Philip Stevens talks to several broadcasters about their plans for election night coverage
Contributor 1 hour ago
Philip Stevens talks to several broadcasters about their plans for election night coverage
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Philip Stevens talks to several broadcasters about their plans for election night coverage
https://www.tvbeurope.com/features/capturing-the-counts title=Share via Email class=share-email>
This election is like none of recent times. The December election is a frantic bid to break parliamentary deadlock. A once in a generation chance. This election was inevitable.
Just a flavour of some of the comments made about the 12th December general election in the UK. And with such an important event taking place, both domestic and international broadcasters have been making comprehensive plans to bring the best coverage of this election - the first winter poll for nearly a century.
I am always making plans, because it is good to continually tinker with the spreadsheet so you always have something in the back pocket for a last-minute call for an election, Tim Burke, the BBC's editor, election OBs, tells TVBEurope. But I started planning specifically for this election during the summer parliamentary recess in August when it became obvious that there was such a fragile state of affairs in parliament.
He says that what makes this election different is the volatility of the voter. They are becoming more clever informing themselves from all sorts of different sources and, they might be more tactical about the way they vote. The whole dynamic has changed and we want to reflect that in the coverage we will provide.
The coverage will include a presence at around 100 seats in England, a selection in Wales and every constituency in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Most of these OBs will be covered by single camera operations, although the big' seats involving the political leaders and those vying to be first to declare will involve multicamera set-ups.
In some of these seats we are pooling with ITN and Sky for the declarations. But we will each have own presenters to provide the personal' touch.
The studio operation, which will be hosted by Huw Edwards, will be centred on Studio A at New Broadcasting House (NBH) in central London. This will combine with the virtual reality studio to enable Jeremy Vine to use his usual analysis of how the night is unfolding as the results come in.
Editorial centre
Our editorial hub will be at Elstree studios, explains Burke. We have the encoders there that will enable us to use WMT (Wireless Multiplex Technology) for downloading from sources such as LiveU units. From Elstree we have 5G connections to NBH.
Burke says that using WMT requires good discipline in its use. It takes a little time to set up and get running. And with battery time limited, you need to plan in advance when and how it is to be used. And that is especially important in a landscape that is changing all the time. Producers on the ground have to be sure they know what is going on all the time.
Burke emphasises the production teams are making the best use of technology wherever it is available. For example, when we did a recce at Carlisle we thought it would be difficult to cable to a truck which would be parked in a position that provided line-of-sight with the satellite. But we discovered the facility had an ethernet connection that would go straight into the back of the camera and then directly to the internet.
Burke will be stationed at Elstree on election night receiving intelligence from the floor of the counts to a set of sub hubs also based at Elstree. Those sub hubs feed into hub control and from there he will decide which feeds will be sent to NBH for inclusion into the main programme which will be directed by Chris Cook.
One of the keys to success for an operation like this is clear communication. With so much voice traffic, it is vital that only essential talk back is used.
The BBC will make use of social media both for BBC Online and for inclusion in the main television broadcast. It is a useful tool in getting an early indication from the political parties as to how well they think they are doing.
He adds: This is a really difficult election to predict, so we are planning many different political scenarios. This is more than just a two-party race and our editorial and production planning is geared up to react to whatever happens.
Order! Order!
Never short of a word of an appropriate moment, former House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, will be adding his voice to the coverage offered by Sky News.
We're delighted to be welcoming John Bercow to our General Election coverage, says John Ryley, head of Sky News. John will bring his own authority, and no little wit to a night of high drama. Contentious and controversial, the former Speaker will doubtless have his own colourful views on events.
Ryley adds: With the political landscape in more turmoil and more uncertain than ever The Brexit Election on Sky News will bring our viewers all the drama of an election night like no other.
Sky's coverage will be led by Sam Coates, Beth Rigby, John Bercow and Dermot Murnaghan Dermot Murnaghan will be the presenter in the purpose-built studios at the centre of Sky's Osterley headquarters. He will be joined by Sky News political editor Beth Rigby and deputy political editor Sam Coates. Ed Conway will use high-tech graphics to show viewers the unfolding events in a concise presentation.
We will use augmented reality graphics, wire cams and a state-of-the-art videowall will help tell the story of the night in a fresh engaging way, explains Ryley.
He continues: In an election that is increasingly being fought out on social and digital media battlegrounds
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
11/06/2026
As podcast formats evolve in the streaming era, podcasting needs updated, transp...
11/06/2026
As Spotify's global RADAR program enters its sixth year in Italy, a new class of artists is stepping into the spotlight. Today, we're announcing the six...
11/06/2026
Pride Month is a time for celebration, reflection, and amplifying the diverse stories and perspectives from the LGBTQIA+ community that enrich our world. To hel...
11/06/2026
First in new line of muted string libraries
VSL have just announced the launch of two new string libraries that represent the first two instalments in a new...
11/06/2026
New colour option for 61-key Launchkey MK4
At Superbooth 2025, Novation introduced the Launchkey Mini 37 White and Launchkey 49 White, bringing an additiona...
11/06/2026
Larger, but still compact!
Arturia's popular compact MIDI controller keyboard is now available in a, well, slightly less compact version! The new MiniLa...
11/06/2026
Eurosatory 2026: Rohde & Schwarz shapes the new-generation battlefield Rohde & Schwarz unveils next generation SIGINT/EW and CUAS solutions on uncrewed system...
11/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz unveils NEMACS - Directional, ultra secure connectivity for the ...
11/06/2026
Thursday 11 June 2026
Daisy May Cooper rallies the nation ahead of ICC Women's T20 World CupTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy options and...
11/06/2026
Summer solstice shows from C il House and Late Date from 9pm on Saturday 20 Jun...
10/06/2026
Get Hands-On with Interfaces & Mic Preamp Brands
If youre after a new interface or preamp, then GearExpo UK is the place to be! Well have a whole host of au...
10/06/2026
November 13-14 2026, The Midway, San Francisco
Following their recent rebranding, MONO Music Conference (formerly Music Expo) have officially announced thei...
10/06/2026
Debut instrument free for limited time
deFORM is the debut release from newly founded developer ebbandflow, and it's being offered as a free download fo...
10/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF advance laser-based drone defense with THORIS LCS Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing THORIS at ILA 2026: A sovereign, end to end counter...
10/06/2026
MAHLE and Rohde & Schwarz develop application for sensor testing of modern drive...
10/06/2026
10 Jun 2026
VEON's Banglalink Brings Every World Cup 2026 Match to Football...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
How to watch every ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 match live on Sky Sports
Where is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 availabl...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
P RLA brings first-ever Beautifully Clean Oral Care'...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
Sky reveals pulse-pounding first teaser trailer for upco...
10/06/2026
Wuppertal June 10, 2026
Riedel Artist at the Heart of the 14th World Live Neurovascular ConferenceAt the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Li...
09/06/2026
Last month, Spotify hosted PURE FLOWERS LIVE, a special event celebrating the re...
09/06/2026
Last month, RADAR U.K. artist Skye Newman took the stage in East London for a sp...
09/06/2026
Company to cease operating on 30 June 2026
Australian loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer Wayne Jones Audio have announced that after much consideration,...
09/06/2026
Increases low-end weight and character
The latest plug-in release from Sheffield-based fedDSP aims to offer an all-in-one solution for users in search of mo...
09/06/2026
Introduces AI Studio Assistant, Moises Studio integration & more
Fender Studio have just announced the launch a significant update that brings an array of n...
09/06/2026
The BBC has found its Hercule Poirot.
After Deadline revealed last month that t...
09/06/2026
Filming to take place in Holmfirth
9th June 2026, London: U&GOLD is heading bac...
09/06/2026
X-Rite Pantone Launches Offset360 to Modernize Color Control Across Existing Pre...
09/06/2026
09 Jun 2026
VEON Appoints Serkan Ozturk as Chief of Staff & Strategy Officer Dubai and New York, June 9, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital oper...
09/06/2026
Tuesday 9 June 2026
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a candid and unfiltered accou...
09/06/2026
Enni Continues to Rely on Arvato Systems - And Will Be Using AEP.EnerS4 Billing Solution
Arvato Systems to implement transformation project for SAP S/4HANA Ut...
09/06/2026
These special programmes will highlight RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora
This year, RT is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland with...
08/06/2026
At Spotify, our commitment to the LGBTQIA community is year-round. Through GLOW, our global music program, we celebrate and amplify the contributions of queer ...
08/06/2026
Get Hands-on With Keyboard & Synth Brands
GearExpo UK wouldn't be complete without some synth action, and we've got some of the industry's most ...
08/06/2026
50 popular in-ear monitoring system profiles added
The latest update for IK Multimedia's headphone-correction system has just arrived, and introduces ca...
08/06/2026
Manny Marroquin signature cans upgraded with SLAM Technology
The flagship model in Audeze's Manny Marroquin Signature Series has just been treated to an...
08/06/2026
Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directiona...
08/06/2026
he BBC and BritBox have announced that Edward Bluemel (We Might Regret This, My ...
08/06/2026
Plus, 20% off TVs ahead of kick-offMonday 8 June 2026
Sky introduces Real Time...
08/06/2026
FOX Secures Live NFL Game Package in Mexico Starting in Fall 2026 Agreement Features Thursday Night Football, Sunday Games Package, Thanksgiving Day Games, al...
08/06/2026
FOX One, FOX Sports and Indeed Name Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto as FOX One C...
08/06/2026
Meet us on the show floor
Stand #286310 Discover Nara, the media management tool used by major facilities including Harbor and Molinare.
Nara v2 introduces re...
08/06/2026
L'art de l'Image dans Reflet dans un diamant mort' Une conversation avec le directeur de la photographie Manuel Dacosse, SBC et l' talonneur Pe...
08/06/2026
Embracing today's modern media workflows: FilmLight presents Nara 2.0, with FilmLight API Designed to support the growing demands of today's production ...
Philip Stevens talks to several broadcasters about their plans for election night coverage
