Category: Radio
Leicester; Asian Network;
East Midlands TV
Date: 26.07.2005
Printable version
BBC Leicester's new state of the art broadcasting centre
in St Nicholas Place will be officially opened today (Tuesday 26 July)
by Pat Loughrey, Director, BBC Nations and Regions, and Jenny Abramsky,
Director, BBC Radio and Music.
Home to BBC Radio Leicester and the hub of the BBC
Asian Network, the colourful new centre emphasises the BBC's commitment
to creating a more locally relevant BBC and channelling new investment
into services which meet the needs of local audiences across the UK.
Pat Loughrey, Director, BBC Nations and Regions, says:
"We're delighted to be at this wonderful new centre, which is more open
and accessible to our audiences than ever before.
"The Open Centre and Public Space show how the
BBC is throwing open its doors inviting the local community in.
"As the BBC's first local radio station, Radio Leicester
set the wheels in motion for having a local BBC presence in all parts
of the country. Now there are 40 such stations across England, attracting
over eight million listeners a week, each providing its local community
with a friendly and informative speech-based service that caters for
them as local licence payers - and only for them."
Jenny Abramsky, Director, BBC Radio and Music, adds:
"The Asian Network continues to grow and develop into the voice of British
Asians and a celebration of Asian culture and music.
"This impressive new building marks another key
development in the network as it flourishes as a national DAB station."
In a prime city centre location, BBC Leicester has seven
studios equipped with the latest digital technology.
Website teams for Leicestershire and the Asian Network
are on site, along with television facilities for the regional news
programme East Midlands Today.
In the fully interactive Open Centre, local people
can use the internet or take part in learning, as well as having the
opportunity to contribute to local radio and the Where I Live website
for Leicestershire.
For the first time, visitors can watch radio presenters
live on air through the viewing windows; relax in the internet café
and browse in the BBC Shop which stocks a variety of BBC DVDs, videos,
audio and books.
While embracing the latest in technology and design,
the building's historical roots have been carefully preserved. Special
lighting and glass panels in the floor of the cafe provide a viewing
point to the important Norman archaeological site that lies underneath.
Innovative public art created by Cleo Mussi and Ashok
Mistry is a central feature of BBC Leicester.
Ceramicist Cleo Mussi has produced a magnificent mosaic
in the foyer called Unswept Floor, 2005.
The large installation represents the city of Leicester
- its history and its ethnic diversity. Created with support from other
well-known national and local ceramicists, the commission also includes
ideas from the local community.
Local artist Ashok Mistry has designed two artworks
to provide access to and interpret the history of the archaeological
findings at the centre.
Time-Light offers visitors' access to the Norman undercroft
via cameras, and Talking Walls illuminates the history and context of
the undercroft through digital arts, poetry and acoustic music.
Facts about BBC Leicester at St Nicholas Place
BBC Leicester's new home is a three-storey building
at 9 St Nicholas Place.
A full-height glazed atrium runs through the heart
of the building to provide an open and inviting space to the general
public.
The centre is built on one of the most important road
junctions in the city's long history, where the Roman Fosse Way crossed
the town's medieval High Street.
It stands on the site of a former cheese warehouse built
in the 1840s.
Rare encaustic coloured tiles, made by two famous English
companies, were mounted on the front facade of the old building, and
have been made into two permanent displays in the BBC Open Centre.
Slate tiles from the old warehouse have also been incorporated
into the roof of the new building.
BBC Radio Leicester
Radio Leicester began broadcasting on 8 November 1967
on 95.05 VHF to the central area of Leicester from Epic House, a ten-storey
office block built in the mid-Sixties.
The station serves Leicestershire and Rutland.
Radio Leicester now broadcasts on 104.9 FM, on DAB digital
radio and at bbc.co.uk/leicester.
BBC Asian Network
The Asian Network evolved from Asian programming on
BBC Radio Leicester in the Seventies and is the only UK-wide BBC radio
station based out of London.
The centre in Leicester houses the station's management,
its newsroom and its sport operation.
Many of the station's key programmes are broadcast
from the Leicester studios.
The Asian Network is available on DAB digital radio,
on medium wave in the Midlands and at bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork.
