BBC Cymru Wales

File:BBC Cymru Wales logo.svg

BBC Cymru Wales operates two television services, BBC One Wales and BBC Two Wales, which can opt out of the main network feed of BBC One and BBC Two in England to broadcast national programming. These two channels broadcast a variety of programmes in English, including the flagship news programme BBC Wales Today which broadcasts several bulletins throughout the day including the main evening programme.

In addition to these two channels, BBC Cymru Wales is required to provide programmes in Welsh, which it supplies to the Welsh language channel S4C free of charge using the BBC Cymru brand.{{cite web|title=About BBC Wales|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/cymruwales/|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 May 2012}} These programmes include a Welsh news service Newyddion, covering Welsh, general UK and international news, and a soap opera Pobol y Cwm, the longest running television soap opera made by the BBC. Under a partnership agreement with S4C, BBC Cymru Wales provides playout and technology services to the channel.

BBC Cymru Wales operates three radio stations covering the entire country. BBC Radio Wales is the English language network, broadcasting local programmes for approximately 20 hours a day and simulcasting BBC Radio 5 Live during the station's down time. BBC Radio Cymru broadcasts Welsh language programming for over 18 hours a day, providing a mix of general entertainment and factual programming, while BBC Radio Cymru 2 provides separate music-led programming at certain hours. While off air, both Radio Cymru stations simulcast overnight programme from the BBC World Service.

BBC Cymru Wales operates its own mini-site on BBC Online as well as providing news and features for other areas of BBC Online. In addition, news stories are provided for the BBC Red Button interactive service.

{{Main|BBC National Orchestra of Wales}}

BBC Cymru Wales employs a full-time orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW), who give concerts in Cardiff, Swansea and across Wales. The majority of the orchestra's concerts are recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru. Since January 2009 the administrative base of the NOW has been the BBC Hoddinott Hall, in the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff.

File:BBC logo (pre97; Wales).svg

The first broadcast in Wales was on 13 February 1923{{cite web|title=Our History 1923-1966|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/cymruwales/about/history/|work=About BBC Cymru Wales|publisher=BBC Cymru Wales|access-date=22 May 2012}} from the radio station 5WA at 19 Castle Street, Cardiff.{{Cite news|date=15 January 2009|title=From Cardiff, this is BBC Wales|language=en-GB|work=BBC South East Wales|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/southeastwales/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_7831000/7831343.stm|access-date=29 March 2021}}

In March 1924 they moved into larger premises at 39 Park Place, later taking over most of the properties on the street.

During this time, the region was served from bases around Wales. During World War II, the regional services all ceased and broadcast the Home Service from London, although some Welsh content was included. The BBC's Bangor base played host to the BBC Variety Department during the war, although this fact was never officially announced.

Following the end of the Second World War, the BBC Home Service continued its regional opt-outs, including an opt-out service for Wales. This opt-out continued after the change from the Home Service to Radio 4 and paved the way for two full-time radio services - BBC Radio Cymru in 1977, followed a year later by BBC Radio Wales.

In 1952 they bought a 10-acre site at Baynton House in Llandaff, Cardiff to house all of its operations in the city.{{Cite news|last=Roderick|first=Vaughan|date=27 September 2020|title=BBC Wales Llandaff: Vaughan Roderick's memories of Broadcasting House|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54282745|access-date=29 March 2021}}{{Cite web|title=History of the BBC Buildings - Broadcasting House, Cardiff|url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/buildings/broadcasting-house-cardiff|url-status=live|access-date=29 March 2021|website=www.bbc.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728230027/https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/buildings/broadcasting-house-cardiff |archive-date=28 July 2019 }}

The BBC has also occupied other locations in Cardiff such as: Celtic Road in Gabalfa, Newport Road in Roath, above a Spar shop in Llandaff village, and Charles Street in the city centre.

The first television signals in Wales came on 15 August 1952 from the newly constructed Wenvoe transmitter. The transmitter itself broadcast the national BBC Television service. Wales would gain some significance when, in 1957, the BBC West region from Bristol was established including a daily five-minute news bulletin for Wales, followed five years later by the launch of the daily magazine programme, Wales Today.

File:Broadcasting House, Cardiff.jpg]]

The launch of BBC Wales on 9 February 1964 provided a specific television service for the country. The new service was heavily promoted (proclaiming that Wales gets its very own TV service in 1964!) with animated promos using the sound of Welsh choirs to explain about interference from the mountains.{{cite web|title=History of BBC Wales |url=http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/bbc_wales/history.html |publisher=TVARK |access-date=30 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120174456/http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/bbc_wales/history.html |archive-date=20 January 2012 }} Two years later in 1966, BBC Cymru Wales' new headquarters at Broadcasting House in Cardiff opened and the first colour broadcast for Wales followed in 1970.{{cite web|title=History of the BBC in Wales|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/cymruwales/about/history/|work=About BBC Cymru Wales|publisher=BBC Cymru Wales|access-date=16 March 2019}}

File:Diwrnod Agored BBC Cymru Wales Open Day - geograph.org.uk - 1600043.jpg vehicle, 2009]]

Prior to 1982, BBC Cymru Wales on television provided programmes in both English and Welsh, with the news programme Heddiw and the long-running serial Pobol y Cwm figuring among the key output. However, this changed with the launch of S4C on 1 November 1982 as all Welsh-language programming on both the BBC and the ITV contractor HTV was transferred to the new channel. As part of a guaranteed ten hours a week of BBC-produced programming, Pobol y Cwm switched to the new channel while a newly expanded news service, Newyddion, was launched.

Into the late 1990s, BBC Cymru Wales continued to expand their services. The first web pages for Wales began to appear on BBC Online in 1997, including a variety of features surrounding programming, schedules, community events and other stories.{{cite web|title=BBC Wales Online (1998) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/ |publisher=Internet Archive/BBC Cymru Wales |access-date=25 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980711013137/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/ |archive-date=11 July 1998 }} The following year, BBC Wales gained additional air time through the use of a late prime-time to midnight opt-out from new digital channel BBC Choice. This lasted until opt-outs ended on the channel in 2001; subsequently BBC Wales opted out of the BBC Two prime-time schedule on digital platforms to broadcast BBC 2W.{{cite news|title=BBC Wales launches new channel|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/1626717.stm|access-date=25 May 2012|newspaper=BBC News|date=29 October 2001}} This latter service closed on 2 January 2009 – prior to the digital switchover which would have ceased separate broadcasting on analogue and digital.{{cite news|title=Up to 155 jobs to go at BBC Wales|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7050834.stm|access-date=25 May 2012|newspaper=BBC News|date=18 October 2007}}

Expansion in the number of drama productions handled by BBC Cymru Wales since 2011 has resulted in the construction and opening on a new studio centre in Cardiff.{{cite news|last1=Moore|first1=Rowan|title=Roath Lock studios, Cardiff – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/mar/25/roath-lock-cardiff-bbc-studios-review|access-date=11 June 2014|publisher=The Observer|date=25 March 2012}}

In August 2013, it was announced that Broadcasting House and Ty Oldfield (Oldfield House), opposite, was for sale, with plans to move to a new a purpose-built headquarters in the city centre. The BBC attributed the decision to "ageing infrastructure at Llandaff" and considered sites including Central Square, land south of Cardiff Central railway station, and land between the Senedd and Atradius.{{cite web|date=9 June 2014|title=BBC Wales to locate its new £170m headquarters at Cardiff's Capital Square scheme|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/bbc-wales-locate-new-170m-7240685|access-date=16 November 2015|publisher=Wales Online}} In 2014, it was confirmed that Broadcasting House would be demolished and turned into 400 residential units.{{cite web|date=2 April 2019|title=Closedown: Broadcasting House Llandaff|url=https://livingmags.co.uk/closedown-broadcasting-house-llandaff/|access-date=4 November 2019|publisher=Living Magazines Cardiff}} The BBC confirmed in 2015 that Central Square would be the location of their new headquarters building{{cite web|date=30 November 2015|title=New headquarters for BBC Cymru Wales expected to be confirmed shortly at heart of Central Square scheme|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/new-headquarters-bbc-cymru-wales-10358925|access-date=16 November 2015|publisher=Wales Online}} and began to move out of Llandaff studios in 2019.

The New Broadcasting House opened in 2020. In July 2020 BBC One Wales and BBC Two Wales Presentation and Playout move from Llandaff to become the first live services from the new building.{{Cite web|date=15 July 2020|title=A big moment behind the scenes earlier! Watch the BBC News at Six being introduced live for the very first time from our new home in Cardiff Central Square.|url=https://twitter.com/bbcwales/status/1283467607820111874|access-date=2020-09-07|website=Twitter|language=en}} This was followed by the first radio broadcasts, by BBC Radio Cymru 2 host Daniel Glyn on the 25 July{{Cite web|date=25 July 2020|title=The first radio broadcast from Central Square, Cardiff goes live on @BBCRadioCymru2 and @BBCRadioCymru|url=https://twitter.com/bbcwalespress/status/1286974823621627904|access-date=2020-09-07|website=Twitter|language=en}} and by Radio Wales host Owen Money on the 31 July.{{Cite web|date=31 July 2020|title=A big moment behind the scenes earlier! Owen Money broadcast the first ever BBC Radio Wales show from our new home in Cardiff Central Square.|url=https://twitter.com/bbcradiowales/status/1289277650943578112|access-date=2020-09-07|website=Twitter|language=en}} TV News moved into the building in September 2020 when viewers saw the building's roof garden in a live report by reporter Alex Jennings as part of an afternoon broadcast of Wales Today.{{Cite web|last=Jennings|first=Alex|date=20 August 2020|title=Battled the wind a little for tonight's live report but it was exciting for 2 reasons...|url=https://twitter.com/alexsjennings/status/1296516642495660034|access-date=2020-09-07|website=Twitter|language=en}}

{{See also|List of BBC properties}}

File:BBC Cymru Wales (geograph 6226511) (cropped).jpg]]

The current headquarters of BBC Cymru Wales is New Broadcasting House, based in Cardiff's Central Square in the heart of the city. It opened in 2019, with broadcasting starting in 2020.{{Cite news|date=2020-09-28|title=TV news last and firsts for BBC in Cardiff|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54300029|access-date=2020-10-01}} The new building is the base for almost all BBC Cymru Wales staff, and is purpose built to house radio and TV production teams. It is the home of BBC Cymru Wales's news services, in English and Welsh, Wales Today, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru, as well as production teams for UK-wide programming and programmes commissioned by S4C.

Its location was decided in June 2014, on the site of the former Cardiff Central bus station. It can house up to 1,000 staff, with around half the floor space of its former Llandaff base and with 70% less studio space. Fewer studios were needed in the new headquarters partly as a result of the new purpose build facilities for drama and BBC National Orchestra of Wales in Cardiff Bay.{{cite web|date=10 June 2014|title=BBC Wales HQ to move to Cardiff city centre|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/ariel/27764027|access-date=11 June 2014|website=Ariel|publisher=BBC}} Staff started to move into the new headquarters in October 2019,{{cite news|title=BBC Wales staff start move to new Cardiff headquarters|work=BBC News|date=21 October 2019|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-50117558|access-date=28 October 2019}}

File:Roath Lock studios in Cardiff.jpg studio complex.]]The expansion of BBC Cymru Wales' drama productions in recent years has resulted in investment for new studios. Drama production for BBC Cymru Wales is currently based at Roath Lock studios in Cardiff Bay. The main year-round productions on site include Doctor Who and Casualty, both made for BBC One, and Pobol y Cwm, which BBC Cymru Wales produces on behalf of S4C.

In the 2000s, as a temporary measure to generate extra capacity, BBC Wales invested into Upper Boat Studios in Pontypridd to house several productions, notable centred around the 2005 revival of Doctor Who and its sister productions Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures. Despite the investment in Upper Boat, the studio complex soon became too small to house new productions being moved to the BBC Nations.{{cite news|date=15 October 2008|title=BBC evicts top shows from London|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7672479.stm|access-date=30 March 2010}} As part of this decision, it was decided in March 2009 that BBC productions Casualty and Crimewatch were to relocate from their former homes at BBC Bristol network production unit to Cardiff.

To house these new programmes, a new {{convert|170,000|sqft|adj=on}} studio complex was built, designed to house the productions of Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Casualty, Upstairs Downstairs, and Pobol y Cwm. Located in Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay, Roath Lock Studios gained permission in January 2009{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Maggie|date=8 October 2010|title=BBC Cardiff drama village takes shape|newspaper=Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/oct/08/bbc-cardiff-drama-village|access-date=25 May 2012}} and construction began in June 2010{{cite news|date=24 June 2010|title=Work starts on BBC Wales drama village in Cardiff Bay|newspaper=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10402789|access-date=25 May 2012}} with the building topping out in February 2011. Production began at the site in autumn 2011 and the site was officially opened on 12 March 2012.{{cite news|last=Palit|first=Nick|date=12 March 2012|title=BBC Roath Lock studios: Official opening in Cardiff Bay|newspaper=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17346220|access-date=25 May 2012}} As a result, Pobol y Cwm moved from the Llandaff studios and Doctor Who moved from Upper Boat studios to the new complex, with Casualty joining them at the site. Despite being designed to house them, the site never housed the Sarah Jane Adventures, following the death of main actress Elisabeth Sladen in 2011, or Upstairs Downstairs, following the series' cancellation.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales operated from a purpose-built orchestra studio, Studio 1, in Broadcasting House from 1966 to 2008. They then moved to new purpose built facilities at BBC Hoddinott Hall in January 2009, as part of the Wales Millennium Centre campus.

File:Broadcasting House, Cardiff.jpg

Until 2020, BBC Cymru Wales's headquarters were at Broadcasting House, Llandaff, Cardiff.

The studio centre was built in 1966 and opened the following year as a purpose-built location to house the expanding presence of the BBC in Cardiff. The centre contained studios for the news programmes, radio space including that used by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales until 2009, and another studio for drama productions constructed in the mid-1970s.{{cite web|last=Kempton |first=Martin |title=Rest of Britain today |url=http://www.tvstudiohistory.co.uk/rest%20of%20britain.htm#current |work=TV Studio History |access-date=25 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608035352/http://www.tvstudiohistory.co.uk/rest%20of%20britain.htm |archive-date=8 June 2012 |df=dmy }} It was the first time that all of BBC Cymru Wales's departments within Cardiff were located on one site.

Broadcasting House was built next to Baynton House which housed all of the BBC Wales' operations from 1952 until construction was finished. Baynton House remained in use by the BBC until 1975 when it was demolished to make way for the E-Block extension.

Previously, the BBC in Wales had been located in the converted Broadway Methodist Chapel on Broadway in Roath, Cardiff from 1955, and in nearby premises on Stacey Road in Roath, Cardiff from 1959. A temporary broadcasting centre was set up on the banks of the River Taff, in 1958 to cover the Empire Games. While these studios played host to drama, entertainment and regional programmes, the site was still not ideal. The site only held two studios, both located in the church, and the ability to broadcast film was not installed on the site for several years; film played into programmes from a telecine machine in Bristol or London and film processing for news was carried out by a firm called Park Pictures in Cardiff until BBC processing was installed in Stacey Road.

File:BBC Cymru Wales 01 977 (cropped).PNG

BBC Cymru Wales's main studios outside of Cardiff are based in Bangor, Gwynedd, and are home to around 50 staff. Much of BBC Radio Cymru's daytime output is broadcast from here.

Across Wales, there are also a number of properties that the BBC owns are local radio studios. These are primarily used as contributor studios, where interviewees or reporters can join a radio programme from an ISDN line, with the presenter remaining in the main studio in Cardiff or Bangor. These studios are located in Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Newtown, Penrhyndeudraeth, Swansea and Wrexham.

File:BBC Wales in Port Madryn. Argentina 01.JPG, Argentina, for the 150th anniversary of Y Wladfa.]]

BBC Cymru Wales produces local and networked programming for broadcast in Wales and the rest of the UK. In recent years, its drama output has been particularly successful, including the 2005 revival of the classic science fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-offs Torchwood (2006) and The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007). In addition, BBC Wales commissions other drama output for the BBC network from independent producers, such as Life on Mars (2006–07).

The following productions were created by BBC Cymru Wales for broadcast in Wales:

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• Wales Today (1962–present)
• Pobol y Cwm (1974–present)
• Newyddion (1982–present)
• Scrum V (1995–present)
• Clwb Rygbi (1997–present)
• BBC Wales Live (2019–present)
• Politics Wales (2019–present)
• BBC Wales Investigates

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• Satellite City (1996–1999)
• Belonging (1999–2009)
• The Bench (2001–2002)
• First Degree (2002)
• High Hopes (2002–2009)

In addition to programming for Wales, networked productions from BBC Cymru Wales include:

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• Grand Slam (1978)
• The Life and Times of David Lloyd George (1981)
• Ennal's Point (1982)
• The District Nurse (1984–1987)
• Border Cafe
• He Knew He Was Right (2004)
• Doctor Who (2005–2022)
• Doctor Who Confidential (2005–2011)
• The Chatterley Affair (2006)
• Torchwood (2006–2009)
• Torchwood Declassified (2006–2009)
• Tribe (2007)
• The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007–2011)
• Top Dogs (2009)
• Hospital 24/7 (2009–2011)
• Upstairs Downstairs (2010–2012)
• Sarah Jane's Alien Files (2010)
• Wizards vs Aliens (2012–2014)
• Casualty (2012–present)
• Class (2016)

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In addition to the in-house commissions, BBC Wales also commissions other independent companies to produce programmes. These include:

For Wales:

• X-Ray (2001–2023, consumer show)
• Coal House (2007–2008)
• The Wright Taste (2008)
• Crash (2009–2010)

For the UK:

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• Shakespeare: The Animated Tales (1992, 1994)
• Casanova (2005)
• The Girl in the Café (2005)
• Life on Mars (2006–2007)
• Wide Sargasso Sea (2006)
• This Life + 10 (2007)
• Ashes to Ashes (2008–2010, spinoff of Life on Mars)
• Merlin (2008–2012)
• Being Human (2009–2013)
• Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience (2009–present)
• Sherlock (2010–2017)
• Dirk Gently (2010 pilot, 2012 series)

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• Composer of the Week

{{Portal|BBC|Wales}}

• BBC Cymru Wales New Broadcasting House
• BBC One Wales
• BBC Two Wales
• BBC Radio Wales
• BBC Radio Cymru
• Wales Today
• BBC National Orchestra of Wales

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• {{bbc.co.uk|id=wales|title=BBC Wales}}
• {{bbc.co.uk|aboutthebbc/cymruwales|About BBC Cymru Wales}}

{{BBC}}

{{BBC Television}}

{{Television in Wales}}

{{Media in Cardiff}}

{{Economy and Industry of Cardiff}}

{{Authority control}}

Wales

Category:Companies based in Cardiff

Category:Economy of Cardiff

Category:Television in Wales

Category:Television channels in Wales

Category:1964 establishments in Wales