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14 years ago
I have visited BBC Birmingham on a number of occasions and I have had the privilege of going into the BBC WM and BBC Midlands Today studios. I honestly felt at home working here and I would love to work at BBC Birmingham in the future if given an opportunity. I worked alongside some famous media personalities in the West Midlands such as Ed Doolan, Joanne Malin and Arshia Riaz. I have also spoken to some of the Midlands Today correspondents. So many fond memories occur when I keep coming back here and as well as the WM radio studios and Midlands Today being here, BBC Asian Network also have studios at BBC Birmingham. And there is also a BBC Shop where you can buy BBC related items such as: DVD's, books, mugs etc. That's not all. You can also tour the Midlands Today and WM studios by going on the BBC Birmingham Tour. Go onto the BBC Tours website to find out more. read more
I can't deny it, I am a fan of the BBC. I listen to their radio stations, I am a nut for Doctor Who and love their radio plays. Although the BBC presence in the Midlands has lessened over the years, we do still have the Mailbox visitor centre and hub; so at least there is still something here! I am yet to experience the full BBC tour (which includes a chance to present the weather, see the studios and watch live broadcasts), but I have popped into the visitors centre and the shop for an event recently. First thing to mention.... T.A.R.D.I.S. There is a blinkin' TARDIS in the shop! There are also darleks spotted around the place, so if you're a Whovian - you will be in your element! The shop sells merchandise from many of their well known television series (including lots of Children's toys), so if you have someone in your life who is a fan of a particular franchise; it's worth popping down and seeing what they have. There is a good selection of DVD's, CD's and general branded paraphernalia - so well worth stopping by when you're in the mailbox for a very quick gander. I'll have to update this when I finally get around to doing the tour, but if you've been - why not pop up your experience? read more
Based at the posh Mailbox, the BBC is a shining beacon for Birmingham. There is so much to do here, it's best to book a tour and see it as a fun activity for a day out, that kids will love too. I booked a tour with Debbie and was very surprised as to how much there is to do, and how big the BBC is. The centre has the BBC local news and weather, tours, gift shop, radio dramas, The Archers audio drama, BBC Asian radio and WM radio (70% of the shows are filmed here), you will not run out of creative ideas visiting here. I was taken up to the 9th floor and saw the newsroom, waved at our famous local weather girl Shefali, had a go at presenting, where they also have an invisible cloak that makes you disappear, and also saw the radio stations which are situated behind specially designed windows. The tour lasts 1 and a half hours. (Adult tickets are £7.50, concessions £6.75 and students for just £6.15) The Tardis, famous for their long standing appearances within the Doctor Who series are also currently on display together with the time travelling phone box. The great thing about the tour is that it shows off what's unique to the centre. The gift shop located on the ground floor is great for buying books, mugs, greeting cards, masks, toys, BBC merchandise, aprons, and they also have a great offer on DVDs where you can buy 3 for only £20. They also won the Best Tourism Experience award of 2010, so feel confident that award winning staff are showing your around! Regular updates are available on Twitter and Facebook, you can also buy gift vouchers on their booking line. Overall a great visit, I was made to feel very welcome, and I would recommend paying a visit to anyone who loves TV and has a passion for the great quality that the BBC produce. (Tip, a great place to keep an eye out for celebrities!) read more
Visited BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox as part of a group training week recently. I've walked past the place hundreds of times before but I'd never stepped inside other than for a quick browse around the shop. As part of this visit, however, we got to go on one of the BBC's tours and I had a great time. We started off just to the left of the entrance where there's a green screen, camera and autocue set up for you to try your hand at presenting! Doing the weather is particularly fun, as you have to think about what your hands are doing while reading from the screen. You can watch your efforts back on a nearby screen. As we made our way around the tardis-like BBC building we stopped off at the Midlands Today studio and got to watch the lunchtime news programme going out live, before heading to the BBC WM radio studios for a look around. We finished up in the tours room, somewhere in the depths of the building, where we had a go at recording our own radio drama. I manned the sound effects, and got a little over enthusiastic with my thunder and owls. Our tour guides were really friendly and chatty, and were armed with loads of great information and anecdotes to share. I'd definitely recommend a BBC tour as a fun way to spend some time with visitors to the city. read more
14 years ago
BBC Birmingham has seen brighter times. Lots of production is being moved to Salford, so there's not quite as much going on here at the moment as there was a few years back. That said, the Beeb's Mailbox outpost is still a pretty impressive place. It is home to The Archers and fans of local news will be thrilled by the odd sighting of Nick Owen and Shefali Oza around these parts. You can only enter the main production areas, studios and offices as part of a guided tour (1.5 hours for £7.50 - it needs tone booked in advance). But there is a decent visitors' information area and shop that is open to all. There is currently a Tardis in the info area, which makes a pretty freakin' cool photo opportunity. I've been here a few times on placements and find it a buzzing and exciting place. The open plan work areas are cool and I like the informal studio areas set up by the huge windows overlooking the canal. Well worth a visit if you are a TV and radio nut! read more
For obvious reasons, that was probably the number one in the list of places I wanted to visit in my first visit to Birmingham some years ago. I can even measure the importance of BBC to history of Journalism. In my first year of Journalism course, in Brazil, we have a complete study about the history and this model of Media Corporation. To be honest, every time I pass by the Mailbox, where BBC Midlands is placed, I have to visit it again. At BBC Midlands facilities there is a Radio station and the TV studio where you the local and weather are broadcast and if you are a bit lucky it's possible to see one of its famous presents. There are several levels of the building to be visited but it is needed to book a visit to make the most of it. On the second floor you can check some important objects that represent the history of TV and Radio in Britain and some displays that help the tour being attractive for kids as well. On the ground floor there is the radio station where you can get a gist of how a BBC radio is alive and there is also a cosy gift shop where you can find interesting souvenirs. read more
18 years ago
This is a fun place to pop into if you're over by the Mailbox. Adults can watch live radio broadcasts and children can watch CBeebies on a comfortable sofa. There is a coffee shop, BBC merchandise and I've seen a Dalek in the lobby as well. It's not somewhere to stay for ages but definitely well worth exploring. Of course there's the undeniable excitement of familiar faces around too- regional newsreaders and often national broadcasters can be subject to your 'where do I know that face from? musing. read more
17 years ago
Don't forget you can also go up the stairs where you can see directly into The Archers' studio and tv news gallery. Plus you cab try your hand at news and weather prensenting and save the recorded clip for later. read more
More info about BBC
102 Wharfside Street
Birmingham B71 1RF
United Kingdom
Historical Quarter - Convention Quarter, Westside
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0121 567 6767
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What time does BBC open?
BBC opens at 9:30 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.BBC opens at 11:00 AM on Sunday.
What time does BBC close?
BBC closes at 5:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.BBC closes at 5:00 PM on Sunday.
Mon-Sat 9:30 AM - 5:30 PMSun 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Visit BBC Birmingham's state-of-the-art studios on a BBC Tour: home of The Archers, Midlands Today and BBC WM. Take a peek behind the scenes and then join in some interactive fun as you create your own radio drama complete with sound effects and music! BBC Tour guides give a fascinating insight into the many programmes originating from BBC Birmingham and tell the inside story of what it takes to get them from script to screen. They are also on hand to answer any burning questions relating to technical wizardry, famous faces that have visited the building or even where Nick Owen gets his jokes! This is your invitation to gain access to the rarely-seen world behind the famous TV and radio programmes that are broadcast and produced from BBC Birmingham. BBC Birmingham is a working building so no two tours are the same, but they will always be informative, interesting and entertaining. In 2010 the tours won the Best Tourism Experience in the Heart of England.
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10 years ago
Birmingham seems to be the centre of everything just like London so I am not surprised that the BBC has a station there. As I was visiting Birmingham, we stumbled upon BBC Birmingham's Visitor Centre tucked away on Level 3 of The Mailbox. There is lots to see and you can try your hand at presenting the news or a weather bulletin which is not easy as it looks keeping up with the autocue. I tried this and it was a brilliant experience. There is a piece of paper where you note down a reference number to download your video. My first attempt was good but I cracked up on the second attempt. I think I managed but I spoke earlier than the cue so the video and audio didn't match. read more
8 years ago
Loving the Sasha Simone show!! Nice work. Fresh!















