Manchester Big Screen

net1

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 the regional programme Northwest Tonight tomorrow.

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 on Saturday, followed by the Manchester Festival Europa (May 22 to June 01) and the Eurovision Song Contest (May 24).

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 BBC One programmes.

The scheme is a partnership between the BBC, Philips, Manchester City Council and Milligan/ The Blackstone Group, owners of The Triangle Shopping Centre.

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, BBC Director of Nations and Regions, launching the screen on behalf of the BBC, said: "This is a highly significant experiment for the BBC.

"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."