BBC North 

11 August 2023 tbs.pm/79496

1991

WHAT IS BBC NORTH?

All BBC television and radio operations in the North of England have come together to form BBC North. We’re the biggest BBC production operation outside London, making a wide range of local, regional and national programmes – and we’re expanding our output for network TV and radio to nearly 3,000 hours during 1991.

Our three separate regional broadcasting operations in the North East, the North West, and Yorkshire and Humberside produce more than 600 hours of regional television a year, with the emphasis firmly on local news and current affairs. And, sharing the aim of keeping you firmly in touch, are our ten local radio stations across the North, on air from 6 am to midnight 7 days a week.

A QUESTION OF SPORT, BBC 1

NETWORK TELEVISION

BBC North supplies about 600 hours of national television each year on BBC 1 and BBC 2. Production is centred on Manchester, which makes a wide range of programmes such as the BAFTA award-winning Ipso Facto, A Question of Sport, The Travel Show, Reportage, On The Line, The 8.15 From Manchester and People Today, BBC 1’s popular morning daytime programme. Occasional series come from our other regional centres in the North, such as Wainwright (from Newcastle) and The Estate (from Leeds).

ON THE LINE, BBC 2

To give viewers more choice, independent producers provide an increasing range of BBC North’s programmes, such as Byker Grove (from Newcastle) and the BBC’s coverage of the country’s major snooker tournaments.

NETWORK RADIO

BBC North is the only region outside London regularly supplying programmes to all five radio networks. Almost 2,500 hours of national output will be produced this year, including established favourites such as Gardeners’ Question Time, File on 4, Listen to the Band, Conversation Piece, The Organist Entertains and a wide variety of drama and feature programmes. Outside Manchester these include The Local Network from Newcastle, The Radio 2 Arts Programme from Humberside and drama and arts programmes from Sheffield.

The BBC Philharmonic is based in Manchester and plays about 75 concerts each year in the North of England and at festivals at home and abroad. It is a major contributor to BBC Radio 3, broadcasting over 150 hours of music each year, and also contributes to local radio across the Region.

REGIONAL PROGRAMMES

BBC North’s news machine is second to none. Drawing on the resources of more than 200 journalists, reporters, researchers and producers across the region, it brings you the news, fast – and probes behind the headlines for the stories that really matter to more than 15 million Northerners. Wherever you live in the North, we’ll help you keep in touch.

RADIO SHEFFIELD

In the NORTH EAST more viewers than ever before are making a nightly date with Mike Neville and Wendy Gibson for Look North (BBC 1, 6.30 pm). On Thursday nights, Close Up North with Tony Baker looks in depth at the regional issues behind the news (on BBC 2, at 7.30 pm) and on Sundays, Nigel Kay rounds up the Parliamentary week with North of Westminster (BBC 2, 12 noon). And there’s BBC Radio Newcastle and BBC Radio Cleveland on air 18 hours a day to brighten your day and give you the very latest news, sport and information for your area.

In YORKSHIRE, HUMBERSIDE and LINCOLNSHIRE, Judith Stamper and Harry Gration set the pace each night at 6.30 pm (BBC 1) with Look North. Judith also presents Close Up North each Thursday, probing the week’s key regional issues (BBC 2, 7.30 pm) and on Sundays, North of Westminster with Nigel Kay reports on how the week’s Parliamentary business has affected the North (BBC 2, 12 noon). And there’s BBC Radio Leeds, Sheffield, Humberside and York on air 7 days a week with up-to-date local news, information, travel, sport and music.

In the NORTH WEST, John Mundy, Cathy Smith and Winifred Robinson bring you North West Tonight each evening at 6.30pm (BBC 1) – Britain’s most watched regional programme outside London. Close Up North probes behind the headlines each Thursday night on BBC 2 (7.30 pm) and Felicity Goodey reports on the work of the North West’s MPs each Sunday in Northwestminster (BBC 2, 12 noon). And there’s BBC Radio Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria and GMR putting you in the picture with all that’s happening in your part of the North West.

RADIO CUMBRIA

FEEDBACK

ADVISORY COUNCIL

BBC North has a Regional Advisory Council which meets alternately in Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester. Its Chairman is Mrs Sandra Burslem and its members are drawn from all walks of life and all parts of the region. Their views on BBC programmes and policy are a crucial part of the BBC’s ‘feedback’ system. Each of BBC North’s ten local radio stations similarly has its own Advisory Council and the ten Chairmen are ex officio members of the Regional Advisory Council.

WRITING TO THE BBC

If you have any comments about BBC North or its programmes – favourable or otherwise – why not write to us? Your views matter to us and are passed on to the BBC’s senior management, here and in London. Write to:

John Shearer, Head of Broadcasting
BBC North
New Broadcasting House
Oxford Road
Manchester M60 1SJ

PEOPLE TODAY, BBC 1

With thanks to Margot Short