London is one of my favourite capitals as you might have noticed. I have already written articles about what to see in London, what decorations they have on Oxford Street at Christmas, and what interesting places are there other than the well-known sightseeing. Today we will take a look at London differently, not through the eyes of a tourist, but through the eyes of a journalist.
Three years of journalism are almost gone, therefore, I went on a final trip to London with my course. I had the opportunity to see the UK capital a little differently, I’ve talked to BBC correspondents, Bauer media journalists and even went to a journalist church. All this and a little more in today’s article.
Fleet Street
Let’s start with the street where it all started. Not everything, but at least print and first newspapers. The street I am talking about is Fleet Street, located in the very centre of London. The street was named after the Fleet River (which flowed through here in the Middle Ages) and is one of London’s oldest streets.
Publishing began in here in the early 16th century when the first Shoe Lane printer was founded. The first printed diary was the Daily Courant. Until the 1980s, Britain’s largest newspapers, such as the Daily Mail, Sun and Reuters, were based in here. However, because of the movement of the media to the less central parts of London (this was started by Rupert Murdoch, who moved The Time and The Sun to Wapping in East London), the influence of newspapers disappeared.
At the top of Fleet Street there is the Royal Courts of Justice. It is the seat of the highest courts of England and Wales. The court rooms are freely accessible to the public, and you can also look at the court cases. The building is a reflection of Victorian Gothic and is definitely worth to have a look inside. There are approximately 1,000 rooms, 35 corridors and 19 courtrooms
At the bottom of the street is St Brides Church, a church founded in the 6th century. Being on Fleet Street, it is connected with journalists and the press. It is said that journalists came to pray here when things have gotten wrong. Interestingly, it is the second highest church in London, only St Paul’s Cathedral is higher. The interior of the church is not very interesting, but what has surprised me are the names on the pews. They are journalists’ names who died while on duty.
There are also several historic pubs and wine bars connected with Fleet Street. Authors like Mark Twain, Alfred Tennyson and Arthur Conan Doyle were regular visitors. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is one of London’s oldest pubs, which was largely destroyed in the mid-17th century, but was rebuilt. Punch Tavern is a pub named after the magazine of the same name. Located in a place that is famous for its gin and whiskey whose offer is really exceptional. The last place to go for a drink is El Vino. As the name suggests, here you will choose an excellent wine, which is imported from Spain, Portugal and South America.
BBC New Broadcasting House
There is no doubt that the BBC rules British news. The BBC ‘New Intelligence House’ hosts both television and radio. If you have ever watched BBC news, you may have noticed that some interviews with experts or journalists are filmed in the BBC, where you see journalists and the entire newsroom in sequence. The ground floor is dedicated to the television. In the center is a long, rounded table with journalists who choose the importance of news. On one half they deal with foreign, on the other British news. In the room itself there are dozens of other tables, and it all looks like a big anthill. Altogether, there are 60 editing rooms, 36 radio studios, and even the so-called Live Lounge in the building, where live celebrity concerts are broadcast live on BBC 1 Radio, which you can also see on BBC Radio 1 Youtube channel. But special political news only does not reside here, we find it at 4 Mill Bank in Westminster, where the political office is located.
BAUER MEDIA
I have also visited Bauer Media stations. It is a small building that you probably would not connect with radios such as Kiss, Magic or Hits. Interestingly, even though the building is relatively cramped inside, the equipment is really top-notch and I dare say that better than the BBC.