March 2017

Liberty’s big bet on F1 Apply u need £2,000 for the 2017 yo elevision pro 1 y of t ject? o istor Shiers Trust D a h ant of up to £2,000 tow r ke a gr ards fo n ma of th t ca any aspect e history of tele Award 1 rus k on vision e T wor Th hing blis pu

2 Objectives The promotion of public education through the study and research of the history of ­ in all its aspects and without regard to country of origin, including the development­ and encouragement of publications and associated projects such as bibliographies­ and monographs on particular aspects, provided that the results of such study and research shall be published and that the contribution made by the Trust shall be suitably acknowledged in any publication. 3 Criteria Grants will be given to assist in the completion­ of new or unfinished projects, work or literature specific to the objectives of the Trust. ‘Literature’ is defined as including audio-visual media such as DVDs and websites. The Trustees must be satisfied that the work they are supporting either could not be finished or ­published without the grant and that, with it, the work will be ­completed, or, the grant will provide the ­initial phase of a project that will be continued­ and completed with other identified­ funding. Applications will be considered broadly in support of research, development, writing, editing or publication. Grants for research will require that the results of the work will be made known and accessible through appropriate 4 means. In the case of literature, projects must have a real prospect of publication. Applicants must demonstrate that their work will have a clear expectation­ of making a significant­ contribution to the objectives of the Trust. Applicants will be required to satisfy the Trustees of the soundness of their projects, and identify any grants from other sources. The Trustees will not make commitments to support recurring­ funding, nor make grants to cover fees or maintenance of students undertaking courses. George Shiers George Shiers, a distinguished US television historian, was a long-­standing member of the RTS. Before his death in 1983, he 5 and his wife, May, provided­ for a bequest in their wills. The Shiers Trust grant, now in its 17th year, is normally worth £2,000. Grants will be consid­ered and approved by the Trustees who may, at their discretion,­ consult appropriate experts to assist their decisions. In assessing priorities, the Trustees will take into account the sums of money available. Application procedure Applications are now invited and should be submitted to the Trustees by Friday 31 March 2017 on an officialapplication ­ form (available from the RTS, address below). Applications should set out the nature of the project in not more than 500 words. 6 Supporting ­documentation may also be included. Details of your experience or qualifications should be provided. Applicants should ensure that their project conforms to all the criteria. Applications should be accompanied by a budget that clearly identifies the sum being requested for a grant and the ­purposes for which it will be used. Application forms are available from the RTS and should be returned to the same address:

Clare Colvin, Archivist Previous recipients 7 1 2016: The Scottish Broadcasting Heritage Group recorded interviews with 3 Dorset Rise people who worked at and watched STV from 1957 to 2017. 2 2015: Oral history project by former Granada staffers Stephen Kelly and EC4Y 8EN Judith Jones, with interviews published at: www.granadaland.org [email protected] 3 2014: Shared between Dr Sheldon Hall, whose Armchair Cinema is a study of feature films on British television, and Marc Scott, whose research focuses on the unofficial development of TV in Australia 4 2013 : Barry Fox has built a website (www.tekkiepix.com) to present his 8 collection of historical consumer electronics imagery and documents. The picture shows a publicity still for Philips’s optical videodisc 5 2012: Paul Marshall researched a biography of Alan Archibald Campbell Swinton, the early visionary of all-electronic television 9 6 2012: Simon Vaughan digitised the 300-page ‘Black Book’, the first manual of the Marconi-EMI electronic television system, installed in 1936 7 2011: presented an illustrated retrospective of his exceptional career as a groundbreaking television and film producer to a large number of live audiences 10 8 2008/2010: Steve Arnold digitised back issues of to make a searchable online archive of articles and schedules 9 2001: Simon Vaughan, archivist of the Alexandra Palace Television Society, printed a collection of 1,200 photos by the father of television 11 lighting, Desmond Robert Campbell 10 2004: Don McLean compiled an authentically accurate audio two-CD 13 presentation of the beginnings of television in Britain 12 11 2005: John Grist wrote a biography of , the first Head of BBC Television News and Current Affairs 12 2009: Ronald Sandell, a key planner of the analogue terrestrial transmitter network, conducted research for a book, Seventy Years Before the Masts 13 2010: John Wyver conducted interviews on the presentation of theatre plays on British television Journal of The Royal Television Society March 2017 l Volume 54/3

From the CEO Our awards season is the scheme in tandem with the Media Secker of was a gracious in full swing and am Society. host. thrilled to report that The Steve Hewlett Scholarship will Back in London, the RTS returned the recent RTS Televi- be presented each year to one recipi- to for a stimulating sion Journalism ent from a lower-income family debate sparked by the storm over fake Awards delivered a studying an undergraduate broadcast news, “False news, unverified claims, fantastic night. journalism course in the UK. It will be alternative facts: What is the future for A big thank you to the evening’s funded on a long-term basis as part of honest journalism?”. A full report is host, , one of the RTS’s Undergraduate Bursary contained in this issue of Television. English’s news anchors. scheme, which guarantees students a Heartfelt thanks to the wonderful Congratulations to all the winners scholarship of £1,000 each year. panel, to Sue Robertson and Martin and a huge thank you to all the judges, I was delighted to attend the RTS Stott for producing the event, and to who worked so tirelessly. The RTS North East and the Border Awards, the energetic Stewart Purvis, who Television Journalism Awards are which celebrated its 30th anniversary chaired the session. always an emotional event, but this this year. There were some great win- year’s ceremony was especially mov- ners – from the well-loved and pow- ing. The Judges’ Award was given to erful female trio of , the late Steve Hewlett, and the Society Fiona Armstrong and Pam Royle to announced the creation of a scholar- some very talented students produc- ship in Steve’s name. We are running ing innovative animation. Jayne Theresa Wise Contents Fatima Salaria’s TV Diary A tough job for Fatima Salaria gets close to the royals and attends Martin Stott lays out the challenges facing the regulator 7 a diversity debate 20 as it takes over responsibility for the BBC Restart the race Atlantic crossing Can Liberty Media modernise Formula One for an audience Can BritBox, the subscription streaming service backed 8 addicted to social media? Owen Gibson is our man in 22 by the BBC and ITV, succeed in the world’s most the pits competitive TV market, asks Lisa Campbell Keeping up with the Joneses Doctors in distress Steve Clarke talks to A+E’s Heather Jones about the lure BBC Two’s acclaimed documentary Hospital has been 10 of a career in pay-TV 24 reordered. Tara Conlan talks to the show’s creators Is politics beyond satire? A passion for truth in a post-truth world Stuart Kemp inquires whether today’s disruptive politics editor Ben de Pear tells Sanya Burgess 12 will foster a new golden age of British TV satire 26 why his reporters need to get out more The fight against fake news Our Friend in Matthew Bell hears how social media is subverting Steve Carson warns that Belfast cannot rest on its 14 objective, factual reporting by disseminating lies – and 29 laurels as a production powerhouse how to tackle this RTS Television Journalism Awards 2017 The political axis shifts to the weekend Hosted by Barbara Serra, the awards were presented Sunday morning political TV shows are booming. 32 on 1 March at the London Hilton Park Lane. The winners 18 Raymond Snoddy reports and nominees over six pages Cover: Shutterstock

Editor Production, design, advertising Royal Television Society Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Steve Clarke Gordon Jamieson 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 Writer Sub-editor T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail) £172.22 20 Crimscott Street are not necessarily those of the RTS. Matthew Bell Sarah Bancroft E: [email protected] Enquiries: [email protected] London SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728 [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk

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Wednesday 29 March ■ John Mitchell National events Local events Baird Lecture: Planet Earth II – ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@btinter- the making of a natural history net.com Tuesday 21 March BRISTOL blockbuster RTS Programme Awards 2017 ■ Belinda Biggam The Baird Lecture 2017 is given In partnership with Audio ­Network ■ [email protected] by Mike Gunton, creative direc- ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, tor of factual and the Natural ■ [email protected] Park Lane, London W1K 7TN & CORNWALL History Unit for BBC Worldwide ■ Alice Turner 020 7822 2822 ■ Kingsley Marshall and BBC. Free, but attendees ■ [email protected] ■ Kingsley.Marshall@falmouth. must register in advance Wednesday 26 April ac.uk via: thebramall.co.uk/book- The next generation of TV RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT ings/?eid=1759. 7:00pm. journalism Monday 10 April EAST Venue: Elgar Concert Hall, Venue: City of Glasgow College, Where have all the disabled ■ Nikki O’Donnell The Bramall, University of City Campus, 190 Cathedral people gone? ■ nikki.odonnell@.co.uk Birmingham, Edgbaston, Street, Glasgow G40RF Panellists: Louise Dyson, founder, Birmingham B15 2TT VisABLE; Adam Hills; . LONDON ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 Wednesday 17 May Additional speakers TBC. Chair: Saturday 22 April ■ [email protected] RTS Scotland 2017 Awards Ade Adepitan MBE. 6:30pm for Update TV 6:00pm for 6:30pm 6:45pm start Free, all-day training event, in NORTH EAST & THE BORDER Venue: Oran Mor, Byres Rd, Venue: Channel 4, 124 Horseferry partnership with BBC Academy Wednesday 17 May Glasgow G12 8QX Road, London SW1P 2TX and Richmond, The American Young People’s Media Festival ■ James Wilson 07899 761167 ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk International University in Lon- 2017 ■ james.wilson@cityofglasgow- don. Tickets are free but num- Further information at: college.ac.uk RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT bers are limited, so the selection www.sunderland.ac.uk/rtsypmf. Wednesday 26 April process involves an application 6:00pm SOUTHERN Breaking barriers: How can the form. Provisional topics include: Venue: Media Campus, University Wednesday 22 March TV industry encourage more multi-platform commissioning; of Sunderland SR6 0DD Meet the professionals women into technology jobs? mobile journalism; production ■ Jill Graham An opportunity for students Panellists: Sinead Greenaway, for portable devices; using ■ [email protected] from production-based courses chief technology and operations social media; the journey from across the South to meet officer, UKTV; Kate Kinninmont HD to Ultra HD; VR program- NORTH WEST informally a wide range of MBE, Chief Executive, Women in ming; digital media workflow; Thursday 23 March media production professionals. Film and TV (UK); Anna Patching, CV workshop. Registration from An evening with 2:00pm-5:30pm sound engineer, OB STV; 9:00am; event starts at 9:45am. To reserve your place please Venue: Bournemouth University, Additional speakers TBC. Chair: Venue: Asa Briggs Hall, email: rachelpinkney@yahoo. Talbot Campus BH12 5BB Maggie Philbin, CEO, TeenTech. 7-17 Ansdell Street, London co.uk. 6:30pm ■ Gordon Cooper 6:30pm for 6:45pm start W8 5BN Venue: Compass Room, The ■ [email protected] Venue: The Hospital Club, 24 Endell ■ Daniel Cherowbrier Lowry, Salford Quays, Salford Street, London WC2H 9HQ ■ [email protected] M50 3AZ THAMES VALLEY ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 Wednesday 17 May MIDLANDS ■ [email protected] NAB review 2017 RTS AWARDS Thursday 23 March 7:00pm-9:00pm Friday 16 June Networking seminar NORTHERN IRELAND Venue: Pincents Manor Hotel, RTS Student Television Find out what’s happening in Tuesday 28 March Calcot, Reading RG31 4UQ Awards 2017 your region from guest speakers, RTS NI Student Awards 2017 Venue: Pincents Manor Hotel, Venue: BFI Southbank, London and network with other Ceremony followed by recep- Calcot, Reading RG31 4UQ SE1 8XT professionals. To book a place, tion. Light refreshments. Spon- ■ Penny Westlake ■ Booking opens soon email [email protected]. sored by Crawford McCann, ■ [email protected] 11:45am-2:30pm Stellify, Lark Insurance and RTS CONFERENCE Venue: University of Worcester, Westway Film Productions and WALES 13-15 September Henwick Grove, Worcester WR2 6AJ supported by the Department ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 RTS Cambridge Convention for Communities as part of ■ [email protected] 2017 Creativity Month ’17. Enquiries Venue: West Road Concert Hall, to Sara at [email protected]. YORKSHIRE Cambridge CB3 9DP and King’s 7:00pm-9:30pm ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 College, Cambridge CB2 1ST Venue: Black Box, 18-22 Hill ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. ■ Booking opens soon Street, Belfast BT1 2LA co.uk

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Fatima Salaria gets close to the royals and attends a Channel 4 diversity debate

tart the week in a panic which is why I was so passionate I had many happy years working as about what to wear to about commissioning a series on the a director and series producer, but the screening of Partition for the 70th anniversary, must admit that I was beginning to George III – The Genius this August. feel overlooked. Then the BBC Assis- of the Mad King at Buck- tant Commissioner Scheme gave me ingham Palace. I know, ■ Checking emails on the train back, my breakthrough. Now, I am able to I know, I shouldn’t I find that I’ve been invited to a meet- commission shows that I hope will really be worried about this; typical ing with Harun Khan, the President of inspire my children’s generation, such femaleS angst. Protocol dictates a trou- the Muslim Council of Britain. Harun as Black and British: a Forgotten History. ser suit or a skirt. For someone who was one of our consultants on Muslims And I am delighted that the scheme lives in her trainers and jeans, this is a Like Us, which I commissioned last is continuing for at least the next two sartorial challenge. year. He told me he faced criticism years. As the daughter of Pakistani immi- from some of his members for helping grants, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, us but felt that the programme was ■ In the evening, there’s a leaving the closest I ever imagined I’d get to spot on and worth defending. party for Maxine Watson, a friend the royals was my copycat Lady Di One of the things I have agreed to and colleague from the days of BBC hairstyle. So, just walking through the help him with is training young Mus- Two’s Black Britain, a late-1990s pro- gates gives me a kick and the nerve lim women to become film-makers. gramme that nurtured a lot of black to hold my own with the double- But what really impressed me was talent, including Gillian Joseph, Eddie barrelled history bigwigs inside. how he was trying to develop Muslim Botsio, Kurt Barling and the brilliant women to be spokespeople for the Simone Pennant, a really clever ■ Ditch the heels for my trusty community. Couldn’t come sooner. development producer who also runs trainers, a rush through St James’s the TV Collective, which promotes Park to catch a bus to Holborn for a ■ On Wednesday, I’m part of a diversity in television, so skilfully. first viewing of an upcoming Who Do Channel 4 Diverse Festival panel. I You Think You Are?. have five minutes to reveal what we ■ Finally, I was grateful to the The show really moved me and have learned in the past year and Church of for welcoming made me think about my strained our ambitions for the future. my appointment, despite some in relationship with my Dad, who As Zai Bennett, Ralph Lee and the media implying that I am sym- arrived in Britain in the early 1950s others cover targets, social inclusion pathetic to extremism just because I as a labourer from Sialkot. and audience need, I just stand up am a Muslim. I worry for the hacks He never really talked about his and give them my story: how a young now viewing every old edition of An early life and how the Partition of kid who loved watching Crossroads, Island Parish, trying to find jihadis on India in 1947 affected him and my It’s a Knockout and Charlie’s Angels, and Shetland or Anguilla. grandparents. enjoyed writing and finding out I was ignorant of the struggle my about people’s lives, found her way Fatima Salaria is commissioning editor parents went through back then, into the BBC. for religion and ethics at the BBC.

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 7 Restart the race TV sport Can Liberty Media modernise Formula One for an audience addicted to social media? Owen Gibson is our man in the pits

hen Bernie Eccle- stone’s reign as Formula One’s ringmaster finally came to an end earlier this year, it was accompanied by a frisson of dis- belief.W Until that moment, it had felt as though the former used-car salesman who had built Formula One from a disparate cottage industry into an $8bn business was indivisible from the sport he bestrode. But, in taking the decision to oust the 86-year-old from a meaningful man- agement role, the sport’s new owner – Liberty Media – was underlining its intention to modernise a product whose appeal appeared to be flatlining. For a sport that has always built its allure on an intoxicating mix of romance and technology, there were signs that its star was on the wane. Shortly before agreeing the deal that saw Liberty Media acquire the sport under moustachioed supremo Chase Carey, Ecclestone admitted that it had lost a third of its viewership since 2011. In simple terms, 200 million people worldwide had turned their backs on Formula One. This could partly be accounted for by Ecclestone’s strategy of moving the sport from free-to-air to pay-TV; sponsors preferred the former because it gave them more exposure. But many of those within, or around, the sport’s hermetically sealed bubble believed that there was also something more fundamental at play. Ecclestone had successfully built Formula One on a combination of horse trading and ruthless control. But was Ferrari pit stop that approach still suited to the new

8 world of abundant access across multi- his inaugural title win. The broadcaster around the sport. Indeed, it seems an ple digital channels and online plat- presented it as a means of targeting obvious move to make if the company forms via a dizzying array of devices? hard-to-reach demographics, includ- wants to build deeper bonds between While always keen to experiment ing younger men. the drivers and fans, and promote the with new models if he saw a financial But it rapidly became clear that, in personalities behind the helmets. upside – recall the abortive attempt to line with Ecclestone’s later comments, Hamilton, for one, complained last establish an interactive F1 subscription Formula One’s audience was an ageing season that the endless rounds of channel before the technology was one – albeit a committed and moneyed top-table appearances were “boring”. ready – Ecclestone could appear all at fan base. All of which, in fact, made it He preferred to communicate directly sea in the digital world. an attractive target for pay-TV. with fans via Instagram and Snapchat. Two years previously, he had waved First, the BBC decided to relinquish One divisive episode summed up the away suggestions that his sport needed half of the races, ending its deal with sport’s cultural collision: half of the to boost its youth appeal. Ecclestone early, to share rights with fanbase praised Hamilton, as he fid- “I’m not interested in tweeting, Sky. The corporation subsequently dled with his phone like a bored teen Facebook and whatever this nonsense relinquished the rest of its rights, during a press conference while the is,” said Ecclestone in 2014. “I tried to other half castigated him. find out but, in any case, I’m too But, crucially, it got people talking. old-fashioned. I couldn’t see any value DIGITAL Part of Liberty’s plan is to reconnect in it. And, I don’t know what the casual audiences and general sports so-called ‘young generation’ of today ENGAGEMENT, ON fans with the glamour, drama and really wants. What is it?” personality of the sport. Ecclestone’s view was that the spon- ITS OWN, WILL NOT Previously, contractual restrictions sors that bankrolled his sport were REVERSE DECLINING prevented drivers and teams from looking to target older fans who would posting video content from the pad- buy their luxury brands. But that VIEWING TRENDS dock. Predictably, Hamilton was ignored two things. among the first to take advantage of First, that social media and digital the new rules, with the Mercedes channels are now increasingly ubiqui- which were picked up by Channel 4. driver posting content from the testing tous for all ages; and, second, that a To complete the switch to pay-TV, Sky track in Barcelona. sport built on perpetual motion has to then scooped the rights exclusively Digital engagement alone won’t be seen to be moving forward. Instead, from 2018. reverse declining viewing trends but it risks coasting to a standstill. But Liberty’s avowed intention is to Liberty – which did, after all, shell out “I don’t know why people want to get reverse the flow, democratise the sport, $8bn on the show that Bernie built – is to the so-called ‘young generation’. Why take it to new fans and subtly effect a convinced that, if it can add a modern do they want to do that? Is it to sell shift from a product that is wringing twist to the deep bonds that petrol- them something? Most of these kids ever more money out of a contracting heads have with their sport, it will be haven’t got any money,” said Ecclestone audience to one striking out for new on to a winner. then. “I’d rather get to the 70-year-old audiences. Under Carey, the highly respected guy who’s got plenty of cash. All of which is, of course, easier said Ross Brawn, recently appointed as “So, there’s no point trying to reach than done in an ever-more crowded Formula One’s Managing Director of these kids because they won’t buy any media and sporting landscape. Motorsport, has been charged with of the products here and, if marketers Having appointed former ESPN innovating the sport. Meanwhile, are aiming at this audience, then maybe executive Sean Bratches to oversee the Bratches takes care of spearheading they should advertise with Disney.” sport’s commercial growth, much of the commercial and media side. By the standard of some of his other Liberty’s early rhetoric has been con- Structurally, everything from shorter pronouncements – Ecclestone had cerned with the sport’s digital reach. It races to new city-c­ entre-based locations previously sung the praises of Vladimir may be significant that Norman Howell, have been mooted. In his first round of Putin and said that Adolf Hitler was the man Bratches appointed head of interviews, Carey stated simply: “We’re someone who “got things done” – it global communications, was formerly not marketing the sport.” was hardly controversial. head of Formula One’s digital channels. Expect that to change. But, in a In the UK, Formula One had gone “We want fans to get closer to the global media and sporting landscape from a sport on which the BBC was action on and off the track, with new that often feels like it is spinning faster prepared to lavish £40m a year in 2009 levels of entertainment and engage- than a Pirelli Slick, innovating while – and thereby resist the relentless ment. If we can do this, Formula One maintaining its allure to the broadcast- trend for sport’s glitziest properties to will continue to be one of the biggest ers – who have traditionally brought in head towards pay-TV – to one that the sporting brands in the world,” says its biggest audiences and revenues corporation was happy to pass on, in Howell. – will be no mean feat. order to save cash. The BBC launched In an early hint of what may follow, Like the sport itself, it promises to its coverage at the height of Lewis one of Liberty Media’s first steps was be a thrilling ride for Liberty, but one Hamilton’s first flush of fame following to relax the social-media restrictions fraught with jeopardy.

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 9 Multichannel TV Steve Clarke talks to A+E’s Heather Jones about the lure of a career in pay-TV

eather Jones is living proof that a working-­ class, non-metropolitan woman can make it to the top in TV. But, after listening to her recount her life story, you can’t help thinking thatH she was always bound to succeed. She runs US cable station A+E’s ­London-based businesses, overseeing such channels as History, Lifetime and Crime+Investigation, and is responsible for slightly more than 200 staff. Jones, 46 and the mother of three Keeping children (Alice, 15, Joe, 13, and Frank- lyn, 6), has worked in the British pay-TV business for 20 years (A+E’s UK-based activities are a joint venture up with Sky) and makes no secret of her commercially driven dedication to popular television. Her commissions are honed to try with the and grab attention in the clutter of the post-multichannel world – Britain’s Next , Dance Mums with Jennifer Ellison, Pawn Stars UK, on Joneses Waterloo, Measuring Evil: Britain’s Worst Killers, Britain’s Darkest Taboos, Crimes That Shook Britain and, recently, Ronnie O’Sul- livan’s American Hustle. I was obsessed by and her nails and lipstick. It is Monday “When you are not top of the EPG, even Crossroads.” afternoon and Jones is back in the having a brilliant piece of TV isn’t Jones was brought up in rural Som- office after a week’s skiing with her enough. You also have to make sure erset, where she attended the local family: “I don’t have much technique you’ve got the necessary ingredients to comprehensive, Holyrood Community but I am fearless.” No surprise there. make the noise that’s going to get peo- School. Her housewife mother encour- Her husband, who stays at home to ple to watch it,” she says. aged her daughter to dance, sing and care for the kids, is documenta- Jones is someone who has always play the piano. “I was on stage in the ry-maker Matt Webster. known her own mind. As a teenager, local panto when I was five,” she Despite her can-do attitude, getting she rejected an offer from to recalls. “At 10, I was offered a place to started in TV proved difficult. Jones read English, much to the annoyance be a professional dancer but the fund- applied for graduate schemes at both of her father, a carpenter. ing dried up.” the BBC and Channel 4 but failed to Instead, she did a drama degree at Tall and striking, Jones looks as if she land an interview. Undaunted, she com- Aberystwyth University, graduating is heading for a red-carpet awards peted for and won a one-year scholar- with a 2:1. “All I ever wanted to do was bash, rather than running a company ship at the University of California. work in TV. I loved TV. As a young girl, located in a busy mall in west Lon- It was 1991 when the course ended. I didn’t watch much TV but, by the don’s Hammersmith. Her tailored The UK was deep in recession, so, time I was a teenager, I was hooked. dress is a dazzling pink that matches fluent in French, she decided “to run

10 away to Paris”. She got a job at Euro ­channels: a local version of the female- channels and the increase in home- Disney, eventually using a contact she skewed Lifetime and a new station, grown shows, plus the ability to made there to find work as a researcher Blaze, aimed at “slightly older, more acquire bigger shows from the US. at the Disney-owned Buena Vista Pro- downmarket men”. An example of the latter is the ductions in London. History (formerly The History Chan- remake of Roots, initially broadcast Her obvious focus and appetite for nel) is the company’s flagship offering. by BBC Four in the UK, but due to be hard work meant that it was not long Commentators have long dubbed it shown by History later in the year. before her career began an upward “The Hitler Channel”. Jones denies that “We don’t have the money to go curve. At Flextech, she ran youth chan- History is still synonymous with the and buy Grey’s Anatomy or CSI,” Jones nel Trouble, before joining Viacom as German dictator: “If you haven’t admits. “We can’t compete financially Managing Director of Paramount watched History for 10 years, you still with the likes of Living or Channel 4 Comedy Channels and subsequently think it’s the Hitler channel.… We felt for those massive procedurals.” becoming director of television for cleansed of that and we’re now ready As much of her US content supply MTV Europe. to do Hitler again.” pipeline is high-volume, her domestic Having joined A+E in the summer Hence, Hunting Hitler, which recently commissions are usually short series, of 2013 as VP of programming, she was completed its second season and was allowing “proper money” to be spent on these shows. At the moment, Jones is commis- sioning around 200 hours a year of original programmes. “I want local content to be the driver of all our net- works. Across the networks, our big- gest shows are the local commissions,” she says. Her most expensive show to date is Ronnie O’Sullivan’s American Hustle, which she claims had “a terrestrial-sized budget”. Ultimately, she would like a third of her schedules to be made up of original content. So, where does her business acumen come from? “I’ve only ever worked in pay-TV,” she says. “Therefore, any model that I look at is, by definition, a com- mercial model. “I’ve always been a deal-maker, ever since I was little. “When I first moved from production into channel management, when I became channel manager of Trouble, the first thing I had to do was renegoti- ate The Fresh Prince of Bel Air deal with Britain’s Next Top Model Warner Bros. presenter Abbey Clancy

A+E International Networks A+E International Networks “I was petrified. I’d never done an acquisitions deal before, but the twice promoted to reach her present accused by Variety of trivialising its euphoria I felt when I closed that deal job, general manager UK and SVP subject matter. was amazing.” content and creative. She agrees that History needs to do, Clearly, she feels at home being Jones says: “As a woman, the media well, more history and trim the factual employed by US-owned firms. “I love is a great place to work. But I do feel entertainment: “One of our priorities is working for American businesses that we are under-represented in the that there is going to be a lot more where, if you’ve got a great idea, boardroom.” She adds: “The challenge is history on History going forward. they’re willing to back you…. A+E is an how we get more senior women work- “People say: ‘Where’s the history in extraordinary company. Being a joint ing in the business side of television.” Pawn Stars?’ Pawn Stars is absolutely venture, it’s effectively a private com- What do women need in order to designed to be a mass-market show pany. They look at things in the long make it to the boardroom? Jones about history. You’ve got these won- term – what do these brands want to pauses before answering: “Confidence derful characters, who are family, who be in five years’ time? is a big part of it. The skills and the run a real business,” she says. “History “There’s no distraction of quarterly talents are there. Women sometimes is for the man who likes a pub quiz Wall Street calls that affect your budgets. have a tendency to self-check and to and who likes the little nuggets that It’s all about long-term sustainability. self-doubt, more than men do. That cab drivers have.” It’s a company that’s entirely run by limits their ability to progress.” Asked about her biggest achievements producers, which speaks to me At A+E, she has launched two so far at A+E, she ­highlights the new enormously.”

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 11 he disruptive, combative political landscape cre- ated by and the election of is, on the face of it, a gift for UK television satiristsT and their venerable tradition of biting and often brutal parody. While ’s blandness may do little to whet a satirist’s appetite, and bring larger-than-life personas to Brexit. And Trump is, well, Trump. For Jimmy Mulville, Managing Direc- tor at Hat Trick Productions, maker of and Revolting for the BBC and The Fake News Show and Power Monkeys for Channel 4, it’s all about concentrating on the personali- ties. “Brexit is a sort of ongoing sitcom,” he says. “Trump often defies satire because he’s almost a parody of himself.” Satire is, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the use of humour, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticise people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topi- cal issues. One of British TV’s finest hours was the era of , when the Newzoids’ Theresa May

ITV political landscape was dominated by big characters such as Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. The Content unrelenting latex puppet lampoonery achieved plaudits and initially healthy ratings for its satirical efforts. But, in Stuart Kemp inquires whether today’s 1996, ITV cancelled the show created disruptive politics will foster a new by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. Several of its top writ- golden age of British TV satire ers and impressionists (such as and John Sessions) had left and Thatcher, too, had exited the main political stage. A big challenge for the 21st Century televisual heirs of Spitting Image, Is politics including ITV’s Newzoids, is that Brexit and Trump have taken up permanent residence on the news agenda. “The problem with these two big, beyond satire? lumpy stories sitting there, dominating the news agenda, is how to make your show interesting week in and week out,” says Mulville. Commissioners and creators “have to be quick, nimble and to adjust” as Brexit and Trump continue to evolve, he adds. Dominating the news agenda isn’t necessarily all bad. “Our tradition of news and impartiality in this country means that we have an incredibly informed audience, which is very alive to, and has an appetite for, satire,” says Ed Havard, head of entertainment, TV

12 events and sport at Channel 4, who recently shepherded Fake News Week to the broadcaster. He was previously editor of the BBC’s Question Time. “We have very, very good news, so satire just has to be more informed and targeted,” is how , the HIGNFY captain and long-standing editor of , sees it. “If you want to change things [through satire], you have to go out and campaign, and write and argue,” says , the writer, producer and director, who skewers politics and puffery with shows such as and Veep. “Let’s examine what people have said and where they may have mis­ spoken or said strange things or where the logic has broken down,” he contin- ues. “Or where someone has said one thing and then ended up saying a completely different thing a year later.” Shane Allen, comedy commissioning controller at the BBC, says: “We’ll always need a satirical eye to filter things and help us process whatever madness is going on in the world.” The BBC is working on some quick-turnaround shows, including ’s American Autopsy and Jack Newzoids’

Dee’s HelpDesk. There will be another ITV edition of ’s Screenwipe at the end of the year. The emphasis is on Autopsy), Aisling Bea (8 Out of 10 Cats) Expectations are high on both sides quality, not quantity. and Roisin Conaty (’s of the Atlantic that the UK will come “People such as Charlie Brooker and Good News) are among those female up with a fittingly robust satirical Frankie Boyle have got very authored, voices that have done so previously response. In February, Michael Steele, strong world views and they can some- via turns on topical shows. a former Chair of the Republican times really help us [the audience] Mulville believes that he is not doing National Committee, extolled the vir- badge our opinions and what we think his job correctly if his programmes fail tues of satire when he told about an issue,” suggests Allen. He is to get under people’s skin. One of his that he “learned more about British talking to Boyle and other undisclosed proudest professional moments came government through Monty Python than talent for satirical show ideas. “We have when Cherie Blair told him that she anything else”. an onus to focus on our own domestic hated what he did. “Trump is a comedy gift,” says Kate issues, such as Brexit, as well as Trump. “She thought HIGNFY damaged the Phillips, entertainment commissioning From Brexit to lettuce shortages, it’s good name of politics,” Mulville recalls. controller at the BBC. “With what he ripe times for satire,” Allen believes. “I thought her husband, Tony, and his says in his own tweets, he writes his “We have a multi-genre approach to cabinet were doing a pretty good job of own comedy scripts. [So] we have to satire,” says Channel 4’s Havard. “It’s that on their own.” raise our game a bit when we’re look- not just studio-based entertainment, The Trump administration is the ing at how we do satire.” it’s many genres piling in to try and elephant in the satirists’ writers room. In addition to commissioning series find effective ways of delivering satire Is the thrice-married billionaire­ busi- that include HIGNFY and Mock the Week, on Trump.” nessman and long-running reality TV Phillips has ordered three pilots to road Havard argues that there are not star beyond satire? He appears to revel test how best to handle Trump. She’s enough female voices on television, let in his own ridiculousness. keeping the details under wraps while alone in satirical comedy. He doesn’t “It is sort of funny and sort of hor- they are fine-tuned but says that they rule out the possibility of a female- rific,” says Iannucci of Trump’s presi- will air within the next two months. driven show airing sometime in the dency so far. “The only things we Iannucci emphasises that Trump is future: “ on The Fake know are that he is tremendously “not a monster of our making, rather a News Show was brilliant and absolutely thin-skinned and that it would be monster of America’s making”. Trump-­ note perfect on Trump. We are always good for [the careers of] John Oliver or focused satire is thriving on US televi- looking for great female voices that Charlie Brooker to do or say something sion. Saturday Night Live (SNL) is leading can turn their attention to satire.” that results in Trump tweeting about the offensive, along with Last Week Sara Pasco (Frankie Boyle’s American them for 24 hours.” Tonight, hosted by UK-born comedian �

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 13 � John Oliver, Full Frontal with Saman- tha Bee, Real Time with Bill Maher and The Daily Show, presented by Trevor Noah. Last month, Alec Baldwin’s scathing portrayals of the commander-in-chief have helped propel SNL’s ratings to a 22-year high. An SNL segment featur- ing Melissa McCarthy’s cutting imper- sonation of Trump’s White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, has been viewed 24 million times on YouTube. McCarthy’s portrayal is held up as one of the fresh and inventive ways to tackle Trump and his presidency. “The Melissa McCarthy/Sean Spicer SNL sketch cut through so much because it was new and really unusual WITH WHAT HE SAYS IN HIS OWN TWEETS, [TRUMP] WRITES HIS OWN COMEDY SCRIPTS. [SO] WE HAVE TO RAISE OUR GAME A BIT WHEN WE’RE LOOKING AT HOW WE DO SATIRE TV news Matthew Bell hears how social to get a woman to satirise quite an aggressive male performance,” says media is subverting objective, Havard. “It was a very clever way of trying to find something new to say factual reporting by disseminating about something that was already lies – and how it should be tackled quite familiar.” In the UK, sales of Private Eye are up 9% year on year. Its Christmas issue was the biggest seller in the title’s 55-year history, shifting 287,334 copies, according to ABC figures. Hislop foresees a different problem for UK programme-makers, and urges The fight them to get their pitches in and the programmes made. It may be that Trump doesn’t last too long in the job. “We know what televi- sion lead times are like; they might against find he’s not there [in a few months],” he explains, with an optimistic smile. “I would say: ‘Be quick, get in and enjoy the joke’. “Bringing down governments is fake news what you are meant to do with elec- tions, not panel shows,” adds Hislop. “But there is always a point to satire, even if it just to make you feel better.”

14 Five forces ny politician who uses of doing too little to stem the flow of the words ‘fake news’ to fake news. Journalist Anne McElvoy, a reshaping describe something they senior editor at the Economist and a don’t like from their columnist for London’s journalism opponent should be and , assaulted verbally by argued that the problem was that people in their own party and fellow Facebook “are editors, but you just ‘parliamentariansA – we have to fight for don’t want to admit it”. language,” Nick Robinson told an RTS Facebook’s initiative to “flag” fake early-evening event discussing false news (see box on page 17) with the news and alternative facts. help of news organisations and users, At the event in late February, chaired “was not a bad idea”, she said, “but the by former ITN chief executive Stewart one thing I would predict is an awful Purvis, Robinson argued for the con- lot of flags. Almost everything I’ve Nick Robinson

tinuation of “impartiality as a legal written would be flagged. [People] will Hampartsoumian Paul requirement for television news”. just decide that they don’t like some- Without it, as in the US where thing [and flag it].” The BBC’s Nick Robinson argued “right-wingers watch Fox News and Addressing fellow panellist and that there had been a ‘democrati- liberals watch MSNBC”, he continued, Facebook director of media partner- sation of media’ via social media, “there are no shared facts. Good public ships EMEA Patrick Walker, McElvoy so that ‘the barriers to entry are policy decision-making requires called on the social media giant to now practically zero’. shared facts.” “invest a bit more in journalism. Get Second, he continued, ‘the Robinson, a former at off the fence and think about whether destruction of the economic model both ITV News and the BBC, and you should be supporting public inter- of news publishing’ had meant the now a presenter on BBC Radio 4’s est journalism.” ‘platforms have taken over from Today programme, added: “What Face- “We’re fundamentally dependent on the publishers. And that means book does, and what separate news good journalism, [but] we don’t think that the publishers can’t get adver- channels for different opinions do, is the solution is to write cheques to tising revenue and, therefore, all give people the possibility to have their journalists,” responded Walker. traditional media beyond those own facts.” He argued that the company’s Face- that are subsidised – as [the BBC “I don’t see anything wrong with book Journalism Project, which is] by a levy from licence-fee pay- partiality. The presents a attempts to build stronger links ers – are struggling economically.’ particular type of view – you buy it between Facebook and news organisa- Third, Robinson highlighted that, knowing what that point of view’s tions, train journalists to use Facebook as well as mistrusting the political going to be,” said fellow panellist and tools, and improve digital literacy was establishment, the public increas- Conservative MP , an appropriate response. ingly doubted elites in the UK’s the former Secretary of State for Cul- “You’re clearly spending money on print media and, since Jimmy Savile ture, Media and Sport. lots of related projects, but is the reason the BBC. “I would have no objection to some- you don’t want to spend the money on Fourth, he stressed ‘the invest- one starting a left- or right-wing TV journalism because people will say, ment of non-democratic states in channel if they brand it as that. ‘They are publishers’?” asked Robinson. propaganda. It seems to be only “What I do want is to have some- Likening the quantity of fake news 10 years ago that, essentially, the where for people to go where they can to an “extraordinarily large pipe of attitude of the Chinese and Rus- be pretty confident that it will not have sewage”, Channel 4 marketing and sians was to try to censor. Whereas a political perspective and will be communications chief Dan Brooke, the attitude now is, “If you can’t impartial,” he continued. who was in the audience at the sell-out beat them, join them”, so as to Whittingdale added that he believed RTS event, said he could not “under- flood the market with false news.” in “plurality”. His impartial news stand why the social media platforms, The fifth trend identified by sources would include “the BBC, ITV and Facebook in particular, are being Robinson was the ‘rise of popu- and, I hope, still the major ”. so complacent” about fake news. lists who take advantage of all the Outside the licence-fee-funded BBC, “I publicly said before Christmas that other four’ forces. ‘Donald Trump he said, the rest of the media was I thought you were fiddling while uses social media; uses the fact struggling. “So, the old assurances that, democracy burns,” he added. that the traditional mainstream when you read a story, it has been “It’s quite easy to blame the big plat- media are in trouble, so he’s con- double-sourced, fact-checked, form when there are all sorts of funda- stantly banging on about them ‘legalled’, sub-edited and then, if it mental challenges occurring across failing; uses the mistrust in the passed all those hurdles, it appeared, society,” replied Walker. political establishment; and uses [have gone].” “We’re deeply committed to creating – and, indeed, cooperates with, Since the election of Donald Trump technological tools and working with we think at times – the fact that to the US presidency last November, third parties to try and find solutions.” non-democratic states are putting social media platforms, and, in par- Whittingdale rejected the idea of out things that help [him].’

Shutterstock ticular, Facebook, have been accused state intervention in this area: “The �

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 15 EU referendum: a triumph for fake news?

Stewart Purvis, panel chair: the number – £350m was merely we questioned and queried the QDo you think the BBC and taking the gross EU contribution of £350m figure… I suppose I wish we other broadcasters were clear £19bn and dividing it by 52 to get a had been a bit ballsier about it. enough in their challenge to the weekly sum. Vote Leave slogan “We send the EU The thing that was, in my view, John Whittingdale MP: It was £350m a week – let’s fund our NHS untrue… was the suggestion that the A a political debating point… [In] instead”? Was that an alternative £350m a week was “sent” to Brus- every election I’ve been involved fact? sels. No, we don’t. We don’t send in, one side has made a claim and £350m a week to Brussels.… the other has said that’s rubbish… Nick Robinson, BBC: I did The In the documentary, I held up That is traditional political debate A Big EU Reality Check [for BBC the poster and put a large cross and it doesn’t seem to me that it One] … The combination of the through it… falls within the definition of fake number with certain words was Anybody looking at BBC News news, which is an entirely different critical. You could always defend could find many examples of where and more recent development.

16 IT IS CLEAR THAT PEOPLE DO NOT ALWAYS FIND IT VERY EASY TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FAKE NEWS AND REAL NEWS

was sitting next to Collins in the audi- ence. Purvis asked him about Google’s search engine which, when one types Fake news: in “The Holocaust is …” the first item on Google’s search page suggests it is Facebook’s “a successful historical fiction”. Barron accepted that “clearly there is response an issue”. He was further pushed by Purvis, who suggested that “some people have worked out how [to pro- mote Holocaust denial] and you can’t seem to stop them”. The Google executive replied that, while “it would be tempting to fix problems piecemeal, it is not a sustain- able way of doing it. It’s much better to Patrick Walker try to fix these things on a global scale.” Barron discussed the thinking behind Google’s Digital News Initiative, ‘The mission of Facebook is to which is investing e150m euros into allow people to share, to make the digital innovation projects, but he world more open and connected… added: “What it isn’t [doing], is funding we thought, by doing that, we were journalism as such.” making the world a better place. Addressing both the representatives What we’ve come to realise is that from Google and Facebook, McElvoy is not necessarily the case,’ said said: “In the end, what you’re doing is Facebook’s Patrick Walker. building a corporate wall around your- ‘With fake news… we’ve set out selves. It gives you something to say to suppress a number of the most when you’re under challenge. egregious types of misinformation. From left: Anne “But if the news disruption is as big The first would be what we call McElvoy, Patrick as we’ve reflected tonight, then I think financially motivated spam, which Walker, Nick that, ultimately, if you [want to fight for is really the worst of the worst… Robinson and John the] public good then you might have If something starts to spread, we Whittingdale MP

All pictures: Hampartsoumian Paul to think about yourselves as investors look at that [site]… and we have in news as truth. That might take you ways in which we can remove it… � idea that government is somehow a bit out of the comfort zone I think ‘With regard to hyper-partisan going to get involved in adjudicating you’re in now.” news or sensationalism, that’s not about what is news and what is not is Robinson challenged the online something that we can identify both impossible and, even if it were companies to help their users “find with technology. Nor is it something not, extremely undesirable.” the facts”, rather than “just following that, if it’s flagged or re ported by From the audience, Damian Collins people you already blooming well somebody, we are in a position to MP, chair of the Culture, Media and agree with”. determine whether it’s true or not. Sport Committee, said: “We have to He continued: “When people ‘This is where… we are working look at online content because it’s have a massive decision to make, like with third parties… Once some- clear that people don’t always find it whether we should stay in or leave the thing is reported – and we’ve very easy to distinguish between fake EU, there [should be] somewhere on made it easier for someone to news and real news. these sites where they can get facts.” report something that they see as “One of the things I’m particularly potentially untrue – it then gets [concerned] about what Donald Trump The RTS early-evening event ‘False news, looked at by a third party. If they is doing at the moment is using the unverified claims, alternative facts: What find something that is in dispute, label ‘fake news’ to [dismiss] any news is the future for honest journalism?’ was it gets a flag as [being] disputed… that he doesn’t like.” held at The Hospital Club in central London [although] it’s not removed from Peter Barron, Google’s head of com- on 23 February. The event was produced by the site.’ munications and public affairs EMEA, Sue Robertson and Martin Stott.

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 17 Sophy Ridge interviewing Theresa May The new political axis spins on the weekend

ith the arrival pugnacious and that there should be last May of Current affairs more rational debate at a critical time Peston on Sunday in the UK’s history,” says Ryley. on ITV to add The new programme would also try to The Andrew Sunday morning political to get out around the country with Marr Show and TV shows are booming filmed reports to talk to the electorate AndrewW Neil’s The Sunday Politics on the and avoid the “claustrophobia” of Col- BBC, the Sunday morning TV political Raymond Snoddy reports lege Green in Westminster. audience seemed to be very well When she took her place in the catered for. schedule with the three established Yet, Sky’s head of news, John Ryley, male broadcasting heavyweights in thought there might be room for January, Ridge bagged an interview another competitor and a different with Prime Minister Theresa May for approach. With this in mind, he talked her launch programme. it over with his young political corre- Ridge was generally seen to be polite spondent, Sophy Ridge. but firm and certainly no pushover. She “I thought there was an opportunity challenged the Prime Minister repeat- to take a different line with a much edly on whether she was preparing to younger individual – she is 32. She sacrifice access to the single market to thinks that political discourse is too have greater control of migration.

18 Though May prevaricated, this was highlights; the May interview was Harding accepts that the Sunday TV a further indication that a form of hard watched by 356,000. Sky says Ridge shows have always been a good way to Brexit was on the way. has reached a total of 1.4 million since set the political agenda for the coming Over the years, Sunday morning launch and almost certainly wins the week. Sunday news bulletins and political programmes have come and social-media battle, with 750,000 video Monday’s are always gone. Before Ridge, on Sky there was views on Facebook. It all adds up to a grateful for the resulting stories. and Dermot Murnaghan. total broadcast audience, including “To be fair to the politicians, the ITV’s dalliance with Sunday politics repeats, of what must be a historic high Sunday programmes do give them goes all the way back to Peter Jay and of more than 3.6 million. longer to make their point,” adds Hard- Brian Walden’s Weekend World and on But could there be one unexpected ing. “But it does mean that they don’t through Jonathan Dimbleby. downside – that the more discursive have to go 12 rounds with John Hum- There was a hiatus before the arrival Sunday shows may suit the interests phrys or 10 rounds with .” of Peston, when ITV’s missing political Steve Anderson, ITV’s former head slot was occupied by second showings of news, who also used to work on of The X Factor. , is not so sure anything very For ITV, the return to the Sunday [THE SUNDAY new is going on. “When I was on morning fray sprang from a desire to PROGRAMMES] Newsnight, people began to suspect that create a new political vehicle as part of the politicians liked to get the Sunday the bait to lure away from FEED OFF EACH business out of the way very early and the BBC to become the network’s politi- OTHER AND be away from west London in the cal editor. The decision also played to morning, heading off to the Home ITV’s ambition to add programmes IT BECOMES Counties,” says Anderson. attractive to more upmarket viewers. QUITE A Anderson now works for independ- At the BBC, begat Andrew COHERENT ent Shearwater Media and makes pro- Marr. , by common consent grammes for Discovery and the BBC. the most hard-nosed of the Sunday PIECE OF He believes that this is a very good political interviewers, has been run- PUBLIC SERVICE time for television and politics to com- ning his Sunday Politics, with regional plement each other on Sunday morn- breakouts, for the past five years. BROADCASTING ings, even though people don’t really Richard Tait, media academic and want highly competitive, hand-to-hand former editor-in-chief of ITN, likes combat at such a time.

Sky what he now sees on a Sunday morn- of the politicians a little too well? Is it If there is, indeed, a problem, then ing. He believes that, historically, it is leading, particularly in the case of the programmes such as Today and “a good period” for the genre. controlling style of the May Govern- Newsnight will have to adapt again The presenters are accomplished ment, to fewer TV appearances by – as they have done in the past. broadcasters who have a bit of human- ministers during the week? Tait, a former Newsnight editor, ity but are not in the least frightened “There is something about the rise of believes that it is important not to have by the people they are interviewing. the Sunday programmes and the lack a rose-tinted view of the programme, “They [the Sunday programmes] of willingness to put forward Govern- remembering only the great set-piece clearly take politics seriously. They ment people in the week that is con- interviews. feed off each other and it becomes nected,” suggests one senior news and He believes Newsnight’s problem is quite a coherent piece of public service current affairs executive who asked that it tends to dip in and out of big broadcasting and there is room for not to be named. British political stories in favour of a everybody,” Tait argues. The source, who is involved in the broader mix, including international The choice, the competition and the highly competitive battle of attracting stories: “I think that, post-Paxman, different approaches have combined top political players into the studio, there isn’t the expectation that they are with the magnitude of running stories believes that fewer ministers are going to hit those stories consistently. such as Brexit and Trump to produce appearing on the Today programme In the end, if you don’t, you will find it record viewing figures. than with previous governments. Is it, harder to persuade people to come on.” Marr is up year-on-year by 200,000 perhaps, easier for this Government to He believes that Today is still attracting viewers to an average of nearly 1.7 mil- get its messages out on a Sunday than good interviewees. lion, the highest for five years, although face a weekday grilling on Newsnight? For David Mannion, former editor- the post-referendum show attracted The executive concedes, however, in-chief of ITN, there is no obvious 2.7 million, its largest ever audience. that “it may also be partly about every­ problem. The Sunday programmes are The Sunday Politics averages 900,000 thing being dominated by Brexit and all in good hands. He welcomes the – 1.8 million on 26 June – but, of the they don’t want to be asked about Brexit lively competition. For him, it is a case political four, Neil gets the highest all the time”. of the more the merrier. audience-appreciation figures. Former Today editor Phil Harding “Look,” says Mannion, “there are times Peston wins an average of 850,000 believes that there is something to the that I want to throw a brick at the TV viewers; the bigger slice comes from theory. He believes that more pundits and shout, why don’t you ask this, that the re-broadcast following the late- than ministers are appearing on the or the other – but, overall, we are well evening ITV news. Radio 4 flagship programme, which is served by some very good questioning Ridge has around 200,000, although attracting record audiences of more and good journalists doing the question- there is a boost from a repeat of the than 7.5 million. ing” – whatever the day of the week.

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 19 A tough job for Ofcom

s Sir David Clementi Sir David opposed the idea of a dis- begins his work as the BBC regulation crete, BBC-only regulator. He said that first Chair of the Ofcom had scale and credibility and “unitary board” that he “would be a strong regulator to match recommended to run Martin Stott lays out a strong BBC”. the BBC, is he having the challenges facing Twelve months on, Ofcom is prepar- second thoughts about his other big ing in typically comprehensive manner pieceA of advice – that Ofcom should the regulator as it takes for BBC Day – 3 April. That is when it regulate the BBC? over responsibility formally takes over responsibility for It was Clementi’s report, published overseeing the BBC. one year ago and largely adopted by for the BBC Over recent months, Ofcom has not the Government, that suggested scrap- only recruited dozens of new staff, it ping the BBC Trust. The idea was to has issued eight separate consultations replace it with a single board. Mean- on how the new regime will work in while, for the first time in the BBC’s practice. These include Ofcom’s history, an external body would regu- enhanced role in content regulation late the corporation. and its oversight of the BBC’s

20 that the BBC receives a couple of hun- have higher expectations of its services dred thousand complaints each year, and we know that it attracts many more they will not go to Ofcom in the first complaints than other broadcasters. instance (as complaints about all other At the same time, the regulations broadcasters can). and obligations placed upon it are One surprising aspect of the new more extensive and, in many ways, set-up is that certain areas of BBC tougher than for its competitors. activity will be exempt from Ofcom’s The risk for Ofcom (and for the BBC) oversight. These include the World is that when some knotty problem Service and non-video online content arises, the regulator either does not (though Ofcom will have an advisory prove as tough as some arch BBC crit- role in the latter case). It is something ics might hope for, or it overreacts in of a paradox that the BBC Trust regu- order to demonstrate its toughness. lated the BBC in its entirety, while the Ofcom is going to be under much avowedly more robust Ofcom regime greater scrutiny in regulating the BBC will leave some activities to the unitary than in its dealings with any other board. broadcaster. That creates a potentially Ofcom’s trickiest responsibility could greater reputational risk for itself. No turn out to be the BBC’s operating wonder that it was unenthusiastic in licence, which is why the regulator is volunteering for the role. taking time to consult the corporation The regulator also has to worry about and others over the course of this year. how close an interest it is seen to be The licence will set out how the BBC’s taking. For some people, the BBC Trust core services should fulfil its mission was always too close to the corporation and public purposes – and the criteria – though, in practice, it did reject some that Ofcom should use to assess the of the BBC Executive’s wilder ambitions. BBC’s performance. So, will Ofcom be an arm’s-length reg- Crucially, Ofcom will assess whether ulator and allow the new BBC Board to the BBC’s output has been sufficiently get on with running the corporation distinctive. This may prove challenging – or an interventionist one? The for a regulator that likes to rely on conundrum is that, if the BBC makes objective, measurable criteria. For decisions that Ofcom agrees are within many people, distinctiveness only truly its remit but which then prove contro- exists in the eye of the beholder. versial, Ofcom may face criticism for Overall, Ofcom is talking a tough being too hands off. game. It says that the aim of the new It will probably take years for the regime it is putting in place is to hold true nature of the BBC/Ofcom relation­ the BBC to account more robustly than ship to become clear. in the past. And, to ensure that happens, Perhaps the weightiest medium-­ the regulator will have tough enforce- term problem is that the BBC is a big, ment powers. complex and very high-profile organi- The really important question, how- sation – and Ofcom has many other

iStockPhoto ever, is not about the flavour of Ofcom’s issues to worry about: the telecoms rhetoric, nor what it has written down market, spectrum policy and competi- commercial activities. The most sub- in its detailed procedures, but how it tion cases, not forgetting the rest of UK stantial document, the new operating will act when a controversial issue broadcasting. licence that will cover the whole BBC arises on which it needs to adjudicate. Ofcom will be under intense scrutiny service, has yet to be published. Ofcom says it recognises that “the over how it deals with the corporation Of those that have been published, BBC has a special status but we won’t over the next year or two. But just how most are highly detailed transpositions give it special treatment”. much will Ofcom be able to maintain a of the new BBC Charter and Agree- Such statements try to navigate focus on the BBC once this initial phase ment: they lay out the procedures that between the higher expectations of is over? Ofcom will follow in the big new areas Ofcom that many external stakehold- Perhaps a tough regulator concen- that it is responsible for. ers have (including some commercial trating on ensuring that the BBC com- There is already a new Ofcom acro- broadcasters) and the BBC’s status as a plied with the new Charter might have nym: a BCR – BBC competition review publicly funded body that commands been a better fit. But that was the option – will be instituted if there is evidence considerable public support. Sir David Clementi rejected a year ago. that a BBC service is, or might be, having Ofcom may say it wants to regulate an undue impact on the market. the BBC like any other broadcaster, but Martin Stott was, until recently, head And there will be a new complaints the BBC is unique. And not only in of corporate and regulatory affairs at procedure, called “BBC First”. Given relation to its funding model: people Channel 5.

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 21 On-demand video Can BritBox, the subscription streaming service backed by the BBC and ITV, succeed f BritBox, BBC Worldwide’s international subscription in the world’s most competitive TV market, video-on-demand­ (SVoD) ser- vice, is to stand any chance of asks Lisa Campbell converting US consumers, it will need a major marketing push. DespiteI a plan to launch by the end of March, the joint venture between the BBC, ITV and AMC Networks that prom- ises to deliver “best of British” content, it appears that even key industry players are unaware of its existence. The popularity of , Hulu and Amazon Prime is self-evident, so a major challenge will be conveying exactly what it is that sets BritBox apart from these well-established competitors. And this is in a country where the take-up of online services is much more advanced than in the UK. “BritBox will be the best and most comprehensive British streaming ser- vice in the US,” said Simon Pitts, Man- aging Director of online, pay-TV and interactive at ITV, when the service was announced in December. He revealed that it would offer “a rich catalogue of classic, new and exclusive shows, easily accessible to US viewers in one place”. At this stage, there are no plans for any original commissions, although sources suggest that these are on the long-term roadmap, and that BritBox plans to invest in co-productions. For now, the catalogue includes newer UK dramas New Blood, In the Dark, Tutankhamun and The Moonstone, plus season premieres of and Silent Witness. same instant mass appeal. This means vice-president of New York-based Soaps, including EastEnders and that pricing – likely to be around $10 a media agency The Specialist Works, , will be available as soon as month – will be key during this launch believes that consumers will be willing 24 hours after their airing in Britain phase. As Tom Harrington of Enders to pay for a specialised service offering and there will be a collection of clas- Analysis suggests, “At $10 per month, high-quality British content. She notes sics from the ITV and BBC archives: which is around the cost of the HD that the Brits are all over US TV right Pride and Prejudice, Inspector Morse, Keep- Netflix subscription, it is not a particu- now, whether it’s The Crown on Netflix, ing Up Appearances and Fawlty Towers are larly compelling proposition, even in AMC’s The Night Manager, Amazon’s among them. the wake of the US excitement over Catastrophe and , Ron Howard’s Whether this really constitutes the Downton and their continued curiosity Beatles doc, Eight Days a Week, on Hulu “best of British” is a serious question, around cord-cutting.” or Victoria on PBS. given that big BBC hits such as Sherlock The price is also higher than for Robinson-Hogan adds that cord-­ and Call the Midwife are on Netflix in the other US streaming services. AT&T and cutters and cord-nevers (typically US, while Poldark and Downton Abbey the Chernin Group’s Fullscreen is $5.99 younger viewers) are happy to pay for are on Amazon Prime. per month; Hulu Plus is $7.99 and multiple streaming services as this is However, some of the older content, YouTube Red – which is popular still cheaper than a cable subscription. particularly period dramas such as largely thanks to its Google Play Music The content currently available on Brideshead Revisited and Upstairs Down- offering – is $10 per month. Walter BritBox suggests that the backers’ tar- stairs, could prove popular in the trail Presents – a showcase of foreign get is a more mature audience. Even of Downton and The Crown. But new drama – launches in the US in March so, she says, “As long as there’s a unique series, such as daytime drama The at $6.99 per month. selling point and people become very Moonstone, look unlikely to have the Lori Robinson-Hogan, executive engaged in certain shows, they will pay

22 that the service could not be rolled out in the US because pay-TV operators were threatening to drop the BBC America channel. They feared that, if the app were launched locally, it would cost them viewers. This new push into the US, and the confidence that comes with it, might partly be explained by the success of another subscription streaming ser- vice, Acorn TV. Described by the New York Times as “a perfect streaming ser- vice for the Anglophile in your life”, Acorn TV was spun out of a DVD busi- ness and began stocking exclusive content. The first such show was the US Atlantic premiere of Doc Martin, series 6, in 2013. As of the end of 2016, it had 430,000 subscribers, each paying $4.99 per month. Going forward, however, it could find that Soumya Sriraman, president of BBC Worldwide North America, and her counterparts at ITV, crossing are less willing to strike such deals as they expand on their own offerings. Rod Henwood, former CEO of Banijay UK, who was involved in the BBC’s Project Kangaroo (the online service scuppered by regulators) and launched 4oD (now ), believes that, while BritBox is not without its risks, it has a good chance of succeeding. “My view is that SVoD is going to become a space for the super-niche, with content propositions that are clearly defined and targeted at an upmarket audience. It is comparable to multichannel, where you focus on the passionate interests of a defined ITV’s Cold Feet will be group,” he argues. “BritBox has access available on BritBox

ITV to content assets and, with AMC able to provide cross-commercial leverage in and will think that it’s the best of British, will be of interest to anyone beyond the US, it’s got a chance of success.” whether it is or not. the ex-pat community – and whether Long-term success in the US, and “But marketing will be the number-­ that’s a big enough niche to support globally, will, as always, be all about the one challenge – getting it out there the service. content. Harrington says: “If anything, successfully and efficiently, given Robinson Hogan offers a supportive the pop-cultural impact that Downton that rival services, such as Netflix and view. She believes that American had in the States would have been a Amazon, have put a lot of money into viewers are increasingly interested in driving factor behind the realisation advertising.” the grittier or more realistic British that there could be something to this In an interview at BBC Showcase last drama series. Happy Valley on Netflix is idea. The fact that it’s not on the ser- month, BBC World director of scripted a notable example, she says: “Many vice, and nor are any of its comparable content Liam Keelan stressed that Brit- dramas here, particularly the soaps, are contemporaries, will, initially, be a Box is, indeed, a different proposition to full of perfect-looking people with lots stumbling block. Netflix. At the same time, he outlined of money. The British soaps are much “That being said, I doubt that the his aim of continuing to work with the more relatable.” initial library is reflective of how the market leader. “There’s a definite appe- What makes the corporation so BBC and ITV foresee the future of the tite for this kind of service – for shows certain that this service will succeed, service. The SVoD market is worth that aren’t on those other platforms. But when, in June 2015, it scrapped the around $8bn in the US, Britbox gives I would not compare it to Netflix – it’s global version of its iPlayer service? them an [eventually worldwide] plat- different to that,” he said. One executive close to the business form for their content. This should, at Meanwhile, some observers contacted suggests that its failure was largely the very least, increase their leverage by Television, including Brits living in down to a lack of investment. when it comes to content licensing the US, question whether the soaps Reports at the time also suggested negotiations.”

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 23 escribing it as having, “nail-biting twists and powerful emotional pull”, said BBC Two’s recent Doctors in timely medical docu- mentary series Hospital “could pass as aD top-drawer medical drama”. The fledgling production company Label1 that made the stylish, six-part distress series has its own twist. Unusually, the firm was set up in 2015 as a “quasi-­ indie” within ITV Studios. The two people behind the venture were expe- rienced programme-makers Simon Dickson and Lorraine Charker-Phillips. From this month, Label1 is going completely independent – just as the headline-hitting and timely Hospital wins a two-series recommission from the BBC. Called “extraordinary” by and “brilliant and brave” by the , Hospital’s insight into London’s Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust averaged around 2.5 million viewers a week. But what made this series so different from the glut of hospital documentaries? For a start, it was edited and broad- cast just a few weeks after filming was completed. Dickson claims that it is “Britain’s first fast-turnaround, blue- chip documentary series”. Arguably, it challenged the tradi- tional arena occupied by news and current affairs and their regular inves- tigations into the state of the NHS. The medics portrayed in Hospital were all too human, often exasperated and at breaking point. There were moving surgical scenes but also valua- ble glimpses into such hot issues as health tourism and bed shortages as the health service struggled to meet patient demand. And, given the winter crisis in NHS hospitals, the series was remarkably prescient. The BBC Two show emerged after a meeting in the summer of 2016 classic, system-focused documentary between new channel editor Patrick series of the past.” He cites BBC Two’s Factual Holland and documentaries commis- The House, an insightful look at the sioning editor Danny Horan. Royal Opera House, as an example. BBC Two’s acclaimed “The relationship is where the gene- “Patrick reminded me of a series sis lies,” explains Dickson. “When Lor- that I had commissioned at Channel 4 documentary Hospital raine and I were pitching a more called Seven Days, made with Studio conventional medical surgery idea to Lambert. It was the first fast-turnaround has been reordered Danny and Patrick, we did that thing docu-soap of its type. for another two series. that is crucial to good ideas being born. “Patrick asked, wouldn’t it be great if We just sat down and talked to see if you could do that in a hospital? Fun- Tara Conlan talks to the we could find a way of making it big- nily enough, Lorraine and I had had the people behind the show ger and more substantial… something same idea, but wondered whether it that was like a modern take on the might be in any way achievable.”

24 peril posed problems. So, they decided prove invaluable for his in-house fac- to turn the films around as quickly as tual arm Shiver, which also made The possible for broadcast in early January, Job Interview for Channel 4. having finished filming in December. Although, in effect, Dickson became Editing, which went on until close to the creative director of ITV in-house broadcast, was another hill to climb. factual or documentaries, “the way in “I’ve got lots of experience of doing which we decided to present to the really fast-turnaround films… but to wider world was unique: I wasn’t going juggle six films simultaneously, trying to be called creative director of Shiver to achieve a hitherto unseen connect- docs, I was going to be given a frame- edness between the different parts of work, at least in terms of how we pre- the NHS and the people who work sented to the outside world, that would within it was an almighty challenge,” suggest that Lorraine and I were work- [WE says Dickson. ing, to an extent, independently of the WANTED] He pays tribute to the “great team, mothership. who all have different strengths, which “That was a conscious decision by A MODERN helped make this show a success”. Julian, which seemed like a good idea Holland says of Dickson and Charker-­ because we knew that the more we TAKE Phillips that they “have an exceptional presented as nimble and self-propelled, ON THE ability to think the most ambitious the more likely we would be to win thoughts, get excited about them, and business. And so it proved.” CLASSIC, then realise them. Like Hospital, The Job Interview has SYSTEM- “Many doc-makers may have been been recommissioned. Both shows will sniffy about rushing to transmission, be made by Label1, but distributed by FOCUSED but Label1 persuaded the team that rights owner ITV. this was in the best interests of the Label1 is wholly owned by Dickson DOCS OF audience and of the contributors.” and Charker-Phillips and has a licence THE PAST Dickson and Charker-Phillips met to make both shows in perpetuity. when she was running the second “It is, on the face of it, a tiny bit com- series of Channel 4’s One Born Every plicated, but Julian should get the credit Minute and he was a commissioning for giving us the platform to build on,” editor at the broadcaster. He had explains Dickson. begun his TV career as a BBC trainee, Charker-Phillips says that what risen to become Channel 4 deputy makes the new venture exciting is that head of documentaries but then left it is “rare to find people you can work when he was appointed creative direc- alongside while pushing each other tor of Dragonfly, maker of One Born creatively, through good times and bad, Every Minute. keeping each other in check and chal- After producing the hit show The lenging each other. We want to make Plane Crash, in which a Boeing 727 was mainstream, popular shows that peo- remotely crash-landed in the Mexican ple talk about but which are not desert, he was promoted to Managing complacent.” Director at Dragonfly. Dickson adds: “Hospital’s been a great He returned to programme-making calling card… and the BBC is asking us 18 months later and went freelance. to contemplate whether or not we can Among other things, he relaunched take that same unique approach… into First Dates for Channel 4, turning it into other spheres.” a ratings winner. Hospital will return this year, looking BBC Two’s Hospital

BBC Dickson injected the show with more at maternity and mental health-care warmth. He says that those taking part provision, among other things. Holland explains: “Simon and Lor- “had the right to be paired up with Dickson lives in Hertfordshire with raine’s documentary skills had found someone we thought stood a chance of his wife, while Charker-Phillips lives in exceptional contributors, whose daily liking them”. He also introduced a west London and the pair’s new office dramas all connected. European maître d’, Fred Sirieix. is in Soho. “The world they found was one Meanwhile, Charker-Phillips moved Holland, who worked with Charker-­ where the decision to operate on one to become a commissioning editor at Phillips on BBC Two’s Modern Times patient meant another patient had to Sky, where she was responsible for series, says that they “are an impressive be bumped off the list. These dramas shows such as the Greater pair, who marry the ability to think big, played out on a daily basis.” Police series, The Force. with a real understanding of the nuances Such things are not cheap and the Then, Dickson had a phone call from of documentary storytelling”. BBC funded extended development. his old friend and Channel 4 colleague He adds: “They have married the The team concluded fairly quickly that Julian Bellamy, now running production innovative and risky with exceptional weekly filming in a hospital while the at ITV Studios. film-making. You can’t ask for much patients were potentially in mortal Bellamy thought the pair would more than that.”

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 25 A passion for truth in a post-truth world

ornings in the want [my children] to hear some of the TV news De Pear house- stuff that is going on.… hold are like “We’re in a weird period [when] we many across the are censoring the news for our children.” Channel 4 News editor country. The fam- De Pear does not look the stereotype Ben de Pear tells ily chomp down of the modern editor. His shirt is rum- breakfast,M dash around to get the three pled, partially untucked, with a rip on Sanya Burgess why children ready for school on time and his left elbow. Ben and wife Leila listen with one ear It is under his editorship that the his reporters need to to Radio 4’s Today programme on in show has grown to become one of the get out more the background. most-watched news outlets in Europe. But, during the US election, Ben de This is thanks to the skilful translation Pear, who is editor of Channel 4 News, of the hour-long bulletin into video started to turn down the radio when clips broadcast on Facebook. Donald Trump was discussed. He now Their presence on the social-media wonders whether to turn on the show platform has grown from a healthy in the first place: “I used to listen to 80 million video views in 2014 to the Today obsessively around the house enviable figure of 2 billion last year. but I do find myself listening through The show’s traditional broadcast headphones because, actually, I don’t figures are still dwarfed by the millions

26 success comes from Channel 4’s remit, questioning, we are inquisitive and I which he describes as “brilliant and think that it makes us quite shareable imaginative”. His comments come as [online],” he explains, adding: “I think culture secretary Karen Bradley con- that people feel quite clever when they tinues to chew over the future of share our material, or it makes them Channel 4. Any changes could have feel moved or they think it makes implications for the ITN-produced them look good when they share our Channel 4 News. material. I think it’s been a very good “Why is there still a debate going strategy and it’s worked very well.” on about the future of Channel 4? It’s However, one instance where the mad,” says De Pear. He finds the show’s pioneering online strategy debate destabilising and, from his tone backfired was its ill-advised Facebook of voice, exasperating. To threaten Live footage of the battle for Mosul in Channel 4 News would be, he says, “an October 2016. act of madness” and “sheer lunacy”. “It was a really stupid thing for us to He warns: “I feel very honoured to do,” admits De Pear. “We thought you be the editor of this programme… can probably go live from almost any- which I think is among the best in the where.… But, of course, we forgot about world and certainly one of the best in the bloody emojis, which were hearts the English language. and happy faces and smiley faces “And to mess with that, you’d better coming out when you’ve had Isis going know what you’re doing. Especially in on. It was not good.” this atmosphere, at this moment, when Across the industry, Channel 4 News’s a 16-year-old kid in Macedonia can coverage of Aleppo has been applauded. invent stories that are shared by hun- De Pear, a former head of foreign news dreds of thousands of people and can at the programme, lays most of the earn hundreds of thousands of pounds credit at the feet of a young, local film- for doing so. maker, Waad al-Kateab – the first “To destabilise or mess with the woman to win RTS Camera Operator foundations of this programme and of the Year at the RTS Televison Jour- everything else that Channel 4 does, nalism Awards. She recently turned 26. you do so at your own peril.” After she submitted a video to the De Pear finds it amusing that Chan- programme, she was taken out of nel 4 News is now referred to as Aleppo by the foreign editorial team, the “so-called mainstream media”. He who met her in Turkey, gave her a cam- believes the label should be a badge era and training. She then returned to of pride: “Fake news, as a phrase, is her city with a determination to see the annoying everyone, but… I think it’s crisis out until the bitter end, working probably the most dangerous thing of exclusively for Channel 4 News. our time, without doubt. Global terror- “Waad was not objective or impartial ism is a terrible thing but this is cer- in the way that Lindsey Hilsum or tainly more insidious,” he says. Jonathan Rugman would be as an out-

Channel 4 To De Pear, to be “mainstream sider, or someone who was coming to media” is to have layers of vetting and report objectively. But what she did who tune into BBC and ITV news fact-checking. He says that a vital part was she filmed observational stuff and programmes. But Barb confirms that of this system is Ofcom: “I think that, captured the raw horror of what was Channel 4 News’s audience can number as much as it’s a pain in the arse, it’s a going on without editorialising,” as much as 1 million and is frequently wonderful system.” reflects De Pear. around 750,000 to 850,000. Channel 4 News voluntarily holds its He continues: “The end of Aleppo Considering the show’s smaller social-media videos to Ofcom regula- was a bloody and horrible incident in resources and awkward time slot of tions and applies the broadcaster’s history and it was disgusting to behold. 7pm – when a lot of Channel 4 News’s remit to all content published online. [But the remit and funding model key demographic of upmarket males “We are quite serious, we are create] a delicate ecosystem, which are commuting – the size of its TV was devised in order to support Chan- audience should not be scoffed at. nel 4 News and to make it unlike any Recognition from within the indus- FAKE NEWS other broadcaster. try remains robust. Last year, Channel 4 “That helps us to tell the story of News won 26 awards, including IS PROBABLY Aleppo better than anyone else. I a Bafta, and secured six wins and THE MOST wouldn’t say that about every story, 12 nominations for this year’s RTS but I would say that about Aleppo.” Television Journalism Awards, includ- DANGEROUS The other major news story of 2016 ing Young Talent of the Year and Daily THING OF OUR was, and for the foreseeable future is, News Programme of the Year. President Trump. De Pear believes the secret of this TIME “I think there was an unpleasant-�

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 27 Ben de Pear (centre) holding the RTS award for Daily News Programme of the Year Richard Kendal

� ness and aggression and nastiness “There were reporters in this news- injected by Donald Trump into the room who said: ‘We’re going to vote election, which made his election out and we [the UK] are going to seem unlikely,” says De Pear. “He leave’, [but] we felt that we couldn’t go broke the mould. He smashed the against the polling.” mould and threw it in people’s faces.” WAAD WAS As a result, Channel 4 News is pursu- The Channel 4 News editor takes NOT OBJECTIVE ing plans to make its newsroom less umbrage at some news outlets for London-centric. referring to Trump as “colourful” OR IMPARTIAL De Pear says: “News covers places and insists that his campaign was IN THE WAY where big things happen and I think “unorthodox”. that, with Brexit and Trump, we were “I was very clear with [the team] THAT LINDSEY not covering places where things that ‘unorthodox’ is not to replace HILSUM… weren’t happening. Things in eco- racist, sexist, bigoted, rude, abusive,” nomically deprived places were he explains. The challenge now, De WOULD BE where things weren’t happening and Pear says, is holding Trump to weren’t ‘newsworthy’.” account while not picking up on De Pear has no desire to leave his every single thing – coverage has to position any time soon. But, even if reflect how relevant the US President he can survive a news agenda tainted is to a British audience. by fake news, Brexit and Trump, he Media coverage of the US election does not intend to stay as long as his was often led by what turned out to predecessor, Jim Gray. His editorship be inaccurate polling data, a trend lasted 14 years. mirrored in the UK’s 2015 general And what about that national treas- election and the EU referendum. ure, Channel 4’s main presenter, Jon Of the latter, De Pear concludes: Snow? “No idea. [His retirement] is so “We make a big effort to report from far away that, I think, by the time it all over Britain, but I think we believed happens, we may all be living in colo- the polls when we should have nies on Mars or on different planets. believed our gut. It is beyond the horizon.”

28 March 2017 www.rts.org.uk Television OUR FRIEND IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Steve Carson warns that Belfast cannot rest on its laurels as n the picturesque village of Northern Ireland Centre is hosting its Greyabbey, on the shores of a production Student Television Awards in the Strangford Lough, cast and Cathedral Quarter (Belfast now has crew assemble for the latest powerhouse at least five quarters). network drama to be shot in The entries are testament to the Northern Ireland. The Woman creative energy pulsing through a in White is a five-part adapta- generation of young people who tion of Wilkie Collins’s psychological were, for so long, bred for export. Ithriller for BBC One. The period drama the facilities and talent to operate These students now expect to build joins a BBC slate that in the past year globally, but small enough to host rewarding careers on this side of the has included The Fall, and informal networks that can pull water. It’s up to us to make sure they My Mother and Other Strangers. together to make things happen. can, because future success is not Further north, the finishing touches In 2015, Tony Hall signed a unique guaranteed. are being put to two 2,970m2 sound partnership between the BBC and Agencies such as Northern Ireland stages in Belfast Harbour. When they Northern Ireland Screen, a sign of Screen are financed through a local open later this year, the stages will how close ties are being built to drive executive that is now in turmoil. add to the existing capacity in the creative investment for audiences ITV’s purchase of UTV may impact Titanic Quarter, built on the site of across the UK and beyond. on its local content budget, although the former Harland and Wolff yard. The current media landscape is all the early signs are that its commit- Where once we built ships – most the more startling for those of us who ment to news and current affairs will of which didn’t sink – now we make left Northern Ireland during the Trou- continue. content. The creative sector in North- bles. In the 1970s and 1980s, armed Third-level institutions across the ern Ireland is in the midst of a once- with maintenance grants and free UK are under financial pressure. The unthinkable boom. Local companies tuition, many took the ferry for college BBC will have to work hard to deliver and international producers are carv- in Scotland, Wales and England. Many its commitments to Northern Ireland ing out a track record in drama, chil- are still there. in the new Charter. dren’s, animation, factual and games. But those who have returned in That is, potentially, where organisa- In a small place, the impact has recent years have found a place tions such as the RTS can come in. been considerable. Innovative local transformed. Physically, Belfast itself The Society covers the whole creative agency Northern Ireland Screen reck- is a different city. The big new build- sector; indies and broadcasters, new ons that it will leverage more than ings with shiny glass facades speak of entrants and old hands. If Northern £250m out of an investment of £42m a confidence that the days of car Ireland’s current growth was built on under its current plan. bombs and control zones are over. creative collaboration, then we have a The BBC’s network TV budget has Creatively, opportunities grow for part to play in keeping those personal more than tripled so far this decade the high-quality students pouring out and professional connections intact. to reach last year’s £25m. of local universities and colleges. There are hopeful signs that North- The evidence shows that they are Steve Carson is head of BBC Northern ern Ireland could possess a “Goldi- ready to take advantage of those Ireland Productions and Chair of the locks” effect – large enough to have opportunities. This month, the RTS RTS Northern Ireland Centre.

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 29 Fast track to the right training

ore than 800 peo- fresh,” he continued, before warning ple attended RTS RTS Futures that “the TV industry is all about bums Futures’ most on seats, so, if [something works], it successful careers wants to repeat it”. fair yet. Eight Matthew Bell reports “Get ready for your TV job” was sessions during from RTS Futures’ most aimed at the television novice. In this theM day featured some of television’s successful careers fair session, the MD of TV jobs website The biggest names as well as its rising Unit List, Jude Winstanley, nailed some talent. More than 30 broadcasters, to date of the common myths about breaking indies and industry bodies took stands into telly. “‘It’s all about who you know in the exhibition hall, offering the phone] – you’ve got to get on with it.” if you want to get into TV’ – that’s a big inside track to the telly hopefuls. Rob Hifle, whose company BDH fat lie,” she said. TV magician Dynamo and ITV News won an RTS Craft Award last year for Winstanley stressed the need for presenter Charlene White also made the digital effects on BBC Two science professionalism, especially in CVs and guest appearances. series to Life, said: “I put our on social media. “Let’s make sure Some 900 tickets were sold for the success down to staying small and we’re presenting the best of ourselves,” event, which was held in Islington, keeping the [ability] to work on what she said. “If there are [embarrassing] London, on 1 February – with another you want. things [on the internet] about you, you 400 on the waiting list. “I’m always trying to do something might want to do a bit of housekeeping.” During the first session, a panel of different, and you want to be commis- RTS Futures Chair Donna Taberer RTS Awards winners revealed the sioned to do something new and hosted a session on interview tips that secrets of their success. “I always try to included two mock interviews, one work on programmes that I would good, one bad, with actor Elliot want to watch,” said Shine creative MAKE CONTACTS Blagden playing the interviewee. director Tim Whitwell, who developed Breaking into TV remains tough but Channel 4’s The Island with Bear Grylls. AND NURTURE at least aspirants are now competing He added that, regardless of genre, THEM, BUT on a level playing field. “It’s a much successful shows “were all about tell- more democratic industry now,” ing stories with strong characters”. DON’T PESTER argued Taberer. “Ten years ago, televi- Offering advice to the young talent OR BECOME A sion was more nepotistic.” in the room, Whitwell said: “Anyone Beejal-Maya Patel, a series producer can be a film-maker now [with a smart STALKER who has worked on the Channel 4

30 show Educating , said that she looks to hire “people who are enthusi- astic and passionate about television”. BBC head of talent Donald-Iain Brown advised interviewees: “Be hon- est about yourself, your passions and experience. Don’t be a bullshitter – we will find you out.” Warning against coming across as “arrogant” in interviews, he added: “This industry is built on relationships – you don’t need a particular qualifica- tion to get into it, but the ability to work with people and build relation- ships [is key]. “You also need to stand out from the crowd. We’re looking more and more for people who can self-shoot.” Experience, though, can be gained outside the industry, added Taberer. “In TV, we like people with a strong work ethic, but it doesn’t have to be television related,” she said. How to develop and pitch ideas

A session hosted by the Indie Train- Hampartsoumian Paul ing Fund offered insights into the work of the TV researcher. “The keys are to Ideas are the lifeblood of television received ‘a lot of similar ideas at the show that you’re keen and learn to do – and for TV newcomers a potential same time’. ‘It’s because we all have all the basics,” advised Betty TV route into the industry. ‘The biggest the same influences,’ said Flynn. researcher Chitsi Kurangwa. short cut to get people to take notice Caroline Sciama, development as- The final session of the day assem- of you is to have ideas,’ said Curve sistant producer at The Garden, recom-

iStockPhoto bled a panel of producers to discuss Media CEO Camilla Lewis. mended ‘asking people who don’t work spotting talent and how newcomers Generating ideas is considerably less in the industry – they watch TV, too’. can bring themselves to the attention of a problem than getting them com- Before pitching to a broadcaster, of TV execs. missioned. ‘A TV creative has 10 great ideas need a development stage. ‘You Channel 5 executive producer Sarah ideas a week,’ said David Flynn, the only have one chance to [pitch] a Wood advised: “Make contacts and co-founder of Youngest Media who show,’ warned Flynn. nurture them, but don’t pester or created Channel 4 game show The The original idea for Pointless was become a stalker.” Million Pound Drop and co-created little more than a quiz in which the Nevertheless, some flattery can help. BBC One quiz Pointless. least-obvious answer won. “It’s an industry full of big egos – ‘I read a lot, watch a lot of television After six weeks’ development, it had everyone thinks they’re great,” said and talk to a lot of people,’ revealed become a format and, only at the last former RTS Futures Chair Camilla BBC assistant commissioning editor for minute, gained a title. Lewis. entertainment Sohail Shah, who added The panel suggested that a pitch Securing work experience can add to that there was no shame in borrowing generally needed a good title; a short, a sketchy CV but, advised Fremantle­ from other TV shows. clear description; and a beginning and Media UK head of talent Emily Gale, it ‘You don’t know when an idea is an end. They might also include an should last for only two weeks without going to hit you,’ said Flynn. ‘I’m OCD online element, such as an extension pay (but with expenses). “It’s wrong if about having a notebook with me at all to Facebook Live, although Sciama people are working long term for free,” times.’ He added that the trick was ‘to warned: ‘Do this sparingly and only she said. find a way of distinguishing your idea when it adds to a programme.’ If you secure an interview for a paid from everybody else’s’. ‘Certain shows need a lot of fleshing position, continued Gale, prepare thor- Shah agreed, revealing that he out; others just a top line,’ said Shah. oughly. “I look for people who can tell me stuff,” she said. Too often, she added, there is an “awful tumbleweed Films talent manager Edd Buckley moment” when interviewees are recalled one disastrous interview, The RTS Futures event ‘The ­unable to discuss what was on TV the where he was told: “I don’t think you’re Ultimate TV Careers Fair: Getting previous day. ready for this role.” “It was awful, but your first job in TV’ was held at Earlier in the day, Taberer had noted I wasn’t ready,” admitted Buckley. the Business Design Centre in that, at interviews, “people fall into the But when an opportunity finally London on 1 February. It was sup- trap of talking about shows they liked a comes knocking, added Wood: “Show ported by Creative Skillset and the long, long time ago, or Game of Thrones”. some enthusiasm – I don’t want to Edinburgh International Televi- Interviewers want to discuss neither. work with someone who’s moody or sion Festival. Knockbacks are frequent in TV. Blast! can’t be arsed.”

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 31 Hosted by Barbara Serra, of , the awards were presented on 1 March at the London Hilton Park Lane

News Coverage – Home Prisons – BBC Six O’Clock and 10 O’Clock News BBC News for BBC One ‘A series of revelatory films that pre- figured one of the big domestic crises of the year. They were the result of remarkable access gained through dogged negotiation over a long period of time. The coverage across a num- ber of exclusive reports identified a shocking picture that led to a major public debate and changes in policy.’ Nominees: Election Expenses Exposed – Channel 4 News, ITN for Channel 4 Hillsborough – BBC Network News, RTS BBC News for BBC One News Coverage – International Inside Aleppo – Channel 4 News ITN for Channel 4 Television ‘In a year of extraordinary coverage of appalling wars, this insight into Aleppo was something very special – the yardstick by which other cov- erage should be judged. ’s Journalism scripting was word perfect. With a digital project alongside, the coverage was imaginative and innovative.’ Nominees: Awards 2017 Battle for Mosul, CNN International Terror in Europe, Sky News BBC

32 Judges’ Award Steve Hewlett

‘I don’t think there has ever been much, especially his own employ- anybody in broadcasting quite like ers at the BBC. Steve Hewlett. And probably never ‘And there was his humanity and will be again. there was his humour. All these ‘Over four decades he variously, same qualities, this same journal- News Coverage and often simultaneously, pro- ism, came to the fore last year on – Home: Prisons duced programmes; edited them; Radio 4’s PM. Presenter Eddie Mair commissioned them; wrote and told listeners that, this time, Steve broadcast about them; presented was on the air not to talk about the them and exec produced them as media, but about his health. an independent. He worked for ‘Eddie asked Steve, “What’s Breaking News the BBC, Chan- happening?”, to Brussels Terror Attack nel 4, ITV and his which Steve Sky News own indie Genie replied, “Well, I’ve ‘The winning team had the good Pictures. He got cancer. I’ve fortune to find themselves in the started on TV and got cancer of the midst of an unfolding drama, and learned to love oesophagus.” This built on that by using every ounce of radio. He was the matter-of-fact journalistic enterprise and technical star turn for many conversation set skill – as well as considerable cour- years at RTS the style for many age – to deliver a textbook example Cambridge, the that were to fol- of how to cover a breaking story.’ Edinburgh and low on Radio 4 Nominees: festivals and be replicated Battle for Mosul – 48 Hours, CNN and many other in different forms International media events. in print and Murder of Jo Cox – ITV News, ITN ‘He truly was a on TV. for ITV man for all sea- ‘It was public- sons, one of them interest journal- Camera Operator of the Year being the rugby ism of the kind Waad al-Kateab – Channel 4 News season. I remem- Steve practiced ITN for Channel 4 ber turning up Hampartsoumian Paul on Panorama. He ‘With many strong contenders, our with my son at a knew all the winner’s portfolio was head and youth rugby tournament in Hert- details, as if he was talking on The shoulders above the rest. Her power- fordshire to find Steve all togged Media Show about the latest draft of ful images didn’t flinch from showing up, ready to referee one of the the BBC Charter. The public the full horror of life and death in matches. response was enormous. Many of Aleppo.’ ‘He was fiercely competitive in the people who wrote to Steve Nominees: everything he did but also gener- said he had inspired them to find Dai Baker – Channel 4 News, ITN for ous with praise for his competi- out more about their own condi- Channel 4 tors. He always threw himself into tion, their own treatment. Mstyslav Chernov, The Associated his journalism. He spent eight ‘On 6 February Steve told Eddie Press weeks filming inside the Maze Mair on BBC Radio 4 that he’d Prison with Peter Taylor, and been given only “weeks, possibly Current Affairs – Home made a remarkable film there. He months” to live. He and his Interview with a Murderer enjoyed his triumphs – the partner, Rachel Crellin, decided ITN Productions/Monster Films for 23 million audience for the Pan- to get married in a ceremony Channel 4 orama Diana interview will take organised within the hour at the ‘A brilliant and gripping film, which some beating as a record for fac- Royal Marsden Hospital. was also beautifully made. It was a tual television – and he carried on ‘The plan was for him to be compelling watch, right from the first regardless after disappointments. sitting at a table with Rachel, his frame and the final interview was a ‘One of the hallmarks of Steve’s former partner Karole Lang and genuine scoop.’ journalism was his natural curios- his and Karole’s three sons, Fred, Nominees: ity – which contact or interviewee Billy and Bertie. Steve knew he Exposure – Abused and Betrayed: A could resist an opening line like, wouldn’t be well enough to come Life Sentence, Hardcash Productions “Help me with this if you can”? up to the podium but wanted his for ITV Another was his attention to detail: sons to speak for him. Always the Panorama – Teenage Prison Abuse as a pundit, he read the documents realist, Steve knew he might not Exposed, BBC Current Affairs for BBC others didn’t, which is how he make it here tonight.’

One BBC knew so much and questioned so Stewart Purvis

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 33 News Coverage – International: Inside Aleppo – Channel 4 News Channel 4

Current Affairs – International Interview of the Year Nations and Regions News Exposure – Uncovered Faisal Islam Interviews BBC Hardcash Productions for ITV Sky News BBC News English Regions for BBC One ‘An extremely brave film. Venturing ‘The hallmark of all three interviewers ‘A brilliant selection of the very best of into Saudi Arabia undercover was a was that they seemed better prepared regional journalism, from illegal immi- remarkable feat. This is an important than their interviewees. Particularly so grants working in and Sussex to country, which we hardly ever see, in the case of the winner who… tracking down a gunman who’d been beyond the official veneer. The film brought new insights and energy to the on the run for a decade. The abuse brought to life the extent of the power national debate.’ story at a Kent care home was aston- and the fear which lie under the sur- Nominees: ishing and led to a parliamentary face. The viewer really experienced the Christiane Amanpour Interviews investigation. The Calais ambush by journey. An important piece of jour- Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, CNN people smugglers was riveting televi- nalism and a great watch, beautifully International sion. Amazing journalism from a small shot and full of fine production values.’ Gary Gibbon Interviews Andrea region that exhibited real ambition.’ Nominees: Leadsom – Channel 4 News, ITN for Nominees: Dispatches – Children on the Frontline: Channel 4 BBC North West Tonight – The The Escape, ITN Productions for Channel 4 Hillsborough Inquests, BBC North West This World – Unarmed Black Male, BBC Nations and Regions Current for BBC One Current Affairs for BBC Two Affairs Lookaround – 8 December 2015, ITV Spotlight – The NAMA Tapes: Corrup- Border for ITV Daily News Programme tion and Cover-Up of the Year BBC Northern Ireland Network Presenter of the Year Channel 4 News ‘Financial corruption stories are never Tom Bradby – ITV News at Ten ITN for Channel 4 easy to do. The Northern Ireland team ITN for ITV News ‘A masterful breadth and depth of worked unbelievably hard and bravely ‘Presenting done in a new style: inti- content throughout the year, from over 18 months to expose corruption mate, engaging, authoritative, trust- world-class frontline coverage to its over the sale of a £1.3bn property port- worthy. The winner got to the of trademark political analysis and pow- folio. This was an extraordinary and the matter sometimes very directly erful interviews. It backed that up with incredibly important story, as well as with the newsmakers themselves.’ tenacious and exclusive investigations a gripping watch.’ Nominees: and high-quality location presentation.’ Nominees: – Newsnight, BBC Two and Nominees: Broken Trust, BBC South for BBC One BBC News Channel BBC News at Ten, BBC One Week In Week Out: Learning How To Victoria – BBC News, BBC The Programme, Fake It, BBC Wales for BBC Two and BBC One BBC Two

34 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 News Coverage – Home: 2 Current Affairs – Home: 3 Interview of the Year: Faisal Islam Prisons – BBC Six and 10 O’clock News Interview with a Murderer Interviews David Cameron

4 News Coverage – International: 5 Current Affairs – International: 6 Nations and Regions Current Affairs: Inside Aleppo – Channel 4 News Exposure – Saudi Arabia Uncovered Spotlight: The NAMA Tapes

7 B reaking News: Brussels Terror Attack – 8 Daily News Programme of the Year: 9 Nations and Regions News: Sky News Channel 4 News BBC South East Today

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 35 Daily News Programme of the Year: Channel 4 News Channel 4

News Channel of the Year Nominees: to his reports and regularly shines BBC News Channel Duncan Wood – Calendar, ITV Yorkshire through. His interviewing has also pro- ‘Combined outstanding live and con- for ITV duced insights that others have missed. tinuous coverage of big events with Stewart White – BBC Look East, BBC One He is one of the most experienced, and strong worldwide reporting and a great skilled TV journalists working today.’ touch with human interest stories. It Scoop of the Year Nominees: was quick on breaking news and IS Files Jeremy Bowen, BBC News showcased an impressive range of Sky News Krishnan Guru-Murthy – Channel 4 exclusives, too.’ ‘A team effort that brilliantly exploited News, ITN for Channel 4 Nominees: a leak of data, transforming it into CNN International compelling television using the entire Award Sky News toolbox of TV news. This dwarfed in The Last Flower Seller of Aleppo – scale, skill and significance other Channel 4 News News Technology attempts at the story.’ Hoodwink Productions for Channel 4 Sky Data Nominees: ‘A fabulously powerful piece of televi- Sky News Election Expenses Exposed – Channel 4 sion…We applaud not only the enter- ‘A brilliant example of technical inno- News, ITN for Channel 4 prise and courage of the freelance vation. It has transformed the way Southern Health, BBC News camera operator who first suggested television measures public opinion, the story and then filmed it, but also leaving the old vox pop obsolete.’ Specialist Journalist of the Year the production company back in Lon- Nominees: Lisa Holland don who, in the edit, crafted a narra- 360 Special – BBC Click, BBC News for Sky News tive that made this stand out as strong BBC News Channel/BBC World News/ ‘The winner has carved out a unique storytelling.’ BBC One BBC News Online/YouTube role in a new but crucial specialist Nominees: 360/Oculus Store/Facebook (Immersive position. It has taken them around the Desert Fire, The Guardian and Matter 360 Experience) world to report on one of the year’s Out Of Place Ltd Facebook LiveStudio, Sky News live on most controversial and pressing issues. Gun Nation, The Guardian and Wagon Facebook They showed a great range of skills Trail Productions pursuing the story, from investigation Regional Presenter of the Year to analysis to empathy.’ Young Talent of the Year Harry Gration – BBC Look North Nominees: Waad al-Kateab – Channel 4 News (Yorkshire) Gary Gibbon – Channel 4 News, ITN for ITN for Channel 4 BBC News English Regions for Channel 4 ‘Heart-stopping, calm in horrific condi- BBC Yorkshire Michael Buchanan, BBC News tions, sensitive, empathetic, extraordi- ‘Outstanding, a class act… when the nary – the compliments kept on winner is on the screen, you simply Television Journalist of the Year coming.’ want to watch. He is deeply rooted in Matt Frei – Channel 4 News Nominees: his region and exhibits a genuine ITN for Channel 4 Adam Cole, Sky News affinity with his audience and demon- ‘One of the best writers in the business. James Longman, Victoria Derbyshire strates both depth and range.’ His use of language brings great depth Programme, BBC News

36 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Network Presenter of the Year: 2 Regional Presenter of the Year: 3 Television Journalist of the Year: Tom Bradby Harry Gration – BBC Look North Matt Frei

4 News Channel of the Year: 5 Scoop of the Year: IS Files – Sky News 6 The Independent Award: BBC News Channel The Last Flower Seller of Aleppo 8 Specialist Journalist of the Year: 7 News Technology: Sky Data Lisa Holland 9 Judges’ Award: Steve Hewlett

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 37 RTS NEWS Myrie denounces fake news

BC News presenter wasn’t true – it gave ammu- dis- nition to colour the whole of cussed race, fake the media. It was a disservice news and the boxer to all of us in the industry.” BTyson Fury in conversation Myrie has generated a little with RTS Wales Chair Tim controversy himself. At the Hartley at the University of end of 2015, while hosting South Wales in February. BBC News Channel’s late- Myrie’s childhood inspira- night newspaper review tion was ITN journalist and programme, he described newsreader Trevor McDon- Tyson Fury as a “dickhead”. ald. “I was fascinated by the The boxer, who had been fact that I saw a black person airing homophobic views in on television,” he recalled. the press, had recently made The former foreign corre- the list of nominees for BBC spondent explained that, in Sports Personality of the Year. his youth, he received a free Myrie defended his choice newspaper after finishing his to swear on live TV, saying it paper round. He would go was after the watershed and Tim Hartley (left) and Clive Myrie

home and pretend to be Wiliam Hywel his choice of words didn’t McDonald reading the paper. count as slander. Myrie was adamant that Nevertheless, added Myrie: Addressing BuzzFeed’s Offering advice to the his colour hadn’t hindered “There are still problems – decision to post an unsub- student journalists in the him; if anything, it had there aren’t many black peo- stantiated intelligence report audience, Myrie said: “See helped. “If the BBC doesn’t ple in this profession.” about Donald Trump’s everything and say nothing, represent its audience, it will Discussing the problem of behaviour in Russia, Myrie stay longer than anyone else, lose its licence fee – I’m fake news, Myrie said: “You said: “It was a huge mistake go that extra mile, be keen, exactly the kind of person have to call out what might for BuzzFeed to publish the enthusiastic and have ideas.” the BBC needs,” he said. be a lie.” dossier, because a lot of it Lottie Morley Wales visits Gorilla

n As operations director at than 4,000 hours of HD post-production company video, stored in a 500TB Gorilla, Paul Owen’s main server on location in a task is ensuring an efficient hospital. workflow of media and data Owen added: “We had through the building. But, he 56 remote cameras, operated said, “with tightening budgets, by just one person, with only there is always pressure to four staff working eight-hour streamline our processes”. shifts – it wouldn’t have been Talking to RTS Wales cost-effective otherwise.” Gorilla's facilities

members who were visiting The company also recently Wiliam Hywel the facilities at GloWorks, handled post-production for Cardiff, in January, Owen Channel 4 thriller Born to Kill, 2004, when the company and post-production suites. said: “We’re able to handle Sky 1 comedy series Stella had just three edit suites. The combined group, which big, data-intensive projects and BBC Two’s Evelyn Waugh Following a merger with also includes Boom Cymru on behalf of our clients.” adaptation Decline and Fall. Cardiff-based facility Mwnci, and Plymouth-based indie He described how the Now an editor with more the TV post-production arm Twofour, is owned by ITV Channel 4 series One Born than 20 years’ experience, was rebranded as Gorilla and Studios. Every Minute generated more Owen joined Boomerang in now has around 50 editing Hywel Wiliam

38 ore than 400 guests From left: Pam Royle, Fiona attended the 30th Armstrong and Brenda anniversary Blethyn of the RTS MNorth East and the Border (NETB) Awards in February. At a cer- emony held at the Hilton­ Newcastle Gateshead Hotel and hosted by Sky News pre- senter Jayne Secker, the RTS audience recognised the rising stars of the TV industry in the North East. There were breakthrough awards for: BBC reporter Philippa Goymer, who won the Rising Star category; animator James Taylor, from Arcus Animation Studios (Professional Excellence: Animation, Graphics and Titling); and broadcast news graduate Alice Winney (Student News). North East lauds its stars Young people from the Northern Stars Academy at drama Vera won the Best Best Journalist, and the Best Alan Farrington, who has Newcastle’s Tyneside Cinema Drama category, while the Factual award went to the directed all 30 of the NETB won the Best Commercial show’s star, Brenda Blethyn, BBC for The Gift of Hearing. Awards since the first one at category for Sportivate, a film picked up the Best Current ITV Border Life and the Tyneside Cinema in 1987. about boxing on Teesside. Performance award. former News at Ten presenter Among the guests at the Local TV channel, Made in ITV News Tyne Tees won Fiona Armstrong won the Gateshead ceremony were Tyne and Wear, picked up the Best News Programme Outstanding Contribution Steve Cram from BBC Sport the Centre Award for award, while the show’s Pam award. There was also a and Oscar-winning producer supporting new programme- Royle was Best Presenter. special award for veteran BBC David Parfitt. makers and production The BBC’s Dan Farthing was outside broadcast director Matthew Bell innovations such as the Made with Pride strand. Among the student winners were Teesside University (Drama and Animation), Secret histories of Geordie classics University of Sunderland (News and Entertainment), n The BBC executive who Phipps at an RTS event in were commissioners who University of initially turned down the drama January at Newcastle Library thought that ‘production in (Factual) and Carlisle College highlighting the film and TV Salford ticks the boxes of of the Arts (Short Feature). because he didn’t want “losers productions shot in the region. representation across the “The ceremony showcases on TV”; the football caper The capacity crowd of 200 North of England’. He added: the next generation of TV and Purely Belter, which sank discovered the histories of ‘The writers, landscapes, digital talent. We are deligh­ because it was released at classics such as Get Carter, actors and stories from this ted to be able to recognise the same time as mega-hit Stormy Monday and Whatever part of Britain deserve more these new players, who are Billy Elliot; and why the direc- Happened to the Likely Lads? airtime on British TV.’ the future leaders of the tor of Les Misérables doesn’t Phipps – who has The earliest film shot in sector,” said Graeme include Yorkshire Tyne Tees’ produced a location guide, Newcastle? The thriller On Thompson, Centre Chair and soap Quayside on his CV. Forget Carter – welcomed the Night of the Fire in 1939. University of Sunderland pro These were just some of the decision to film shows The most recent? The latest vice-chancellor. the stories told by TV producer such as Vera in the region. instalment of Transformers. Established talent also and media historian Chris But, he lamented, there Graeme Thompson enjoyed success. ITV police

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 39 RTS NEWS First place for Safest Place tudents from Middle- Rob Woods, Nathan Wilson sex University took and Taylor-Anne Wheeldon two of the top prizes from the University of on offer at the RTS Greenwich for Remembrance SLondon Student Television Day, which was praised by Awards in early February. the jury for its strong writing. Simon James and Daniel Woods also won the Craft Tempel-Merzougui scooped Excellence Writing award. the Comedy and Entertain- The other Craft Excellence ment award with the “well- awards were won by Arran executed, highly Green, Ravensbourne (Cam- entertaining” Pyre for Hire. era); Tom Beale (Sound Fellow students Design) and Sophie Moore Jack Dingley and Hafiza (Production Design), both Musammad won the Factual from the University of West- award for Safest Place in the minster; and Jeanette Lee, World, which the jury said Goldsmiths (Editing). offered “an intimate insight” “The range and quality of into the terrorist shootings many of the entries were on the island of Utøya in equal, if not better, than a lot Norway in 2011. of what gets broadcast on Kingston University stu- our every night,” dent Jennifer Zheng was said BBC producer Andrea awarded the Animation Gauld, the Chair of the RTS prize for Tough, which gave London Student Awards 2017. “a unique insight into her The awards were held at ethnic heritage and British ITV Studios in central Lon- upbringing”. don and hosted by television Zak Boxall and Chris presenter Ria Hebden. Turner from the University Michael Price, whose com- of Hertfordshire took home posing credits include BBC the Short Film award for the One’s Sherlock and ITV crime “hugely ambitious” Bertie the drama , gave a Elephant. Hafiza Musammad speech at the ceremony.

The Drama award went to Hampaertsoumian Paul Matthew Bell

n Students from the Univer- given for the first time. The sity of the West of England Wall picked up the Editing (UWE) took all three top UWE dominates and Sound awards. prizes at the RTS West of Camera awards were made England Student Awards, to three films: Beauty of a which were held in early Bristol awards Stateless Mind, One Sleepless February at the Everyman Night and Brothers (Glouces- Cinema in Bristol. tershire College). Heist took The Wall won in the Factual Hemming-Brown and Jack Comedy and Entertainment one Sound and Music award category, with the judges Hayter, won the Drama category. The awards, judged and The Fall, from UWE, praising its “sparse, simple award. by a panel of industry another for Sound. style and strong contributors”. In the Animation category, experts, recognise the best in At the ceremony, before an It was made by Christy Edward Leicester’s Heist was student television across the audience of more than Tattershall,­ Matt Pidala, Alex the judges’ pick for its “beau- region – with nominees 100 guests, Bristol-born TV Handschuh, Edd Roberts and tiful animation and great representing UWE, the Uni- presenter James Royall. storytelling”. versity of Gloucestershire, discussed her experiences of The “ambitious and There was a commend- and Gloucestershire College. starting out in TV and offered mature” One Sleepless Night, ation for Marooned, by Matt As well as prizes for the advice on how to break into made by Johnny Lennox, Carroll from the University best overall film in three the industry. Harvey Quirke, Owen of Gloucestershire, in the categories, Craft awards were James Mead

40 presenter Tommy Pearson. Price demonstrated how he and his co-composer, David Arnold – neither will reveal who writes which parts of a score – composed Sherlock’s “hero theme”, the music that accompanies Benedict Cum- berbatch’s sleuth as he springs into action. Price’s music for Unforgotten Michael Price

Michael Price is intentionally set at a lower key. Although it is a police series, the programme for- goes the action scenes typi- cal of the genre. Mood music for tecs “I wanted to create a still- ness for something naturalis- ichael Price offered keyboard and video clips, more different. For Sherlock, tic to develop – it’s a long a fascinating Price deconstructed the we chose a character- and way from the hyper-realism insight into com- scores for BBC One show theme-driven way of scoring,” of Sherlock,” he said. “I was posing for televi- Sherlock and ITV’s Unforgotten. said Price, who was in con- trying to find a [musical] Msion at an RTS London event “They are both detective versation with live music language that attaches itself in late February. Backed by a shows, but they could not be producer and former BBC to emotions, not characters.” The piano, supplemented by strings, is the main instru- ment featured on Price’s soundtrack. “There’s tons of Michael Price: a musical life space inside sparse piano music,” he explained. “It n Michael Price served his Howard Shore’s Oscar-winning music for all four series of leaves room for emotion to apprenticeship as assistant score. Price also worked as Sherlock, winning an RTS develop. Plus, most compos- to the late composer Michael a music editor on Richard Craft & Design award in 2010. ers are pianists.” Kamen, after his synthesizer Curtis’s Love Actually. ‘We ‘There’s been a great deal of The composing process, expertise landed him work on spent nine months in the satisfaction for both of us, said Price, involves “hours the 1997 sci-fi film, Event Hori- cutting room, working with having what are, effectively, with your arse in the chair zon, which Kamen scored with such a wide variety of songs,’ 13 feature films to construct – there’s no button electronic dance duo Orbital. he recalled. ‘It was a [great a musical world for – those that writes all the music”. Price worked with Kamen way to learn] the technical opportunities don’t come Criticism and knock-backs for five years on productions, and emotional aspects of how along very often.’ are part of the job, continued including HBO series Band music works with pictures.’ Working solo, Price writes Price. “As I become more of Brothers. Price first worked with for film and TV, including ITV's comfortable and confident ‘There’s a long tradition James Bond composer David Unforgotten, starring Nicola with my own musical voice, of composers who’ve Arnold on the 2002 Jennifer Walker and . I have got less defensive and been assistants to other Lopez thriller, Enough, and, Price also has a burgeoning more resilient,” he said. composers,’ Price told a few years later, wrote career as a recording artist, What remains, he added, Television before the RTS additional music for Arnold’s releasing his debut album, “is the absolute terror of the London event. ‘It gives you a score for Edgar Wright’s Entanglement, in 2015. Tongue blank piece of paper, but, real grounding in the history comedy Hot Fuzz. ‘It’s proved in cheek, Price describes his with experience, although and practice of [composing].’ to be a joyful relationship,’ he style as ‘hipster classical’, a the terror is just as bad, I He was one of the music said. ‘It feels very natural.’ crossover of electronic and have developed techniques editing team on The Lord of In partnership with Arnold, classical music. to get [a score] started.” the Rings trilogy, working with Price has composed the Matthew Bell Matthew Bell The producer was Terry Marsh.

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 41 RTS NEWS Midlands goes back Wales screens music doc ebruary saw RTS Wales screen the to university much-anticipated, two-part documen- n In February, RTS Midlands Ftary #swn10 at the University held the first two of the three of South Wales in Cardiff. networking seminars planned This commission, for the early part of the year, produced by Green Bay as well as a joint event with Media and On Par Produc- the BBC Academy. tions, celebrates the much- At the University of Stafford loved, multi-venue Cardiff on 2 February, the RTS Com- music festival Sŵn, the mittee was joined by indus- ­creation of BBC Radio 1 DJ try professionals from Film Huw Stephens and promoter Birmingham, the Writers’ John Rostron. Guild and local TV channel The cinema screening, and Made in Birmingham. Q&A that followed with the A week later, the roadshow organisers and the production went to Wolverhampton team in front of a packed University, with a team from audience of music lovers and John Rostron (left) and Huw Stephens

ITV Central adding to the documentary enthusiasts, Productions On Par expertise on offer. The final was held in conjunction with seminar is at the University festivities across Wales for the focus; as Stephens said: thank you and a great way to of Worcester on 23 March. Welsh Language Music Day. “Good music is just good celebrate bilingual Wales and In mid-February, RTS Artists ranging from Adele music no matter what lan- Sŵn, such an epic festival Midlands and the BBC Acad- to the Vaccines and Super guage it’s in.” over the past decade.” emy hosted the “Bounce into Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys Toby Cameron, producer/ The documentary first broadcasting boot camp” for have played Sŵn, which also director of #swn10, said: “It screened on S4C in Decem- 80 media and journalism promotes new talent. was amazing to bring every- ber 2016 and is available on students from the University It is a place where the one that’s been involved in BBC iPlayer. of Wolverhampton, as part language of the song is not the project together to say Llinos Griffin-Williams of the university’s career enhancement week. BBC Academy mobile- phone guru Marc Settle and trainer Deirdre Mulcahy took ONLINE at the RTS the students through the skills required to make short n The digital team turned their performing on the street, and films with phone cameras. hands to print in February, pub- how the magic of putting a show The student radio journal- lishing a 32-page TV jobs guide together happens in the editing ists made a programme with for the RTS Futures Careers Fair. suite (ww.rts.org.uk/Dynamo). the help of the university’s With tips on everything from radio studio and presenter working in journalism to pro- n In TV journalism, the focus is

Jo Hayward from BBC Radio duction design, the magazine Hampartsoumian Paul usually on the subject of a story, Leicester. offers a no-nonsense overview not the journalists, and rightly The TV production group of the many roles the indus- so. The RTS Television Journal- heard from writer try can offer. Presenter Laura ism Awards are an opportu- Phil Ford and producer , EastEnders writer Rob nity to celebrate the work of Harding ( and Doc- Gittins and The Crown editor the people who bring the tors), who advised on how to Úna Ní Dhonghaíle are among important stories into our develop and pitch a drama to the experts offering insights into homes. Ahead of this year’s commissioners. their careers. You can read an ceremony, Ed Gove caught up February’s careers fair Michelle Young from the online version at www.rts.org. with the nominees for Regional BBC Academy’s Production uk/TVJobsGuide17. Presenter of the Year (ww.rts. Apprentice Scheme talked after his popular, self-produced org.uk/StewartWhite; ww.rts. about opportunities with the n Magic supremo Dynamo YouTube videos gained the atten- org.uk/DuncanWood; ww.rts.org. corporation. was among the guests at the tion of producers. We caught up uk/HarryGration). Dorothy Hobson careers fair. His TV career began with him to hear why he prefers Pippa Shawley

42 Yorkshire students show craft skills

n Universities and colleges took home the Factual award from across the region for Juiced. shared the honours at the The jury said that this film RTS Yorkshire Student Tele- got “right to the heart of the vision Awards. subject and was something Edd Benson from Sheffield they could easily see on Hallam University scooped television”. the Animation award with The University of Shef- Out on a Limb, which the jury field’s Catarina Beija took the praised as a “timely and News prize for Portuguese thought-provoking piece”. Bullfighting: A Dying Tradition?. Fellow Hallam students – The jury said it included “a Amy Parker, Kirean Boughan, confident piece to camera, Lauren Griggs, Beth Elston had good access and showed and Chris Kelly – picked up really strong craft skills”. the award in the Comedy The last of the six main and Entertainment category awards went to Callum Isaac, for Tug of War, which the jury Jack Routledge and Domi- commended for its “clear nique Scoles, from the Uni- set-up, middle and pay-off versity of Leeds, in the Short – all in the right order”. Feature category for Jamie, Purple Thunder Produc- “an emotional piece, made tions, from York St John Uni- with a lot of love”. versity, won the Drama Eight Craft Awards were Purple Thunder Productions won the Drama prize

award with Eden, “an ambi- also made at the ceremony, Harness Paul tious film with a real human which was held at Sheffield story”. United FC in late February number and their quality. Chair Dr Fiona Thompson. Adam Marseille, Fraser and hosted by BBC Look North There were a number of The University of Sheffield Heanue and team from the presenter Amy Garcia. entries that the judges felt and Sheffield Hallam Uni- Northern Film School at “We are delighted with this would sit very well on the TV versity sponsored the awards. Leeds Beckett University year’s entries, both for their right away,” said Yorkshire Matthew Bell Irish colleges divide the spoils tudents from three conveyed a well-crafted ani- featured “strong graphics, an Institute of Technology, colleges took home mation with great attention to effective score and sound scooped the Drama award the prizes at the RTS detail and unique comedy,” effects”. for Adolf and Eva, “a comedy- Republic of Ireland said the jury. The award in the Factual drama, with clever scripting SStudent Television Awards in Noel Aungier, also a stu- category also went to and good acting”. mid-February. dent at Ballyf­ermot College National Film School RTÉ Director-General Dee Sean Cunningham, Paul of Further Education, was ­students – Laura Gaynor Forbes presented the awards Kavanagh, Padraic Byrne, awarded the Comedy and and Luke Brabazon – for at RTÉ Studio One in Dublin. Nicole Storck and team from Entertainment prize for Trixie, When the Butcher Stopped “The jury was delighted to the Irish School of Anima- “a lively, narrative piece with Ordering Meat. have such a high number of tion, Ballyfermot College of music, movement and The jury admired “the entries again this year in the Further Education, took the charm”. warm, congenial atmosphere five categories, and it was very Animation award, with an Jordan Murshed and Eoin maintained throughout”. impressed with the standard irreverent film about religion, Duggan, students from the Ciarán McNamara, Ashley of the work of the students,” Define Intervention. National Film School, IADT, Turbett, Phil Davin, Pierce said Republic of Ireland Cen- “The original scripting and took the Short Feature cat- McDonagh and team from tre Chair Charles Byrne. placing of witty set pieces egory with Vitruvius, which the School of Media, Dublin Matthew Bell

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 43 RTS NEWS Central nabs three prizes

n The University of Central cast member Richard Linnell. Lancashire (UCLan) took The audience heard how a home three of the top prizes tailored digital media strategy, from the RTS North West with bespoke content for Student Awards in February. each digital platform, had The university’s Jake enabled Channel 4’s longest- Blakeston won the Animation running drama to not only award for Matchstick Zombies, connect with audiences in which the jury praised for new ways but also to see its direction and humour. increased engagement and UCLan students also won the interaction by viewers. Comedy and Entertainment An informative and enter- and Short Feature Awards. taining careers session, fea- Yousef Thami, Liberty turing ITV Shaw, Jake River Parker and journalist Rachel Braund and Heather Davenport were Laura Gibson from ITV Cre- awarded the Comedy and ative, discussed the dos and Entertainment prize for don’ts of breaking into TV. Jack P Shepherd (left) and Kieron Richardson

Headless: The Ed Shales Story, Claire Harrison Sarah Jones, deputy head of “an original and clever idea media at Coventry University, with a great punchline”. and brilliant post-production”. North West Centre held its led a session on virtual and Ashley Collier took the Short The News award was given annual Student Media Con- augmented reality. Feature award for Felix, a to Jennifer Henry from Salford ference, also at the Lowry The “Soap in a week” ses- story “with heart and soul”. University for Life as a Refugee, Theatre. It was hosted by sion featured: Corrie actor Robbie Nash from the Uni- which the jury praised for its ITV News senior programme Connor McIntyre; UCLan versity of triumphed journalism, production and editor Richard Frediani. journalism head Andrew in the Factual category with “compelling interviews”. The sell-out conference, Ireland; ITV excecs John See What I See, Hear What I Hear, The ceremony was held at held in partnership with Sal- Whiston and Mark Bickerton; which featured a “strong bond the Lowry Theatre, Salford, ford University, featured high- and two students, Ariana and warmth between the and hosted by BBC North West profile industry speakers. Scott and Sam Greene. film-maker and contributors”. Tonight presenter Roger John- The digital team This innovative project James Oliver and team from son. It included a question from Lime Pictures – creative – in which students and TV The Manchester College took and answer session with Jack director Alan Toner, campaign practitioners created an epi- home the Drama award for P Shepherd from Coronation manager Carly Stratton and sode of a soap in a week Stars on Mars, which boasted Street and Hollyoaks actor head of video Graham Gallery – was designed to inspire an “outstanding set, with Kieron Richardson. – discussed the impact of students and find new talent. some superb graphics work Earlier in the day, the social media on TV alongside Matthew Bell and Abigail Hill

owe him a great deal for his Over a long career at RTÉ Al Lennon vision in founding the RoI outside broadcasts, Al covered Centre. I also had the honour many events, including the of working with him at RTÉ, Eurovision Song Contest in 1932-2017 when he was part of the Dublin in 1971, 1994 and 1995. outside broadcast depart- He was also technical lphonsus (Al) Len- ment,” said Byrne, who co-ordinator for the interval non, who died after remains Chair of the Centre. performance of Riverdance a long illness on In 2006, Al received the during the 1994 contest. 19 February, aged RTS’s Pilgrim Award, which He contributed to RTÉ A84, founded the RTS Repub- recognises outstanding installations and technical lic of Ireland Centre in 1996. service. “Al was, of course, the planning at many of Ireland’s Al remained as Chair until rock on which the RTS in sporting venues, including 2000, when Charles Byrne Ireland was founded and Croke Park and the Curragh. assumed the role. a prime mover in Irish Al is survived by his wife, “We are all very sad at the television. He will be sadly Mary, and his three daughters, passing of our dear friend missed,” said RTS Honorary Ann, Kathryn and Sinéad. Al Lennon

and colleague Al Lennon and Secretary David Lowen. RTÉ Matthew Bell

44 that made the radical Chan- nel 4 current affairs shows The Friday Alternative and Diverse Reports, both of which were accused of left-wing bias. In 1987, he returned to the BBC, making hard-hitting investigative programmes for Brass Tacks and, famously, Panorama, where he edited the sensational interview with Diana, Princess of Wales. The show was watched by an astonishing 23 million people and precipitated a clash between the then-BBC Chairman, Marmaduke Hussey, and Director-General John Birt. Hussey’s wife, Susan, was a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, but Birt kept Steve Hewlett the Chairman in the dark about the programme until it became public knowledge. Steve loved upsetting apple 1958-2017 carts.

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul He was in line to become controller of BBC One in 1997 teve Hewlett, who has Hewletts. He’d be on Today at media world without Steve’s but was beaten to the job by died, aged 58, was, in breakfast time and there inquiring mind to make . many ways, the jour- again as a pundit on the sense of it. He would look Instead, Steve was recruited nalists’ journalist. lunchtime news. As the day’s deep under the surface of as a commissioning editor at SLarge and crumpled in news cycle drew to a close, things and never use the Channel 4, before joining appearance, looking askance Steve would still be explaining hack’s lazy trick of falling Carlton TV as managing at the world through badly the importance of the latest back on platitudes. director of productions. He treated glasses, Steve resem- twist in the phone-hacking At RTS events, Steve was a was hired to bring some edi- bled a character from the saga, or a row over BBC hugely welcome presence. torial clout to the company pages of Michael Frayn. It executive pay, on Newsnight. His interviewing gifts were following controversy over a was no surprise to learn that sublime, although his ques- faked documentary. he was a rugby player. tions could be longer than The corporate Carlton life His distinctive Midlands’ the eventual answers. was not totally to Steve’s taste. tones were invariably part of STEVE’S Steve was brought up by Following Granada’s takeover the background noise to any INTERVIEWING adopted parents, Lawrence of the company, in 2004, he media event worth attending. and Vera Hewlett, and was made redundant. At Cambridge or Edinburgh, GIFTS WERE attended grammar school in He then proceeded to Steve’s presence was de SUBLIME Solihull in the West Midlands. re-invent himself as Steve rigueur – whether talking, He went to Manchester Uni- Hewlett, portfolio worker. As beer in hand, until past mid- versity, where, as a student well as his BBC duties, he night in the bar or up on stage Somehow, the hugely activist, he helped to organise made programmes for two interviewing, say, Elisabeth energetic and intellectually a rent strike. companies he had helped set Murdoch or David Abraham. forensic Steve would find the As an aspiring journalist, he up, Big Pictures and Genie The public knew him time to return calls from sold stories to the BBC, but Pictures. His 2013 BBC Two as the presenter of BBC various media corre-spon- when Nationwide’s editor, documentary : Radio 4’s The Media Show dents. He would not short- Roger Bolton, offered him a Battle with Britain typically and latterly for describing in change these reporters by job, Steve caught the eye of avoided being binary. moving detail the progress of giving brief, run-of-the-mill the corporation’s infamous Steve is survived by his the cancer that finally killed answers to their queries. Brigadier Ronnie Stonham, the wife, Rachel Crellin, whom he him on 20 February. Steve’s weekly columns for Beeb’s in-house spook. Bolton married weeks before his On some days when a big the Guardian were a must- somehow overrode the MI5 death, and three sons, Freddie, media story was breaking, it read and he was a valued man’s objections and Steve’s Billy and Bertie, by his former seemed as if there were three, contributor to Television. It is career was up and running. partner Karole Lange. four or even seven Steve hard to imagine the UK’s Steve was part of the team Steve Clarke

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 45 OFF M E SSAGE

e all know But, having managed to secure a Bradby won the night’s first award, that the visa in the nick of time, Waad was for Network Presenter of the Year. RTS Tele- able to be there on the night. Justifi- The timing of this was exquisite. vision ably, she was greeted by a standing Two nights earlier, ITV had unveiled Journalism ovation. She was the first woman to the first edition of its new, late-night Awards be voted Camera Operator of the entertainment vehicle, The Nightly are one of Year. Off Message sincerely hopes Show. The News at Ten was bumped to the high spots in the TV calendar, but she won’t be the last. 10:30pm to make room for the Wthis year’s ceremony was memorable As several commentators have upstart chat show. on so many different fronts. pointed out, the fact that a woman The next few weeks are certain to Throughout the proceedings, the filmed the destruction of Aleppo be an anxious time for everyone’s emotional temperature was, to put it marks a significant moment in tele- favourite maverick, ITV’s head of mildly, volatile – and nowhere more vision news narration. television, Kevin Lygo, architect of so than at the Channel 4 News table. Or, as Channel 4 News editor Ben de the new schedule. He now knows They had many reasons to celebrate, Pear summed it up so eloquently in what it feels like to be at the sharp winning a total of six awards. the Guardian, when he wrote in end of playing fast and loose with a Star reporter and anchor Matt Frei’s December: “She humanised the national TV institution. acceptance speech victims, showed us whole families in But are all the criticisms thrown – he beat the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen and their worst moments, chronicled at Lygo merely the anachronistic colleague Krishnan Guru-Murthy to their pain and showed the world the whinges of those who’ve forgotten nab Television Journalist of the Year horror, without intruding, and with a that, in today’s world, most of us get – was worthy of Hollywood. Imagine skill it takes most decades to learn.” our news online and on the move? a deranged Jack Nicholson at the peak One other point: before The of his powers and you’ll have some ■ No apologies for one more item on Nightly Show is written off as Lygo’s idea of Frei’s unbuttoned performance. the awards. As we all know by now, Eldorado, just remember how long No prizes for guessing who the the Judges’ Award was given to the it took for another type of TV show ­former Washington correspondent late Steve Hewlett. pioneered and perfected across the thanked for “making news great again”. His three sons, Fred, Billy and Bertie Atlantic to bed down in the UK. collected the award. It was a highly Bringing breakfast TV to Britain was ■ Staying with the Journalism charged moment. Stewart Purvis’s hardly an overnight success. Awards, no one could fail to be moving tribute to Steve was a fitting TV-am, recall, was beset by teeth- touched by seeing Syrian film-maker coda to a remarkable evening. ing troubles that make The Nightly Waad al-Kateab take the stage to And all executed without a single Show’s present woes look like just receive the trophy for Camera Oper- envelope malfunction. another embarrassing day for Paul ator of the Year. Nuttall. As far as Off Message knows, In December, there were fears for ■ Meanwhile, did anyone men- no irate News at Ten presenter has yet al-Kateab’s life when she was trapped tion ITV and the News at Ten at the hurled a glass of wine in Lygo’s amid the horror of a besieged Aleppo. ceremony? Well, the brilliant Tom ­direction.

46 March 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 EndemolShine ITN STV Group Major Amazon Video Enders Analysis KPMG UKTV Patrons Audio Network FremantleMedia McKinsey and Co Boston Consulting FTI Consulting OC&C YouView Group Fujitsu Pinewood Studios BT Huawei S4C Channel 5 IBM Sargent-Disc Deloitte IMG Studios Sony

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

Who’s who Patron Chair of RTS Trustees CENTRES COUNCIL History at the RTS HRH The Prince of Wales Tom Mockridge Lynn Barlow Don McLean Charles Byrne Vice-Presidents Honorary Secretary Steve Carson IBC Conference Liaison David Abraham David Lowen Dan Cherowbrier Terry Marsh Isabel Clarke Sir OM Honorary Treasurer Alex Connock RTS Technology Bursaries CH CVO CBE FRS Mike Green Gordon Cooper Simon Pitts Baroness Floella Tim Hartley Benjamin OBE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Kingsley Marshall AWARDS COMMITTEE Dame Colette Bowe OBE Lynn Barlow Nikki O’Donnell CHAIRS Lord Bragg of Wigton Fiona Thompson Awards & Fellowship John Cresswell Mike Green Graeme Thompson Policy Adam Crozier David Lowen Penny Westlake David Lowen Mike Darcey Graham McWilliam James Wilson Tom Mockridge Television Journalism Lord Hall of Birkenhead Simon Pitts SPECIALIST GROUP Awards Lorraine Heggessey Jane Turton CHAIRS Stewart Purvis CBE Rob Woodward Archives Armando Iannucci OBE Dale Grayson Programme Awards Ian Jones EXECUTIVE Alex Mahon Baroness Lawrence of Chief Executive Diversity Clarendon OBE Theresa Wise Marcus Ryder Student Television Rt Hon Baroness Jowell Awards of Brixton DBE PC Early Evening Events Phil Edgar-Jones David Lynn Dan Brooke Sir Trevor McDonald OBE Ken MacQuarrie Education Gavin Patterson Graeme Thompson OBE Stewart Purvis CBE RTS Futures Sir Howard Stringer Donna Taberer

Television www.rts.org.uk March 2017 47