Teddington Studios
Channel Four Television had been launched in November 1982 and this, together with the satellite channels that sprang up toward the end of the 1980s, was to spell the end for the original ITV network commanding the airwaves in respect to advertising. A cocktail of Government legislation and new technology had made these changes possible. Competition had become intense and programme budgets were cut in order to stay in business. There was also the thorny question of profits in the equation. On 31st of December 1992 at midnight, another round of franchises ended and Thames Television ceased to be a broadcaster. The company was to continue, making programmes for others and renting out the Teddington studios and facilities. The lengthy Indian summer of commercial television had gone. With Thames now free of its broadcasting commitments the company and its subsidiaries were now able to choose the direction in which they wanted to go – any staff surplus to requirements were shed. Some had already taken voluntary redundancy during the last few years of the franchise period. A percentage of these joined the bloated freelance market while others were lost to the industry. These events were repeated throughout the ITV industry. The route chosen by management was that Thames would keep open the Teddington site, which would be extensively up-dated and continue to produce some of its programmes to sell to other broadcasters.
A new element was that studio space and technical facilities would be made available for renting to other companies, be they broad-casters or independent production companies. Additionally other companies connected with the production process would use Teddington as their base. A new company was set up, Teddington Studios Limited, the senior management being Richard Dunn (Chairman), Ewart Needham (Managing Director), Steve Gunn (Marketing Director) and Alan Tingay (Technical Director). This company joins Thames Television under the umbrella of the large Pearson PLC group which has world wide interests in media and publishing. A fourth studio measuring 800sq feet was added, opening on January 4th 1994. It was built in four weeks and occupies the space of the old bandroom. It is the home of Financial Times Reports, produced daily for NBC Superchannel by Financial Times Television. Of particular interest is the routing of signals from Teddington to the British Telecom Tower in London. These signals can be sent in two forms, Serial Digital or PAL Matrix, both using fibre optics for the link. The fibre optic circuits are to REC 601 digital standards. This method ensures there is no degradation of the signal when it is passed from source to destination. Once the signal reaches the Telecom Tower it can be routed to virtually anywhere in the world.
Additionally signals can be sent from the tower to Teddington using the same fibre optic links. Various satellite companies have based their transmission facility at Teddington, all being fully automated. In 2005, Teddington Studios were in administration when Pinewood Shepperton bought the studios in a £2.7m merger described as a natural extension to its current television and sound services business.
Malcolm Newnam©
