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August 14, 2006updated 22 Nov 2022 8:34pm

Building the BBC’s digital future: Scotland’s new state-of-the-art centre

By Press Gazette

The BBC has announced the completion of the construction of its new broadcast centre at Pacific Quay in Glasgow, after two years of building work.

When Siemens completes the installation of all the new technology, the centre will be the world's first fully digital operation with high definition capabilities.

BBC Scotland's editor of newsgathering Huw Owen told Press Gazette: "What we are trying to do is bring all video material into one system for the whole of BBC Scotland.

"That means all news material, whether its stuff shot by our camera guys, our journalists or, increasingly in the future, where the public are shooting material, it will land in one video system and will be available at every single user's desktop within a matter of seconds."

The new technology will feature digital production and post-production, radio production and studios, TV studios, presentation and playout facilities, a digital library and a "rich media search infrastructure".

It will remove a number of bottlenecks from the production process, which currently lead to journalists queuing to get into edit rooms and experiencing lengthy waits to get hold of tapes and other TV material.

Whereas at the moment, television journalists have main access to the material, the news system will enable radio and interactive journalists to have equal access to video material.

The system will also be used by all other departments within BBC Scotland, such as drama, documentaries and sport, and will speed up the process of sharing material across the whole of the corporation. The rest of the BBC is watching the Scottish model closely.

BBC Scotland controller Ken MacQuarrie said: "This magnificent building offers us a unique opportunity to create a working environment which will shape the future of broadcasting, inspire our staff and welcome our audiences to come in and see their BBC."

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