Big screen relocationfrom Waterloo Placecloser to the Guildhall

The local authority is inviting tenders for a contract to move the screen, which was originally installed as part of the Cultural Olympiad in 2012.

Back in 2010 the Sentinel first revealed the Northern Ireland Executive was providing £650k to enable the open air broadcast of major cultural and sporting events in Londonderry during the 2012 Olympiad.

The screen was retained and was also used to broadcast events during Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013.

However, technical support and content management - provided centrally by the BBC - ended in September 2013.

Newly published tender documents now reveal that a proposal to operate the 22 ‘live sites’ throughout the United Kingdom as an independent network with a single central contractor came to nothing.

The documents state: “The individual live sites are now acting independently of each other and Derry City Council is seeking proposals from appropriately qualified contractors for the relocation and provision of content management and technical support for the Council’s live site screen located at Waterloo place.”

The Council wants bidders to outline how they can make money for the local authority using the relocated screen.

“Tender proposals should therefore clearly state how the commercial potential of the live site could be utilized and a potential future revenue stream generated for the council. Contractors are expected to list expected annual commercial income figures as part of their submission,” the documents advise.

It looks likely the screen will now be moved to Shipquay Place (Guildhall Square) or Harbour Square from its current Supervalu location as Derry City Council proposes either the Guildhall or the Harbour Museum as the location of a new control room.

The Council wants the successful developer to remove all equipment from the current screen location; remove all equipment from the current control room; install a new control room; and install a new stand alone screen site.

It will be used to upload content from community and council events and to stream major events live.