Riverside Studios has poached the contract for what may be the last series of Blaze TV's SM:TVLiveand CD:UKfrom The London Studios, writes Sam Espensen.
On its first anniversary it has also received a£750,000 cash injection from its shareholders.
Managing director Colin Black told Broadcastthat the Hammersmith-based former home of TFI Fridayhas already been working on Re:Covered for Blaze, as well as Headlinersand when '[Blaze] approached us with a view to relocating SM:TV Live, we jumped at it'. The previous five series of SM:TV Liveand CD:UKwere all produced at The London Studios. However, ITV has indicated this could be the final run for SM:TV Liveand is hearing pitches for a replacement show.
Riverside Studios celebrated its first birthday last month and after originally receiving£1m investment from private finance raised by its three directors - ex-Planet 24 technical director Peter Johnson, ex-Granada production chief David Buckley and Riverside artistic director William Burdett-Coutts - it has now been given a further£750,000 which will be spent on 'state-of-the-art infrastructure'.
Black commented that the contract with Blaze helped to raise funds. 'A long-term contract gives a bit more security and confidence,' he said. 'We're investing in the future and the shareholders backed it heavily.'
Black revealed the money will go on seven Sony DVP E10 W/S cameras, six Digi-Beta machines and a number of radio mics. The sound desks in the two studios will also be upgraded so they can cope with an increase in music programming. The second studio (4,200 sq ft) is to be bought up to spec with the large studio (5,800 sq ft). And two bi-directional fibre circuits have just been installed which allow the studios to do live programming and tx.
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