BBC and VOA were the two radio stations strongly recommended by our teacher when I was studying English in the University six years ago.
BBC has become one of symbols for UK in my mind.
Although it is not a place of interest for common visitors, it’s a must-see for me.
For visiting BBC Broadcast House, first I had to book the ticket one week before because the visiting time was once a month.
On the sunny Sunday Morning, my friend and I are on our way to the mysterious sacred place.
BBC broadcasting house hides behind the All Soul’s Church, it is a building not as grand as I’ve imagined.
Broadcasting House Picture taken by Lei Yang
You could even say the building is too plain, but that was the first building in UK to be built for the purpose of radio. In the world the first building built for radio is in German, the tour guide told us later.
The Broadcasting House was built in 1932 by Colonel Val Myer, and was badly bombed during the Second World War. In Oct 1944, seven BBC staff died in the most serous attack. Then it went through reinvention again and again during the 1950s and 1960s.
Right now Broadcasting House is undergoing extensive redevelopment. By the completion of whole project, the new Broadcasting House will become a BBC village, with about 4,500 staff working in it.
At this moment Broadcasting House is only the home for radio 3 and radio 4. I have hoped that I could visit the studio of Today Programme. Sadly, the tour guide told me that all the news programmes are not produced here.
On the front façade of the building, there are two statues. They are Ariel and Prospero, from Shakespeare’s last play, the Tempest. Ariel represents the spirit of air.
Once stepped into the Broadcasting House, we are forbidden to take any pictures.
Breathing sculpture picture taken by Lei Yang
Only when we arrived at the top of the building, we are allowed to take pictures of the terrace.
Opposite the building, there’s an artwork, called Breathing sculpture. The sculpture is a memorial to news reporters and crews who have lost their lives.
