On Tuesday 27^th and Wednesday 28^th June MCIN (Manchester Community Information Network) organised a visit for two groups of Community Reporters to the BBC in Manchester to look behind the scenes at North West Tonight, the BBC flagship local news programme.

Over the two evenings these included three Deaf people from Trafford Deaf Users Group, three Deaf people from Bury Library’s Hearing Impairment Unit, three from Chatterbox, three from Cheetham Hill and three from the North Manchester “Production Crew”.

A BSL interpreter was on hand on both evenings to ensure that the Deaf people could fully participate in the visit as there were opportunities to ask questions and talk about project throughout visit.

The groups were met at BBC reception by Jim Clarke, News Editor of North West Tonight. They then went up to the BBC canteen and over coffee and tea Jim gave a bit of history of the BBC in Manchester, future plans and his role.

After a question and answer session the tour began. Visitors saw behind the scenes, including the news room and the control room. Most exciting of all was being able to sit in the studio whilst the programme went out live with some of the group listening in to the on floor direction through headphones.

After the show had gone out the groups met North West Tonight presenter Gordon Burns who explained what goes out behind his desk, including checking the running order for the show and how he worked the autocue.

The groups also had a chance to meet Diane Oxberry weather presenter.

The visit to the BBC was an inspiration. A number of Community reporters are going to put their experiences online using photos, audio and text whilst others inspired to create and complete their video projects.

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