Visit to the British Forces Broadcasting Service
Report and photos from Nicky Swain
I am the Deputy Head of the Telecommunications Department on Tristan da Cunha. During a recent visit to the UK, me and my son Ryan (who also works for the Telecommunications Department) got the opportunity to visit our broadcasting provider BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Services) in London.
Nicky & Ryan Swain by the BFBS radio broadcasting station
On Tuesday 30th April 2024 we travelled to the BFBS headquarters in Chalfont Grove for a meeting with Nick Beer the Director of Development and Strategy, who is also our main contact regarding our system on Tristan, and other members of his team.
Left to right: Ryan Swain, Nicky Swain, Nick Beer (Director of Development and Strategy), Ryan Lambert (Director technology), Melanie Bose (General manager), and Adam Hardwick (Deputy director TV & Cinemas)
Afterwards we were given a tour of the department and a briefing on how the system operates. BFBS have been supporting Tristan da Cunha with TV and Radio channels for over 20 years. They have just recently replaced one of the five channels broadcasting on the Island, and this seems to be going down well with the Islanders.
Some of the many Satellite dishes at the BFBS headquarters