Broadcast@ ■ Melvyn Bragg on TV Street, London WC2H 9HQ ■ Jane Hudson Btinternet.Com the Author and Parliamentarian ■ Rtsdevonandcornwall@Rts

Home , Fatima Manji, Hugh Dennis, Naked Attraction, Nina Gold, The Big Breakfast, The Mash Report

October 2017

A world of opportunity CAMBRIDGE CONVENTION 2017 MASTERCLASSES

14 November From the CEO The RTS Cambridge Convention not only kicked off the Society’s busy RTS STUDENT autumn events schedule, it generated headlines in abundance and helped to PROGRAMME set the media agenda. Huge thanks to the convention’s brilliant co-chairs, Sky’s Andrew MASTERCLASSES Griffith and Gary Davey, and to all the speakers and session producers. We enjoyed an extraordinary line-up of world-class entertainment executives. James Murdoch’s appearance on the Thursday morning was a particular 15 November high point, as he outlined the corporate RTS STUDENT philosophy of 21st Century Fox. CRAFT SKILLS MASTERCLASSES Contents Kenton Allen’s TV diary Kenton Allen chills in Malibu and trades gossip at the RTS 5 Cambridge Convention

RTS Cambridge Convention 2017 Reports by Matthew Bell, Maggie Brown, Steve Clarke and Tara Conlan

One: A world of opportunity Steve Clarke listens as senior industry figures identify 7 British TV’s strengths and challenges Two: Zig when the others zag CEO Nancy Dubuc explains how A+E Networks has 10 prospered by taking risks and diversifying. Matthew Bell watches the showreel

Three: Show me the money Maggie Brown hears how Andy Harries and Andy Wilman 12 made TV history by signing lucrative deals with Netflix and Amazon

Four: Five fundamentals guiding the BBC Chairman Sir David Clementi lays out his vision for the 14 BBC – and defends its journalists from harassment Five: News we can trust? Steve Clarke watches news executives decide how to 17 handle emerging details of a terrorist attack as online reports of the event multiply Both at: Editor Production, design Writer IET, 2 Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL Steve Clarke and advertising Matthew Bell [email protected] Gordon Jamieson [email protected] [email protected] Booking: www.rts.org.uk Journal of The Royal Television Society October 2017 l Volume 54/9

It was wonderful, too, to have the domestic news story unfolds. Barbara traditional news networks can respond two Andys – Harries and Wilman Serra proved, once again, what a gifted to the challenge from social media. – with their tales of how they’d each presenter she is. And congratulations to the first Steve sold important shows to American No Cambridge is complete without Hewlett scholar, Oliver Cummins streaming giants. Session chair Peter a government minister. The Secretary Hylton. Fincham brought his unique perspec- of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Finally, I’d like to draw your attentive – and first-hand experience – to Sport, Karen Bradley, delivered a key- tion to our next Joint Public Lecture the stories of how The Crown and The note speech that underlined the con- with the IET, on 25 October. Our Grand Tour made it to our screens. tinuing strength of the UK’s TV sector. speaker is none other than astronaut Another stand-out from Cambridge This bumper edition of Television Tim Peake, further proof that the RTS was a hypothetical terror attack that contains full reports of all 14 sessions. is aiming high. put news executives on the spot as I do hope you enjoy reading them. they were forced to make tough Those who attended the inaugural judgement calls. “In whose news do Steve Hewlett Memorial Lecture will we trust?” gave attendees a real know what an absorbing evening this insight into the thinking that occurs was. Nick Robinson’s stimulating on the editorial shop floor as a big, lecture examined the ways in which Theresa Wise

Six: The enforcer Thirteen: How TV finds top talent Matthew Bell is attentive as Ofcom CEO Sharon White A panel of TV heavyweights outlines how to build 20 talks tough on diversity 39 the stars of tomorrow in a hyper-competitive world. Matthew Bell reports Seven: Sky higher James Murdoch makes the case that a wholly Fourteen: Seizing the opportunity 23 Fox-owned Sky is what a post-Brexit UK needs Steve Clarke hears the industry’s leading figures predict 42 what lies ahead in a world where the tech giants loom Eight: All the world’s a stage ever larger Tara Conlan learns that the Chinese TV market is 26 developing fast but remains problematic for distributors Our Friend in the North West Nine: London elite put on notice Cat Lewis says Ofcom can do a lot more to encourage Karen Bradley MP calls for a greater emphasis on 47 TV production in the nations and regions 28 production in the UK’s nations and regions Power to the people Ten: Will advertisers desert TV? Technical innovations are driving viewing options to new Recent negative publicity does not seem to have dented 48 heights. Kate Bulkley explores the consequences 31 the rise of online advertising. Matthew Bell judges the state of play Dramatising a death cult Peter Kosminsky is unflinching in his belief that TV has Eleven: A league of their own? 50 a duty to cross-examine society, says Matthew Bell What is the secret to finding the next Strictly Come 34 Dancing or Britain’s Got Talent, asks Tara Conlan A mission to engage Nick Robinson, inspired by the late Steve Hewlett, tells Twelve: A world of opportunity – for all? 52 news networks how they can challenge the excesses of Social mobility and TV’s Oxbridge bias is the latest social media. Steve Clarke takes notes 36 battleground in the diversity debate, discovers Tara Conlan RTS news 54 Reports of Society events across the nations and regions

Sub-editor Photographer Royal Television Society Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Sarah Bancroft Paul Hampartsoumian 3 Dorset Rise, UK £115 ISSN 0308-454X © Royal Television Society 2017. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail) £172.22 20 Crimscott St are not necessarily those of the RTS. E: [email protected] Enquiries: [email protected] London, SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728 W: wwwrts.org.uk

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 3 Your guide to upcoming events. Book online at RTS NEWS www.rts.org.uk

and YouTuber. Chair: Ellie Gibson, THAMES VALLEY National events Local events journalist, presenter, comedian Friday 17 November and author. 6:30pm for 7:00pm Annual Dinner Dance RTS/IET JOINT PUBLIC LECTURE BRISTOL Venue: ITV London Studios, 7:00pm Wednesday 25 October Wednesday 18 October Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT Venue: De Vere Wokefield Estate, Tim Peake, ESA astronaut Digital Bristol Week events ■ Daniel Cherowbrier Mortimer RG7 3AE ‘Life, the universe and beyond’: ■ Channel 4’s Humans: stunts, ■ [email protected] ■ Tony Orme Tim Peake in conversation with synths and social media ■ [email protected] Tim Davie. Tickets: £10 for RTS Christos Savvides, senior digital MIDLANDS and IET members; £30 for non- producer at 4Creative. Chair: Rob Thursday 30 November WALES members. 6:00pm for 7:00pm Hifle, director, BDH. 6:00-6:50pm Gala Dinner and Awards 2017 Thursday 19 October Venue: IET London, 2 Savoy ■ 21st-century skills for 21st- Venue: National Motorcycle RTS Wales Annual Lecture: Place, London WC2R 0BL century talent: What does the Museum, Solihull B92 0EJ Facebook, the media and industry need for the future? ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 democracy RTS MASTERCLASSES Panellists: Joe Godwin, direc- ■ [email protected] By Leighton Andrews, profes- Tuesday 14 November tor of BBC Academy and of sor of practice in public service RTS Student Programme BBC Birmingham; Stuart Dyer, NORTH EAST & THE BORDER leadership and innovation at Masterclasses operations manager, Films at 59; ■ Jill Graham Cardiff Business School. In Venue: IET London, 2 Savoy Christos Savvides, senior digital ■ [email protected] association with the National Place, London WC2R 0BL producer, 4Creative. Chair: Lynn Assembly for Wales, and chaired Wednesday 15 November Barlow, UWE. 7:00-7:50pm NORTH WEST by Bethan Jenkins AM, Chair of RTS Student Craft Skills Venue: BBC Bristol, 31 Whiteladies Wednesday 18 October Culture, Welsh Language and Masterclasses Road, Bristol BS8 2LS John Thomson: The Anthony H Communications Committee. Venue: IET London, 2 Savoy Wednesday 25 October Wilson Memorial Lecture 2017 Register via Eventbrite. Drinks Place, London WC2R 0BL Have we got news for you? Chair: Lucy Meacock. 6:30pm reception: 6:15-7:00pm. Lecture BBC Points West debate on the Venue: Lowry Theatre, Salford 7:00-8:00pm RTS AWARDS future of local news and com- Quays M50 3AZ Venue: The Senedd, Cardiff Bay Monday 27 November munity. Supported by RTS Bristol Saturday 11 November CF10 4PZ RTS Craft & Design Awards 2017 and the University of the West of RTS North West Awards ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 Venue: London Hilton on Park England to celebrate 60 years of Venue: Hilton Deansgate, 303 ■ [email protected] Lane, London W1K 1BE news in the West of England Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ Venue: TBC ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 YORKSHIRE RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT Thursday 9 November ■ [email protected] Monday 20 November Wednesday 29 November Bristol RTS Futures Festival Ninety years of the RTS: In conversation with Advice about production in the NORTHERN IRELAND A celebration Matt Brittin region and entering the industry Thursday 16 November RTS Yorkshire will be hosting a Matt Brittin, President, EMEA Venue: Watershed, 1 Canon’s Programme Awards 2017 day of events, including: business and operations, Road, Bristol BS1 5TX 6:00pm ■ Open the archives Google, will be in conversation ■ Belinda Biggam Venue: The MAC, 10 Exchange Come and explore the ITV and with journalist Kate Bulkley. ■ [email protected] Street West, Belfast BT1 2NJ Yorkshire Film Archives with the 6:30pm for 6:45pm ■ John Mitchell experts Venue: The Hospital Club, 24 Endell DEVON & CORNWALL ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@ ■ Melvyn Bragg on TV Street, London WC2H 9HQ ■ Jane Hudson btinternet.com The author and parliamentarian ■ RTSDevonandCornwall@rts. will talk about the continuing RTS FUTURES org.uk REPUBLIC OF IRELAND and future impact of TV Wednesday 6 December ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 ■ The 90th anniversary quiz Christmas quiz EAST ■ [email protected] Venue: Television Centre, Kirkstall 6:45pm for 7:00pm ■ Nikki O’Donnell Road, Leeds LS3 1JS Venue: ITV London Studios, ■ nikki.odonnell@bbc.co.uk SCOTLAND ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT ■ Jane Muirhead ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. LONDON ■ [email protected] co.uk TING RTS FUTURES Wednesday 25 October RA O B U E R th Tuesday 6 February 2018 Games and TV: what’s the score? SOUTHERN L E RTS Futures TV Careers Panel: Steve McNeil, actor, ■ Stephanie Farmer C Fair 2018 writer, comedian and streamer; ■ [email protected] 10:00am-4:00pm Sam Pamphilon, actor, writer Venue: Business Design Centre, and comedian; and Julia Hardy, 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH presenter, technology journalist

4 TV diary

Kenton Allen chills in Malibu and trades gossip at the RTS Cambridge Convention

o quote the Pointer touch, requesting meetings. WTF? Thanks to the high-end tax credit Sisters, “I’m so as our young Big Talk runners and our US chums, it’s now possible excited. And I just would say. – with the right mix of talent and can’t hide it.” This is broadcaster – to co-produce comedy not just because I’m ■ Before Los Angeles, I go to the with US partners. having a pre-Emmy equally glam RTS Convention in Back, our newest show from the Sunday brunch with Cambridge for the first time. Again, comedy holy trinity of Simon Black- my long-time mentor and general WTF? Why has it taken me 30-plus well, David Mitchell and Robert spiritT guide, Andy Harries. Or because years to get here? Webb, is a fine example. Channel 4 my best friend and business partner, Highlights include a brilliant/ has backed us from the very begin- Matthew Justice, is on his way from terrifying opening session on future ning and the support of new head of LAX to meet us at Soho House, Malibu, tech from the bloke who started Wired comedy Fiona McDermott has been where we plan to spend the after- magazine, and a fascinating and phenomenal. noon drinking rosé and staring at hilarious panel, chaired expertly by Thanks to Sundance, we’ve man- Cindy Crawford and her mates. Peter Fincham, about the real story aged to produce the show and… wait It is because there has never been a behind The Grand Tour (Andy Wilman) for it… not lose any money. WTF?! better time to be a British producer in and The Crown (yep, him again). Los Angeles. I’ve been doing this trip All this and a dinner in the splendid ■ Back in LA, the highlight of our for more than 25 years. It can be one setting of King’s College, with equally trip is time spent in the company of the most depressing experiences of splendid company and tons of scur- of a genuine genius. There’s a prize your professional life. rilous gossip not fit for publication. if you can guess who he is.* My most memorable depressive A most inspiring, invigorating and I grew up watching his work on a visit was six years ago. Before I’d even convivial time spent with 300 of your classic cop show from the 1970s. He got out of bed, I’d had a week’s worth closest colleagues from across the created one of the seminal TV shows of meetings cancelled and two UK industry. I’ll definitely be back if of the 1980s. He’s a multi-award- series decommissioned. But, since the Theresa Wise will have me. winning writer, producer and director. arrival of the SVoD players, LA trips He is responsible for four of the have become incredibly dynamic and ■ I’m often asked what the differ- finest movies ever made, one of fast-moving. ence is between UK and US com- which includes the perfect heist edy. To paraphrase a quote from sequence, which is jaw dropping in ■ As we all know, through gritted Eric Idle, the answer is about $3m its complexity, ferocity and sheer teeth, Mr Harries blazed a trail for an episode. But the truth is that the technical achievement. us all with the game-changing sale transatlantic gap in all scripted pro- Now, he’s working with a bloke of The Crown to Netflix. That trail is gramming is rapidly closing. from Birmingham and his mate now white hot. This time in LA, we This is excellent news for the from Croydon on our long-gestating announce the acquisition of a series financially challenged British sitcom. SAS: The Originals project. As I said, I’m of excellent books, Lockwood and Co. Why 30-minute scripted comedy has so excited. Within an hour of Deadline report- never attracted the same tariff as ing this – yes, that’s correct, dear drama has been the subject of never- Kenton Allen is CEO of Big Talk reader, within 60 of your British min- ending and heated debate at Big Talk Productions. utes – Netflix, Amazon et al are in Towers over the years. *Answers to [email protected]

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 5 Shown with customized Fairlight audio console

The new DaVinci Resolve 14 is now up to 10 times faster with new editing tools, full Fairlight audio post production and new multi user collaboration tools!

DaVinci Resolve 14 is a new revolution in post production! The world’s most Fairlight Audio advanced editing and color correction so ware is now up to 10 times faster, DaVinci Resolve 14 features built in Fairlight professional digital audio so you can includes an entirely new audio post production suite, multi user collaboration now work on audio post in the same so ware you use for editing and color! tools, and dozens of new fi lters and eff ects, including amazing face refi nement You get high end mixing, busing and metering, along with multi channel tools! With DaVinci Resolve 14, it only takes a single click to switch between recording, sample level editing, audio sweetening, eff ects and more. Plus, you editing, color and audio. It’s like getting 3 high end applications in one! can master to multiple delivery formats at the same time!

Professional Editing Multi User Collaboration DaVinci Resolve includes virtually every imaginable editing and trimming tool DaVinci Resolve 14 lets multiple users work on the same project at the same time! available, making it perfect for both creative and online editing! The new high That means assistants can prep footage while editors cut, colorists grade, and performance playback engine, which is up to 10x faster, makes playback sound editors finish audio. You get bin locking, integrated chat, timeline instantaneous and trimming more responsive than ever, even for processor comparison tools for merging changes and more. Multi user collaboration in intensive formats such as H.264. DaVinci Resolve 14 changes post production forever!

Advanced Color Correction S o w a r e DaVinci Resolve 14 ...... Free Download Used on more feature films and television shows than any other system, DaVinci Resolve 14 Studio ...... £229* DaVinci Resolve 14 gives you the industry’s highest quality image processing, Hardware DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel ...... £775* most powerful primary and secondary correction tools, advanced curve editors, power windows, amazing facial recognition and tracking features, DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel ...... £2,325* and over 20 new Resolve FX ﬁ lters! DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panel ...... £23,175*

Learn more at www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk *SRP is Exclusive of VAT. Cambridge Convention Session One A world of opportunity

Steve Clarke listens as senior industry figures identify British TV’s strengths and challenges

Convention Chair and Group COO of Sky Andrew Griffith Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

ow well equipped is elections, the protection of minors or The myth that young people shun British TV to make the guarding the prominence of PSBs on live TV was exploded by Thinkbox’s most of the changes electronic programme guides. CEO, Lindsey Clay (see box on page 8). that technology entre- “It’s a lop-sided contest [between As proof, she reminded delegates of preneurs are unleash- UK broadcasters and the likes of millennials’ recent obsession with the ing around the world? Facebook] and, left unchecked, repre- reality show Love Island, a breakout There is a consensus that, creatively, sents a real challenge,” he continued. summer hit for ITV2. UKH television continues to punch “At best, our valued standards of con- Sky’s managing director of content, above its weight. Equally, there is a tent protection are being eroded and, Gary Davey, stressed that, in terms of fear that the unregulated tech giants at worst, fundamentally undermined.” creativity and programme quality, threaten domestic broadcast busi- Griffith insisted: “As an industry, British TV was setting new bench- nesses as never before. now is the time for all of us to make a marks. “There’s no question that, Opening the 2017 RTS Cambridge strong case for action to policymakers today, Britain has the most diverse, Convention, conference chairman to level the playing field so that we in most energised and most creative and Sky group COO Andrew Griffith broadcasting are able, sustainably, to television output anywhere in the stressed the health of British televi- promote the content and the values world,” he said. sion while also acknowledging the that the British public expect.” Joining Griffith and Davey on stage, growing competition from the online And, during a time of political two expert witnesses were invited to behemoths. shockwaves – Brexit, Trump and the assess the themes of this wide-ranging “We need to address the imbalance UK general election – and a decline session from the opposing perspectives between our – rightly – regulated in trust in our institutions, could of linear broadcast and the purely industry and the lightly regulated entertainment companies maintain digital domain. online world,” he said. Griffith added public goodwill, he asked. In one Up first was Wired editor-at-large that, on the internet, there was sense, however, the status quo was a and techno-evangelist David Rowan, no acknowledgement of, let alone good place to be, as linear TV contin- who was followed by Thinkbox’s Clay. adherence to, rules such as the ban ued to dominate viewing habits Rowan offered some provocative on political advertising during across a wide range of demographics. thoughts for the broadcasters sitting �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 7 A World of Opportunity Session One

David Rowan Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

� in the room. His first clip featured an Facebook, of course – to catch up with interview with German YouTube star their viewing, rather than spend a pot Clay on young JP Kraemer, who told delegates that TV of money on the latest smart TV. was an anachronism. “I am not inter- While emphasising the speed of TV addicts ested in doing TV any more,” announced technological change, Rowan Kraemer, who first found fame fronting reminded the convention that human ‘There is a lot of pessimism about a German documentary soap for sports behaviour was often irrational. “A sur- young people’s viewing, but they channel DSF. “TV is old… The main vey asked people what would be the were practically clawing each oth- problem is most people from TV want hardest thing to explain to someone er’s eyes out to watch Love Island. to keep the money. When you do You- from the 1950s about modern life,” he Young people have not switched off. Tube, it’s all yours.” said. “My favourite answer was: ‘I have ‘While it is true that the under-35s Rowan said that Kraemer’s YouTube a device in my pocket capable of spend significantly more time on channel, aimed at petrol-heads, accessing the entirety of all informa- YouTube and SVoD services than attracts 25 million views per month. tion known to man and I use it to look older people, they spend a relatively Kraemer was dismissive of the huge at pictures of cats and get in arguments small amount of time watching video production budgets that companies with strangers.’” on Facebook. But they do still watch such as The Crown’s producer, Left More seriously, the Wired executive DVDs: more than 5% of their overall Bank, could command: “I don’t think told the audience that they should video viewing per day is of DVDs. I will need a big budget, because what consider emulating Facebook and do ‘Live TV is young people’s most people really like is entertainment that more to harness data to help transform popular form of video… This is what looks real.” their businesses. Greater personalisation they like to do best,’ Clay said. If this metaphorical earthquake was was one area where traditional TV She added that, as young people not bad enough, there were further companies could deploy data to keep become older, their viewing habits shocks for the broadcasters as Rowan audiences satisfied, argued Rowan. change and they watched more got into his stride. In another clip, Meanwhile, artificial intelligence TV on a TV set and less SVoD and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made offered the potential to customise online video. But ‘that is not to say the claim in a recent talk that physical stories to suit an individual’s emotional this won’t change in the future’. TV sets were effectively redundant. To state, he claimed. Lindsey Clay, CEO, Thinkbox watch their favourite shows, people Virtual reality (VR) had been used could now download a $1 app – from by film-makers to allow viewers to

8 experience the grimness of refugee shop run by… Lehman Brothers. And Griffith on blind camps in the Middle East, without the we all know what happened to them. intermediary of a reporter. “There’s no “It is clear to me that the industry spots and Brexit gap between you and the program- worldwide, and particularly in the UK, ming,” enthused Rowan. “There is no is undergoing a genuine creative ‘The EU referendum highlighted a gap between the stage and the audi- renaissance. To me, that will keep blind spot in UK broadcasting. As ence. You are immersed.” He predicted driving all our business in the right a group, we failed to anticipate that it wouldn’t be long before we directions,” said the Sky content boss, or understand the result. Then, to could travel to space via VR. who has run TV business in the US, prove that it wasn’t an accident, we If some of this sounded rather far- Asia and Europe. In the UK, companies did it again earlier this year, during fetched, Rowan such as Sky had the general election. reminded delegates thrived by “staying ‘This tells us that we weren’t as in that Spotify, Netflix THIS ahead of the impor- touch with the mood of the country and the iPhone tant technology as we thought. We were too quick were each initially COUNTRY HAS curves that are to accept received wisdom. Argua- written off by ENCOURAGED important to us and bly, we did so because we weren’t highly paid execu- help us serve our as representative of the make-up tives from rival RISK AND customers”. of the UK as we should be. companies. Hind- DEVELOPED Davey continued: ‘All of us have to work harder to sight was, indeed, AUDIENCE “If I try to quantify get out of the London bubble.’ a wonderful thing. the scale of where Taking up the BEHAVIOUR we’ve got to, if you cudgels for linear THAT ACTUALLY just look at Sky UK Griffith on data TV, the next speaker, this year, we will Clay, told delegates ACCEPTS RISK deliver nine exa- and advertising that British televi- bytes [918 bytes] of sion had success- data across our ‘Online video advertising, domi- fully weathered the disruption of the platforms. That is the equivalent of nated by just two global players, is past decade. 117,000 years of high-definition video experiencing explosive growth in This had been achieved by TV or, if it were text, 51 times the entire the UK and may already be gaining embracing online, ensuring that every- writings of humankind. more than its fair share. one could access content on their “To you and me, that means shows ‘There are opportunities for both mobile devices regardless of location, such as Gogglebox, Downton Abbey, The sides to learn from each other. We and investing in high-quality shows. Night Manager, Strictly Come Dancing, Love in TV could embrace data, introduce Tellingly, if seven-day catch-up Island and Taboo, not, of course, forget- greater addressability and be more viewing is factored in, the average UK ting The Great British Bake Off.” adventurous in trying new business viewer watches only four minutes less Davey congratulated Channel 4’s models. TV a day than a decade ago – 3 hours departing creative chief, Jay Hunt, and ‘If they’re to build sustainable 36 minutes compared with 3 hours Love Productions on the programme’s business models for the long term, 32 minutes, according to Barb statistics. successful transition to Channel 4. digital advertisers would be wise to Add in catch-up beyond eight days The UK was rich in film and TV talent open up to third-party measure- and box sets, and the amount of view- on both sides of the camera, but what ment, recognise that there is a defi- ing increases by a further eight minutes. singled out British TV from the rest of cit of trust and share the rewards If viewing on other devices is included, the world, he said, was the UK’s high more fairly with content creators.’ the time spent watching TV goes up tolerance of risk-taking in the shows Andrew Griffith, Group COO, Sky again – by another four minutes. it commissioned and produced. In an analogy that had some dele- “This country has encouraged risk gates scratching their heads, Clay com- and developed audience behaviour that Davey on pared the medium of television to the actually accepts risk. That’s not true Game of Thrones character Jon Snow. everywhere,” insisted Davey. “In fact, in peak drama “He’s the show’s moral centre, he a lot of places – and I think it is true of has integrity and the common touch US network TV – risk gets punished. ‘I disagree with my colleague John and is a natural leader,” Clay explained. That’s something that we need to hang Landgraf at FX in the US, when he Many people had tried to kill him off on to and to develop. As long as we said that TV drama had reached but Snow was a survivor despite being keep taking risks, we will survive.” n a peak and too much drama was a bit miserable – rather like people who being produced. There are some work in TV and who tend to see their Session One, ‘A world of opportunity’, was 460 dramas in production right now. industry through a glass half-empty. introduced by Andrew Griffith, Group COO, I find myself in agreement with Ted Sky’s Davey, who concluded the Sky, and Gary Davey, MD of content, Sky, Sarandos at Netflix, who said, “How session, made a similar point when he with presentations by Lindsey Clay, CEO, can it be wrong to give someone said that the first time he heard some- Thinkbox, and David Rowan, editor- too much of a good thing?”’ one predicting the death of TV was in at-large, Wired UK. The session was pro- Gary Davey, MD of content, Sky New York 30 years ago at a talking duced by Olivia Bonner and Lucy Aitkens.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 9 A World of Opportunity Session Two Zig when the

+E Networks has successfully reinvented others zag itself as a producer of original global content. Giving the international keynote address atA the RTS Convention, President and CEO Nancy Dubuc explained how the US media giant had moved into new broadcasting territory. In 2002, A+E lost the rights to reruns of the long-running police procedural Law & Order. This was a big blow, because the network had been pulling in huge audiences on the back of the crime show. “We had no choice but to reinvent the model for ourselves, and that began [the move] into original programming,” explained Dubuc. Fifteen years later, A+E – a 50:50 joint venture between Hearst Commu- nications and Disney-ABC Television Group – has become a hugely successful global operator. Its channels, which include History, Lifetime, FYI (formerly the Biography Channel) and Viceland, reach 360 million households in more than 200 territories. Its resurgence has been partly fuelled by original non-scripted shows, which the session chair, Channel 4’s Jay Hunt, described as “very punchy for the American market. They almost speak to a British tradition of public service broadcasting, [covering] big issues of the day”. The documentary series Intervention, which follows the lives of addicts, has been running since 2005. “[The show] CEO Nancy Dubuc explains was one of the three times I have been how A+E Networks has told I may lose my job,” recalled Dubuc, who has worked at A+E for more than prospered by taking risks and 14 years – the past four as CEO. diversifying. The other two programmes for Matthew Bell which Dubuc put her job on the line, watches the showreel she revealed, were A+E IndieFilms’s Jesus Camp, about an evangelical Chris- tian community, and The Kennedys, which was pulled from History in the US.

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul Many suspected the demise of The

10 YOU’LL GET FIRED FOR DOING NOTHING; YOU WON’T GET FIRED Standing up to FOR A SHOW NOT WORKING the streamers

Kennedys was more because of the production division, A+E Studios, in Subscription video-on-demand unflattering light the mini-series shone 2013. Notable series produced so far services (SVoD) – most promi- on the American political dynasty than include History’s Roots and Lifetime nently Netflix, Hulu and Amazon its supposed historical inaccuracies. drama Unreal. Prime – are changing the way we “It’s my job as the creative and busi- International markets are another watch TV. ness leader of the company to push area earmarked for investment. “It is a So, how is A+E Networks people outside of their comfort zone,” huge area of focus and growth for us as responding to this challenge? said Dubuc, adding that these “risky” a company,” said Dubuc. Here in Brit- A+E, in contrast to many broad- shows were motivated by a desire to ain, A+E Networks UK is a joint venture casters, doesn’t license its pro- hold up a mirror to society. between A+E and Sky. Despite reports grammes to Netflix. ‘Netflix has an Cop documentary Live PD, which to the contrary, Dubuc denied that she incredible business and I think all of follows US police forces on the streets was pulling back from the relationship us are a bit envious of what it has on a Friday night and is shown live, with Sky. and what it is able to spend,’ said has proved a ratings winner for A+E In 2014, A+E took a stake in Vice A+E’s boss, Nancy Dubuc. since its debut last October. Media, before launching the millennials’ Until a few years ago, the net- British producers approaching A+E TV channel, Viceland, two years later. work had a library arrangement with programme ideas, said Dubuc, Dubuc claimed it had been a success: with Netflix, but she said that the should “not come to my team with “It is talking to an audience that doesn’t money it received ‘wasn’t worth a 2.0 version of what we already have”. watch any television – but I would the risk that we’re taking of creat- She continued: “Being the first show argue that we were not giving that ing a behaviour to not watch com- out there takes a lot of guts; being the audience much television to watch. mercial television’. 15th version of that [show] is a business “We were there at the birth of cable She added: ‘We’ve done more model.” [TV in the US], and I watched that first piecemeal deals with Amazon and In her approach to programme- video on MTV, and all of cable felt like we have a better relationship with making, Dubuc maintained that “cele- it was made for us. [But] it has aged Hulu [on] hours of programming, brating failure is key”. She explained: with us and we didn’t do a great job of because 75% of the audience “Half of what we do fails, at least – and listening to the generation coming up that’s watching on Hulu is still that’s a pretty good batting average, behind – we need to reinvent our- watching the commercials. actually, if half of what you do works. selves for what they care about.” ‘So, for me, it’s about the audi- You’ll get fired for doing nothing; you Variety is key, argued Dubuc: “I don’t ence behaviour – we all watch won’t get fired for a show not working.” ever want to be known for just one SVoD and things without commer- Audience data, she said, “can point genre. It’s very important for us to cials but we all also tolerate com- you in the right direction of a topic that diversify, whether that’s non-fiction mercials in some environments might work, but it isn’t going to tell a documentary, live or scripted – that’s because you care about that brand story”. Moreover, she said, “We don’t what’s been our saviour all these years, or that show. aspire to own the information; we being able to zig while others zag.” ‘You care enough about it that aspire to own the hearts of our Looking to the future, which she said you will stick with it. We don’t want customers.” would be “constantly” changing, Dubuc to become [just] “good enough”, so Dubuc said that A+E had been trying mainained that she would continue to that [people] will tolerate watching “to get away from the repeat business” use “fail-fast” business practices. two-seasons-ago content because and, “in primetime, we’re pushing our This required “looking at the decisions it’s available on a service that premieres”, such as Live PD. we make” and, if they were not working, doesn’t have commercials. But, pointed out Hunt, there was “having the courage” to change tack. ‘[We want] a “go-seek-it-out” “increasingly massive inflation in non- “Admitting failure is hard for people,” [attitude from viewers] because scripted and reality. So, to populate a she said, “but I do believe that [it’s “I love History or I love those Life- channel with a much higher percent- necessary].” n time movies and I know I can’t get age of origination is a bankrupting them anywhere else”. proposition, isn’t it?” ‘Session Two: International keynote’ fea- ‘It’s not that we don’t want to Dubuc rejected this argument, main- tured Nancy Dubuc, President and CEO, work with those [SVoD] compa- taining that A+E had a good balance of A+E Networks, who was interviewed by nies, but, on a library basis, the genres and programming. Channel 4 chief creative officer Jay Hunt. maths doesn’t work.’ A+E launched an in-house scripted The session was produced by Helen Scott.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 11 A World of Opportunity Session Three

his became the “Two Andys” session, the The Crown moment when veteran producers Andy Harries and Andy Wilman met for the first time to dis- cussT the thrill of being handed huge budgets. And – they insisted – creative freedom, to work on The Crown and The Grand Tour. “They are the cats that got the cream,” said Peter Fincham, session chair and former ITV director of television. He had his own tale to tell of the shock waves from those deals struck by Netflix and Amazon in 2014 and 2015, which continue to reverberate throughout British broadcasting. Fincham reminded Harries: “A couple of years ago [2014], you came to see me with a pitch. You had Peter Morgan at one elbow, Stephen Daldry at the other and you had this project, The Crown. “It was palpably obvious that you were not going to have any trouble selling it. As you left the room, I asked you, ‘What happens next?’ You said: ‘We are just popping over to America, I’ll get back to you.’ In that moment, I knew that I would never hear about this project again.” “Not true,” protested Harries, Chief Executive of Left Bank Pictures. “I took you out to breakfast and you said, ‘I suppose it’s the BBC?’ And I said, ‘No, it’s Netflix.’ At which point you shut your eyes, you dropped your head down a bit and said: ‘Well, that’s a real game changer.’ “It was a game changer, we tested it with you and the BBC, both were very enthusiastic. I did think that we would be doing some kind of classic co-production. “We pitched to five US networks. Some had doubts about it being very British. It was 60 hours, the whole reign, which was a hell of an order. Show me “But Netflix was very different. Ted Sarandos [chief content officer] was there, they’d got all the bosses in the room. At the end, Ted said, ‘Great, we want it, let’s have it’. the money “Netflix was about to roll out worldwide. We were a perfect brand, the Royal Family. On reflection, it was Maggie Brown hears how Andy Harries and obvious to me that they had decided to buy before we went in. Andy Wilman made TV history by signing “We had sent a script ahead. I think lucrative deals with Netflix and Amazon they ran the research on The Queen, The Audience, the play we did [in 2013], and other royal films. All the research

12 suggested that stuff about the Royal Family was a winner.” The deal was reportedly £100m for two series, and Left Bank sold Netflix a licence and kept the rights. Fincham turned next to Wilman, executive producer of The Grand Tour. “You and your three conspirators [Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond Andy Wilman (left) and James May] came to my home, my and Andy Harries

shed, where we had a long conversation Hampartsoumian Paul about what would happen after the BBC and Top Gear, and I extolled the BBC AND ITV ARE OVERSTUFFED virtues of ITV and, throughout that meeting, I thought… ‘This is never WITH PEOPLE WHO CONTINUALLY going to happen, you are going to one TRY TO TELL YOU HOW TO MAKE of the streaming services.’” Wilman agreed: “It was pretty inevi- THE SHOW YOU SOLD TO THEM table. Ironically, the BBC had always allowed us to make the show we wanted. And when we left [Top Gear in March work brilliantly. They don’t look like There was a downside to not having 2015], we still wanted that freedom. Brad Pitt. We know this.” a big launch on terrestrial television “If we went to a respected, estab- At this point, delegates were shown and getting audience ratings, Wilman lished channel, we might have to make a still of Clarkson, Hammond and May confessed. He said that Clarkson, a it their way. We got American agents, after a spoof makeover, with gleaming big Twitter user, missed the tabloid and the US corporations started to call. white American-style teeth. coverage, adding: “I really miss it, but We talked to Netflix and Amazon. “The perception of working for what can you do? I have had to get “Amazon got more and more serious. streaming services… It sounds like on-message. I haven’t got ratings to It kept saying: ‘Make the show you nirvana. Is it as simple as that?” work with. It is harder to get talent on want to make.’ That resonated. But queried Fincham. the show because you haven’t got any then the cheque really resonated! We Harries replied: “In the case of The ratings. They don’t tell us.” would just make our thing and put it Crown, we cast who we want. We cast Harries believes that another out- on a different platform.” John Lithgow [an American] as come is that they miss out on UK The deal struck was for three series, Churchill because [casting director] awards. The Crown was spurned by each of 12 episodes – with a budget, Nina Gold came up with the idea. Bafta earlier this year. reputedly, of £160m. “They read the scripts ahead of time, Asked whether he thought these two Said Wilman: “The one thing I learned they call and have a natter, they react very particular programme examples about Amazon is that it wants to make – but not four pages of detailed notes.” were exceptional, he replied that stuff that is big. It is not worried about He warned: “This is one of the rea- spending by the likes of Amazon and making its version of Bargain Hunt. There sons why the BBC and ITV are going to Netflix and other online services was is a lot of noise around our show, it has a be under pressure. Because top talent going to go on increasing, as that of UK big global reach. – all talent – wants to make shows the broadcasters stalled. “Amazon is so young and new, I don’t way they want. By and large, Netflix is “My company is a great beneficiary of think it was thinking unscripted, it just proving this can be done very well. it, but we are unique, being at the fore- thought, that’s big and ready-made, and “One or two shows don’t work, but front; the deal we did was exceptional,” jumped in. most do pretty well. It fundamentally he agreed. “The deals that Netflix is “Amazon, wherever it goes, wants to changes the working practices that doing [now] are much more compara- get bigger in that market. It is working have been established in the UK and ble with other free-to-air services. More outwards all the time.” which have got worse and worse over sensible. It paid a lot of money because He said there had been no pressure the past few years. it wanted [The Crown] at all costs – to change the show to suit the American “The BBC and ITV are overstuffed a great place to negotiate from. market, or change the British humour, with people who continually try to tell “But if Netflix became too big and but Amazon wanted items filmed in the you how to make the show you sold to monopolistic, that would be a real countries that it was targeting. them. Netflix, Amazon, Google and You- worry. The Crown won’t last for ever.” n “Amazon actually said, ‘Where’s the Tube – all of them have a dramatically controversy?’ We have had no notes on more direct, much simpler approach. ‘Session Three: Show me the money!’ a film, no anything. What it wants us to That is the future, no doubt about it. featured Andy Harries, CEO, Left Bank do is more marketing, a hell of a lot of “The biggest challenge to British Pictures, and Andy Wilman, executive adverts; it never said, ‘Can you say broadcasters is that the talent is going producer, The Grand Tour, in conver- trunk instead of bonnet.’ to start swinging over to places where sation with Peter Fincham, Co-CEO, “We tried to make the guys a little it can do what it wants and get well Expectation Entertainment. The producer

Netflix more American recently and it didn’t paid for it.” was Helen Scott.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 13 A World of Opportunity Session Four

Five fundamentals that guide the BBC

couple of years ago, in Thanks to the revised governance BBC Chairman his MacTaggart lecture, arrangements under the new Charter, Sir David Clementi Armando Iannucci we now have one unitary board. called public service The fundamental responsibility of lays out his vision broadcasting “one of the board is to uphold and protect the for the corporation the best things we’ve independence of the BBC. everA done” as a country. It’s something We are also responsible for acting in – and defends its I have always believed. And I believe the public interest and for meeting the that the British public does as well. five public purposes that are set out in journalists from The BBC always features right at the our new Charter. harassment top of those lists that often appear in Upholding our first public purpose the papers of the things that make us – to provide impartial, accurate news feel most proud to be British. and information – is right at the heart I remember reading one of those not of the BBC. long ago. You know you occupy a spe- Truth and accuracy are under assault cial place in the nation’s heart when like never before. I believe that the you’re right up there between Shake- BBC’s historic role as a trusted guide, speare and fish and chips. the place people come to when they But I also noticed that Doctor Who, want to find out what is really happen- Match of the Day, and the Proms all ing at home and around the world, has featured highly in the top 50. As a never been more vital. Strictly fan, it’s surely only a matter of But today we recognise that it is not time before it joins the list! enough to wait for audiences to come Even though the BBC can bring the to us. We need to make sure we go to country together for big TV moments them, wherever they are. and national events, we know that all In an environment in which it is audiences – and particularly younger becoming all too easy to choose ser- audiences – are increasingly consum- vices that only provide news that rein- ing media in different ways and via an forces our own opinions, part of the ever-growing number of platforms. BBC’s job is to work even harder to

14 must confront any abuse, and make competition arrangements and is, so it clear that it is intolerable. far as the BBC Board is concerned, an The second public purpose is to important point of principle. support learning for people of all ages. We have started to build a strong One of the BBC’s biggest strengths is professional relationship with Ofcom, its ability to make programmes that built around respect for each other’s can inform, educate and entertain all duties. I look forward to the publica- at the same time. Planet Earth II, for tion of the final operating licence, example, was the most requested which is an important part of how the programme on iPlayer BBC is held to account. last year. In principle, we But, of course, formal TRUTH AND should want a broad- learning is also a major caster’s performance to focus of our education ACCURACY be judged by assessing mission. BBC Bitesize ARE UNDER outcomes and impacts is already used by for audiences, rather approaching half of ASSAULT than by prescribing primary school students LIKE NEVER inputs. each term, and an In particular, I am incredible 80% of those BEFORE concerned about quo- in secondary school tas that relate to hours – more than half of of broadcasting, since whom say it has helped them achieve the driver here is around quantity not better grades. quality. Quotas relating to resource, There are areas, however, in which and in particular to financial spend, we need to do more to fulfil our mis- are likely to be better drivers towards sion. Doing more to support literacy distinctiveness, although even they for pre-school children, for example, or can never be guarantors of desired lifelong learning for adults. I would like outcomes. to see the BBC do more in these areas, Our fourth public purpose is to and I expect us to announce more later reflect, represent and serve the diverse in the year. communities of all of the UK’s nations Planet Earth II

BBC Our third public purpose is to make and regions. the most creative, high-quality and Earlier this year, the BBC announced promote understanding of alternative distinctive output. its biggest investment in Scotland, points of view. I thought about this as I watched a Wales and Northern Ireland for dec- And it is no surprise that alternative BBC drama that was broadcast in May ades. But, when it comes to making or contrary views expressed on the and which I thought was outstanding: sure that we reflect and serve all our BBC may well grate to a larger extent Three Girls. audiences, diversity in our workforce than they once did. Questions about I’m proud that Three Girls was made is a major priority. And here we have government policies, which seem to by BBC Studios. And I believe Studios made good progress. some parts of our audience natural is going to be fundamental to fulfilling But we are acutely aware that there questions to ask, are regarded by oth- our third public purpose in the years is much more to do. Not least on gen- ers as impertinent and disrespectful. ahead. Under the new Charter, Studios der. We are confident that, when we But holding those in power – or is free to compete directly with other publish our own [gender pay] gap in seeking power – to account, asking production companies, including the next few weeks, we will prove to them what sound bites actually mean, seeking commissions from other be significantly ahead of the national is a key part of our job. It is the respon- broadcasters. average. But we also know that the sibility of our journalists to ask the It was an inherent part of this Charter BBC should be the standard bearer. question – even if it is direct, awkward arrangement that the competition The fifth and final public purpose is or unwelcome. should proceed on as level a playing to reflect the UK, its culture and values Speaking to our journalists, I have field as possible, with Studios not to the world. become increasingly aware of the being subsidised by the public service Arguably, it is more important than abuse that some of them – particularly activities of the BBC – and for existing ever at a moment when Britain is female journalists – are subject to, on BBC Studios commissions to be open seeking to redefine its international an almost daily basis. to a contestability regime. identity and reshape its relationship We must support our journalists and As part of the level playing field, it with the world. The World Service has call out the abuse they are receiving. It was agreed that Studios – like other long been central to the BBC’s activities is increasingly explicit and aggressive. production companies – would not be here, broadcasting to around 270 mil- And much of it occurs online. required to disclose the pay of those lion people in 29 languages. But some of it also occurs in plain who worked for it. But the Government, recognising the sight, at press conferences and political So this exemption is not – as some importance of the World Service to the gatherings on all sides. Politicians have described it – an inadvertent UK, has now made additional invest- cannot stand by and watch – they loophole… it is an integral part of the ment funds available. It adds up to the �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 15 A World of Opportunity Session Four POLITICIANS… MUST CONFRONT ANY ABUSE [OF OUR JOURNALISTS] AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT IS INTOLERABLE

Sir David Clementi Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

� biggest expansion of the World Service since the 1940s. We’ve started recruiting We take it for granted that we can A without having the educa- switch on the TV or radio to get a real- QUESTION tional background in the appli- istic picture of national and interna- cation forms… so the bias that we tional events. But hundreds of millions & ANSWER all know exists in recruitment across the globe rely on the BBC for processes is eliminated as best this. Worryingly, the Iranian courts we can. have, in recent weeks, stepped up their Now that you’ve had your government’s harassment of Persian Qfeet under the desk for nine You said in January that the Service staff based in the UK by freez- months… what were your biggest QBBC Board is bound to look ing the assets they still hold in Iran. We surprises, both on the upside and carefully at all the services the call for this harassment to stop. downside? BBC provides. Are there areas I began by asking how the BBC can I don’t think there is any- that could be outsourced? safeguard its relevance in the years A thing that has disappointed There are. The BBC has out- ahead; how we can ensure that our me or proved in a sense really A sourced a lot of services and, audiences continue to choose us even difficult, but I am really seized in one or two services within the in the face of remarkable change. by the challenges that the BBC HR world, actually, the trend is The answer lies in successfully faces… we have a privileged fund- the other way and [they] could be defending the BBC’s independence, ing model but the downside is better done in-house. and in meeting – often in new and that it’s hard to increase revenues. innovative ways – the five public Are there any particular purposes I have highlighted today. With BBC Studios, do you Qareas of the world you’d like If we can achieve this – and I Qthink there’s a tension to shine a torch? believe we can – we will ensure that between the hard commercial We’re likely to be jammed… the BBC remains at the core of British reality of grinding out those A but we’ll work very hard to life and stays, along with fish and margins and a truly world-class, get into North Korea. chips, at the top of those “great British” creatively excellent product? lists well into our second century. n We are absolutely clear that, Does the BBC intend to pay A under the new Charter, BBC Qmen less and women more? ‘Session Four: Keynote’ was given by Sir Studios stands on its own two The law says equal pay; it’s David Clementi, Chairman of the BBC. feet… it will have to compete. A not an aspiration, it’s the This is an edited version of his speech. There may be some tension but it law. The BBC actually has a low He was interviewed by Lorna Tilbian, will have to find its way around it. gender pay gap and, when all the executive director, Numis Securities, numbers are out, I’m confident who also chaired discussion from the Diversity is a major issue that we will be well ahead of the floor. The producer was Helen Scott. Qacross most organisations… national average. We think, from but what about social mobility? the ONS, the national average is Full speech: www.rts.org.uk/ What role does the BBC play around 18% and ours is about 10%. article/sir-david-clementis- in that [and] helping the UK speech-royal-television-society become a fairer society? Reporting by Tara Conlan.

16 A World of Opportunity Session Five

From left: Barbara Serra, James Harding, Julie Hulme, Jonathan Levy and Stuart Millar Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

ublish and be damned.” MP and a British arms dealer who That was the credo of had been active in the Middle East. Steve Clarke watches the great newspaper- Expertly chaired by Barbara Serra, a news executives man Hugh Cudlipp, presenter for Al Jazeera, the first deci- who ran the Daily Mirror sion the news chiefs on the panel had decide how to break during its glory days to take was a fundamental one – emerging details of ‘andP was the architect of post-war when to break the story? popular journalism. a terrorist attack as If only it were that simple in the The panellists are shown age of Twitter, Facebook and You- footage of a TV news editor, online reports of the Tube. For TV news people, the digital 1 “George”, at his desk. The event multiply era is throwing up new challenges incident first comes to George’s and dilemmas, no more so than when attention via reports on social media. a big, national news story breaks, He rings the restaurant to check the such as a terrorist attack. story but there is no reply. Regulated UK broadcasters BBC, Seconds later, one of his reporters ITV and Sky are constrained by codes calls to tell him that he has been told enforced by Ofcom and by the need to by the police that they have received News maintain their reputation for trusted, a security alert from an MP. The Met award-winning journalism. Yet, dra- won’t confirm any details “but there matic footage of breaking news is is a sense of panic” at Scotland Yard. likely to be available online, filmed by The police are asking the media we members of the public, long before TV not to speculate on the incident or news crews arrive on the scene. the identity of those caught up in it. It is a point of debate whether pro- “The cops are very worried about us fessional TV news organisations saying too much that might scupper should show footage of this type. negotiations with the gunmen,” can There are also profound ethical ques- George is told by his reporter. tions to consider: TV news executives Based on this information received need to be attuned to the possibility would the news organisations run the of endangering people’s lives and the story? James Harding, the BBC’s trust? risk of jeopardising the integrity of a director of news and current affairs, police operation. said he would need more information This was the background to an before committing to broadcast. enthralling session in which news ITN’s director of newsgathering, bosses from the BBC, BuzzFeed, ITN Julie Hulme, agreed. She would wait and Sky News were tested by a number until a second source could corrobo- of fast-developing fictional scenarios. rate the attack, ideally by getting one This hypothetical breaking story of ITN’s own reporters to the scene. involved a group of armed gunmen But Sky News’s director of news- taking hostages in a London restau- gathering and operations, Jonathan rant. Dining together inside were an Levy, said he “would probably go to �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 17 A World of Opportunity Session Five

� air with some limited information, verify its accuracy. “There are gizmos YOU SHOULD stressing that a police source has con- that you can check to see if it’s been BE WILLING TO firmed there is a security alert”. on social media before,” said Hulme. However, the Sky report would at Serra pointed out that the footage PAY PEOPLE FOR this stage make no mention that a was uploaded by a security guard and GOOD FOOTAGE, siege might be taking place. Buzzfeed’s posted on WhatsApp. head of news, Stuart Millar, said he In that case, said Hulme, ITN would BUT NOT IN A would also break the story. want to speak to him. A key considera- BREAKING NEWS Serra asked Harding if he would feel tion before publishing the footage was left behind. How much pressure would whether it could endanger the lives of SITUATION there be on him to run the story? “We’d the people inside the restaurant and want to get something more before we “jeopardise anything operational hap- went on air,” insisted the BBC executive. pening at the scene”. Levy, too, emphasised the impor- In the next phase of the sce- tance of verification: “We’d search the nario, lobby journalists hear internet and see if there is any similar 2 that an MP is eating in the footage that we could check it against.” restaurant with arms dealer Craig BuzzFeed’s Millar pinpointed one of Summers, an old school friend of the the difficulties: “The problem with all Official verdict: MP. This information is also being big, breaking news stories is that peo- too cautious? tweeted by credible journalists. ple will use fake videos just for the Would Sky News name the MP? “No, clicks, just for the retweets. It’s done we’d need more verification. Her family deliberately to mislead. Your starting Throughout the session, former might be watching and they’re likely to position, when you’re dealing with Ofcom Content Board member be shocked and upset,” said Levy. social media in a live, breaking-news Chris Banatvala was asked for his The BBC and ITN said they would situation, has to be: ‘Why are these view of the panel’s decisions. now break the story because more lying bastards lying to me?’” Early in the session, the details of the incident had emerged. broadcasters emphasised the However, they both agreed with Sky Video that hasn’t appeared so importance of always getting two about not identifying the MP. far on social media has come sources before running a story. So, Explained Hulme: “By now, we have 4 to light. George asks his news session chair Barbara Serra wanted a reporter at the scene and we might organisation how much it is prepared to know if this practice was written be getting off-the-record briefing from to pay – the supplier wants £20,000. into Ofcom codes. the cops, but we would not name the Sky said it was prepared to pay ‘No, that’s really internal journal- MP. We could be alerting the hostage £3,000-£5,000; ITN, £5,000; and Buzz- istic good practice,’ said Banatvala. takers that there is an MP in the room, Feed, nothing. Said Levy: “Assuming ‘Ofcom is not involved in making which might change the situation. That that the source is credible and a programmes.… It requires due accu- is the last thing you want. bystander to the event, and not in any racy, it does not say broadcasters “Also, our security correspondent will way connected to it, it is reasonable to need one source or five sources. be talking to the authorities and getting pay for it. We pay people who supply ‘It’s purely up to the broadcaster, some sense of what is going on.” video all the time. Also, you have to but the broadcaster has to be able Harding stressed that BBC News was factor into how much you bid that to provide evidence that it is taking still at the stage of saying: “We are there will be quite a lot of other video due care when it is going on air.’ hearing reports of a security incident.” out there as well. There always is.” Later, as the session drew to a Harding said he wouldn’t pay for it. close, noting the panellists’ overall The third phase takes place He explained: “You can’t use it. You caution in reporting the incident, he approximately an hour after have to run it by the police and look wondered ‘if the pressure on them 3 the raid on the restaurant. at privacy issues and ongoing security [the news organisations] is greater Social media is now all over the story responsibility questions.” than they’re giving credence to’. and running details of how many He added: “You should be willing to Banatvala added: ‘Within about people are trapped inside. pay people for good footage, but not in 10 minutes, this material may well Some leaked CCTV footage has a breaking news situation.” be all over the web. People will be emerged. It shows a group of armed blogging about it. They’ll be under men entering the restaurant by the The next test for the news huge pressure to put this out.… back door. “These first images of this executives is the appearance There will be under more pressure story are so crucially important to our 5 of a ransom video, hosted on to show it because everyone else visual narrative,” said Serra. Would the what looks like an Islamic State web- is doing it.’ news executives publish the video? site. It contains threats of violence The panellists stressed the need to against the hostages.

18 News editor ‘George’ at his desk

Would panellists show the film? this video and would they accept her were keen to emphasise how their jobs They were unanimous in saying no. offer of the live position? Levy said he relied on a tried and tested profession- “The police will be very active at this would decline on the grounds of the alism that was valued by audiences. point,” said Hulme. “They may impose risk of compromising the police oper- “What we’ve identified is that regu- a blackout or request us not to report ation and the hostages’ dignity. lated broadcasters are much more certain things. When people’s lives are Harding, however, was in two minds. responsible than social media, where at risk, we will always be very reasona- He said: “This one is a much tighter call. you’ll get much more information ble regarding those risks.” I’d be quite tempted to run it. You’d online – some of it true, some of it probably lean towards it because, if you not,” Harding said. “I think we were Online reports begin to name look at these pictures, you don’t com- much more haunted by this three the lead gunman, and there is promise any of the individuals and you years ago than we are now. 6 some corroboration. do get a sense of the scene. “What you are seeing is that people The panel agreed that it would be “If you did put it up, the police really ascribe a value to having news wrong to name him. Levy summed up would be on you really fast. Then, sources they trust… even if they have their thoughts: “Until the police name there is a practical point – we would to wait a little bit longer to find out him, there is no motivation for us to. be clambering all over each other to what’s happened.” n This session is about whose news do get to that live point. you trust? You’re trusted for being right.” “The one thing that I think is an ‘Session Five: In whose news do we trust?’ argument for it is that it gives you a featured Chris Banatvala, independent Three hours after the start sense of what’s happening.” media consultant and former Ofcom of the siege, reporters on the Content Board member; James Harding, 7 ground are hearing that the In the final video clip, being director, news and current affairs, BBC; police may soon storm the building. sent live from the woman’s Julie Hulme, director of newsgathering, A woman living opposite the restau- 8 flat overlooking the restau- ITV News; Jonathan Levy, director of rant, who can see everything happen- rant, the audience hear gunfire and newsgathering and operations, Sky News; ing inside, is offering the chance to film explosions – the last of which, appar- and Stuart Millar, head of news, BuzzFeed. from her flat. She also has video from ently right under the flat, terminates It was chaired by international broadcaster her phone of what’s taken place so far. the transmission…. Barbara Serra and produced by Esmé Wren, Would any of the news outlets show Summing up, the news executives with VT production by Amy Hitchcock.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 19 A World of Opportunity Session Six

uring an authoritative performance at the RTS Convention, Ofcom chief Sharon White offered a frank appraisal of the day’s bigD issues. She called broadcasters’ performance on diversity “woeful” and strongly criticised the “paucity” of information that they had shared. The BBC, she added, “really ought to be leading the pack”, rather than running in the middle of it. Turning to social class, White argued that unpaid internships could “reinforce and propagate inequality”. She also defended Ofcom’s advice to the Government not to refer 21st Cen- tury Fox’s proposed takeover of Sky on the ground of broadcasting standards, but which the Secretary of State had rejected 48 hours earlier. This advice had been “careful [and] detailed”, and stood up to scrutiny, White insisted. It has been a busy year for Ofcom. In April, it became the BBC’s first external regulator, taking over from the BBC Trust, and, in July, it published a draft operating framework, outlining how it planned to regulate the corporation. “We are seeking views and, as an expert independent regulator, the decisions that we take are independent of both political influence but also commercial influence,” said White, a career civil servant who took up the reins at Ofcom in March 2015. Under questioning from Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, White denied that the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Karen Brad- ley, was trying to interfere in regulating the BBC. The enforcer Asked whether she felt “under pressure”, White replied: “No, not at all.” Defending Ofcom’s new role as the Matthew Bell is attentive as Ofcom CEO BBC’s regulator, White said: “[With] the Sharon White talks tough on diversity system we had previously, [there] was general, wide agreement that it was lacking, because there was this fuzziness between regulation and governance. “Although the BBC is a new respon- “I guess I’m surprised by the extent fix what you don’t understand. Some sibility, we’ve been regulating the rest [of the gender gap]. It clearly isn’t right people fear transparency; personally, of the broadcasting industry for years. I that men and women are paid differ- I think transparency creates trust.” believe we’ve got a wealth of experience ent rates simply because of their gen- Turning the conversation to the UK’s and expertise.” der,” said White. withdrawal from the European Union, In July, the BBC published the con- She suggested that the figures were Wark asked: “What worries you most troversial list of what some of its top another illustration of “the importance about the impact of Brexit?” talent earns. This revealed that two- and power of transparency”. White “As a regulator, we have no view on thirds of its highest-paid presenters continued: “There’s an analogy between whether Brexit is a good or bad thing and journalists – those earning the gender pay data and what we’re but, having taken the temperature of £150,000 or more a year – are male. trying to do on diversity – you can’t the industry in recent months,” replied �

20 White defends Ofcom’s work on Fox’s bid for Sky

The day before the RTS Convention allegations at Fox News and the chan- began, culture secretary Karen Bradley nel’s editorial independence. announced that she intended to refer Ofcom boss Sharon White described 21st Century Fox’s £11.7bn proposed her organisation’s work on the Sky take- takeover of Sky to the Competition and over as ‘very, very careful [and] detailed’. Markets Authority (CMA) on the grounds However, she added: ‘The way the sys- of both media plurality and genuine tem works is that the Secretary of State commitment to broadcasting standards. has statutory discretion – she is the The Murdoch media giant expressed decision taker.… Kirsty Wark

‘disappointment’ that Bradley had not Hampartsoumian Paul ‘There is transparency – it is abso- decided to follow the advice of the lutely clear at each stage. We did advise regulator, Ofcom, on the issue of broad- that there was enough evidence to casting standards. The regulator had WE TOOK THE justify referral on media plurality but advised: ‘We consider that there are no UTMOST CARE not on the broadcasting standards broadcasting standards concerned that consideration. may justify a reference.’ – IT HAS BEEN ‘We took the utmost care – it has The minister, however, raised so-called A VERY, VERY been a very, very detailed, very rigorous ‘non-fanciful’ concerns about compliance process. procedures at Fox News and corporate DETAILED, VERY ‘Our works stands now for scrutiny. governance at the Murdoch companies. RIGOROUS The Secretary of State has made a Bradley had been concerned about decision and it’s over to my good friends a number of sexual harassment PROCESS at the CMA to do further scrutiny.’

regulation and censorship of the internet. I do think that the compa- QUESTION nies need to take more responsibility as publishers as well as platforms, & ANSWER and I also think, to be frank, that content providers and advertisers, as we are beginning to see, need Deborah Williams, CEO, Crea- to be increasingly fussy about the Qtive Diversity Network: Do you environment in which they put their think there are synergies between [content]. the data we produce [the “Dia- mond” diversity monitoring system Kirsty Wark: Do you think the created by the BBC, Channel 4, ITV Deborah Williams QBBC and other broadcasters

and Sky through the CDN] and what Hampartsoumian Paul have a responsibility to make sure [Ofcom] has produced, and do you their material doesn’t go on a page think we should be working closely Sharon White: The CMA is which is in any way dodgy? together to get the industry more Agoing to have to decide its Sharon White: Yes… and I think aligned? process.… [It] may call on us as an Athat’s the driver – not regula- Sharon White: Yes to all the expert witness, almost, but how that tion, but pressure from the content Aabove. We’re very strong sup- process is going to run, we don’t providers. porters of Diamond… the more Dia- know. mond and we can work together so Katherine Rushton, Daily Mail:

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul that there is an open and consistent Ed Shedd, head of UK TMT, QDo you think the BBC has picture of the make-up of our indus- QDeloitte: Are Google and Face- really taken [the gender pay gap] try, the better. book media companies? to heart and got a handle on it? Sharon White: I think they are. Sharon White: Gender pay… Wilfried Genest, analyst, A Ais not us. The transparency on QDE Shaw: How much assis- gender pay is very specifically an tance is Ofcom going to provide Ed Shedd: And do they need to agreement between the Govern- to the Competition and Markets Qbe regulated? ment and the BBC. Authority (CMA) as it reviews Sharon White: I don’t think What our report [released today] broadcasting standards, which is Aregulation is the answer, on the workforce shows is that there not something the CMA tradition- because I think it’s really hard to is definitely more to be done for the ally usually does? navigate the boundary between BBC to be leading the industry.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 21 A World of Opportunity Session Six Unequal opportunities in 1966: The Frost Report [BROADCASTERS’ DIVERSITY DATA] SHOWS SHOCKING, WOEFUL… SIGNIFICANT UNDER- REPRESENTATION BBC Ofcom shines a light on TV’s unequal opportunities

� White, “the issue that flashes red On the morning of Sharon White’s whole. At the top of the range, Chan- within my remit is the country of appearance at the RTS Convention, nel 4 employs 18%; ITV has the fewest origin principle’. This creates a com- Ofcom released its report ‘Diversity at 8%. Ethnic-minority representation mon area for broadcasters in the EU, and equal opportunities in television’. is even lower at senior levels. and the UK is the most popular loca- There were two main messages for Disabled people make up just 3% tion for US companies to base their broadcasters, the Ofcom chief said. of the workforce across the five broad- European subsidiaries. First, was ‘the paucity of data’ availa- casters, compared with 18% of the UK “We are very lucky to have lots of ble: ‘Too few broadcasters are routinely population. broadcasters in the UK who don’t monitoring the make-up of [their] Currently, Ofcom requires the necessarily broadcast to a UK audi- workforces.’ broadcasters licenses to provide data ence,” said White. “We’ve been dis- According to the report, the TV on ethnicity, gender and disability. cussing with the Government and industry could provide ethnicity data White, however, called on culture making the case and I think it’s for only 81% of its workers and disa- secretary Karen Bradley to give Ofcom understood. And it’s obviously a bility figures for just 69%. the statutory power to ask for infor- subject of the [Brexit] negotiations.” ‘Second, to be frank, the information mation on sexual orientation and age. Big players such as Disney, Discov- we do have shows shocking, woeful Fifty-seven broadcasters failed to ery, and NBC, suggested Wark, could – choose your adjective – significant provide any information for the diver- up sticks to another European capital under-representation, whether it’s sity report and White promised to take if their Ofcom licences were no women, disabled people or people ‘enforcement action’ against these. longer recognised in EU countries. from an ethnic minority background, Pressed by session chair Kirsty Wark “Whatever you think of Brexit,” Wark particularly at a senior level.’ on the absence of data relating to said, that would be “detrimental” to Addressing TV executives in the social class, White accepted that it was the British economy. audience, White said: ‘We need to take an ‘important issue, because you want “I agree,” replied White. “That’s why, responsibility at the top of the organi- diversity of thinking, not just physical of all the regulatory issues in my in-tray sation to set targets and take action.’ diversity. Next year, we’re going to on Brexit, the country of origin princi- According to Ofcom’s report, women ask the broadcasters to start thinking ple is the single most critical one.” hold only 39% of senior roles at the about providing us with more data Any loss of freedom of movement five major broadcasters – the BBC, ITV, on social class. Unpaid internships, in following Brexit, added White, would Channel 4, Sky and Viacom, the owner my view, have the strong potential to be “a big issue for the industry”, of Channel 5. Percentages range from reinforce and propagate inequality.’ although not one that “comes directly 31% at Sky to 48% at Viacom. White noted that a number of into our purview. It’s a concern that we Singling out individual broadcasters, broadcasters were moving away from hear a lot in the discussions that we White said: ‘Channel 4 does well; the this practice, adding: ‘I would love to have on both the media and the tele- BBC, interestingly, as the UK’s national see a position in which we no longer communications sides of our work.” n broadcaster, is in the middle of the have unpaid internships in the TV and pack. For me, the BBC really ought to radio industry. ‘Session 6: Sharon White in conversation be leading the pack.’ ‘Moving to a more open and meri with Kirsty Wark’ featured Sharon People from an ethnic minority tocratic way of bringing people into White, CEO of Ofcom, who was inter- background account for 12% of work- the industry and then moving people viewed by Newsnight presenter Kirsty ers at the five broadcasters compared up could be a transformative way to Wark. The session was produced by Sue with 14% of the population as a make faster progress.’ Robertson and Martin Stott.

22 A World of Opportunity Session Seven Sky higher

James Murdoch makes the case that a wholly Fox-owned Sky is what a post-Brexit UK needs Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

he title of this year’s exploration, invention and a restless with journalism. Since acquiring convention is “A world taste for disruption. We’re a company 20th Century Fox Film, we developed of opportunity” and built by asking big questions and tak- the Fox Broadcast Network, a venture I’m happy to be here to ing even bigger risks. We know from almost universally dismissed at its suggest that, in answer experience they’ll be the ones that inception, which went on to become to the challenges that actually shape the future and make the fixture of the US media landscape presentT themselves today, it’s of para- history. It’s a culture that is more valu- that it is today. mount importance to embrace able, and necessary, by the day. We founded Sky Television in the opportunity with open arms. New entrants, along with long- UK and Ireland, Sky Italia, and Sky Tomorrow’s commercial media standing storyteller competitors, will Deutschland, dramatically enabling needs to be able to compete globally, shape a future defined by constant a step change in plurality in all five and at an unprecedented scale, and connectivity, nearly limitless choice markets we serve. the opportunity this provides – crea- and non-stop innovation. Before long, all video entertainment, tively and commercially, for our busi- And many of these firms are com- sports and news will be consumed nesses, our customers and our peting and creating across multiple over IP streaming networks. The net communities – is immense. geographies, with vast resources, in effect is that all content will be availa- An appetite for disruption has been the pursuit of engagement from mil- ble to everyone all of the time. We’re the essential ingredient for success in lions and billions of customers. The almost there – a world of ultimate the digital world, a world we all inhabit competitive environment is unprece- plurality. We approach this [by remain- today, like it or not. dented and the demands it places on ing] fanatically focused on building At 21st Century Fox, and at Sky, we any storytelling business are profound. brands that matter. The best brands always talk about change not as an William Fox founded the Fox Film enable a curatorial identity that doesn’t outside force, but as a tool, an energy Corporation in 1915, with an inde- diminish serendipity in the way that that must be deployed. We strive to pendent mind, global outlook and simple search and algorithmic optimi- stoke a zeal for change, not a hardy zeal for innovation. For our company, sation for engagement does. defence against it. which acquired the studios [in 1985], Viewers know what to expect from Much of what drives it is born his legacy inspires our quest to tell National Geographic, Fox Sports, FX out of a 100-year history fuelled by great stories – which, for us, began or Sky Atlantic. And, within these �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 23 A World of Opportunity Session Seven

are going to be fundamental. We What’s your position on were disappointed at the CMA refer- QDonald Trump? Do you QUESTION ence, but we are looking forward to discuss politics with your dad? engaging. We have a clock ticking, My politics are not an issue & ANSWER we have a process, a reputation for A here. It’s an irony that, in the probity and seriousness, and look US, some sectors think I am a forward to presenting evidence in raging liberal, environmentalist, a very straightforward way, and are tree-hugger. Here, I’m a right-wing confident it will go through. demon who is going to “Foxify” In a large organisation, there are everything. Mystery is important always things that go wrong. The [audience laughter]. question is how you respond, deal with them. Fox News: we had a situ- So Sky News would not ation where we learned of sexual Qbecome like Fox News if you harassment. The key issues for me were given more power over it? were: what are the facts, how do we Fox News is highly designed react, and [how to] do it quickly, A for a US audience, a polemical loudly, so that everyone understands market and very different dynamic. certain things are intolerable. No We took Fox News off [in the UK, in organisation is going to be perfect. August]. Fewer than 2,000 viewers watched it – it did not make com- Even if the companies change, mercial sense. Qisn’t the same family in control? Impartiality is about balance, it is You put in place hotlines, the [UK] law, and it is the right way A avenues for complaints. The for Sky News to operate. Ofcom first we heard of the Roger Ailes concluded that our record was com- allegations was in the New York Times parable to others, including the BBC: story, that a lawsuit was about to there was no material difference. be filed. In less than two weeks, Claire Enders

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul we made the decision we had to Claire Enders, Enders Ana move on from Roger Ailes. You have Qlysis: Are you threatened by Sarah Sands: This time, what to say it clear and hard. That’s not Amazon and Netflix’s activities and Qwent wrong with the Sky acceptable behaviour. the talent drain from UK television takeover? You played nicely, less – is it dangerous for the traditional aggressively, and yet the decision is Are there any concessions you pay-TV model? the same. I wonder if the problem Qare going to make [to the CMA] From a talent perspective, no is that you presided over this rotten – do you sacrifice your own role? A one talks about our business culture at News International and, Do you still need Sky News? and says we are underpaying.… We again, at Fox News. People don’t I don’t think now is the time to have partnerships with the creators trust you. Is that the message? A get into that. We will see what [of series such as The Simpsons].… James Murdoch: No, I don’t issues they identify. We are pretty For a lot of creators, Netflix is where A agree. They are completely confident, because the independent your shows go to die. They become different processes. When we first external regulator [Ofcom] did a another hour on the shelf among sought to acquire the balance of Sky, very good, thorough job. the billions of hours.… It’s a differ- it never went to the Competition ent business model: rather than and Markets Authority. And the Were you wounded by the buying a cost-plus licence fee for decision was made to offer a Qstandards issue, that there the life of a series.… number of undertakings probably is this lack of trust, [over] the Amazon, for example, spends a lot insufficient to deal with concerns Murdoch “toxic culture”? of time making a lot of noise about about plurality. You are over-personalising it. how much it is investing. It shows At the time, we discovered real A The record should stand. We up, does a big, splashy deal and governance issues at News Interna- owned 100% of Sky News for many everyone fawns all over it. tional in the past – phone hacking, years. There were no issues. When There are very few companies that illegal things, and we had to focus I was Chief Executive, no issues. really invest over the long term and on that. When I was Chairman, no issues. put thousands of people on the What’s changed is that the com- Whether or not, 30 years ago, ground in markets such as the UK, panies have separated. News Corp is someone had a grievance about a Italy and India. a separate entity and 21st Century political decision a newspaper took We have to be cautious about the Fox has continued to grow. that is no longer a part of the business shiny, new thing. As we look at the marketplace is irrelevant to a process that should going forward, scale and simplicity be transparent and evidence-based. Reporting by Maggie Brown.

24 � brands, the diversity of our storytell- Tin Star ing is paramount. We’ve moderated presidential debates, connected communities with local news, mapped the farthest corners of the planet, explored the opioid epidemic, gender identity and race relations, reinvented the ancient Indian sport of kabaddi, told stories of slavery in America, the rights of women in Pakistan and the coming exploration of Mars. These projects do not simply chase blockbusters or commission by algo- rithm, but empower artists to say and do hard things. In the UK, 21st Century Fox and Sky invested around £700m last year in original production and we intend to continue at least that level of investment. The creative powerhouse of Endemol Shine is also one of the country’s leading producers of scripted pro- SCALE PROVIDES gramming – Black Mirror, Broadchurch and Humans, watched in more than THE CONFIDENCE 100 countries. TO INVEST Globally, Endemol Shine is among the most prolific creators, with 700 pro STRATEGICALLY, ductions in 66 countries. TAKE RISKS It’s one of many film and TV brands

stamped “Made in the UK”, shorthand Sky for storytelling that is smart, acerbic, relevant and entertaining. Such dis- balance of Sky and wholly consolidate belief system – that companies should tinctiveness is a tremendous asset to the business, we took another major embrace what their customers and the UK, an important element of any step in pursuit of that goal. people care about and that, by so country’s ability to hold a place in the Scale provides the confidence to doing, it makes them stronger. future content economy. invest strategically, take risks… it’s what At only three years old, but with a This, for us, is the best place to be allows us to take big, creative swings rich heritage, 21st Century Fox has both proposing a near-£12bn investment, and empower a diverse range of crea- the spirit and the stamina to help define that we expect will be a significant tors to tell breakthrough stories that can and shape what this business of ideas driver of the UK creative industry’s drive meaningful change. Those factors looks like over the next 100 years. long-term success in a global market. all played into our rationale for moving And I am hopeful that, here in the Sky is everything a great creative forward with this transaction. UK, a major chapter of our company company should be: it is imbued with Inward investment in the UK crea- and the entire industry will be written, a culture that nurtures ingenuity and tive economy, and the positive signal it with benefits shared broadly across the innovation. It has reach, room to grow, sends to companies around the world, economy and society. Indeed, and has worked diligently to become is more important than ever as the UK everything we have done has been one of Europe’s great, trusted brands. prepares to chart a course outside the about increasing choice, amplifying When I joined Sky in 2003, there EU. Indeed, the soft power of the UK’s diversity and adhering to the highest was a special opportunity to innovate… creative identity is going to be a big broadcast standards inside a plurality and to create a new business out of a part of that story. machine that we optimistically call successful, but decelerating, company. And so, if the UK is truly “open for 21st Century Fox. n We invested more in programming, business” post-Brexit, we look forward technology and new services such Sky to moving through the regulatory This is an edited version of the speech broadband. We also maintained and review process and this transformative given in Session Seven by James Murdoch, increased our investment in Sky News. transaction for the UK creative sector CEO of 21st Century Fox, who was inter- I am deeply proud of the journalistic becoming an affirmation of that claim. viewed by Sarah Sands, editor, Today, standards at Sky News. Our commitment is about more than BBC, who also chaired discussion from At 21st Century Fox, we often speak market success. Companies have to the floor. The producer was Helen Scott. about simplifying our business, as part mean something to their communities, of a core realignment of the company customers and shareholders. What the Full speech: www.rts.org.uk/ around the future of video. And with our team at Sky is doing with Sky Arts and JamesMurdoch2017 December announcement to acquire the Oceans Rescue is all part of this same

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 25 A World of Opportunity Session Eight All the world’s a stage Tara Conlan learns that the Chinese TV market is developing fast but remains problematic for distributors

n a globalised world where, Guthrie, who took on her role just first sold to China, the sales rep’s air paradoxically, the demand for over a year ago, said cutting manage- tickets cost more than the format sale. local content is booming, how ment by about 20% and a “rebalancing “Less than seven years later, Got Talent are the big broadcasters and of our resources” had freed up A$50m was sold in China and became a phe- producers adapting and cop- (£29m) for investment in content. nomenal success and had 500 million ing? This was one of the key Experimentation was key and ABC viewers,” she pointed out. Now, the questionsI in a session that provided was trialling “a number of new shows prize is “significant” and the “com- insights into the rapidly changing Chi- where we start them entirely online”, mercial value is increasing massively”, nese TV market. such as a comedy by Ronny Chieng. particularly of massive hits such as Endemol Shine Group CEO Sophie The most popular were green-lit for TV. The Voice. Downton Abbey went for about Turner Laing began proceedings by Turner Laing asked the panel if the $1m per episode, she added: “There’s pointing out that new money was decline in the UK’s share of format definitely money there, the question is: pouring into the industry: Amazon and exports was an inevitable “consequence how to unlock it.” Netflix have a combined annual con- of increased globalisation”. When asked how foreign companies tent budget of £10bn. “As markets mature, they require their should navigate China’s rapidly chang- In 2016, the UK was responsible for own programming” and not just US ing regulatory landscape, Yang admit- 25% of global programme exports imports, replied FremantleMedia CEO ted: “No one can tell what’s going to – still a global leader but down on the Cécile Frot-Coutaz – “so it’s inevitable happen in an hour’s time.” Moreover, 40% high that it hit in the last decade. that you’re going to have more and “the country is gigantic… that’s why With international hits coming from more formats from other places.” smaller companies often find it easier, as far afield as Israel and South Korea, She added: “But, if you look at the because they are more agile.” what does that mean for established formats that end up on the big chan- Frot-Coutaz said that she had found global players? nels, they are predominantly UK or US it difficult to do business in China, and Australian Broadcasting Company formats and, in my view, that is not had encountered the notion that enter- Managing Director Michelle Guthrie going to change. It’s highly unlikely you tainment was not welcome in prime- said that, “as somebody who came from will see Kevin Lygo pick up a Croatian time, when the emphasis should be Google, I know where the money went format for Saturday night on ITV.” on factual. Yang agreed: “Yes, there has from broadcasting and newspapers. Rebecca Yang, co-founder of Interna been a winter for foreign business… “The great news for the ABC is that, tional Programme Content Network, has there is a restriction on foreign formats.” in some ways, we become even more brokered deals for around 5,000 hours But, she added, “I think they just want important. We’ve actually increased of content in what is widely regarded to encourage diversity.” our investment in regional precisely as the most complex TV market in the Viacom International Media Net- because that’s an area of strength for world, China. works President and CEO David Lynn us and it’s very much an area that These include Secret Millionaire and said all markets “start off as importers” commercial broadcasters have pulled the Got Talent formats. Yet, said Yang , but then “people start to look for local back from.” when 1 vs 100, an Endemol format, was content. We are blessed that we have a

26 From left: Michelle Guthrie, Cécile Frot-Coutaz, Sophie Turner Laing, Rebecca Yang and David Lynn Paul Hampartsoumian Paul global pipeline we can use across the impact of new technologies. Yang vol- “Are views an audience?” responded world. If you go back 10 years, I’d say a unteered: “In the UK, when it comes to Frot-Coutaz. “I’m not saying that youth lot of that would be US content. Now, tech, it’s still very much concentrating is not spending time on social… but it’s we actually source a lot of that global on content and distribution. In China, not monetising.” pipeline from all over the world.” we are more focused on the user expe- Yang joined in: “The short-form He said he sought “the best content, rience.… Last year, we invented two world is working for us… not because no matter where it is”, name-checking live streaming shows.… And 200 live of clicks… it’s the fact that it will trans- shows such as Ex on the Beach and Lip streaming apps were launched last late into sales. Everything in that part Sync Battle (with 20 versions around the year in China. of the world is translating into world). When Viacom had bought “Most of the revenue that comes to consumption.” Channel 5, he said that people had us is not from sponsorship, but from Turning to the impact of Brexit, Lynn expected it to be filled with US acqui- virtual gifting. The in-app consump- said that the implications for the indus- sitions, but “it’s now two-thirds com- tion is so advanced there.” Yang said try included a softening in the ad mar- missioned in the UK.… That’s what the she hardly ever needed to carry cash. ket. He wanted “a workable system” for audience wants [and] advertisers like She explained that Chinese viewers work permits for international talent. relevance.” of live streamed shows often sent con- When asked to predict the key issues Live TV still accounts for the vast testants they liked fake Lamborghinis by the time of the next Cambridge majority of viewing but Lynn said or virtual versions of sponsors’ prod- Convention in 2019, Frot-Coutaz there were opportunities for over-the- ucts: “Those things can cost you hun- named Facebook’s content strategy. top internet distribution. dred of pounds.” Yang’s prediction was artificial intelli- Yang gave the example of a success- Lynn said that, having a global view, gence. Lynn had the final word. His ful Chinese app, Pear Video, which helped to tap into the latest trends, and first Cambridge, 14 years ago, had dis- specialised in news-themed, short- pointed out that cheap smart phones cussed digital disruption and the same form content. were being sold in India for around $5. would be true in two years’ time – “I Frot-Coutaz highlighted Fremantle’s “We are big believers in mobile,” he think it’s constant,” he said. n venture to make American Gods with said, because of its high penetration Amazon, but admitted “the payment compared with pay-TV. ‘Session Eight: All the world’s a stage’ was terms are a challenge”. She suggested Frot-Coutaz said that The X Factor and chaired by Sophie Turner Laing, CEO, that the next big talent show might Britain’s Got Talent meant that Fremantle Endemol Shine Group. The panellists were: come from one of the new platforms: had a lot of short-form content it had Cécile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia “The OTT players have made [more] already been paid for that could be Group; Michelle Guthrie, MD, Australian shows possible in the local language… spun off, but since “no one is making Broadcasting Corporation; David Lynn, from places that weren’t exposed money [in short-form]… are the eco- President & CEO, Viacom International before.… I think that’s positive for crea- nomics fundamentally unworkable?” Media Networks; and Rebecca Yang, CEO, tives out there who have stories to tell.” “The audience is there,” countered IPCN. The producers were Charlotte Elston The panellists were asked about the Lynn. and Patrick Keegan.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 27 A World of Opportunity Session Nine

Karen Bradley MP calls for a greater emphasis on production in the UK’s nations and regions

t really is an honour to address the RTS Convention. This is one of the top fixtures in a culture secretary’s diary. I have the best job in government, I get to engage with suchI a rich variety of sectors. They are a huge, growing part of our economy: energetic, exciting, educa- tional, enjoyable, a major source of jobs, they export on a massive scale and showcase the UK to the rest of the world. And television does all of these things single-handedly. It is not my job to decide what should be on TV. My role is to support and challenge you, and to be your champion abroad. Where I think the industry can and should do more, I will not be afraid to say so. I have a particular responsibility to make sure that public service television is serving the entire public. It is precisely because British TV is so important, so good, that I want it to reach everyone. Success cannot only be measured by how widely it is watched. It must also London elite be measured by how well different communities are represented on and off screen, by differences in pay, and whether the industry is flourishing in every part of our nations and regions. put on notice British television is strong because it

is diverse and will become stronger, Hampartsoumian Paul still, the more diverse it becomes. It is the window through which much of leading role in a system that reflects findings from an independent eco- the world sees the UK. It is only right and provides for the whole country. nomic analysis suggest there would be that they see a dynamic, diverse coun- Today, we are publishing results regional economic benefits from relo- try: TV must reflect the real world, the from a public consultation. I can cation and increased commissioning. country we live in. announce that the overwhelming Channel 4 has often led the way in Be in no doubt that TV production majority of respondents stated that representing different communities. is excessively concentrated in London. Channel 4’s regional impact would be I know Channel 4 works very hard to Pact has found that just 32% of the enhanced if more of its people and give a voice to as wide a range of people £2bn budget for UK productions was activities were located outside London. as possible. Its Year of Disability in 2016 spent outside London and supported One respondent noted that it is an was a tremendous success, and devel- only 35% of the jobs. important part of a sector which has “a oping The Last Leg into a mainstream In March, I announced that the Gov- duty to hold up a mirror to the nation”. success is testament to its efforts. ernment wanted Channel 4 to increase I think that is a really nice way to sum It is this sensibility that makes it well its regional impact. Relocation may not up how we feel about Channel 4. placed to relocate outside London, mean the whole business, but I am clear A significant majority agreed that along with its unique status as a public that Channel 4 must have a major pres- increasing its commissioning quotas service broadcaster paid for by com- ence outside London and, potentially, would be an appropriate and effective mercial activity, owned by taxpayers. increase its commissioning [there]. way to enhance Channel 4’s impact in Channel 4 is a great broadcaster with In doing so, Channel 4 can play a the nations and regions. Emerging many fantastic programmes. However,

28 as a public asset, I expect it to do even more to support the whole country. Decisions about its programming should not all be made in the bubble of Westminster. People seeking to work in the media should not feel they have to move to London. I will continue to work closely with Channel 4 – my preference is to agree a way forward in concert with it. I am delighted that Alex Mahon has been appointed CEO. She has had a Karen Bradley MP fantastic career in software, TV and (left) was interviewed retail. Alex doesn’t start until Novem- by Anushka Asthana Paul Hampartsoumian Paul ber, but we have already had construc- tive discussions. you think the CMA can make a We have got to get this right, it is judgement based on standards? about Channel 4’s long-term future, and QUESTION The threshold for the refer- it may take some time to resolve. We are A ence I have to make is lower not looking at people moving tomorrow, & ANSWER than the “fit and proper” Ofcom but I do expect change by the end of test. I think it is important for pub- this parliament. I hope to reach agree- lic confidence that a formal CMA ment with Channel 4 on the direction review takes place. forward by the end of the year. You’ve said that Channel 4 Let the CMA do its work, it is the The BBC has a unique place in our Qshould relocate, but what if expert in competition and markets, broadcasting ecology. I am very proud Channel 4 doesn’t agree? and I want it to look at the con- of what we’ve achieved with the new Channel 4 is a statutory body. cerns raised. When we publish all Charter. The public deserves to know A Parliament can legislate to the material on this you will see how the licence fee is being spent. change the terms. Many parlia- exactly why the referral was made. We have required the BBC to mentarians are looking to that. I improve its transparency and effi- don’t want to go down that route: What was the clincher? Were ciency – establishing the National I would much rather work with Qyou worried about the “Foxi- Audit Office as its financial auditor Channel 4 to come up with a solu- fication” of Sky News? and giving it power to undertake value- tion that works for it and the pub- I am in a slightly difficult situ- for-money studies on BBC commercial lic. Channel 4 can make the most A ation. I can’t really get into it. subsidiaries. The new BBC Board amazing additional impact in the brings effective, modern governance. nations and regions. Did you speak to the Prime We have required the BBC to dis- QMinister before making this close the pay of talent, with a threshold So you are willing to consider decision? of £150,000 – in line with BBC execu- Qlegislation? No. I took this decision with- tives and management, and the civil Yes, there are early day A out reference to any one else. service. The publication of BBC talent A motions, private members’ pay caused a stir, especially in relation bills floating around. There is You sent Ofcom a letter to the gender gap. It is not for the Gov- cross-party agreement that Chan- Qregarding BBC quotas. Is ernment to dictate how much individ- nel 4 needs to do more. We can Ofcom an independent regulator as ual stars are paid, but transparency move to legislate, but I don’t think long as it follows government rules? will help ensure reasonable and fair we will get to that point. I am con- It is absolutely an independent pay levels. fident we can work with Channel 4 A regulator but, you heard from The BBC Director-General has made to come up with something. Sharon White, I am well within my clear his commitment to close the We want decisions to be made rights to set out views with regards gender pay gap by 2020, and I fully outside London, and I will work to the consultation [on service agree- support and welcome his action. with Channel 4 so that we get to a ments]. That is what we have done. The Chair of the Digital, Culture point we are all comfortable with. Media and Sport Committee is eager to More people are employed in You forced the BBC to pub- extend pay data as far as independent MediaCity UK [Salford] than when Qlish top salaries. What is the production companies, which the they were docks. That’s a fantastic answer: pay rises for women, or industry, including the BBC, currently outcome, a success story. pay cuts for men? feels would be excessive. It is not for me to make a deci- I sympathise with the principle that You referred the 21st Century A sion. Leave it to Tony Hall and the BBC should be at the forefront of QFox bid to the CMA. Have you David Clementi. I am very pleased pay transparency, and we expect it to lost faith in Ofcom? What makes they are going to take action. lead the way. �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 29 A World of Opportunity Session Nine

QUESTION & ANSWER

Katherine Rushton, Daily QMail: Are you going to force BBC Studios to publish its stars’ salaries? I am not going to reopen A the BBC Charter. We agreed that it would be public service talent, and not talent paid through BBC Studios, for good reasons around commercial sensitivities.

Deborah Williams, Cre- Qative Diversity Network: I am struggling to find a link between relocating Channel 4 and improving diversity. What evidence is this based on? It depends on the diver- Channel 4’s London HQ A sity you are looking at. Diversity of regional accents, � I make no apology for writing to I have heard how important coun- diversity of different views, Ofcom to outline the Government’s try of origin rules and European work opinions. Relocation might position. The BBC should be leading quotas are for the sector. In terms of benefit those. the way with both on- and off-screen talent, the whole Government appre- diversity. Project Diamond is very ciates that creative industries operate Jane Martinson, the Guard- much a beginning, not the end of the in a global market. Qian: James Murdoch said story. We will always value immigration, you refused to meet him. Does The first stage considered 81,000 including from EU countries and that mean previous adminis- pieces of TV content. It found that, especially high-skilled immigration. trations acted unethically in while BAME people are statistically I will continue to engage and to getting so close to the family? well represented on-screen, off-screen discuss these critical issues with you, I don’t want to get into is another matter. People with disabil- so, together, we can work towards the A any of those matters. I ities are very under-represented, both best possible outcome, which main- am not going to the Sky party on and off screen. People with disa- tains the UK’s pre-eminent position at party conference, if that bilities should not be limited to expe- in the world in TV production and answers your question. riencing television as consumers. It broadcasting. should be a career option as well. To conclude: diversity is not a buzz Peter White, Broadcast: It is right that I should lay down a word, it is a vital phenomenon. The QDo you have a preference challenge to the broadcasters, the aggregate effect of making things fairer for where Channel 4 locates? BBC Board and Ofcom to implement and more accessible can inject even I have no preference the changes we all want to see. more talent into our TV industry, and A whatsoever. It is very As the UK exits the European showcase our country to the world. exciting to see some of the Union, strengthening existing rela- I have immense faith in you. British suggestions coming forward tionships with other countries and TV is one of our jewels and it can and I encourage cities – and forging new ones becomes all the shine even more brightly. n non-cities and small towns – more important. Television is already to come forward. There is no a leader in this area. In ‘Session Nine: Keynote’, the Rt Hon formal process, but if they want Securing the right deal for broad- Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for to write to me and the board of casters is an essential part of our Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, was Channel 4, they should. Brexit negotiations. Both DCMS and interviewed by Anushka Asthana, joint DExEU are working closely with political editor, the Guardian. The produc- Reporting by Maggie Brown. broadcasters. ers were Sue Robertson and Martin Stott.

30 A World of Opportunity Session Ten Will advertisers desert TV?

Recent negative publicity does not seem to have dented the rise From left: Kelly of online advertising. Matthew Bell Williams, Nicki Brown, Hugh Dennis, judges the state of play Alexi Mostrous and Ben McOwen Wilson Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

nline advertising al-Shabaab-supported videos and are able to flag multiple videos,” said has seen huge hate videos on YouTube”. McOwen Wilson. growth in recent “There’s no place on YouTube for Mostrous gave some credit to You- years, putting fear terrorism or hate speech,” responded Tube: “The number of ads now into those broad- the company’s Ben McOwen Wilson. appearing on extremist videos has, in casters dependent But the YouTube exec pointed out my own opinion, diminished heavily, onO ad revenues for their living. that more than 400 hours of content but there is still a lot of extremist But all is not lost for broadcasting, was uploaded to the platform every content on sites without ads.” which is developing new weapons to minute. Monitoring videos was a However, the technology being fight back against the massing digital Herculean task. used to identify and remove ads from threat. And digital advertising is “Historically, we have relied on extremist videos, is also being used to showing itself a risky business, as flagging from users,” he explained, suggest other extremist content to concerns grow about brand safety in but, since March, Google has begun to users, explained Mostrous. “On the the often murky online world. harness more technology to identify Isis video that I looked at, it was a Earlier this year, a Times investiga- and remove extremist videos. problem that it was there in the first tion, run by panellist Alexi Mostrous, The North American tech giant has place, but the big problem was that, found that some of the world’s big- also increased the number of non- on the right-hand side [of the page], gest brands were, unwittingly, fund- governmental organisations it works eight or nine other Isis videos were ing terrorist and hate groups. with to deal with this problem. being suggested to me,” he said. Mostrous told the RTS Convention “We’ve expanded that group, specifi- “Advertisers care about brand safety,” that he had discovered that ads were cally targeting groups [combating] argued Argos’s Nicki Brown. “The “turning up on Isis-supported videos, extremist and terrorist content. They steps that [YouTube] has taken have �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 31 A World of Opportunity Session Ten

The battle between TV and digital

Digital video advertising has experienced But is it worth it? Research on adver- heading towards each other. Digital explosive growth in the UK, increasing its tising effectiveness reveals that digital players are announcing huge budgets for spend by 75% over the past five years, advertising ‘performs well, in particular, original content, including sport, which revealed Boston Consulting Group’s when it comes to data targeting’, but attracts huge audiences.’ Jacob Rosenzweig in his presentation at TV is ‘clearly ahead in most categories’ To prosper, argued Rosenzweig, the start of this session. – data reach, engagement, context and TV companies will have to make ‘big Television, though, is still the dominant long-term return on investment. changes’. First, they must defend rights medium for advertising: while the UK Digital advertising faces a number of to premium and major live events to spend on digital video was more than challenges: for example, studies have maintain their reach advantage over £900m in 2016, it was just a fraction of shown that many ads are seen only by digital advertising. TV’s £5.3bn. robots, not people. Second, they must continue to invest ‘If digital keeps growing, it can only Does this matter? Perhaps not, said in digital services, to compete with the come from one place – and that’s TV,’ Rosenzweig: ‘We spoke to a lot of adver- on-demand platforms, and in data, to said Rosenzweig. ‘Our analysis shows tisers and, yes, some of them told us offer targeted advertising opportunities. that, while digital video gets just 8% that they’ve started to shift spend back Most importantly, perhaps, said of viewing time, it’s getting 15% of ad to TV. But the vast majority said that this Rosenzweig, TV had to ‘prove its worth’ share. Advertisers, potentially, value dig- is just digital in its [early] years and, over to the big advertisers. ital more than TV. One advertiser told us the next couple of years, it will sort these for this study that “no one’s getting fired issues out. Jacob Rosenzweig is MD, London, and for spending more money on digital”.’ ‘One thing is clear: TV and digital are a partner in Boston Consulting Group.

and on billboards all over the city, telling people how to download ad-blockers, THIRTY because the public hates online PERCENT advertising.’ David Wheldon, chief marketing officer OF ONLINE at RBS, said that there was growing ADS ARE pressure to make video-on-demand work.… [It] features in every media NEVER schedule… without, necessarily, having SEEN BY A any real metrics about efficacy.’ Mendelsohn said: ‘Because people HUMAN can watch virtually anything at any time, they will only watch adverts that grab their attention, reward their time and are immediately relevant. ‘So, platforms such as Facebook have to help advertisers to figure out a way to cut through the noise.’ Which platform won the ad war would depend on ‘who delivers the best content… because the delivery systems are Hugh Dennis

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul becoming completely irrelevant’, said Hoffman. ‘We expect the opportunity to con- Expert vox pops set the scene tinue for every one – that is because we’re all working towards the same Before the Cambridge Convention, the Facebook, insisted: ‘There is absolutely ambition: to connect with people and to RTS recorded a number of vox pops with no place on Facebook for hate speech make them feel something. We all want leading lights in the advertising industry. or content that promotes violence or to take them on a journey, and the best On brand safety, Bob Hoffman, author terrorism.… We take our responsibility to way to do that is to do it together,’ said of the Ad Contrarian blog, said: ‘I really maintain a brand-safe environment very Mendelsohn. don’t think that brands and agencies seriously.’ Wheldon said it was not clear yet who care that much about this issue, despite Hoffman had advice for broadcasters was going to be the winner, ‘but I think all the posturing and play acting.’ on how to fight back: ‘If I were a broad- both sides in this particular game have Nicola Mendelsohn, VP EMEA for caster, I would have slots all over the TV, a lot to learn from each other’.

32 “All of us who would like to see an ad-funded future for media and media content have to worry,” replied McOwen Wilson. “At YouTube, we are very focused on [advertising] because it is our bread and butter.” The YouTube exec revealed that, in the US, his company had created a “subscription service that gives people a chance to remove ads. We are testing it [to discover] the price point at which customers would [pay for] that. So, we are making sure that we have an ad-free option.” Online advertising was in a period of change – with advertisers and platforms constantly chopping and changing. “We know that non-skippable, 30-second or longer adverts on mobile phones are just not watched,” revealed McOwen The Times’ Alex Wilson. “So, as of the end of the year, Mostrous (left) there will no longer be [those] adverts and YouTube’s Ben on YouTube.” McOwen Wilson

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul Brown felt that the RTS session had contained “a lot of negative language � helped us feel more confident, but “You can have a view about this about [digital] Armageddon and [the] we are still monitoring this carefully.” either way, but you can’t simply say, digital versus TV [battle]”. “It’s almost impossible to guarantee let’s look at programmatic [automated The Argos ad controller, however, was brand safety because so much content ads placed by algorithms] through a more positive in her outlook: “There’s is unregulated [and] user-generated,” filter of whether someone is enjoying a real power [in] these two channels to argued ITV’s commercial director, Kelly that advert – you have to look at the build each other. At Argos, 10 years ago, Williams. “So I think brands that wider social implications around it, too.” I would make an ad and I would have advertise on YouTube have to keep Williams offered a strong defence of to use TV to get people to get off their their eyes open.” television as an advertising medium. bums and go into an Argos [store]. According to session chair Hugh He said that TV currently offered mass Now, they don’t have to get off their Dennis, the World Federation of Adver- marketing, which was at one end of bums [to buy] – they can do it there tisers has estimated that 30% of online the advertising scale, with precise, and then [online], and that’s the power ads are never seen by a human. The targeted advertising at the other. of TV and digital [working together].” comedian had a little-known qualifica- “Over the next five to 10 years, Brown argued that there was “a tion for chairing the session – for seven I suspect that TV will build an address- massive opportunity for TV”. Address- years, post-university, he worked as a able capability to live alongside our able TV advertising, such as Sky AdS- Unilever brand manager, with Lynx ability to deliver mass audiences, and mart, which allows different ads to be deodorant among his accounts. within a very brand-safe, regulated served to different households watch- “The truth is that there’s a lack of [environment],” he said. ing the same programme, is offering transparency across the media indus- In answer to a question from the an effective way for TV to compete try as a whole. Online is a new player floor, he said that commercial broad- with online advertising. in this and, probably, it is a little murk- casters, who “are building [their] own “We can move our advertising to ier than, perhaps, the other channels,” data [sets], maybe need to collaborate those places where it gets a better said Brown. a bit more and actually bring all of that return – on TV,” she said. “I think that Mostrous argued that targeting data together and create a television TV has to embrace these opportunities, online ads at individuals could work data platform.” and look for more of them.” n well for both the brands and the peo- “Advertisers don’t want to create an ple receiving ads tailored to their individual relationship with TV chan- ‘Session Ten: What is the future for digital needs. “But we’ve also got to look at nels, they want a relationship with TV.” advertising?’ featured Nicki Brown, Argos how that targeting works on the selec- “There is an Armageddon possibility advertising controller; Ben McOwen tion and hoovering up of thousands here,” suggested Dennis. “There are an Wilson, director of partnerships, YouTube and thousands of data points on those increasing number of ad blockers. EMEA; Alexi Mostrous, head of investiga- particular individuals who are shown There’s also Netflix and other SVoD tions, the Times; and Kelly Williams, the ads,” he said. “How YouTube, [companies]. What is the likelihood commercial director, ITV. The session was Google and Facebook are amassing all that all ad content disappears because chaired by actor and comedian Hugh that data is a very significant question. no one can actually deliver it?” Dennis, and produced by Simon Pitts.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 33 A World of Opportunity Session Eleven

What is the secret to finding the next Strictly Come Dancing or Britain’s Got Talent, asks Tara Conlan A league of their own?

heels and deals everyone together, live, as it’s happening, to come from the same people, noted – of the kind because we all want to be connected.” Osman. He then listed some of the done with BBC controller of entertainment “awful lot of casualties” strewn “along talent – were commissioning Kate Phillips said that the entertainment highway”. the name of all the broadcasters were putting money Among those that belly flopped into the game in into development at the moment (the the ratings pool recently were Drive, anW entertaining look at the state of TV BBC had around 50 shows it was work- Flockstars, 5 Gold Rings, That Puppet Game entertainment, chaired by presenter ing on) to find new hits. Show, The Getaway Car and Pitch Battle. and Endemol creative director “It’s great when you get a big hit… “Why is it so difficult to do this Richard Osman. but they are hard to come by. I do look shiny-floor stuff?” asked Osman. The audience was treated to a spe- at ratings but, for me, it’s about having Greene said shows had to be allowed cial version of Sky 1’s A League of Their a variety of programmes,” explained “to bed in”. She recounted working on Own, which director of Sky Arts and Reborn in the USA, which got a 17% share non-scripted Phil Edgar-Jones joked and 3 million viewers when it aired in had cost most of his development 2003. At the time, this was considered budget. It featured footage of a race at ON THE NIGHT, to be a small audience but “now, obvi- Silverstone pitting Sky director of pro- THERE’S THIS ously, a smasheroo!” she laughed. grammes Zai Bennett against Big Talk WHITE HEAT… She insisted that “seeds of stuff that CEO Kenton Allen, RTS CEO Theresa we would go on to do were sown there. Wise and A+E Networks UK program- AND PEOPLE There’s always something to learn from ming vice-president Heather Jones. JUDGING VERY the shows if they don’t work.” The race, won by Allen (who, Osman Greene continued: “When we did remarked, had “a touch of the Clark- FAST. THAT’S Stars in Their Eyes, it took five series to son” about him), proved the wide VERY HARD. YOU genuinely bed in. When The X Factor appeal of entertainment as the Cam- started, it was dodgy as to whether we bridge audience lapped it up. THINK: JUST GIVE were going to get the show back. Osman said that he wanted to IT A CHANCE “Now, I’m in this unbelievably privi- explore the issue of several channels leged position… I’ve got to back these having huge hits, such as I’m A Celeb- shows and back the chance to do them rity… or Strictly, but most of which were again,” she said. Greene added that at least a decade old. And why newer Phillips. She said that a lot of the chal- when Love Island (which she confirmed hits tended to be shows such as Goggle- lenge was “keeping the shows at the “is not going to move over to the main box, rather than traditional entertain- top of their game”. channel”) returned to ITV2, “it wob- ment shows. Edgar-Jones pointed out that five of bled and, thank God, we kept going. For ITV’s enthusiastic head of enter- last year’s biggest shows were from the And look at it now.” tainment, Siobhan Greene, entertain- entertainment genre and they tended She was given a round of applause ment programmes were “the lifeblood to “generate the most ‘talkability’ after saying passionately, “You’ve got of it all. For me, they mean everything. around a channel.… Love Island was one to have an attitude of looking at it They’re the chance to really get a con- of the most talked-about shows of the positively and we’re going to die try- nection. When you get it right, the summer.” ing, Richard.” whole nation can be entertained. He said one of the things about Sky “What about ‘Celebrities Die Try- “You’re uplifting and inspiring people getting back into entertainment was ing’?” quipped Osman. He questioned and having a laugh and taking them out that he wanted to create a buzz and whether the public had the same of whatever’s going on for them. It’s more shared experiences for viewers. appetite for game shows as they did a shared experience… all the family, Many of the repeatable hits seemed 10 or 15 years ago.

34 “I don’t think that’s true,” said Phil- show was declared dead, then Who mind, as a commercial rival of the lips – although “one of the challenges Wants To Be a Millionaire? came along.” BBC, when its talent pay was revealed we have now, that we didn’t when Netflix has, so far, concentrated on this summer? these shows launched, is social drama and documentaries rather than “Honestly, I thought they were quite media.… On the night, there’s this shiny-floor shows; is it going to follow cheap. I did, if you want the honest white heat… and people judging very us into this world, pondered Osman? truth. I felt sorry for the BBC,” she fast. That’s very hard. You think: just “Unscripted is not its model,” said replied. Edgar-Jones turned to Phillips give it a chance.” Phillips. She said that entertainment and said: “The eco-system balances out. “It’s not only about keeping the worked best live. I thought you paid reasonably well.” audience, it’s about getting the audi- Edgar-Jones suggested that Reviving old entertainment hits ence to the show,” she added. something interesting could remains an option because audi- Two of the BBC’s most successful be done on Facebook Live ences already have a connection new shows have been The Michael – which Osman agreed was with them. After a few false starts, McIntyre Chat Show and All Round to Mrs a useful platform for trying the BBC is finally bringing back Brown’s. Osman argued that these out new talent. The Generation Game – hosted by shows were, essentially, talent vehicles On the subject of talent, Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc. that would be hard to sell out- he asked Greene, what had However, Phillips said: “Some- side the UK, unlike many gone through her times, it’s even riskier to bring traditional hit formats. back an old show. We’re not Sky has tried to compete bringing The Generation in primetime with shows Game back because we such as Bring the Noise, but think it will automatically Edgar-Jones maintained get an audience... for me, that “we are re-entering it’s a really big risk.” n the entertainment game.… We’re looking at The panellists of ‘Ses- our entertainment as sion Eleven: A league of being a post-watershed our own?’ were: Philip offering. We have to Edgar-Jones, director of Sky inspire producers to do Arts and head of entertainment, something new, a bit Sky; Siobhan Greene, head of different.” entertainment, ITV; and Kate He explained that he Phillips, controller, entertain- was “taking movie-tropes ment commissioning, BBC. as our starting point for The chair was producer/ creating entertainment shows”, such presenter Richard Os- as Carmageddon, which he described as man and the producer “Mad Max meets Wacky Races”. was Zai Bennett, with However, as Phillips reminded VT production by the everyone, “the biggest challenge” was production team of finding shows that appealed to a broad A League of Their audience. Own and CPL. Entertainment still rated well, compared with other genres, Greene Strictly Come pointed out, adding that ITV was “back- Dancing ing entertainment 100%”, with “investment in the shows that are doing well”. Audiences often built because “younger people watch it, then parents, then nans”. Phillips admitted that the BBC had to cut its cloth to accommodate budget cuts but, “if there’s something we really like, we will find the slot for it”. She singled out a new Avalon show set in people’s homes, called The Button. Sky was “making some big bets, and adopting a fewer, bigger, better strategy”, said Edgar-Jones. He reminded

entertainment naysayers that “the quiz BBC

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 35 A World of Opportunity Session Twelve

Social mobility and TV’s Oxbridge bias is the latest battleground in A world of the diversity debate, discovers Tara Conlan opportunity ocial mobility was centre stage in this session, which, appropriately, was attended by some of the RTS’s bursary students, – for all? who are drawn from low-incomeS families. Session chair and Expectation co-CEO Tim Hincks asked why class and socio-economic background seemed to be “the slight afterthought” when it came to diversity. To get a rough idea about the people who had progressed to the top of the TV tree, Hincks took a poll of the audience and panel to find out who had been privately educated. Around 30% of convention delegates put their hands up. This was over four times the UK national average: 7% of British school children attend non- state schools. When Hincks asked how many were Oxbridge graduates, around 20% raised their hands, compared with the national average of under 1%. “Does that matter, that we are over-represented in this industry from those sorts of places?” was Hincks’s opening gambit. He asked panellist Greg Dyke, the former BBC Director-General who famously once described the BBC as “hideously white”, if it would have been “more radical” to ask if the corporation was “hideously middle-class”. “What was obvious to me was that our society was changing rapidly in terms of ethnic minorities and the BBC wasn’t,” said Dyke, who went to the University of York. “I remember talking to a former chairman of the BBC and he said: ‘Of course, we’ve always employed the brightest and the best.’ When you tried to define what he meant, he meant white, male, public school, Oxbridge. “Would we have done better to talk about class? It would have been much W1A’s Will – the hapless intern harder.”

36 “Why is that?” asked Hincks. maintenance grant to go to London to “Because there were no statistics,” study at a top drama school. responded Dyke. “The great thing “After I graduated from Lamda, I was about ‘hideously white’ was that the able to sign on and get benefits. I did BBC took me seriously.” that for two to three years, during which Sky’s head of drama, Anne Mensah, time I built up a theatre company in said that, at Sky, there was a “commer- London. But, now, that’s absolutely cial imperative” to reflect the whole been stripped away.” She concluded country. If the industry wanted to that it was now almost impossible for engage with the audience it had to bear someone from her background to in mind that the vast majority of the afford to go to drama school. population did not go to private school. Hincks introduced the controversial “On a basic level, diversity means subject of internships and how much diversity of stories. I want the posh they favour the middle class. and also the non-posh, and everything The session’s final panellist, Spectator in between,” she said. editor Fraser Nelson (educated at a Suzanne Pearson

Mensah, who attended a compre- comprehensive and Glasgow Univer- Hampartsoumian Paul hensive school in Catford, south Lon- sity), said internships were important don, said she was lucky. Her parents but the real question was how they were very supportive and she got her were distributed: “If we’re giving How the system first break at Carlton TV. internships to the sons and daughters excludes talent She added: “You have to make sure of the well-connected… we’re perpetu- that how you define good isn’t codified ating our own likeness. by traditional experience. So, good is “Everybody is here in this room as Suzanne Pearson, an RTS bursary not just going to Oxford or Cambridge, a stroke of good luck in some way or student, lives in Rotherham. She although it includes that… it is not just another – it might be good luck of studied film and television produc- knowing how to read Beowulf, it might birth, school, a teacher.… It’s not a per- tion but is finding it hard to break include knowing manga comics.” fect meritocracy and the system is into television. Hincks asked the BBC’s James Pur- only as good or bad as we choose to Pearson told the audience: nell if his private school and Oxbridge make it.” ‘There is a miscommunication education had put him at an advantage. The Spectator has a no-CV policy. about diversity, because I feel that, “I definitely had some privileges,’” “We just test on aptitude” by setting on a lot of the job applications, it he accepted. “I went to a state school seven tests. These include writing a tends to be about your ethnicity, in France and then private school here. blog and cutting a podcast so, “already, your sex, your sexuality and, occa- Oxbridge was definitely an advantage, these are pretty determined people”. sionally, asks if you had free school you just know lots of people. He said that he was surprised at the meals – but nothing about where “I was brought up by a single mum… number of Oxbridge interns, which you live or your background. she was amazing but also kept “shows the system is not corrupt”, and ‘There was [just] one application everything safe. She was incredibly revealed that one candidate was “a [question] about whether you were brave and robust. The biggest thing 48-year-old mother of three who was a carer or had ever been in care. was social capital; when I decided I applying for the first time”. ‘The other interesting thing wasn’t going to go to university [she Ofcom CEO Sharon White had said is paid internships. I think these was] sitting me down and persuading in a previous session that she did not should be the norm because, even me that this was a mistake.” want people to do unpaid work for if there are loads of internships Hincks suggested that it was quite organisations. Nelson, however, argued going that are free, it puts those difficult to put people in boxes. that having paid internships added a who can afford it two weeks “Big groups are hard,” agreed Purnell. cost to the bottom line and thus [ahead].… It puts everyone else “There’s no silver bullet. For me, it’s reduced the number being offered. at a disadvantage. about individuals, really. The data is Purnell explained that the BBC had ‘If every internship was paid, inevitably going to be big groups – banned unpaid internships and had then everyone would be on the and that’s important and it makes us various schemes running to broaden same playing field and be able to accountable and tells us where we the social range of the people it live off that.’ Fellow students of need to do more. But the practice is employed. These included apprentice- Pearson had been unable to attend about individuals and hard work.” ships and a two-week, unpaid taster difficult-to-reach TV sets daily The next panellist to speak was the aimed at people from underprivileged because they couldn’t afford a taxi actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, who said: “I backgrounds. or stay in a hotel near by. ‘I don’t am the product of the state and there- Sky, said Mensah, had created think it should be like that, as it fore a great supporter of the state. opportunities via the Sky Academy. puts everyone else back,’ she said.

BBC “I was given a full grant and a These allowed a range of people to see �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 37 A World of Opportunity Session Twelve

From left: Greg Dyke, Fraser Nelson, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Tim Hincks, Anne Mensah and James Purnell Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

� what the broadcaster does and gave back to the state.… We have taken them the kind of things they need to local students the chance to work in opportunities away and they have to know in order to get into drama. different departments for a year – be reimplemented.” “As an industry, we’ve slightly paid. “We give people mentorship.… I The BBC had collected data on shifted… we used to celebrate our best worry that we bring a lot of people in social mobility, explained Purnell, soaps,” said Mensah, who argued that at the bottom level and then just drop including whether employees’ par- soaps showed the diversity of the UK them. It’s not just how you get in, but ents had gone to state school, and and had traditionally been great how you get through the middle identifying the parents’ professional training grounds for talent. ranks and to the top.” backgrounds. “We are very nervous” about telling Dyke – the only BBC Director- The corporation found that 17% of stories in drama about people from General not to have gone to Oxbridge its staff attended private school, rising very deprived backgrounds unless or private school – was later appointed to 24% in management; 60% of all they are factual-based, said Hesmond- Chairman of the BFI. There, “we had employees had parents who were halgh, a former Coronation Street star. the classic ethnic minority policy managers or had a professional occu- “There’s a feeling that we’re not enti- come through and we threw it out.… pation of some kind. tled to tell stories about the working They are full of good intentions and “We are now doing anonymised class unless they are respectable; they nothing changes.” recruitment, where you take off name have to be noble in some way. Happy He explained that the BFI then, as and degree,” added Purnell. “The key Valley is a good example of that… they a distributor of lottery money, told thing is to keep on publishing data.” are flawed but they are respectable.” producers that, “if you don’t meet The BBC was also “thinking about” Purnell praised BBC children’s these criteria in terms of ethnic introducing socio-economic targets. department for being ahead of the minorities, you don’t get any money. Dyke interjected: “Data is great but curve and making diverse shows. He The BBC could do that and Sky could it’s not enough, is it? During his time referenced Apple Tree House, set on a do that. Once you do that, you will as DG, heads of department were council estate, and care home drama change the independent sector.” called in to “kangaroo courts” every The Dumping Ground: “They have been Hincks asked what could be done three months if they were not meet- on to this for some time and have for people such as RTS bursary stu- ing targets. “If the DG cares about it, been determined to reflect the whole dent Suzanne Pearson, who spoke they will [too]… if they think it’s [just] of society.” n from the floor. She said she did not the HR department, not a chance.” feel like she quite fitted into the diver- Mensah said that if you came from ‘Session Twelve: A world of opportunity sity boxes. Should there be a section a different background, you didn’t – for all?’ featured: Greg Dyke, broad- on forms for not having parental sup- know the rules, what to ask in inter- caster and former BBC Director-General; port? (See box on page 37.) views or what to wear. In drama, Julie Hesmondhalgh, actor; Anne Mensah, Hesmondhalgh said it was impor- people tended to look for candidates head of drama, Sky; Fraser Nelson, edi- tant to define social mobility and think who namechecked the right authors. tor, the Spectator; and James Purnell, about cases such as carers; moreover, “It’s not testing how you edit or write, director of radio and education, BBC. some people might not have much but if you visit the Royal Court Thea- The session was chaired by Tim Hincks, money but great parental support. tre,” she said. Co-CEO, Expectation Entertainment, She said: “For me, it has to come Sky runs a day for trainees, telling and produced by Alan Clements.

38 A World of Opportunity Session Thirteen How TV finds top

Panellists Jon talent Thoday (left) and Wayne Garvie Paul Hampartsoumian Paul

elevision has to whole month,” he added. “They go for A panel of TV unearth and nurture maybe two days to the Edinburgh heavyweights outlines new talent to thrive, International TV Festival now, yet the but some in the indus- Edinburgh Festival is 10 times the size how to build the try fear that the flow of and driven by the public.” stars of tomorrow in new comics and enter- “Talent is everything,” said Sony tainersT is drying up. If true, the con- Pictures Television creative chief a hyper-competitive sequences for British TV could be dire. Wayne Garvie. However, the former “There’s less money spent on BBC (where he developed Strictly world. Matthew Bell developing new talent [in UK broad- Come Dancing) and All3Media exec reports casting] than I can ever remember,” claimed that “the nursery slopes do argued Avalon chief Jon Thoday at a not exist any more”. session devoted to the recruitment Garvie pointed out that many of the and retention of TV talent. country’s biggest entertainment stars The founder of the entertainment came up through now-retired shows and talent management company, such as Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast. which has top-drawer comedians such “The industry has changed com- as Frank Skinner and Russell Howard pletely,” he continued. “There is a on its books, added that this lack of danger of us wallowing in nostalgia investment was “potentially storing up about talent. We’re not going to have a very bad problem for the future”. [the late] Bruce Forsyth any more, “Years ago, I remember the first because if Bruce the ‘Mighty Atom’ winners of the Perrier Award included was around now, he would be on Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Britain’s Got Talent and his career Hugh Laurie, and they were given a TV would have a completely different series that year on the BBC. It just trajectory.” doesn’t happen any more; you have to “Talent is key,” agreed Channel 4’s wait maybe 10 years before there’s Ed Havard. “The best shows are always enough interest to get you on TV. extensions of the talent involved.” “In the late 1980s and 1990s, Chan- Routes into the big UK broadcasters nel 4 would send its entire entertain- were still navigable, he said, claiming ment division to Edinburgh for a that his channel had made “massive �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 39 A World of Opportunity Session Thirteen

looked to develop original content to [TALENT] NEEDS… A STRONGER supplement the US shows that fill much DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM, of its schedules. “There has never been a better time SOMEWHERE BETWEEN to be talented – there are so many DISCOVERY AND HUGE SUCCESS different windows for [talent],” said Offman. “There’s a scramble for anyone with a modicum of ability.” She argued that, while “the discovery process isn’t broken”, developing talent was becoming more problematic. “There is only new talent and big hits and there isn’t very much in the middle.” Session chair, A+E Networks’ Heather Jones, asked whether mainstream broadcasters could offer talent sufficient creative freedom. Or did they go elsewhere when they made it big? Havard maintained that much of the talent developed through Channel 4’s short-form Comedy Blaps had stayed with the broadcaster because of the free rein it gives. “We have to look really hard at posi- The Last Leg

Channel 4 tives to bring to the table,” added Off- man. “What we can do, because we’re � interventions in this space”. He high- not a PSB and because we’re not sub- lighted Channel 4’s investment in ject to the same kind of scrutiny, [is] disabled talent to front its Paralympics look for a very strong point of view or YouTube vs TV coverage, adding that this talent has political show. That’s an opportunity for new talent since found other outlets on the for us.” broadcaster’s schedules. Comedy Central, she argued, could The Last Leg originally ran alongside also give freedom to established per- ‘When I started out, it was really coverage of the 2012 London Paralym- formers such as Russell Howard: “We sexy to be on TV. I was a work- pics, said Havard, as “a sweaty, late- put him [on Stand Up Central] in the ing-class boy from Ipswich and I night” show, but has “grown over three Electric [Ballroom, Camden] with couldn’t believe how glamorous or four years to be an award-winning, 200 people. He gets to choose who’s on telly was,’ said Sony’s Wayne Gar- huge entertainment show with new, the show [from] up-and-coming come- vie. ‘Now you can go on YouTube diverse talent at the heart of it”. dians he likes, and he gets to make the and make your own stuff and you Comedy Central’s Jill Offman offered filthiest jokes and make fun of whoever don’t really want to be on TV.’ a different industry perspective. “It’s he wants. However, we wouldn’t have ‘I don’t agree that talent doesn’t no secret that established talent him if the BBC hadn’t developed him want to be on TV,’ argued Jon doesn’t necessarily come to a smaller first. So, I think this mixed economy is Thoday. ‘I regularly meet YouTubers broadcaster. We go out and seek the really fruitful for the talent.” who come to us for management, newest, the youngest, the hottest and The UK’s terrestrial broadcasters and they do want to be on televi- the least exposed.” lacked the space in the prime-time sion. They want to make high-end Offman said there was a “dispropor- schedules to showcase the country’s product.’ tionate amount of attention on public big-name performers, argued Thoday. But, he added: ‘They need to service broadcasters because they are “If you take mainstream broadcasting, learn how to do that. It is a long larger. But every time the PSBs fail to and look at ITV and BBC One, prime- way from making a YouTube video develop somebody new, that’s another time is soaps and there is almost no in your bedroom about a subject opportunity for us.” money to spend on developing prime- that you’re interested in, to doing Comedy Central has been on air in time shows in the UK, apart from Sat- [TV] drama or a scripted comedy.’ the UK, under various names, for more urday nights,” he said. “The soaps are than two decades. Latterly, it has in decline and everyone is in denial

40 about it. It’s [said] that, maybe, people don’t want [to watch] mainstream broadcasting any more but, maybe, it’s the fact that very, very old programmes are getting half the airplay and no money is being spent on developing the next big show for primetime. When was the last big returning show, pre-9:00pm, on BBC One or ITV, other than on a Saturday night?” The panel agreed that TV relied on a steady flow of new talent, but also that this talent needed to be nurtured. Off- man argued that, above all else, televi- Last Week Tonight sion “needs to build a stronger HBO development system, somewhere between discovery and huge success”. Havard stressed the importance of Whatever happened to satire? building a good relationship between the talent and the broadcaster or plat- The panel lamented the lack of satire on the [BBC] is extraordinary,’ claimed form, while Garvie said that his motto on British TV, repeating a point made Ed Havard. ‘Satire and topical program- had always been: “Trust in the talent.” by Alastair Campbell in his after-dinner ming is an area where we all need to “We need to rethink the role of the speech the night before. Where were the work out how we can do it.’ commissioner,” added the Sony exec. US-style talk shows such as Last Week Jill Offman argued that channels He claimed that many more people Tonight, hosted by Brit John Oliver on needed to ‘create a head of steam’ were now involved in the programme- HBO, or classic Brit programmes such as and show would-be satirists that they making process. “Our business is all the much-missed Spitting Image? could build a career in telly. about failure – most of the shows we Jon Thoday pinpointed two reasons ‘We’ve seen it in the US with [The launch don’t work. There are a lot for their absence on UK screens: ‘We Daily Show host] Trevor Noah and the more [commissioners] that you have don’t tend to want to build a show five or six late-night shows [broad- to go through and it hasn’t changed the around a host. If you take [BBC Two’s] cast]. Now, everyone thinks they can success/failure ratio in any way at all The Mash Report, Nish Kumar is cast be a late-night host because so many – so, trust in the talent, they might just into it. He’s talented, the guys around people are. We just need to get three get it right.” Nish are talented, but they didn’t build or four out the door.’ “The key thing is to remember that the show around Nish Kumar.’ Thoday, however, pointed out that talent is a benefit not a problem,” con- ‘The other thing is British broadcast- the UK and US industries were very cluded Thoday, who called on the ers cannot allow a political show to different beasts: ‘The thing about the industry to invest in “diverse, new and have a political bias,’ he continued. In satire shows in the US is that they’re young talent. It is something that has the US, he said, Oliver and his co-hosts, sort of alternative news. Young people made us great in the world and, if we such as Stephen Colbert, can take their watch The Daily Show partly for news.’ pull back from that, the future will not own political positions. The Daily Show is on air four nights a be rosy.” n ‘People are so bothered about being week on Comedy Central in the US; fair – satire should be dangerous. It’s British satire shows tend to air weekly, ‘Session Thirteen: Talent – how to find it, very hard to be dangerous in British and for a limited run. nurture it, pay for it and keep it’ featured: broadcasting. ‘It goes back to the number of epi- Wayne Garvie, chief creative officer, ‘People say they want it but, when it sodes you make. If you do six or eight international production, Sony Pictures comes to it, the BBC’s too scared to do episodes of a satire show, you’re never Television; Ed Havard, head of entertain- something satirical. It couldn’t do That going to get a head of steam,’ said ment, TV events and sport, Channel 4; Jill Was the Week That Was now. They Thoday. ‘[Take] Spitting Image – I don’t Offman, EVP, Comedy Central and Para- think they could, but they can’t.’ think that ever would have stopped mount Networks International, and MD, ‘It’s incredibly difficult for the BBC being commissioned in the US. Satur- MTV UK; and Jon Thoday, joint founder – I worked there for a long time – to day Night Live started in 1975, it went and MD, Avalon. The session was chaired find talent who are allowed to have through bad periods and now it’s a by Heather Jones, general manager UK/ a strong tone of voice, particularly in massive hit again. The truth is that we senior VP of content and creative, A+E satire and politics, because the scrutiny had the vehicles but we got rid of them.’ Networks, and produced by Helen Scott.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 41 A World of Opportunity Session Fourteen

Steve Clarke hears the industry’s leading figures predict what lies ahead in a world where the tech giants loom ever larger

ambridge’s final debate is, traditionally, the time for the big beasts of broadcasting to strut their stuff. The 2017 convention duly delivered.C Senior people from Channel 4, Sky, Virgin Media and Westminster weighed in on a range of hot topics. They discussed some of the conference’s headlines: the Government’s determination that at least part of Channel 4 should relocate to somewhere outside London; the latest regulatory hitch in 21st Century Fox’s protracted bid for Sky; and British TV’s still patchy record on diversity, especially the ability to recruit and promote working-class applicants. It’s an open Seizing the opportunity secret that executives from the elite courts of Oxbridge still dominate many TV boardrooms. But the elephant in the room was the content before. We lost the Champions on-demand but also in linear.” He Faang companies (that’s Facebook, League [to BT]. You just adjust. You added that this made it a much better Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Alphabet’s spend the money elsewhere and you environment for video producers. The Google in investorspeak) – the seriously spend it wisely.” number of opportunities would keep big beasts. She added: “We tend to forget just on growing. Whenever TV types assemble to take how much money BT actually makes. “Netflix is now widening its portfolio the temperature of their businesses BT is a much scarier competitor than [beyond drama],” explained Mockridge. these days, the Faangs are high on the Netflix in many, many ways. It is a “We’ve had a good relationship with it agenda. much more profitable company than over four years. It is morphing much Session chair Tim Hincks put it like Amazon, as well. BT is a Goliath.” more into a big HBO. this. He suggested that, for the past two In the UK, Virgin and Sky have dif- “Whatever we think about it, it’s days, everyone at Cambridge had been ferent approaches to the Netflix chal- happening at a spectacular pace and having a ball. “But there’s this feeling lenge. Virgin includes the streaming we have to adjust. That’s inevitable. that the really cool kids who were service on its platform; Sky doesn’t. Sky will adjust, moving from satellite invited to the party haven’t come – Virgin CEO Tom Mockridge was to broadband distribution. Netflix, Google, Amazon, Apple,” said upbeat. He outlined how his company “Linear TV will be fundamentally IP. the erstwhile Endemol boss and co- continued to grow despite the compet- Ultimately, it’s about more reach and founder of Expectation Entertainment. itive headwinds blowing from the more opportunities to view, which “What makes it worse is that we’re western seaboard of the US. means more opportunities for people talking about them all the time, and “Fundamentally, we see it as oppor- making TV.” they still don’t come. I don’t know if tunity because, at core, we’re a broad- He added: “I work for a company they’re talking about us, but I suspect band/wi-fi supply company,” said the called Liberty Global. We are consoli- they’re not.” Virgin chief. “Whichever way you look dating cable systems across Europe How, for instance, would Sky react if at it, the demand on our network is and, increasingly, Latin America. John it lost English Premier League rights to growing at 50%-plus a year… and that’s Malone [Liberty Global’s leader] is very, an online player? compound growth. very focused on the scale of the big Sky’s chief strategy and commercial “All the video is moving into an IP operators we’re talking about.” officer, Mai Fyfield, said: “We’ve lost format for convenience, not only in Fyfield agreed – up to a point. The

42 From left: Damian Collins MP, Tom Mockridge, Tim Hincks, Mai Fyfield, and David Abraham TV is struggling on social class

Sky’s Mai Fyfield said: ‘It’s something I, personally, feel quite strongly about. I think about it a lot when I recruit for my own team. ‘I don’t want a bunch of entitled people. I strive to hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds in terms of social class and education. People who’ve had to fight a little bit to get where they are tend to do very well at Sky.’ Tim Hincks asked if she had data and targets on social backgrounds? ‘No,’ replied Fyfield, ‘[because] how do you capture data on social diversity? I think that’s quite hard. But it’s a challenge that the whole industry has [to think] about.’ David Abraham said: ‘Channel 4 is focusing on how to ensure millennials get to positions of influence and decision-making more Seizing the opportunity quickly. ‘I think it is a fabulous thing that

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul Channel 4 and ITV will now be led by women. It will have a big effect ubiquity of smartphones was good for compete in. I would be surprised if on inspiring the new generations her company’s bottom line. Netflix’s UK revenue is half a billion. It coming up, because they can see “All Sky customers have access to is not about to outspend every single people at the top not coming from Sky Go, which only exists because we broadcaster in the UK. There’s room the usual background.’ have smartphones,” she said. “Video for all of us. Tom Mockridge said: ‘In the UK, consumption is pretty much at an “I sometimes think we fall into a class is a big issue for panel dis- all-time high. The likes of Apple and position of thinking it’s them and us. I cussions, but I don’t find it’s much Samsung have done a great thing for don’t think it is. Netflix, Sky, Virgin and talked about in the workplace. The the TV industry.” Channel 4 are all doing well.” broader issue of economic class is Hincks asked if Fyfield was alarmed So that was that then? Not quite. As something much deeper for soci- by how much money Netflix and Ama- Hincks probed and asked Fyfield what ety to deal with as a fundamental zon were investing in content for their TV might look like in five or 10 years’ point of politics. services. time, she struck a more downbeat ‘In terms of getting a wide range She thought this needed to be put note. “The biggest issue is competition of people working in our industry.… into context: “People are overreacting a for the TV screen in the living room… I’m a believer in quotas. I’d rather set little bit. Facebook and Apple are talking They’re all kind of thinking: ‘Actually, a hard target. We have targets, but about spending globally.” where is video really being watched?’ I am not allowed to reveal them.’ The Sky executive continued: “Just Ninety per cent of video is still watched He added: ‘In the UK, social class because they look at content doesn’t on the main screen,” she said. was much more evident 30 to mean they’re going to spend all that “That is the next battleground and 40 years ago. If it does [still] exist, money on content. They’re going to that is important for Sky and impor- it should be addressed. I think it’s spend money where they can make tant for Virgin Media. more about this question of elites. money back.” “But it’s also important for every Clearly, you do have an Oxbridge She added: “Take, for example, Net single broadcaster in this room, elite. In business here, if someone flix. A massive company but relatively because those other screens are not has been to Oxbridge, they let you small in terms of its buying power in regulated. There’s no EPG regulation, know within 20 minutes of the the UK. Sky’s revenue is not far off no due-prominence regulation. conversation starting.’ £12bn across all the markets we “Those platforms such as Apple TV, �

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 43 A World of Opportunity Session Fourteen

Fox hit The Simpsons Sky Should Fox’s bid for Sky go ahead?

‘I look at this argument about scale, accumulates over time, and so, for the � for example, are VoD-centric plat- and I see mergers happening right, Secretary of State, it just doesn’t feel forms. There is no linear TV on those left and centre but, when I see the right?’ platforms.” scale of the digital giants, my strategic Fyfield responded: ‘There’s always So would Sky, perhaps, like more question is: “Is any amalgamation been baggage around the Murdoch regulation, asked Hincks, his eyes visi- of existing legacy media companies family. Sometimes, that rubs off on Sky.’ bly twinkling. “The problem is the fact ever going to match the scale we are ‘So, was the Conservative Govern- that [the regulation] is not even,” said now confronting?” asked Channel 4’s ment, which lacks a majority, playing Fyfield. “Regulation is one-sided and David Abraham. politics by rejecting Ofcom’s advice?’ has the potential to impact where the Virgin’s Tom Mockridge said he asked Hincks. ‘Was there a feeling that, market goes. thought ‘James [Murdoch] handled it in the past, the Murdochs were far too “Markets should go in directions very correctly yesterday, as did Karen close to the Tories?’ because of competition on merit, not Bradley. It is very clear she is proceed- Damian Collins MP said: ‘I think because some are regulated and others ing cautiously. That is her right. There Karen [Bradley] is being extremely aren’t. That’s dangerous.” is a process, and you can be confident careful to do everything by the book.’ It was somewhat unusual for Sky, of that the CMA will be very objective and He continued: ‘Some people might all companies, to be calling for regula- thorough.’ He said he thought the deal wonder why these issues on broad- tion, ventured Hincks. should be approved. casting standards were not looked at “We’re calling for a level playing field. Session chair Tim Hincks wondered initially.… Ofcom should probably have Some of it may be less regulation else- if, ‘after certain amount of time, [would] looked at those issues more closely, where,” replied Fyfield. “There is a role Fox say: “This is costing us a lot of earlier in the process. for some regulation in some places.… money, we can’t wait for ever”, and ‘That would have made the whole Regulating the tech giants is difficult. therefore abandon the bid.’ thing a lot smoother. We were expect- Maybe some of that is not possible. Sky’s Mai Fyfield said that was not ing a referral to the CMA on plurality “I think, as an industry, we do need going to happen, adding: ‘The uncer- grounds, anyway.’ to think about platforms that have no tainty is clearly unwelcome but we’ve He stressed: ‘Sky is a very successful linear channels and it’s all VoD. been here before. Everybody at Sky company. It’s not that we’re looking at “What does that mean for commer- should keep focused and keep getting this deal and saying Sky is in desperate cially funded, advertising services such on with the day job.’ trouble and desperately needs a new as ITV and Channel 4? That is a mas- Hincks probed: ‘How much is it to buyer to keep it running, and time is of sive shift. And whether the kinds of do with the baggage that any business the essence.’ revenues that ITV and Channel 4 have today, where the market is still

44 good as they have been in the last few years? At the moment, that is less clear. “In the UK, we don’t know how to detach the Brexit effect from the structural effects of some of these platforms.” Where did Damian Collins, Chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, stand on all this? Unlike his three fellow panellists, he had no commercial axe to grind. Hincks asked Collins whether politicians should be radically rethinking what constituted the media market in the wake of the tech behemoths’ rise? “In the past, we’ve asked, ‘How do we manage the BBC’s dominance in the UK market landscape?’ It’s secured by the licence fee – this huge budget it has every year that just arrives in the form of a cheque. “But in 10 years’ time,” he mused, “we might we saying the BBC is struggling. It cannot run the range of services it runs with the licence fee at the level it is. It is struggling to raise commercial revenues, it can’t transmit the high volume of high-quality programmes we expect because there’s Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour

Amazon Prime massive inflation in the market caused by external players. anchored on linear, can that be sus- “What would be the consequences tained in a purely VoD world is a big, AS AN INDUSTRY, for Sky if Amazon bought the Premier big question.” WE DO NEED TO League rights? Or for Virgin if ITV said: David Abraham, Channel 4’s out- ‘We’re not going to be a public service going CEO, claimed that Sky’s business THINK ABOUT broadcaster any more. We’ll sell the model was just as vulnerable to com- PLATFORMS rights to Coronation Street to the highest petition from Netflix and Amazon as bidder and do our own thing, because the free-to-air broadcasters. THAT HAVE we live in a world where being num- He said: “I will take issue with the NO LINEAR ber three on the EPG doesn’t matter?’ fact that your model is any more sus- “We don’t yet know what the conse- tainable against the digital giants than CHANNELS AND quences of all this change [will be] but our ad model. IT’S ALL VOD we’ve got companies with almost “Certainly, the numbers, in terms of unlimited budgets that can take the penetration of ‘big basic’ in the UK investment decisions in television and the unbundling of basic in the US, where they might not see any money suggest that the massive premiums amount of money ITV and Channel 4 back for six or seven years. that your business model has been spend on content. But we’ve been “For us to believe that this won’t have based on are now seriously in ques- through these cycles before. We’ve got a massively disruptive effect.… I think tion. But, be that as it may, if one is a a great pipeline of strong shows.” this is bigger than the ability of any one niche player with a strong brand and He continued: “The question is, national government to control.” great creative teams producing brilliant ‘Where will we be in five to 10 years’ Few would disagree. n content, brilliantly marketed, there is time?’ Talk to anyone in San Francisco always a way to survive.” or LA and there’s a tremendous sense ‘Session Fourteen: Seizing the opportunity’, Yes, Abraham was talking about of change happening. The volume of featured: David Abraham, CEO, Channel 4; Channel 4, which he said of late had money that Amazon, Apple and Netflix Damian Collins MP, Chair of the Digital, achieved a 10% portfolio share in spite are spending is having a structural Culture, Media and Sport Committee; Mai of fierce competition. effect at just the time that ‘big basic’ Fyfield, chief strategy and commercial He added: “I think that the issue is unbundling across the US. officer, Sky; and Tom Mockridge, CEO, right now is about growth. The ad “Will mainstream TV still be cultur- Virgin Media. The session was chaired by market is down and we don’t know ally dominant in five to 10 years’ time? Tim Hincks, Co-CEO, Expectation Enter- when it’s going to recover. Absolutely it will. tainment, and produced by Sue Robertson “It’s going to have an effect on the “Will the growth rates be quite as and Martin Stott.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 45 UK RISING STAR R & B SEDUCTION DUMMY MAGAZINE HIGHSNOBIETY

NEMI WHAT YOU GONNA DO?

OUT NOW on and AUDIONETWORK.COM

0124 OUR FRIEND IN THE NORTH WEST

Cat Lewis says ne great strength around the UK and put up in hotels of the RTS is that Ofcom can do a lot during shoots. it truly represents more to encourage More junior roles are filled locally the whole coun- – but this isn’t enough to leave a try, with centres TV production in the legacy and make a long-term impact all across the UK. on the economy. It is, therefore, an nations and regions And, although these programmes organisation that is very much in tune are filmed in the nations and regions, withO the current Secretary of State they are often edited back in London, for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, creating no work for post-production Karen Bradley MP, who has repeatedly houses or editors who are based out- stated her commitment to making TV side the M25. Up to 30% of the budget less London-focused, most recently of a “made out of London” prog at the RTS Cambridge Convention. ramme can be spent inside the M25. All too often in recent years, the All perfectly “legal” but hardly in lives of people in the nations and the spirit of the Ofcom regulations. regions have been captured through a I’ve heard it said more than once London lens, as series producers from that there aren’t enough experienced the capital are shipped around the programme-makers in the nations UK to head up “made out of London” and regions, particularly for more productions. senior roles. To truly reflect our country, pro- We all know TV commissioners can gramme-makers at all levels should be very demanding when it comes to

be from a wide range of backgrounds Lives Nine who makes their programmes. But and they should live in various parts what I’ve witnessed over 15 years of of the country. limits our creativity and success, working as a northern-based exec A number of reports confirm that weakening the whole of UK plc. producer is that this situation is this isn’t the case. There’s also plenty of evidence that self-perpetuating. A recent survey of TV producers by the London-centric media is increas- Senior freelance programme- Pact found that, of the £2bn budget ingly out of touch with the way the makers in the nations and regions for UK commissions in 2016, just 32% rest of the UK is thinking: few in the aren’t given a chance to work on was spent out of London. According media predicted the outcome of the these shows. As a result, they don’t to the BBC Academy, just 35% of full- Brexit vote or the last general election. have the right credits on their CVs. time jobs in TV are in the nations All this is happening in spite of Ofcom is currently reviewing the and regions. regulations and quotas intended to criteria as to what qualifies as a Donna Taberer, who used to run create jobs outside of London, and “made out of London” production. the College of Production at the BBC overseen by Ofcom. I firmly believe that Ofcom needs Academy, interviewed more than So, what’s going wrong? to phase in a tightening of the criteria, 800 people who work in TV in the Unfortunately, any programme leading towards the goal of having English regions for another report. made under the “made out of London 80% of programme-makers working She uncovered a shocking fact: 45% quota” is permitted to employ 50% of on a “made out of London” pro of freelance programme-makers in its staff from London. And some do gramme actually based in the nations the English regions are employed in so, often giving them senior roles. and regions. TV production only 50% of the time. These senior programme-makers – Why does this matter? In economic producer/directors, series producers Cat Lewis is CEO, Nine Lives Media, and terms, a one-city industry really and executive producers – are shipped Chair, RTS North West.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 47 IBC review Technical innovations are driving viewing options to new heights. Kate Bulkey explores the consequences

n the 50th anniversary of IBC, a record number of broadcasting and cinema professionals met for the annual technology jamboree Power in Amsterdam. The six-day event typi- callyO covers a wide range of topics. This year was no exception, with fake news, the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning all prominent. to the But, arguably, the real theme of IBC 2017 was the growing power of consumer choice. This is manifested most obviously in viewers’ ability to pick and choose what, when and where people they watch programmes. The big digital platforms, Facebook, Amazon, Net flix and Google, have been fundamental to this transformation in viewing habits. In Amsterdam, it was clear that their consumer-friendly products continue one event.” For younger audiences, this doing good works. Facebook Live is, to disrupt traditional business models. is no different to watching a regular clearly, a key part of the company’s Kim Poder, CEO of the Danish unit football match. Indeed, in many respects, strategy, and Danker, who was of Scandinavia’s Modern Times Group, it is more appealing because they often involved in its launch, claimed that put it bluntly. In an IBC Conference feel more connected to the gamers. Live events attracted 10 times more keynote address, he said that the only MTG forecasts its e-sports business comments than recorded video. With way forward for competitors of Netflix will grow 40% in the course of this audiences demonstrably more and YouTube was to tailor their offers to year. Poder said that other TV compa- engaged, Facebook can secure higher keep up with the changing patterns of nies were following MTG, with similar ad rates for live video. video consumption. online expansion plans. Danker declined to say when Watch He warned: “It’s important to remem- Both Amazon and Facebook had big would launch outside the US. He ber that there are a lot of competitors and busy stands at IBC. Facebook prod- emphasised that Facebook’s secret coming in, so don’t be a fat cat and sit uct director Daniel Danker presented sauce was that, unlike YouTube, its vid- on your hands. Change your business the company’s new “Watch” tab for eos were based on the many and varied model and adapt to new audiences.” long-form video. He told delegates that user communities that the social net- Over the past five years, MTG has video on Facebook was “exploding” and work attracted. “Any producer can find invested in three new businesses: represented 50% of mobile data traffic, a a loyal audience on Watch,” he claimed. e-sports, online gaming and online percentage that he expected to rise to Not everyone, however, was certain video content creation. The priority 75% within five years. that Facebook would prove itself to be has been to grab the attention of view- Facebook is pushing the new video the right platform for audiences seek- ers aged under 35. tab hard and will reportedly commis- ing long-form video. Brian Sullivan, One spur has been the size of the live sion up to $1bn of original content, President and COO of Fox Networks crowds who gather to watch e-sports. including reality TV, comedy and even Digital Consumer Group, said that he In February of this year, 173,000 young live sports, in 2018. was “highly sceptical that long-form fans attended a five-day e-sports gam- Danker showcased several shows on video would migrate to social plat- ing event in Katowice, Poland. “It was stage, including: Humans of New York, a forms”. He suggested that the average insane, and not just for the fans in the weekly series based on a photo-blog video viewing time on social media arena,” said Poder. “We put this out on by Brandon Stanton; Hala Madrid, was “about three seconds”. And he 70 broadcasters around the world, and which follows Spanish football team doubted that all broadcasters would it was on YouTube and Facebook. We Real Madrid; and Returning the Favor, a have direct-to-consumer offers over had 40 million unique viewers for this series that features ordinary Americans the next few years, even though

48 streaming access to league games. It launched with Nottingham Forest vs Millwall, the Championship’s opening game on 4 August. At IBC, Barrand admitted that there was a balance to be struck between TV rights and streaming rights: “It’s not either/or.” On the same conference panel, Alicia Klein, director of platforms and distribution at the IAAF, the organising body for track and field athletics, said that social media platforms were “bringing tension into the business”. She believed that rights holders needed to develop a more “sophisti- cated” understanding and appreciation of fan data. “We can’t have only a pas- sive relationship with fans through television,” she insisted. “Fans, particularly younger fans, want a live conversation – and that platform isn’t TV, it’s Snapchat, it’s Instagram.” Meanwhile, fake news – sometimes aided and abetted by the big digital platforms, particularly Facebook – was discussed by William Lewis, CEO of Dow Jones. He argued that regulating the “digital giants” was as important as publishers discovering new business models. “The days are gone when I could say, ‘Come to my site or sod off’,” he said. The fast-growing importance of viewers were demanding Netflix-like, Google choose to exhibit in Hall 14, artificial intelligence was dramatised easy-to-use, binge-viewing-capable rather than in the mainstream halls”. by a session featuring Sophia, an TV experiences. This is despite fears in some quarters AI-powered humanoid robot, and her Fox Networks’ new Fox Now stream- that the internet distribution bubble inventor, David Hanson of Hanson ing service is available via pay-TV plat- may be set to burst, given that there Robotics, based in Hong Kong. forms. It aggregates content from all are so many competing VoD services. Sophia spoke directly to the audience five Fox-owned networks – NatGeo, “There are clearly far too many in a convincingly lifelike manner and Fox Sports, FX, Fox and Fox News. companies claiming to do pretty much took random questions. Hanson Sullivan said that the key difference the same thing, usually an ‘end-to-end explained that she even had her own between Fox Now and its rivals was OTT video solution’ or similar”, added stylist to make her look human. But, as that, as a hybrid of VoD and live TV, it Keen. OTT (over the top) video is the she was only a year old, her AI still had offered a single navigation system for catch-all term for online distribution, a lot to learn. all content. and covers all streamed or downloaded The discussion between Hanson “The power has come back to the live TV, VoD or “buy-to-own” products. and Sophia underlined the speed of consumer and we are all having to find Keen predicted “a shake-out among advances in AI in a way that the equally ways to deal with it,” he said. A big part the content players and service pro- “intelligent”, but disembodied, voices of this shift had been the re-aggregation viders rushing to launch their own of Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri don’t. of TV services into “digital MVPDs OTT subscription video propositions. Finally, conference attendees heard [multichannel video programming Only the strongest will survive.” that a study by Walker, a customer distributions]” such as Sling and Hulu, Even so, OTT delivery is proving intelligence group, forecast that, by the latter part-owned by Fox. attractive to companies in the sports 2020, customer experience would The VoD theme was also very evi- world. In August, Disney announced overtake both product and price as dent on the exhibition floor, as well that it would an launch an app for its the differentiator that mattered most as at the conference. Hall 14’s Content premium ESPN brand (due in early to consumers, including those of TV Everywhere Hub has developed over 2018), and, in May, the English Football businesses. the past few years from a slightly League launched its iFollow app. Both For a convention concerned with the peripheral zone, where edgier start- made presentations at IBC. merits of competing technological ups clustered, to a destination space The EFL’s marketing director, Drew advances in Ultra-HD, data compres- for many IBC delegates. Barrand, said clubs were hoping to sion algorithms, CGI and a host of Ben Keen, an independent media gain substantial income from iFollow, other fields, this was a useful reminder analyst, noted that “both Facebook and which gives overseas fans live of the fundamentals of business. n

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 49 Dramatising a death cult

Peter Kosminsky on the set of The State Channel 4

ver more than reporter Fatima Manji, Kosminsky 30 years – initially Content argued that television remained “an in documentaries, incredibly powerful medium”. But, then in dramas – “most of the time, we use it for escap- Peter Kosminsky Peter Kosminsky is ist tosh. I believe that it should be used has built a reputa- unflinching in his belief to ask awkward questions of society.” tionO as a fearless film-maker, unafraid Kosminsky’s commitment to political of asking awkward questions and that TV has a duty to drama is unflinching, as his latest taking on the Establishment. work, The State, which aired on Chan- His work has dealt with conflicts in cross-examine society, nel 4 in late August, demonstrated (see Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Palestine, Iraq says Matthew Bell box). He explained that The State was and Syria, the machinations of New the third part of a trilogy for Channel 4 Labour politicians, the lives of abused early-evening event at the end of that began with The Government Inspec- children, and the victims of war. August. He argued that TV drama, tor in 2005, about the suicide of biolog- Occasionally, the writer-director when he first entered the industry as ical weapons expert Dr David Kelly changes tack (he directed the multi- a BBC trainee in 1980, “held a mirror and the existence, or otherwise, of award-winning period serial Wolf Hall up to society”. weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. for the BBC in 2015), but Kosminsky Times have changed, Kosminsky The trilogy continued with Britz in mostly sticks to what he knows best hasn’t. “I’ve just carried on doing what 2007, which, through the starkly con- – producing meticulously researched, was prevalent when I started,” he trasting stories of a brother (an MI5 contemporary pieces of work. insisted. “It’s just everything else that officer) and sister (who is recruited as a It was, therefore, no surprise that has shifted. It’s like the tide has with- suicide bomber), examined the experi- he mounted a powerful defence of drawn and left me on this little island.” ences of second-generation Muslims political drama at an enthralling RTS Interviewed by Channel 4 News in Britain.

50 The Government Inspector and Britz Ony Uhiara doubled Kosminsky’s tally of RTS in The State awards; he had already been honoured for the 1990 ITV drama Shoot to Kill and the BBC’s Warriors in 1999. He was made an RTS Fellow in 2006. Kosminsky drew a “straight line” between The Government Inspector, Britz and The State. “The single most fatuous thing I’ve heard said in politics on this subject in recent memory is when Tony Blair said that Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war would never have any impact on radicalisation on the streets Characters of Britain,” he claimed. “I thought, when he said it: ‘Are you mad? Have you rooted in actually spoken to any young British Muslims recently? Have you any idea of real events the videos that they’re watching and the conversations they’re having?’ They

feel that the West is at war with Islam. Channel 4 They think it’s a new crusade. “These three films are a very small Peter Kosminsky’s latest work, The State, trademark thorough research, which part of attempting to draw that line.” follows a group of British jihadis who took 18 months to complete. ‘I wanted The trilogy, certainly for now, marks travel to Syria to join Islamic State but to take four people who were typical of the end of Kosminsky’s work explor- quickly lose their ardour for an organisa- the research and plunge them into this ing Britain’s relationship with radical tion that the writer-director described [Islamic State] experience,’ he said. Islam: “I don’t have any plans to return as a ‘blood-drenched death cult’. ‘The characters were composites but to this subject again but – who knows?” The idea for the programme came there were no incidents depicted that The closing of this chapter of his from Kosminsky’s interest in ‘the rad- hadn’t occurred,’ he added. ‘Everything work, however, does not indicate any icalisation of quite unlikely people’. that happens is in the research.’ optimism about the state of the world. He continued: ‘[There were] stories of He argued that people were more Indeed, the writer-director’s analysis schoolgirls being radicalised in their willing to reveal their experiences to him was decidedly downbeat. bedrooms, on their laptops, without than to a news programme in which “We’re in a very dark place at the their parents’ knowledge, but no infor- they could be identified. ‘Nobody knows moment, with Brexit, Trump in the mation at all about what happened who spoke to us [apart from] me and White House and white supremacists once they got to Syria.’ the Channel 4 lawyers,’ he said, adding: being tacitly endorsed by this individ- Kosminsky explained that he had a ‘And I would never reveal my sources.’ ual who has his finger on the nuclear twin objective for the four-part Chan- The State does not shield viewers [button],” he said. “I’ve got young kids nel 4 drama, which aired over four from the brutality of Islamic State, but and this is a hell of a time to try to talk consecutive nights in August. ‘[It is] Kosminsky maintained that the reality to them about good and tolerant values tempting when these atrocities occur, of the violence was far worse. ‘The stuff and the dangers of racism. either in the Middle East or on the I saw, you couldn’t get on television,’ “I don’t believe violence is an streets of some of our cities, [to think] he said. ‘If we depicted it as it really answer to anything – I haven’t always that [terrorists] are clearly mad,’ he said. was, it would be unwatchable; not only felt that way but I definitely feel that ‘Unfortunately, it isn’t true in the main. because it would breach broadcasting way now. But I can completely see ‘It doesn’t help us to understand guidelines, but it would just be relent- why people are moving to the fringes, what is a very challenging and difficult lessly bloody. There were decapitations because there’s a vacuum of charisma phenomenon facing our society at the and amputations happening in a square in the middle.” moment. in Raqqa every day.’ Kosminsky welcomed the emer- ‘The first thing, and I knew this wasn’t He had tried to find a balance gence of Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie going to be popular, was to try to dis between ‘making it unwatchable’ and Sanders in the UK and US but, in gen- abuse [viewers] of this simplistic inter- offering a ‘ridiculously anodyne treat- eral, he said, “People look at the centre pretation that the only reason people ment that didn’t acknowledge the fact ground and it seems so grey, boring do this is because they are insane.’ that we’re dealing with an incredibly and uninspiring. Second, Kosminsky said, he wanted bloody organisation’. “This fleeing to the margins is very to write a ‘cautionary tale’ about how Kosminsky said that The State dangerous. I fear for our society in a quickly the newly radicalised are dis- was the hardest thing he had ever way that I have never done in my life abused of their ‘idealised vision’ of an attempted. ‘If you watch those [Islamic before.” Islamic caliphate when they are con- State] videos and also read some of ‘Peter Kosminsky in conversation with fronted with the reality of life in Syria. the testimony,’ he said, ‘the images Fatima Manji’ was held at Channel 4 in The State features composite that were conjured in my head will central London on 30 August and pro- characters based on Kosminsky’s never leave me.’ duced by Sally Doganis.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 51 A mission to engage

f traditional broadcasters are to Robinson as his deputy when the for- thrive in an era of social media News mer edited the flagship BBC current they need to emulate some of affairs show Panorama. the best qualities of Steve It was both men’s subsequent diag- Hewlett’s journalism. That was Nick Robinson, noses of cancer that brought them the essence of the first Steve inspired by the late closer. Robinson was successfully HewlettI Memorial Lecture, given by treated for lung cancer but Hewlett’s BBC broadcaster Nick Robinson, a Steve Hewlett, tells cancer of the oesophagus was to prove friend and colleague of Hewlett’s. more stubborn. Robinson outlined the challenges news networks how “When he told me about his diagno- facing BBC News and other traditional they can challenge sis, I wrote him a beginner’s guide on news broadcasters in a heartfelt talk how to cope with chemotherapy,” said delivered to a packed auditorium at the excesses of social the BBC news man. London’s University of Westminster. Robinson had other fond memories The Today presenter offered some media. Steve Clarke of Hewlett. How, for instance, he sup- remedies for regaining public trust – takes notes ported him during difficult Panorama and, with luck, audiences – on what was editions. “When I edited a programme an emotionally highly-charged evening. organised a rent strike at the University that the Mail dubbed, ‘The BBC’s aston- Hewlett died in February, at the age of of Manchester. “I was as Establishment ishing Royal attack’, he backed me 58, but his legacy continues to loom as you could get, a BBC trainee straight again. It is what great editors do.” large wherever certain sorts of journal- out of university who’d been schooled Today’s media landscape is very ists gather together. at the Oxford Union debating society,” different to when Hewlett edited Robinson called for a new journalism recalled the former BBC and ITN politi- Panorama, more than two decades of engagement – a “mission to engage” cal editor. Hewlett, meanwhile, pos- ago. Alternative news providers have in an allusion to John Birt’s “mission to sessed “an aura of radical chic”. He proliferated. explain” – in order to win back public came with the dangerous whiff of the One of the consequences of this trust. This had been eroded by the kind edgy, early Channel 4. growth in digital news, driven by social of divisions that gave us Brexit. It was said at Channel 4 that Hewlett media, has been that millennials largely Robinson recalled the Steve Hewlett had made a film giving a Marxist inter- ignore the news output of the tradi- he’d first met. In many ways, they pretation of cricket – two of his great- tional UK TV networks, said the Today couldn’t have been more different. est passions, Robinson remembered as presenter. Unless broadcasters raised Robinson was Oxbridge-educated. the audience chuckled. their game, said Robinson, there was a Hewlett was a communist who’d Years later, Hewlett inherited risk that future generations would be

52 Nick Robinson and (on media have mushroomed during the watch the news channel that most screen) Steve Hewlett past three years. Robinson discovered corresponds to their own world view. this first-hand during his coverage of Impartial news risked being under- the Scottish independence vote – and, mined by state-owned news channels more recently, during this summer’s such as Al Jazeera and services run by attack on a mosque in Finsbury Park, the Chinese, French and Iranian north London. governments. There, local Muslims were furious Robinson disagreed with James Mur- that the BBC failed to initially describe doch’s view that a regulated news the incident as terrorism. They turned system such as Britain’s amounted to their anger on Robinson when he “authoritarianism”. He claimed that, arrived on the scene. prior to the 2010 general election, Mur- He said that attacks on media such doch had lobbied the Conservatives as the BBC were “part of a guerrilla war hard to dismantle Ofcom. being fought on social media, day after Part of Murdoch’s aim, according to day and hour after hour”. As a growing a senior Tory minister who had spoken number of people were drawn to what to Robinson, was to secure full control Robinson described as “identity jour- of BSkyB and to turn Sky News into a nalism”, the Today presenter called on channel to challenge what he saw as traditional news broadcasters to take the BBC’s innate liberal bias. their lead from Hewlett and be more In order to broadcast “the best willing to challenge received opinions. obtainable version of the truth”, Robin- The rise of Jeremy Corbyn provided son called on the BBC to introduce an example: “The ideas that made greater transparency into its journalism. Corbyn popular – whether scrapping Part of this would involve “translat- Trident or renationalisation – should ing Producers’ Guidelines into fluent be examined and interrogated in their human”, being swifter at dealing with own right and not simply as a cause of complaints and more assertive in nail- rows or splits.” ing politicians’ lies. “I confess that I

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul He added: “Too many interviews discussed having a sort of giant fridge with Jeremy fail to take him and his magnet made to attach to the Vote lost to quality news organisations such ideas seriously enough.” Leave bus carrying the words of the as the BBC, ITN and Sky News. As regulators and broadcasting exec- many independent figures who Engagement was key and would utives think hard about social class and pointed out the inaccuracy of their “involve finding new ways to ensure their own employment practices, central claim,” Robinson noted wryly. on-air diversity – not just gender, again, Hewlett provided a role model. He said that there was something ethnicity and age but, crucially, back- Hewlett’s BBC career was initially else which traditional news broadcast- ground, too: class, region, nation and blocked because the corporation’s ers could take from Hewlett’s modus education. in-house M15 representative singled operandi: what he had called the did- “And what should come with it – him out as a potential security risk it-pass-my-mum? test. diversity of thinking.” because of his communist past. “I hope I am not patronising Steve’s News was too important to be Amplifying his call for “diversity of mum, Vera, or indeed mine, when I say reduced to a three-letter abbreviation thinking”, Robinson said the approach that the test of our journalism is – OMG, LOL or WTF – as “powerful involved “not just who we employ, but whether it would seem relevant, com- algorithms prioritise emotion over facts how we do our jobs”. He continued: prehensible and engaging to them… or and analysis”, and Facebook prevented “We should get out more, we should anyone of any age or gender or back- people accessing BBC news coverage. study the polls with more, not less ground who is not a news junkie or Trust in UK news has fallen by 7%, intensity, and we should look for political trainspotter,” explained according to the latest data from the underlying trends. Robinson. Reuters Institute Digital News Report. “That does not mean extending still “In a world in which there is ever And, according to a YouGov survey, further the fatuous vox poppery that is more information but it gets ever Wikipedia entries were judged to be a substitute for a serious examination harder to reach the people you want to marginally more trusted than the BBC. of voter attitudes. Filming on a high reach, our challenge is to engage people “Fewer and fewer young people are street until you have obtained clips of whom we could once take for granted. watching BBC News on the TV,” Robin- contradictory opinions tells the viewer “It is that mission which – along with son warned. “More of them are reading next to nothing. Exploring the roots of the Steve Hewlett Scholarship – would news on social media while sitting on people’s attitudes can do.” be a fitting testimony to Steve.” n the bog.” Alongside his “mission to engage”, Last year, however, the reach of BBC Robinson said that organisations such The Steve Hewlett Memorial Lecture is News among adults was 75% – higher as the BBC needed to remake the case a joint initiative between the RTS and than any other UK news provider. for impartiality. the Media Society. Nick Robinson gave Audience figures for Today were at Relaxing impartiality rules would his talk at the University of Westminster record levels. risk UK news broadcasting becoming in central London on 28 September. The Despite this, attacks on mainstream like that of the US. There, audiences producer was John Mair.

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 53 RTS NEWS responsibility to the families and girls. Lowthorpe explained: “Simon Lewis, the producer, and Sue Hogg, the exec producer, were brilliant and there was lots of support from the BBC.” The important contribution of sexual health worker Sara Rowbotham, who was often on set, was also mentioned at the event. Director of photography Matt Gray discussed the style of his cinematography, which was designed to bring the viewer to the heart of the story: “We shot on an Alexa Amira – in some scenes, the camera would be very close to the actors, which puts huge pressure on young performers, but they embraced it and were amazing. There were Three Girls

BBC lots of long, continuous shots, which is brilliant for actors – they could inhabit their characters.” The making of BBC One’s Lowthorpe revealed that she had looked for actors who had “already acted a child sexual abuse drama little bit, but could also be utterly natural”. Established stars Maxine Peake (who he creative team written, powerful drama,” deal with child grooming. played Rowbotham) and behind Three Girls said the Guardian; “An urgent, Maggie Oliver, a detective Lesley Sharp (Oliver) also – the powerful drama astonishingly moving piece,” constable working on the came on board, and “they based on the Roch- wrote the Independent. investigation, was a key fig- were both immersed in the Tdale child sexual abuse scan- At the Bristol event, the ure in brokering the relation- material and so committed dal – explained how they creators of Three Girls were in ships between the girls and to it, which was exciting to brought this important story conversation with RTS Cen- the production team. Writer witness”, said Lowthorpe. to the screen at an RTS Bristol tre Chair Lynn Barlow at the Nicole Taylor said: “We went Úna Ní Dhonghaíle dis- event in September. Watershed. up to see them again and cussed the difficulty of edit- Filmed in Bristol and Three Girls was green-lit again – and we listened.” ing the court scenes: “I broadcast on BBC One over by the BBC as just an idea Lowthorpe, added: “The couldn’t intercut the court three consecutive nights in – unusual in drama com- family trusted Maggie and testimonies [because] the May, Three Girls tells the true missioning, but “absolutely then trusted us. It was a slow veracity of the words spoken stories of “Holly”, “Ruby” and necessary” for this kind of process, lots of gentle meet- was so important to the “Amber”, victims of child project, explained Bafta- ings, talking and listening.” story. Yet, I still had to keep grooming who helped to winning director Philippa The script was constantly the rhythm and the pace.” convict nine men of child Lowthorpe. “It would have evolving as Taylor felt an But the editor’s greatest abuse offences. been unthinkable to let “obligation to revise things, challenge was “to find a way The series received more down the girls, again.” to constantly update. of editing the material that than 9.3 million requests on The drama took four years “When I had done a draft, kept the subjective point of BBC iPlayer in May and aver- to research, write and pro- the real people would feed in view of the girls alive, so that aged a consolidated audience duce, and involved hours of or it would trigger new the audience would under- of 8.1 million across its run. in-depth interviews with the memories, so I would absorb stand street grooming and Three Girls also won the victims and their families, as new information.” empathise fully with the girls”. praise of critics. “Beautifully well as with professionals who The team felt a huge Suzy Lambert

54 Cambridge lessons for London

ondon Centre Bradley had decided to refer reviewed the RTS 21st Century Fox’s takeover Cambridge Conven- of Sky to the Competition tion, with a high-level and Markets Authority on Lpanel looking back at contro- the ground of broadcasting versies over broadcast regula- standards as well as that of tion and Channel 4, as well as media plurality. praising James Murdoch’s The convention speech by speech and the convention’s James Murdoch, CEO of 21st strong focus on diversity. Century Fox, went down well Virgin Media senior public with the panel, which also affairs manager Alex Stepney included Sky head of public said Cambridge 2017 had affairs Lucy Aitkens and been a far more political Toby Syfret, director of TV event than the previous con- research at Enders Analysis. vention, two years earlier. “He’s a very different per- In particular, she noted the sonality to his father and I different positions taken by liked his visionary sense, Ofcom chief Sharon White pointing out that, with so and culture secretary Karen many new technologies com- Bradley in the area of broad- ing, we need to make them cast regulation. work [and] always seek to Ofcom had investigated the improve what we do as Murdoch companies’ com- broadcasters,” said Syfret. mitment to broadcasting Bradley came under fire standards and found there for insisting that Channel 4 Karen Bradley Sharon White

was no case to answer, but move some staff out of All pictures: Hampartsoumian Paul London. “I don’t think the Government has the first The panellists praised the idea of the destruction it convention’s focus on diver- could inflict on Channel 4,” sity and, in particular, class RTS unveils awards said Syfret. “The advertising diversity in the recruitment department has to be in process. n The Society has awarded The RTS funds 22 bur- London, and it’s important Stepney praised the RTS nine new RTS Fellowships to saries, with support from that Channel 4’s programme for making diversity such a mark its 90th anniversary. All3Media, which sponsors commissioning groups work mainstream subject at the It has also announced the two places, for TV produc- closely with them.” convention. recipients of its 2017 under- tion and broadcast journal- Syfret suggested that the “It did generate an ongoing graduate bursary scheme. ism students, plus seven for Government was treating discussion, with some inter- Doctor Who reviver Rus- computing and engineering Channel 4 as if it were the esting examples of how some sell T Davies, Father Ted undergraduates. Students BBC, with thousands of companies tackle the issue,” writer Graham Linehan and receive £1,000 a year to employees it could cast she said. “But there wasn’t Line of Duty creator Jed Mer- assist with their living costs. across the regions of the UK much focus on the indepen- curio all became Fellows, as The first Steve Hewlett – but that wasn’t the case. dent production sector – did: Channel 4 marketing and scholarship has been “Channel 4 is a much smaller shouldn’t it be asked to comms head Dan Brooke; awarded to Oliver Cummins broadcaster than the BBC, respond, too?” BBC Deputy Director-General Hylton at the University of and it is the continuing Tabitha Elwes, head of Anne Bulford; Sunset+Vine Salford, where the broad- intense and dedicated vision media at CIL Management live events chief Gary caster, who died this year, of [its] chief executives that Consultants, chaired the RTS Franses; All3Media COO Sara was a visiting professor. The has given Channel 4 a London panel at the late- Geater; BBC Natural History student receives an extra remarkable success. This September event, which was Unit’s Mike Gunton; and ITN £1,000 a year on top of his kind of political interference held at The Hospital Club in boss John Hardie. RTS bursary scheme award. shows no understanding at central London. all of that,” he said. Nick Radlo

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 55 RTS NEWS hannel 5 director of programmes Ben Frow revealed at a sold-out Bristol Channel 5’s Frow sends CCentre event in September that he is looking for a “game changer of a show” to pull in out invitation to indies an audience of three million. The channel’s commissioning editor, Adrian Padmore, added: “We have lots of shows doing one million – [we want] to get three million and take the channel forward.” At the RTS Bristol event – held at the Everyman Cin- ema and chaired by Plimsoll Productions founder Grant Mansfield – Frow said: “We are working with people now who we would never have worked with five years ago.” Frow said the channel’s tone was “populist but never ordinary. We are unasham- edly mainstream, down to earth, honest and warm.” Addressing indies, Pad- more said: “Don’t send your From left: Ben Frow, Adrian Padmore and Grant Mansfield

idea to all of us, as we sit Jon Craig together and we talk to each other all the time. Find out Channel 5 is currently Discussing the channel’s team to work with a new about each of us first and looking for another enter- history programming, Pad- regional indie this year. approach us individually.” tainment show to sit along- more said: “We need to be Frow revealed that he Frow continued: “We have side Blind Date, which it doing history that people writes only limited “viewing nine [commissioners] and revived this summer, after an have heard of.” notes” when watching there are hundreds of hours absence from TV of 14 years. A significant proportion of shows: “I only really have to fill. It’s all very collabora- Frow added: “We’re after the Channel 5 budget goes to two notes – I’m bored or I’m tive and we have regular more returning shows, week indies with a turnover of less confused and I don’t know round table discussions. after week, exciting reputa- than £5m. “I like underdogs; what’s going on. It’s the pro- “I always say yes to a meet- tion pieces, stripped pro- I love giving people a chance ducer’s job to produce the ing – talk to me, use me for gramming at 10:00pm and and finding new talent,” said programme.” advice, don’t show me clips.” three-part event pieces.” Frow, who has challenged his Suzy Lambert ONLINE at the RTS

n What’s wackier than Chan- on his travels. Watching a badly n Those who attended the Edin- to get the inside story on the nel 4’s Naked Attraction? A lot, dubbed bootleg version of burgh TV Festival in August might series, which even features an according to our research. From Titanic was the worst, he told us recall ITV boss Kevin Lygo’s frank appearance from TV inventor bizarre Japanese game shows, when we spoke to him about answer to the question, ‘What’s John Logie Baird (www.rts.org. with contestants nibbling table his new BBC Two series, Russia the future of comedy at ITV?’ – uk/DanielLawrenceTaylor). legs, to rapper Vanilla Ice in an with Simon Reeve. ‘Bleak’ was his response. Amish community, the mind He travelled to Russia on New ITV2 series Timewasters n Don’t forget that you can boggles at what the commis- the eve of the centenary of seems to bucking this trend. It watch videos from this year’s sioners were thinking. See the the 1917 revolutions to find out follows a jazz band from south RTS Cambridge Convention on full list for yourself (www.rts.org. what life is like in the world’s London who find themselves our website. You can find the uk/7weirdTVshows). biggest country. Read about travelling back in time (via a highlights video and links to the his run-ins with the Russian urine-sodden lift) to the 1920s. full sessions at www.rts.org.uk/ n Presenter Simon Reeve has secret service (www.rts.org.uk/ We caught up with the show’s CambridgeHighlights17. seen his fair share of weird TV SimonReeveRussia). creator, Daniel Lawrence Taylor, Pippa Shawley

56 ike Neville, who has died at the age Transgender of 80, was a nightly teatime TV fixture TV debated Macross five decades, from 1962 until 2006. He worked first as a continuity announcer on by RTS Wales Tyne Tees Television, then as host of the BBC’s Look North n Transgender representation and Nationwide, then back at in the media was put under Tyne Tees for 10 years, where the microscope at RTS Wales’s he anchored North East Tonight. September event. With his distinctive actor’s The panel discussion fol- voice and infectious chuckle, lowed a screening of Sweet his was the most recognisable Sixteen: A Transgender Story, face in a region of more than made by Swansea-based two million viewers from indie Telesgop, which aired Carlisle to Whitby. in May on BBC One in Wales Generations of locals grew and a month later on televi- up watching him, and he sion in England. gathered a national following The documentary contin- as a genial presence on BBC ues the story begun by Swan- staples, including Nationwide sea Sparkle: A Transgender Story and Come Dancing. It is the about the biggest transgen- kind of longevity, fame and der event in Wales. It followed mass exposure that is now the lives of three transgender hard to imagine in a multi- people, including Llyr Jones. platform, multichannel era. Sweet Sixteen: A Transgender Mike’s funeral in his home Story takes up Jones’s story

village of Whickham, near Steve Brock and explores how that for- Newcastle, was broadcast on mative experience at Swan- speakers to admirers who sea Sparkle – where Jones gathered outside the packed won the title of Miss Swan- church to listen to tributes Mike Neville sea Sparkle 2015 – continues and music such as Mark to influence her. Knopfler’s theme to the film The film captures key Local Hero and folk singer Jez milestones, such as Jones Lowe’s anthem Mike Neville 1936-2017 travelling to London for Said It (So It Must Be True). medical advice, celebrating He was born on Tyneside her 16th birthday and starting in 1936 and worked at the to the channel in 1996 by Mike presided over the to take testosterone blockers. Daily Mail and, after his designing an hour-long move from Tyne Tees’s his- Jones reflected on why she National Service, as an actor nightly news show around toric City Road studios to a had agreed to take part in the in repertory alongside the him. North East Tonight with Mike new, high-tech broadcast two documentaries. “I’m not likes of Glenda Jackson, until Neville went on to win both a centre in Gateshead in 2005 doing this hoping to be a trans he successfully auditioned for massive audience share of but, within a year, he retired, spokesperson,” she said. “I’m a presenting job at Tyne Tees. around 40% and awards. aged 70, after undergoing [just] putting my story out After starting in continuity, He was also given his own emergency surgery for an there and hoping that it he became the host of the 10:30pm chat show, where he aneurysm. He received a makes a difference.” station’s newly launched demonstrated his easy charm standing ovation at the RTS Other members of the weekday programme North- with a live audience and North East & Border Awards panel included Sweet Sixteen’s East Newsview. Within months, relaxed interviewing style. in February this year where director, Molly-Anna Woods; he was poached to replace Mike was renowned for his he picked up a special award Matthew Stevens, from Frank Bough on the BBC ability to cheerfully ad lib to mark his 80th birthday. Trans*form Cymru, a project rival programme, Look North, through on-air technical His death from cancer on to support young trans peo- where he stayed for 32 years. glitches – a skill celebrated in 6 September was regarded ple; and Shon Faye, Stone- Mike famously turned a memorable “Gotcha” epi- by many as the end of an era wall Cymru’s trans down BBC offers to move sode on Noel’s Saturday Road- for regional television. engagement worker. from Newcastle to present show in 1989, where he was Mike is survived by his BBC Wales diversity lead network shows in London, forced to “fill” from the studio wife, Pam, daughter, Carolyn, Catrin Griffith chaired the preferring to broadcast to his for seven minutes in the son-in-law, Geoff, and four RTS event at the University family of regional viewers. mistaken belief that he was grandchildren. of South Wales in Cardiff. Tyne Tees lured Mike back still on air after the news. Graeme Thompson Llinos Griffin-Williams

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 57 OFF M E SSAGE

ver the years, for a Fox convention. They got very pointment of Rellik – their other there have been excited, and said: ‘You’re the guy who recent show and coincidentally some utterly does The Crown. Jesus Christ, you shown in the same Monday 9:00pm wonderful after- completely screwed us up.’ slot as Liar, on BBC One. dinner speakers “One of the guys picked up his pint Readers may remember that Two at the RTS Cam- of beer and poured it over me. I’d Brothers is the company behind Flea- bridge Conven- hurt his business plans.” bag and The Missing, which the Wil- tion. But, as far as Off Message can What was that about grown-ups liams brothers also wrote. Their Orecall, none of these luminaries has being just silly children? parents, novelist and erstwhile BBC followed their address by performing executive Nigel Williams and award- Beethoven’s setting of Ode to Joy… on ■ Also at Cambridge, it was good to winning producer Suzan Harrison, the bagpipes. see a film of Big Talk’s Kenton Allen, have plenty to feel proud of. Step forward, spin doctor, serial Sky’s Zai Bennett, A&E’s Heather diarist and remainer-in-chief, the Jones and our very own Theresa ■ Off Message was thrilled to attend incomparable Alastair Campbell. Wise taking to the track at Silver- the special 25th anniversary edition The evening’s host, Accenture’s Bob stone to conduct their own thrilling, of Later… with Jools Holland, performed Sell, group CEO for communications, Formula One-style race. in the swanky surroundings of Lon- media and technology, didn’t bat an The cameo was included in the don’s splendid Royal Albert Hall. eyelid as, introducing the recital, he session on entertainment, “A League To say that the musical line-up was graciously unpacked the maestro’s of Our Own?” Allen finished in pole eclectic is something of an under- cumbersome instrument of choice. position, while Theresa was the last statement. Paul Weller, Van Morrison, All part of the job that is hosting an to complete the circuit. But it should Dizzee Rascal, Camille and the Foo RTS King’s College, Cambridge, dinner. be stressed that the RTS CEO was the Fighters were all featured on the bill. only one of the four who avoided Not forgetting the wondrous soul ■ Another highlight of Cambridge spinning their car. singer, Gregory Porter. was “The Two Andys”, featuring One for the next Grand Tour series, Good to see Damian Collins MP those peerless producers Andy perhaps, should Amazon need to trim there. One wonders if he appreciated Harries and Andy Wilman, both of the budget? the sheer, raw noise of the Foo Fight- whom had landed mega deals with ers as much as John Whittingdale MP US companies. ■ Two senior TV executives making – noted for his dedication to heavy In their session, delegates were their Channel 4 swansongs at Cam- metal – would have done. treated to the inside track on how bridge were David Abraham and Jay Here’s to the next 25 years, Jools. Harries successfully sold The Crown Hunt. Could they, perhaps, both end to Netflix. up working together again one day? ■ Huge congratulations to Simon The series continues to win acclaim For sure, the pair turned out to be a Pitts, the new CEO of Scottish Tele- and awards, but not everyone in formidable team at Horseferry Road. vision. Pitts, whose work in moder medialand appreciates how Peter Off Message wishes them well and nising ITV’s digital presence is likely Morgan’s magnum opus may have looks forward to whatever their next to be appreciated for years to come, helped change TV for ever. gigs are. takes over the reins at STV in the “The great thing about having a New Year. It’s an exciting time for show on Netflix is that the reaction ■ The Midas touch of Two Brothers broadcasting north of the border and rolls on and on,” Harries told the Pictures, run by Jack and Harry Wil- he is certain to make an impact. Cambridge audience. “I was in the liams, continues. He assures us that he won’t be one Four Seasons restaurant in LA, late The pair’s latest hit, ITV’s Liar, more of the despised WIGLIEs – works in one night, and some guys were there than made up for the ratings disap- Glasgow, lives in Edinburgh.

58 October 2017 www.rts.org.uk Television RTS PATRONS RTS Principal BBC Channel 4 ITV Sky Patrons

RTS A+E Networks International The Walt Disney Company International Discovery Networks Turner Broadcasting System Inc Patrons Liberty Global Viacom International Media Networks NBCUniversal International YouTube

RTS Accenture Deloitte IMG Studios Sony Major Amazon Video EndemolShine ITN STV Group Patrons Atos Enders Analysis KPMG TalkTalk Audio Network Finecast McKinsey and Co UKTV Boston Consulting FremantleMedia OC&C Viceland Group FTI Consulting Pinewood Studios Virgin Media BT Fujitsu S4C YouView Channel 5 IBM Sargent-Disc

RTS Alvarez & Marsal LLP Digital Television Group PricewaterhouseCoopers UTV Television Patrons Autocue Kantar Media Raidió Teilifís Éireann Vinten Broadcast Blackmagic Design Lumina Search Snell Advanced Media

Who’s who Patron Chair of RTS Trustees CENTRES COUNCIL RTS Futures at the RTS HRH The Prince of Wales Tom Mockridge Lynn Barlow Alex Wootten Charles Byrne Vice-Presidents Honorary Secretary Dan Cherowbrier History David Abraham David Lowen Isabel Clarke Don McLean Dawn Airey Kieran Doherty Sir David Attenborough OM Honorary Treasurer Stephanie Farmer IBC Conference Liaison CH CVO CBE FRS Mike Green Cat Lewis Terry Marsh Baroness Floella Kingsley Marshall Benjamin OBE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Jane Muirhead RTS Technology Bursaries Dame Colette Bowe OBE Lynn Barlow Will Nicholson Simon Pitts Lord Bragg of Wigton Tim Davie Nikki O’Donnell John Cresswell Mike Green Tony Orme AWARDS COMMITTEE Adam Crozier David Lowen Fiona Thompson CHAIRS Mike Darcey Graham McWilliam Judith Winnan Awards & Fellowship Greg Dyke Tom Mockridge Policy Lord Hall of Birkenhead Simon Pitts SPECIALIST GROUP David Lowen Lorraine Heggessey Jane Turton CHAIRS Ashley Highfield Rob Woodward Archives Craft & Design Awards Armando Iannucci OBE Dale Grayson Lee Connolly Ian Jones EXECUTIVE Baroness Lawrence of Chief Executive Diversity Programme Awards Clarendon OBE Theresa Wise Angela Ferreira Wayne Garvie Rt Hon Baroness Jowell of Brixton DBE PC Early Evening Events Student Television David Lynn Dan Brooke Awards Sir Trevor McDonald OBE Phil Edgar-Jones Ken MacQuarrie Education Gavin Patterson Graeme Thompson Television Journalism Trevor Phillips OBE Awards Stewart Purvis CBE Sue Inglish Sir Howard Stringer

Television www.rts.org.uk October 2017 59 Joint RTS/IET Public Lecture: Life, the Universe and Beyond

Tim Peake, ESA astronaut, in conversation with Tim Davie

25 October IET Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL 6:00pm for a 7:00pm Booking: www.rts.org.uk