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For
most of the eightees, Radio Devon continued to Broadcast from it's HQ
unit in Exeter, with a studio and news facility, and a production office
in Plymouth, the two centres connected via music circuits.
At
this time Exeter was the main hub for programming and activity, and Plymouth
tended to be used as a source.
There were plans afoot to increase the presence in Plymouth, and the acquisition
of the "Old City Treasury" in Catherine Street made an ideal
location for a decent studio facility in the city.
Audix were comissioned to build some custom Mark 4 desks, and studio suites
comprised two cubicles, 1A and 1B, with a phone in area.
There was a large newsroom, reception, and a huge room at the back which
was used as a "community studio", and a small Apparatus Room
tied this lot together.
Lines were swung so that Catherine Street could feed the Plymouth medium
wave transmitter directly, and no time was wasted in produceing opt-outs
for Plymouth.
A regular feature was Craig Rich going out in the Radio Car in the morning
with a separate split, and another popular idea was to do OB's from the
various factories and some retail outlets and even peoples homes around
Plymouth.
The community studio had a window put in to a control cubicle, which housed
an old Soundcraft 500 desk ( Ex. Christchurch - Radio Bristol).
This was used for lunchtime discussion/phone in programmes and also for
quiz shows.
"Studio 2" in Catherine Street.
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The
Catherine Street era was fairly shortlived.
In 1993 savings were being sought across the BBC, so the operation was
pulled back into the BBC's SW headquarters back up at Mannamead.
The desks and facilities were squeezed back into the old house, and
further changes saw Plymouth now become the "hub" of the operation
with Exeter feeding to Plymouth, wher most of the lines and switching
were handled.
The setup remains fairly much unchanged, with Radio Devons programming
coming about half and half from each location.
North Hessary Tor mast - 103.4FM
Advances
in Technology mean that switching is much more complex and versatile,
and today switching control can be done from virtually anywhere, and
the two sites almost mirror each other. The equipment at both sites
is now very aged, but relief is on the horizon in Plymouth with a new
building near the Barbican planned for 2010.
More details as this takes shape.
Since early days the station has had small satellite studios at Barnstaple
and Paignton.
There were also studios at Sidmouth and Tavistock for a while.
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Richard
Howe was North Devons reporter based at the sixth floor of the Civic
Centre in Barnstaple for many years.
A small Radio Car covers the area, and today there are TV editing
facilities and remote cameras, as well as the radio studios. |
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