91Èȱ¬

The 91Èȱ¬ was NEVER going to move all those departments to Manchester. The idea was put forward as a box-ticking exercise for Charter Renewal. The Corporation was always going to use the excuse of a low licence fee settlement to get itself out of the plans. It's so obvious, it's schoolboy politics.
Did anyone really ever believe that Five Live would move to Manchester a couple of years before the world's biggest sporting event takes place....in London? Of course not. It was a blatant stunt, and one which has cost licence payers millions of pounds in wasted planning, reports, consultations, etc.
Expect to hear over the next few months that "after an extensive review", the 91Èȱ¬ has decided not to go ahead with such an extensive relocation to Manchester. There'll be a few face-saving, half-hearted moves; perhaps a couple of Five Live weekend programmes, the odd kids'production, and one or two support departments, just to make it look good.
But a wholesale move to Manchester? No. It was never going to happen - as I've been telling anyone who'll listen since it was first 'announced'. Now Mark Thompson has taken the first step in proving me right.
By the way, does anyone senior ever see fit to respond to posts on this blog? Come on Mark Thompson, or Mark Thomas (alleged 'head' of the Manchester move), let's hear from you.

This comes as no surprise, we have always said (here in Manchester), the London-centric 91Èȱ¬ types would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to anywhere north of Watford.

I take the opposite view... Does anyone seriously believe the move won't happen? The fall-out would be enormous.