BBC Manchester

BBC Manchester is the regional quarters for the North West, The largest BBC region in the UK. BBC is a key piece for the BBC North. Manchester has always been considered by the BBC as one of its three main bases alongside London and Bristol.

Manchester was the first location for a BBC studio outside of London, founded in 1954. The BBC formed BBC Manchester in the 1950s and the Manchester department bought the studios from Mancunian Films. The BBC expanded to form another production center, BBC Picadilly Studios, located originally in Manchester City Centre.

BBC Manchester currently has three main studio bases totaling 12 studios, in the New Broadcasting House, MediaCityUk and the Granada Studios. The plans they are following is to fully move their operations to MediaCityUk.

BBC Manchester has created important programmes in the BBC line up, such as the legendary Top of the Pops, Songs of Praire, A Question of Sport, It's a Knockout and Red Dwarf. Another important part is the first Big Screen the BBC ever erected. The Screen became a permanent feature of Exchange Square after a succesful trial in Manchester during important events such as the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the 2002 Football World Cup, all of them activities closely by the BBC Manchester studios.