Studios
When first built, Broadcasting House contained twenty two radio studios all the programme genres and all designed in the art-deco style with a dual emphasis on both looks and practicality. The overall practicality to the studios changed rapidly due to limitations of the time and also due to the changing nature of broadcasting and the uses of the studios. These studios were:
| Number | Name | Designer | Designed use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8A | Military Band studio | Serge Chermayeff | Designed for large band and vaudeville performances. |
| 8B | Small Debates studio | Serge Chermayeff | A small informally designed studio to encourage lively and confident debate. |
| 7A | Production studio | Wells Coates | Acoustically dead studio, used for one section of a drama. |
| 7B | Production studio | Wells Coates | Used for speech in a play or drama or for piano performances. |
| 7C | Production studio | Wells Coates | Acoustically dead small drama studio. |
| 7D | Effects studio | Wells Coates | Small effects studio for producing foley. |
| 7E | Gramophone Effects studio | Wells Coates | Small studio for producing effects from or involving gramophones. |
| 6A | Production studio | Wells Coates | Double height, large production studio for use in Drama productions. |
| 6B | Production studio | Wells Coates | Small drama studio. |
| 6C | Production studio | Wells Coates | Acoustically dead small drama studio. |
| 6D | Effects studio | Wells Coates | Main effects studio for the production of foley. It was equipped with different floor coverings and coverings on the main table to achieve different effects and contained various items including a wind machine and a water tank. |
| 6E | Gramophone Effects studio | Wells Coates | Small studio for producing effects from or involving gramophones. |
| 4A | News studio | Wells Coates | Acoustically dead small studio for reading news bulletins. Contained gramophone records to be played out in case of an interruption. |
| 4B | News studio | Wells Coates | Acoustically dead small news studio with record players. |
| 3A | Production studio | Serge Chermayeff | A double height large studio used for Children's Hour and used for chamber music recitals and by the BBC Dance Orchestra. |
| 3B | Talks studio | Serge Chermayeff | A small talks studio for unrehearsed debates. |
| 3C | Talks studio | Serge Chermayeff | An acoustically dead small talks studio for unrehearsed debates. |
| 3D | Library Talks studio | Dorothy Warren Trotter | A small talks studio for speeches and debates. It was decorated in the style of a personal library or study for the benefit of elderly or lordly speakers. |
| 3E | Religious studio | Edward Maufe | A double height large studio with a balcony that was designed for religious broadcasts. The studio was specifically designed with a focus on all religions so that any religious member would feel comfortable. The studio was soon disused as listeners preferred the sound of a real church and congregation. |
| The concert hall | Val Myer | A very large double height concert hall for use by orchestras in playing classical music. The hall contains a large space for the orchestra as well as a large section and a balcony for seating. The first organ suitable for broadcasting was installed in the studio. It was renamed the Radio Theatre in 1994. | |
| BA | Vaudeville studio | Raymond McGrath | A double height studio with balcony for theatre and variety performances. An audience of 60 could be present for performances. |
| BB | Dance band studio | Raymond McGrath | A double height studio with a small balcony for an audience for use by the BBC Dance Orchestra. It was taken over for experimental television broadcasts on 22 August 1932. |
Following the rebuild and refurbishment of Broadcasting House, several new studios have been added and the studio structure itself has changed dramatically. The current studios are:
| Studio | Medium | User(s) | Programme(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| S32 | Radio | BBC World Service | World Update |
| SL1 | Radio | BBC World Service | World Briefing |
| Studio G4D | Television | BBC London | BBC London News |
| Studio 34D | Television | BBC World Service | BBC Arabic Television |
| Studio 44D | Television | BBC World Service | BBC Arabic Television |
| Studio 54D | Television | BBC World Service | BBC Persian Television |
| Studio A | Television | Multipurpose (Green Screen Virtual Studio) |
Hardtalk Newswatch |
| Studio B | Television | Multipurpose | The Andrew Marr Show Sunday Politics |
| Studio C | Television | BBC World News | BBC World News (TBC) |
| Studio D | Television | BBC London | BBC London News |
| Studio E | Television | BBC News | BBC News channel(TBA) |
| Newsroom | Television | Reporters (BBC News programme) |
Until programmes air information is subject to change.
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