March 2021 Channel 5’s Boleyn girl Television www.rts.org.uk September 2013 1 Digital Purchase Order An adaptable solution for modern production accounting Digital Purchase Order (DPO) is the industry standard purchase order solution for production. Simplicity is at its core and by managing complexity behind the scenes DPO is able to deliver complex features in a simple to use website and mobile applications. The DPO invoice approval feature enables productions to work even more safely and efficiently under the post Covid-19 protocols that encourage paperless workflows and the digital approval of POs and Invoices. Digital Purchase Order benefits: Create POs in seconds Control costs in multiple currencies Customise approval chains Save 50g of CO2 emissions per PO 24/7 access Digital travel authorisations Digital cheque requests New - Invoice approval feature To find out more visit the Digital Production Office® website. www.digitalproductionoffice.com or contact us for more information: T: +44 (0)1753 630300 E: [email protected] www.sargent-disc.com www.digitalproductionoffice.com @SargentDisc @DigiProdOffice /SargentDisc /digitalproductionoffice Journal of The Royal Television Society March 2021 l Volume 58/3 Digital Purchase Order From the CEO An adaptable solution for We are all still stuck Thanks, too, to the always upbeat Spiral have become global blockbusters. in lockdown, but I am Ore Oduba for hosting the nomina- A recent Creative Diversity Network delighted to say that tions for the RTS Programme Awards. report makes hard reading for all of us modern production accounting the industry turned Since you’ve asked, we’ll be announc- who want British TV to be genuinely up in virtual droves ing the winners on 16 March, when inclusive. Please read Rosie Jones and to celebrate the nomi- our host will be that doyen of the TV Deborah Williams’s passionate pleas to nees and winners of talk show, Jonathan Ross. Don’t miss the industry to recruit more disabled this year’s RTS Television Journalism the live stream on the RTS website. people on both sides of the camera. Awards. A huge thanks to the evening’s Our cover story is Channel 5’s inno- Finally, if wild swimming intrigues hosts, Mishal Husain and Simon Bucks, vative approach to drama. The station’s you, turn to Katy Boulton’s Our Friend for doing such a great job, and to all the gripping thriller The Drowning was a column – though some of us might juries. Congratulations to the winners. genuine treat. I can’t wait to see its wait until it feels more like spring to Not even the lack of a physical scripted take on Anne Boleyn, starring take the plunge. audience could stop the irrepressible Jodie Turner-Smith as the ill-fated Sky News editor, John Ryley, from Tudor queen. giving an emotional acceptance speech French TV drama is enjoying a pur- as Sky News was once again voted ple patch: Stuart Kemp explains why Digital Purchase Order (DPO) is the industry News Channel of the Year. the likes of Netflix’s Call My Agent! and Theresa Wise standard purchase order solution for production. Simplicity is at its core and by managing complexity behind the scenes DPO is able to deliver complex features in a simple to use Cover: Anne Boleyn (Channel 5) website and mobile applications. The DPO invoice approval feature enables Contents productions to work even more safely and Ricky Boleto’s TV Diary At the Sharp end efficiently under the post Covid-19 protocols that Newsround’s Ricky Boleto regularly makes sense of Richard Sharp is the BBC’s new Chair. Steve Clarke encourage paperless workflows and the digital 5 tough stories for CBBC but is shocked that his garden 18 profiles the former Goldman Sachs banker helping shed has gone viral to steer the BBC through challenging times approval of POs and Invoices. Comfort Classic: Friends Where are all the disabled people? The US sitcom both defined and transcended an era. Rosie Jones and Deborah Williams discuss television’s Digital Purchase Order benefits: 6 Caroline Frost discovers why audiences remain addicted 20 failure to hire more disabled people Create POs in seconds Ear Candy: In Writing with Hattie Crisell Working to new rules Control costs in multiple currencies Harry Bennett is inspired by the creative journeys As Covid-19 supervisors become commonplace on Customise approval chains 7 of Hattie Crisell’s guests 22 set, Tim Dams learns how producers are keeping the cameras rolling Save 50g of CO2 emissions per PO Working Lives: Director 24/7 access Sheree Folkson talks to Matthew Bell about the huge Our Friend in Yorkshire Digital travel authorisations 8 range of productions she has directed Katy Boulton shares her new obsession and invites 25 a commissioner to dip their toe in very cold water Digital cheque requests Channel 5’s drive for drama New - Invoice approval feature Shilpa Ganatra speaks to Sebastian Cardwell, the man Sleuthing by the sea 10 spearheading the station’s innovative approach to TV’s Could Grace, starring John Simm, become ITV’s new dominant genre 26 Inspector Morse? Matthew Bell investigates Why French shows are so in vogue How to cut TV’s carbon footprint To find out more visit the Stuart Kemp explores why the UK is not alone An RTS panel examines how TV producers can play Digital Production Office® website. 12 in enjoying an affaire du coeur with French TV 28 their part in combating global warming A cagey game for rights RTS Television Journalism Awards 2021 www.digitalproductionoffice.com As cricket returns to free-to-air TV, Matthew Bell checks Mishal Husain and Simon Bucks presented the awards 15 out the bidders eyeing other top sports rights 30 at a ceremony streamed on 24 February or contact us for more information: T: +44 (0)1753 630300 E: [email protected] 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 2021. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television www.sargent-disc.com www.digitalproductionoffice.com News editor and 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 @SargentDisc @DigiProdOffice [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk /SargentDisc /digitalproductionoffice Television www.rts.org.uk March 2021 3 AMBIENCE From low light and chilled-out tunes, to relaxing vibes and the promise of great conversation, discover music to create the perfect ambience - and bring your story to life. SEND US YOUR BRIEF DISCOVER MORE [email protected] audionetwork.com/discover TV diary Newsround’s Ricky Boleto regularly makes sense of tough stories for CBBC but is shocked that his garden shed has gone viral think it’s fair to say that shed. I shared a picture of the reno- The next day, I’m heading out to reporting for Newsround is a vations on social media and it’s gone try and film a piece to camera for a job like no other in journal- viral. I’ve had messages from shed report about cladding. We’re featur- ism. I know John Craven and lovers all over the world… it has also ing two young children who live in all those who’ve followed in made it on to the BBC News home- flats that need to have it removed. his footsteps would agree. page – this is ridiculous. Stories like this can be a challenge, This week alone, I’ve gone I suppose we’ve all had to adapt especially when we have to refer to from explaining the situation in Myan- one way or another over the past year the Grenfell Tower tragedy, where Imar to revealing which celebrity was when it comes to how we work, and 72 people lost their lives. behind the sausage costume on ITV’s it seems my shed has caught every- Newsround never shies away from The Masked Singer. In case you were one’s imagination. reporting these kinds of stories, but wondering, it was Joss Stone… all in a we are mindful about the way we day’s work for a Newsround presenter. ■ The BBC’s brilliant tech corre- tell them. spondent, Rory Cellan-Jones, has ■ The week starts with a short walk been in touch and asked me if I can ■ Back on the box and back in the to the end of the garden. I’m cur- sort out his working from home shed, this time for BBC Breakfast to rently working from home and, like set-up, which is covered in wires talk about children’s mental health so many of us, I’ve become accus- and extension leads. I’ll be over as during the Covid-19 pandemic. tomed to this ultra-short commute. soon as I can Rory! It’s clear that each lockdown has Over Christmas, I converted a brought different challenges for garden shed into a “state of the art” ■ Back to the day job now, and it’s young people and I’ve been hearing home studio. It’s got lights, a TV internet safety day, all beamed live about their struggles with home monitor, various tripods, cameras… on the CBBC channel from the CBBC schooling and feelings around the works. Getting reliable internet to studio – and with me in the infa- loneliness. the back of the garden was tricky and mous shed.