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Curtain
up on big screen – join the party in Manchester's Exchange
Square
Manchester
city centre is the venue for the world's first public space broadcasting
experiment featuring a 25 square metre video screen and full sound
system.
The
big screen is being unveiled in Exchange Square and will be shown
live on Northwest Tonight at 6.30pm tomorrow (Friday 16 May 2003).
The
state of the art technology will be used to show a wide range of
televised events including news, sport, entertainment, art and community
projects over the next 12 months.
The
first major event to be featured is live action from the FA Cup
(Saturday 17 May), followed by the Manchester Festival Europa (22
May to 1 June) and the Eurovision Song Contest (24 May).
As
part of the opening ceremony, aerial artists Viva will hang from
cranes over Exchange Square to unveil the screen.
The
performers are famous for their red silk acrobatics which are shown
regularly between 91Èȱ¬ ONE programmes.
Liverpool-based
junk percussion band Urban Strawberry Lunch will provide live musical
entertainment in Exchange Square from 6.00pm.
The
scheme is a partnership between the 91Èȱ¬, Philips, Manchester City
Council and Milligan/ The Blackstone Group, owners of The Triangle
Shopping Centre.
It
is also hoped that The Cornerhouse Arts Centre will run a programme
of public art and locally produced films on the screen.
The
big screen is being used to provide a mixture of live television
and local information in text form including news and weather updates.
The
system will operate 24 hours a day and throughout the year long
pilot researchers will study how people respond to various uses
of the screen.
Pat
Loughrey, 91Èȱ¬ Director of Nations and Regions, launching the screen
on behalf of the 91Èȱ¬, says: "This is a highly significant experiment
for the 91Èȱ¬.
"It
offers a new way to deliver quality programming and major events
to our audiences and at the same time to provide an innovative new
facility for Manchester. We have high hopes for it."
Councillor
Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "In
Manchester we have an established history of pioneering great events
that bring real benefits to people in the city.
"The
collaboration with all the partners for the big screen in Exchange
Square is a natural progression in what Manchester does best - leading
the way to make Manchester a truly desirable city for investors,
residents and visitors."
David
Jordan, Chairman and Chief Executive of Philips Electronics UK,
said: "We are especially pleased to be one of the partners
in this bold initiative.
"Philips
has done more to develop the television set over the years than
any other company.
"Taking
the TV set out of the living room and making it a focal point in
large public spaces where people can gather in this way shows what
an important part TV plays in our daily lives.
"No
large-scale sporting or cultural event is complete these days without
Vidiwalls providing those all important close-ups and replays.
"Today
we have moved another step forward by helping to take broadcasting
into public areas where people can enjoy the atmosphere of getting
together whilst being able to view high quality television coverage."
Samantha
Chown, Head of Marketing at Milligan, said: "This is an innovative
way of making Exchange Square an even more attractive place for
locals and visitors alike.
"We
all like to get together for a big occasion as there's something
special about sharing the party.
"The
screen will be there for all those special moments as well as offering
a continuous service of information everyday."
Notes
to Editors
Press
release issued on behalf of the organisers of the Manchester Screen
Project - The 91Èȱ¬, Philips, Manchester City Council and The Triangle
Shopping Centre.
The
screen will be operated by the 91Èȱ¬ from its Manchester base in Oxford
Road.
It
will have its own schedule drawn from a mixture of live 91Èȱ¬ television
programmes, relays of live events in Exchange Square, locally produced
films and videos and a continuous feed of local information from
91Èȱ¬i.
A number
of experimental interactive services may also be trialled.
Special
lines are also being installed to facilitate television and radio
outside broadcasts from the Square so 91Èȱ¬ North West TV, GMR Local
Radio and other 91Èȱ¬ broadcasts are expected to be relayed from the
Square.
The
project is co-funded by all four collaborating organisers, and the
screen will operate without commercial advertisements.
The
91Èȱ¬ is providing the programming and creating the schedule in conjunction
with the other stakeholders.
Philips
are providing the equipment, installing the screen and maintaining
its supporting technology.
The
Triangle, as well as hosting the screen, is providing a technical
back-up area.
Manchester
City Council Events Department will, in addition to mounting a programme
of events in the Square, operate all "front of house"
arrangements for the public.
It
is also hoped that the Cornerhouse Arts Centre will run a programme
of public art and locally produced films on the screen.
The
combination of events, broadcasts, sound and video planned for the
Manchester Public Space Broadcasting project is thought to be unique.
Although
other permanent giant screens have been installed in major world
cities, none has the range of facilities, applications and content
planned for Manchester.
Public Space
Broadcasting – a world first comes to Manchester (21.03.03)
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