last live programme being the late night Meridian Tonight
, on 17 December 2004. As the new studio complex was fully equipped, all equipment, furniture and other more unusual lots: the original TVS portakabins for example, were auctioned off on 3 March 2005.
In the years following the move some areas of the studios were dismantled, with technical equipment being stripped from the building, such as miles of cables. For many years after this, the building stood empty and neglected while a decision was made as to the future of the site. Demolition of the outlying buildings began in the summer of 2008. The site was partially dismantled and demolished and then the main building - the original studio built by Southern
- was finally finished in 2009. The site remains empty after its developer, Oakdene, went into administration in 2009. There are plans for luxury flats to be built offering a riverside location close to the city centre.
ITV
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...
contractors for the South and South East region: Southern
Southern Television
Southern Television was the first ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 30 August 1958 until the night of 31 December 1981. The company was launched as Southern Television Limited and the title Southern Television was consistently used on-air throughout its life...
, TVS
Television South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
and Meridian
Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited....
.
History
The site was built by the original ITV contractor, SouthernSouthern Television
Southern Television was the first ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 30 August 1958 until the night of 31 December 1981. The company was launched as Southern Television Limited and the title Southern Television was consistently used on-air throughout its life...
as replacement facilities for their converted cinema studios. The new complex would be located on the same site as the original cinema, on land reclaimed from the River Itchen. The new complex was state of the art and fully equipped for colour television, launched in the region in 1969. Southern moved into the new complex on 19 August 1969. The site had two large production studios, ready to produce many of Southern's programme productions for the ITV Network. It was from here that Southern's news operations were based also, with a separate studio for their news programme: Day by Day. The site also featured access to the river where Southern's motor boat Southerner
Southerner (marine vessel)
Southerner was a marine outside broadcast unit operated by Southern Television in the United Kingdom from the mid-1960s.-Origins:In the early 1960s, Southern Television hired the former Proud Grenadier Motor Torpedo Boat MTB 506 as a platform to provide coverage of Cowes Week, a famous maritime...
, could be moored allowing for easy and quick access for a news team to take to the water.
Operations continued at the Television Centre until 1980, when the latest ITV franchise round occurred. The region itself was sought after, with the region having the highest advertising revenues and Southern was replaced as ITV contractor by Television South
Television South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
or TVS for short. Prior to the new company taking control of the region, Southern continued to use the studio complex but had no studio or office space within the buildings. In August 1981, TVS completed the purchase of the site including land for the future, equipment and news library. Office space for TVS was provided by the new company basing it's operations in Portakabins located in the car park, while Southern continued their operation inside the centre (later repeated by Meridian as they waited to take over from TVS). This was mocked on the closing night of Southern, with the song 'Portakabin TV', performed by Richard Stilgoe
Richard Stilgoe
Richard Henry Simpson Stilgoe OBE is a British songwriter, lyricist and musician. He is noted for clever wordplay as much as for his music....
.
The new contractor continued producing programmes at the Southampton base, and increased production significantly throughout their period. As a result they created a number of extensions with a new car park, scenery blocks, production offices and a location facilities garage in the ex Fairways Marine building. The main office building was connected to the studio block by an elevated walkway. TVS continued successfully until 1991, when another franchise round occurred and they lost, possibly as a result of financial problems the company occurred following the takeover of MTM Enterprises
MTM Enterprises
MTM Enterprises was an American independent production company established in 1969 by Mary Tyler Moore and her then-husband Grant Tinker to produce The Mary Tyler Moore Show for CBS...
.
The new franchise holder, Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited....
, originally had plans to base itself in an office unit as its operation required only presentation and play out facilities with a small studio for local news. They had no plans to make programmes themselves and would therefore have no use for a studio facility as large as the TVS base in Southampton. This would have left TVS with two studio complexes, the modern studios in Maidstone being their choice for a base as an Independent Production Company. However, following TVS's franchise loss, the two companies negotiated the takeover of the studios by Meridian
Meridian Broadcasting
Meridian Broadcasting is the holder of the ITV franchise for the South and South East of England. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited....
, ending in Meridian's purchase of the Northam studio complex. This also preserved a number of jobs originally not planned by Meridian. However, it still meant huge job losses: 100 of TVS's original workforce of 760 continued to work for Meridian, the others mainly working as freelances, many for independent companies.
On 1 January 1993, Meridian took control of the franchise. Despite not originally intending to own such a huge facility, they did put it to good use, with some productions made in the studios there. Meridian also rented out these studio spaces to other independent production companies, including programmes commissioned directly for Meridian. Following Meridian's merger with Anglia Television
Anglia Television
Anglia Television is the ITV franchise holder for the East Anglia franchise region. Although Anglia Television takes its name from East Anglia, its transmission coverage extends beyond the generally accepted boundaries of that region. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional...
and HTV
HTV
HTV, now legally known as ITV Wales & West, is the ITV contractor for Wales and the West of England, which operated from studios in Cardiff and Bristol. The company provided commercial television for the dual-region 'Wales and West' franchise, which it won from TWW in 1968...
to form United News & Media, some playout and presentation facilities for these regions were moved to Northam, saving the company a significant amount of money. Their productions also increased in 1997 following the launch of Channel 5, which was part owned by United News Media, as many of the new channels programmes were made at Northam.
However, in 2000, United News Media was bought by Granada PLC, which in 2004, merged with Carlton Communications
Carlton Communications
Carlton Communications was a British media company. It was led by Michael Green and listed on the London Stock Exchange from 1983 until 2 February 2004, when it taken over by Granada plc to form ITV plc with Carlton gaining 32% of the new company....
to form ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
, a new company owning all the ITV franchises in England, Wales and South Scotland. This also left the new company with at least 13 studio complexes: the production centres of all of the companies they had taken over. It was decided that this number should be reduced to The London Studios
The London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
, formerly of LWT
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
, The Leeds Studios, formerly of Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
and The Quay Street Studios (alternatively called 3sixtymedia), formerly of Granada
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, with all other studio complexes being sold and replaced with small scale offices and news gathering centres.
Meridian's studio complex was not as big as some of the other production sites, was too close to The London Studios
The London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
to be useful and wasn't in a central location. It was surplus to requirements for the region, and was nearly 35 years old. It was therefore decided that the studios would be closed, and all operations moved to a new purpose built unit at Whiteley
Whiteley
Whiteley is a community in the county of Hampshire, England, near Fareham. The development straddles the boundary between two council districts: the Borough of Fareham to the south and east, and the city of Winchester to the north and west.-Location:...
. The last network production at the studios was in June 2004, with the last live programme being the late night Meridian Tonight
Meridian Tonight
Meridian Tonight is a regional television news and current affairs programme, produced by ITV Meridian , serving the South and South East of England , and usually broadcast at 6pm and 10.30pm every weeknight. Other bulletins are branded as Meridian News...
, on 17 December 2004. As the new studio complex was fully equipped, all equipment, furniture and other more unusual lots: the original TVS portakabins for example, were auctioned off on 3 March 2005.
Southern Television
Southern Television was the first ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 30 August 1958 until the night of 31 December 1981. The company was launched as Southern Television Limited and the title Southern Television was consistently used on-air throughout its life...
- was finally finished in 2009. The site remains empty after its developer, Oakdene, went into administration in 2009. There are plans for luxury flats to be built offering a riverside location close to the city centre.
Southern Television
- Out of Town
- HowHow (TV series)How was a British educational television show created by Jack Hargreaves. It was produced from 1966 by Southern Television, for whom Hargreaves was a presenter and Deputy Programme Controller. It lasted until 1981, when the company lost its franchise to TVS....
- Houseparty
- Day by Day
- The Ladybirds
- A Hymn for Easter
- Freewheelers
- Little Big Time
- Oliver in the Overworld
- The Dreamers
- The Black Arrow
- Miss Nightingale
- Runaround
- Saturday BananaSaturday BananaThe Saturday Banana was a Saturday morning children's television show produced by Southern Television for ITV and presented by Goodies star Bill Oddie. Oddie also wrote and sang the theme tune...
- Winston Churchill: The Wilderness YearsWinston Churchill: The Wilderness YearsWinston Churchill: The Wilderness Years is an 8-part 1981 drama serial based on the life of Winston Churchill, and particularly his years in enforced exile from political position during the 1920s and 30s...
- Worzel GummidgeWorzel Gummidge (TV series)Worzel Gummidge is a children's television series, produced by Southern Television for ITV, based on the books by Barbara Euphan Todd. Starting in 1979, the programme starred Jon Pertwee in the title role and ran for four series in the UK until 1981...
- Sally Ann
- Spearhead
- Dick Barton
- Together
- It's Goodbye From Us
Television South
- Coast to CoastCoast to Coast (UK TV series)Coast to Coast was the flagship regional news programme produced by Television South, covering the south and southeast of England with separate news services for both parts of the dual-region between January 1982 and December 1992.-Beginnings:...
- Fraggle Rock
- No. 73No. 73No 73, later re-titled 7T3, was a British 1980s children's TV show produced by Television South for the ITV network. It was broadcast live on Saturday mornings and ran from 1982 to 1988...
- Catchphrase
- The Human Factor
- MotormouthMotormouthMotormouth was a Saturday morning children's television series that was produced by Television South and aired across the ITV network for four series, running between 3 September 1988 and 4 April 1992...
- Art AttackArt AttackArt Attack is a British children's television series revolving around art. The original series was one of ITV's longest running programmes, running from 1990 to 2007, and was presented throughout by Neil Buchanan. The brand new series launched on Disney Junior on June 6 2011 and is presented by...
- Panic Station
- DJ
- Mary O`Hara
- Liz Robertson
- Action for Drugs
- Music in Camera
- People Get Ready
- That's Love
- Theatre in Camera
- Run for Your Wife
- The Brief
- Dramarama
- Radio Phoenix
- Help Squad
- Etcetera
- Richard Digance
- Bobby Davro
- The Time The Place
- Coast to Coast People
- Questions
- TV Weekly
- Agenda
- Regrets
- Challenge of the South
- Ultra Quiz
- On Safari
- Telethon 88/90/92
- Frocks on the Box
- Real World
- Goodbye To All That
Meridian
- Meridian TonightMeridian TonightMeridian Tonight is a regional television news and current affairs programme, produced by ITV Meridian , serving the South and South East of England , and usually broadcast at 6pm and 10.30pm every weeknight. Other bulletins are branded as Meridian News...
- Denis Norden's Laughter File
- That's Esther
- Loud and Clear
- Serve You Right
- Houseparty
- Fit to Win
- Cybercafe
- Turnstyle (for Channel 5)
- The Mag (for Channel 5)
External links
- TVARK South & South East ITV Index
- TVARK Southern TV Index - Includes model of complex
- Historical Television Website - Southern - Includes a picture of the studios upon completion
- Historical Television Website - TVS
- Historical Television Website - Meridian
- Transdiffusion - Studio One - From The South Part 1
- Transdiffusion - Studio One - From The South Part 2
- Transdiffusion - Ident - All Change
- YouTube slideshow of derelict complex - Uploaded by YouTube user CentralSouth. Contains photos taken when he visited the derelict site in June 2008, four years after Meridian's departure.