February 2017

Who’s watching? Fact and fiction in streaming TV

Plus Mark Thompson’s encounter with the President CrewStartTM

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NORTH WEST SOUTHERN National events Local events Wednesday 22 February Wednesday 22 March Student media conference Meet the professionals RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT BRISTOL Followed by the Student An opportunity for students Thursday 23 February Sunday 19 March Television Awards. The from production-based courses False news, unverified claims RTS West of England conference is for media across the South to meet and alternative facts Awards 2017 students across the North West. informally a wide range of What is the future for honest Venue: Bristol Old Vic, King Sessions include: How to get media production professionals. journalism in a post-truth world? Street, Bristol BS1 4ED into TV; Using digital media 2:00pm-5:30pm Panellists include: Nick Robinson, ■ Belinda Biggam in drama; Exploring virtual Venue: Bournemouth University, BBC journalist and Today pre- ■ [email protected] and augmented reality; and Talbot Campus BH12 5BB senter; Allegra Stratton, national Newsgathering. To reserve your ■ Gordon Cooper editor, ITV News, ITN; Patrick DEVON & CORNWALL place, email rachelpinkney@ ■ [email protected] Walker, director of media part- ■ Kingsley Marshall yahoo.co.uk. 1:30pm to 5:30pm nerships, Facebook; and Rt Hon ■ Kingsley.Marshall@falmouth. Venue: Compass Room, The THAMES VALLEY John Whittingdale OBE MP, former ac.uk Lowry, Salford Quays, Salford Wednesday 15 February Secretary of State for Culture, M50 3AZ Advances in compression Media and Sport. Chair: Stewart EAST Student Television Awards Speaker: Ian Trow, senior direc- Purvis CBE. More speakers TBA. ■ Nikki O’Donnell Presented by Roger tor, emerging technology and 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start. ■ nikki.odonnell@bbc.co.uk Johnson, with special guest strategy at Harmonic. 6:30pm Venue: The Hospital Club, 24 Endell Jack P Shepherd. Book via for 7:00pm Street, London WC2H 9HQ LONDON [email protected]. Venue: Pincents Manor Hotel, ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk ■ Daniel Cherowbrier 6:30pm Calcot, Reading RG31 4UQ ■ [email protected] Venue: Compass Room, The ■ Penny Westlake RTS AWARDS Lowry, Salford Quays, Salford ■ [email protected] Wednesday 1 March MIDLANDS M50 3AZ RTS Television Journalism Thursday 23 March ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 WALES Awards 2017 Networking seminar ■ [email protected] Thursday 16 February Venue: London Hilton on Park Find out what’s happening in Clive Myrie, in conversation Lane, London W1K 1BE your region from guest speakers, NORTHERN IRELAND with Tim Hartley ■ Jamie O’Neill 020 7822 2821 and network with other ■ John Mitchell Booking essential: email ■ [email protected] professionals. To book a place, ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@btinter - [email protected] or call email [email protected]. net.com 07980 007 841. 6:15pm (light RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT 11:45am-2:30pm refreshments available) for Tuesday 7 March Venue: University of Worcester, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 7:00pm John Petter, in conversation Henwick Grove, Worcester WR2 6AJ Wednesday 15 February Venue: Television Studio, ATRiuM John Petter, CEO of BT Consumer. ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 Student Television Awards Building, USW, 86-88 Adam 6:30pm for 6:45pm start ■ [email protected] 8:00pm Street, Cardiff CF24 2FN Venue: BT Tower, Maple Street, Venue: RTÉ Television Centre, ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 London W1T 4JZ NORTH EAST & THE BORDER Studio 1, Stillorgan Road, ■ [email protected] ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk Thursday 23 February Montrose, Dublin 4 Networking evenings ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 YORKSHIRE Tuesday 21 March The last Thursday of the month, ■ [email protected] Friday 10 March RTS Programme Awards 2017 for anyone working in TV, film, Emmerdale: Anatomy of a hit In partnership with Audio ­Network computer games or digital SCOTLAND Speakers TBA. Panellists Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, ­production. 6:00pm onwards. Wednesday 1 March will include producers, Park Lane, London W1K 7TN Venue: Tyneside Bar Café, Tyne- AGM followed by directors, writers and actors. ■ Alice Turner 020 7822 2822 side Cinema, 10 Pilgrim St, New- Student Television Awards There will also be craft ■ [email protected] castle upon Tyne NE1 6QG AGM at 6:00pm, followed by the workshops for students and ■ Jill Graham awards reception (light buffet) young people interested RTS CONFERENCE ■ [email protected] at 7:00pm in a career in television. To 13-15 September Venue: The Hub Glasgow, Pacific register your interest, email RTS Cambridge Convention Quay, Pacific Drive, Glasgow [email protected] 2017 G51 1EA Venue: Leeds College of Music, Venue: West Road Concert Hall, ■ James Wilson 07899 761167 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7PD Cambridge CB3 9DP and King’s ■ james.wilson@cityofglasgow- ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 College, Cambridge CB2 1ST college.ac.uk ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. ■ Booking opens soon co.uk

4 TV diary

Jess Fowle celebrates a historic week for True North, which seems to have grown too big for its pizzas

n auspicious start on the four-hour train ride to pitch from tales of Bake Off’s drawn-out ges- to the week. The in London. There are times when I tation. In the meantime, we’re deter- news breaks that board the East Coast main line from mined to prove the concept works. Sky has taken a Happy Valley to Medialand slightly majority stake in resentfully. ■ Our development exec is teaching True North. Our But, today, I’m feeling philosophical. herself piano and I am training for baby, born 16 years The post-Brexit world presents an a particularly masochistic challenge ago, is all grown-up. What started with enormous challenge to all of us media called Up the Buttress (The Buttress threeA people, one desk and one com- luvvies, and something tells me that being a ridiculously vertiginous, puter regularly employs more than those 200 miles that separate us from slimy, cobbled local “snicket”, to be 150 talented programme-makers the metropolis are going to give us a conquered on a mountain bike). across bases in Leeds and Manchester creative edge in years to come. The only way I can train is to do it and has 11 series in production. Rather than seeing the M62 as secretly – at 6:00am – while no one is The deal with Sky has been a long a long, thin car park, we’re now watching. Today I manage 25 metres time in the making and it’s both excit- ­reimagining it as a cultural fault line before coming off. Tomorrow, I am ing and a relief to finally tell our team. across modern Britain. And we’re determined it will be 30. We’re all fiercely proud of our inde- perched right on top of it. pendent Northern roots and massively ■ The week that started so well has invigorated by what the future holds. ■ One of our shows, Building the ended even better. True North is Dream, is exactly half way through a named as one of the best places to ■ I’m woken slightly befuddled after five-year, 100-part order. We want to work in TV. A near crisis is averted last night’s fizz. Our development make sure that we’re not missing any after Dominos says our celebratory WhatsApp group is going crazy. My tricks. Thankfully, we have some ded- order is too big to deliver. co-creative director, Andrew Sheldon, icated viewers inside the company. Our brilliant office manager heads is at Realscreen with executive pro- Today, we’re running a programme into town to pick up the pizzas and ducer Fiona O’Sullivan - creator of review. It’s like a book group but we finally celebrate with a Skype our toe-curlingly­ honest relationship without the wine. The brilliant series hook-up between the teams in Leeds show, The Lie Detective. Three US net- producer is remarkably resilient as and Manchester. works are fighting over the format. his colleagues analyse and question Andrew and I have been partners every part of the format. ■ Various members of the True North in crime for 23 years and he had felt We come away with lots of tweaks cycling team nobble me – to ask if torn – having to be away from base – all within budget – that will give Sky will provide brand new Pinarellos for our Sky announcement. He the show even greater production for our little team or if Chris Froome seems to have cheered up now. values and creative edge. can be our coach. I say I will investi- gate. Maybe some jerseys, perhaps? ■ Try to run off the hangover with a ■ We’re developing a dramatic trans- headtorch-lit riverside run at home formation show with a BBC commis- Jess Fowle is creative director and in Hebden Bridge, before setting off sioning editor and I’m taking heart co-founder of True North.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 5 Streaming facts from fiction

ave Netflix and Amazon surrounding both shows. In December, Prime Video finally come Audience research the Mail on Sunday reported that Clark- of age as viewing son’s The Grand Tour was the most ille- platforms in the UK, gally-downloaded TV show in history. thanks to the uber-hyped How big are the The source was a piracy data firm The Crown and The Grand changes in UK viewing called Muso. Tour? But how many people have The story was picked up by the watchedH these, the first two big British Guardian, Independent, Daily Telegraph, habits that Netflix and commissions by the streaming Fortune and other media. companies? And what impact are the Amazon are fostering? But Variety checked the details with video-streaming companies having Torin Douglas Muso and squashed the claim. It said on our viewing habits more generally? The Grand Tour may have had piracy With their huge budgets and endless investigates problems but it “was not even close to press and online coverage, there is a lot being the most-pirated show over the riding on the return of Jeremy Clark- change is far less dramatic than the last three weeks” – let alone ever. son and co, and the drama series about internet cheerleaders would have us Similarly, when Netflix launched The the young Queen Elizabeth. believe. Crown, the Times proclaimed: “Stream- Since neither company will share its “We are experiencing profound ing upstarts seize traditional televi- viewing figures or UK subscription change, with new ways to watch, and sion’s crown. Britain is turning into numbers, it i s not easy to gauge their new global providers of content,” says a digital couch-potato economy, with real impact, but we can try to sift the Jonathan Thompson, Chief Executive four in five of us subscribing to at least fact from the fiction. of Digital UK, which co-ordinates the one streaming service.” If you believe the headlines, services Freeview DTT platform. “But it is really Thompson publicly challenged this such as Netflix are carrying all before important that we separate rhetoric claim at Digital UK’s stakeholder con- them. But, while everyone agrees that from reality and not get carried away ference: “The survey’s ‘four in five’ viewing habits are changing – particu- with a Silicon Valley view of the future figure was for people subscribing to larly among the young – the stalwarts of broadcast TV.” any type of service, not just streaming of terrestrial television insist that the There has been a fog of hype – gym membership, publications,

6 compared directly, because Amazon 1.8 episodes, considerably fewer than and Netflix don’t publish figures or the top US shows on Amazon. submit themselves to Barb’s strict GfK says that this could be because rules, as broadcasters do – though viewers were disappointed after the Amazon has made an approach. first episode or they simply hadn’t “We had an enquiry caught up yet. Ama- recently from a repre- zon releases a new sentative of Amazon Grand Tour show every about measuring audi- A MASSIVE Friday (in contrast to ences for The Grand Tour, 37% OF THE Netflix, which puts out but it came to nothing,” a whole series straight wrote Barb CEO Justin UK’S AMAZON away); there were Sampson on its website. eight episodes in “I’ll leave you to draw PRIME USERS November and your own conclusions.” WATCHED THE December. Barb requires all “The Grand Tour is programmes to be GRAND TOUR astonishing,” says Julia measured on a similar Lamaison, insight basis so that figures can director of GfK UK. be shared and compared. But Amazon “I’ve never seen a pattern like that for won’t even tell its series producers any other original programme launch. how their shows are doing. It certainly attracted a massive number Clarkson has confirmed that The of Amazon users and it will be inter- Grand Tour team has not been told – esting to see whether the interest con- and will not be told – how many tinues through time.” ­people have watched the programme. But how many people have actually Amazon has revealed only that the watched the show? GfK keeps this sort show was its biggest premiere ever, of analysis for the broadcasters and “with millions of members streaming platforms that subscribe to its tracker, the first episode in the US, UK, Ger- but we can make some assumptions. many, Austria and Japan over the first The latest Barb Establishment survey weekend”. shows that 6.13 million UK households Netflix’s recently published results subscribed to Netflix in the third quar- Netflix newcomer A Series for Q4 2016 reveal a record quarterly ter of 2016, while Amazon Prime mem- of Unfortunate Events

Netflix rise in subscriptions, up by 7 million bership grew strongly to 2.55 million. to almost 94 million worldwide. At the The survey shows that 13.8 million software, music and so on,” he said. same time, Netflix confirmed plans to adults had access to Netflix and “It was commissioned by a company spend $6bn on content in 2017. But it 5.4 million to Amazon. A third of adults called Zuora, which runs a subscription remains as coy as Amazon about its – 16.9 million – had at least one SVoD management programme.” viewing figures. Chief content officer service, including Now TV. The headline on Zuora’s press Ted Sarandos told analysts simply that Assuming, as GfK says, that The Crown release was dramatic, echoing a theme The Crown was “very popular” in the reached 9% of 13.8 million Netflix repeatedly peddled by internet busi- UK, and also did well across the US, adults, it would mean that 1.2 million nesses: “Is broadcast dead? Half of Europe, and Asia. saw at least part of an episode. If The Brits now rarely watch ‘normal TV’ due Fortunately, the UK’s wealth of Grand Tour reached 37% of Amazon’s to Netflix and Amazon Video, finds research expertise and viewing data 5.4 million adults, the audience would consumer research.” means we can get a clearer picture. work out at 2 million – at least for part This assertion was contradicted by Figures released to Television by GfK of the first episode. the release itself. It stated that a quarter UK from its SVoD Content Tracker (see That is good for a show that is not on of British consumers subscribed to charts) show that The Crown and The “normal” TV – the best-watched epi- video streaming services and almost Grand Tour went straight to the top sode of Game of Thrones on Sky Atlantic half of these subscribers said they spots on their platforms in the UK. got an average audience of 2 million. rarely watched “normal” TV. Across November and December But it’s not large in UK audience terms “That’s 12% of the UK adult popula- 2016, 9% of Netflix users watched The (the Bake Off final topped 15 million) and tion,” the release declared. But 12% is Crown, putting it well ahead of proven it’s a lot less than Clarkson and chums not “half of Brits”. And, as rigorous US hits such as Breaking Bad, Narcos, got on Top Gear. researchers know, what people say in Orange Is the New Black and Gilmore Girls. So, what impact is internet video a survey can be very different to what On average, these viewers watched 3.9 having on our viewing habits generally? they actually do. of The Crown’s 10 episodes. UK subscriptions to Netflix and So how do The Crown and The Grand A massive 37% of the UK’s Amazon Amazon Prime are undoubtedly grow- Tour compare with the most popular Prime users watched The Grand Tour, ing, boosted by The Crown and The Grand series on “normal” TV, such as The Great four times the figure for the number- Tour, but most viewers seem to use British Bake Off, Strictly Come Dancing, and two show, The Man in the High Castle. them as additions to broadcast TV, Planet Earth II? Their audiences can’t be But on average they only watched not as replacements. �

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 7 � And change is happening faster Orange Is the among the young. A much higher New Black proportion of the 16-34 age group have access to an SVoD service and they are watching less live TV than they did two years ago. According to Barb, this group’s average viewing fell to 1 hour 54 min- utes a day in 2016, from 2 hours 4 minutes in 2015. Ofcom’s Digital Day diary survey agrees, and records a steeper fall over the past two years. But the young have always watched less TV than all adults and, among viewers as a whole, the drop in view- Netflix ing to “normal” TV is much lower. Average Barb and Thinkbox say it is down by Top 10 Netflix programmes Percentage Percentage streams/ just three minutes a day, from 3 hours November/December 2016 of total of total episodes 26 minutes in 2015 to 3 hours 23 min- users streams per user utes last year. They insist that broad- The Crown 9% 4% 3.9 cast TV remains easily the most Breaking Bad 6% 4% 5.4 popular form of video. Narcos 6% 3% 5.1 “TV – live, playback or on-demand, Orange is the New Black 5% 3% 4.4 across all screens – had a 76% share Gilmore Girls 4% 2% 5.1 of total video viewing in 2015 in the Once Upon a Time 4% 2% 4.5 UK,” declared a recent publication, Marvel’s Luke Cage 4% 2% 4.7 “TV in the video world”, published by Stranger Things 3% 2% 4.7 Thinkbox and the Marketing Society. Sons of Anarchy 1% 2% 15.4 “SVoD viewing – Netflix, Amazon Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 1% 2% 10.8 Prime and other SVoD services – Source: GfK Subscription Video on Demand Content Tracker totalled 4%,” it said. The YouTube figure was 4.4%. Yet, many people in TV find it hard The Man in the to accept this. Nigel Walley, Managing High Castle Director of Decipher, the media strat- egy consultancy, wrote recently: “Speaking at a conference, I quoted an Ofcom figure about the resilience of linear broadcast viewing in UK TV. “After my talk, I was accused of lying about it by an audience mem- ber. It was a strangely shocking moment. They were convinced that the truth they felt in their gut was more true than an exhaustively researched Ofcom number.” The Chair of Thinkbox, Tess Alps, Amazon Prime tirelessly challenges all misleading Average claims about “the death of TV”. She Top 10 Amazon programmes Percentage Percentage streams/ says: “We’ve recently published a November/December 2016 of total of total episodes study through Ipsos, called “TV nation/ users streams per user ad nation”, which looks at marketers’ The Grand Tour 37% 13% 1.8 opinions of what consumers do. It’s The Man in the High Castle 9% 6% 3.6 pretty terrifying. If you ask marketers Lucifer 8% 5% 3.1 how much time they think the aver- The Walking Dead 6% 5% 4.2 age person is watching YouTube, they Mr Robot 5% 5% 4.3 say over an hour a day – the real Vikings 5% 4% 4.1 number is 16 minutes.” Black Sails 2% 3% 9.3 It may be apocryphal, but an Amazon Arrow 2% 3% 9.2 executive was recently quoted as say- Outlander 3% 3% 4.7 ing that no one in north London Prison Break 2% 2% 6.3 watches broadcast TV any more. Source: GfK Subscription Video on Demand Content Tracker To which the response was “in your dreams”.

8 February 2017 www.rts.org.uk Television Flying high under the radar The Billen profile Miranda Curtis, a key player in the expansion of cable TV and BA’s all-time top woman passenger, gives a rare interview to

Andrew Billen Liberty Global

hen you are painfully young in Japanese business bewildering summary of acquisitions talking to a years, rather than over the hill), to her and renamings – been huge but was woman as benefit. only really noticed by customers successful “A Japanese colleague,” she tells me when it reacquired Virgin Media as the former over coffee in a London business in 2013. president of a centre, “said to me one night after Privacy is also part of Curtis’s style. keyW division of Liberty Global, a multi-­ we’d had quite a lot of sake, ‘Miranda-­ When she tells me that Vanity Fair has millionaire who has driven the expan- san, you have to understand that, to recently brought Malone back from sion of cable television and telephony us, all western men look exactly the its “hall of fame” into the main body across the world, and who is now same, particularly Americans: square of its annual power list because, at 75, firmly in the ranks of Britain’s great jaw, blue eyes, same shirts. At least we he is still such a “player”, I ask if she and good, it is hard to prosecute the can remember which one you are.’” is on any list. case that sexism has held her back. Here, however, few people would “No. Not the power list. Nor the gay Miranda Curtis, however, has no recognise the neat, blonde, composed power list.” compunction in saying she has yet forthright woman, now a youthful Would she want to be? “No. Not encountered it, not least in Japan, 61, who is talking to me. There are interested.” She is not in Who’s Who, where she struck one of telephony’s reasons for this. Liberty Global, I notice. “Not in Who’s Who, not on deals of the century without – for fear chaired by the low-key John Malone Wikipedia, nothing. It suits me fine.” of frightening the locals – ever being (go on, tell me you could pick him out Why? Why doesn’t she want to named as chair of the company on in a line-up shout about what she’s done, and as whose behalf she was negotiating. of American tycoons), does not court a gay woman? “I just fly under the Somehow, she turned the curse of publicity. radar. It’s the way I always was. It’s being, as she puts it, “female, foreign Its role in British cable has – as very effective. I get on with my life and fortysomething” (which is Curtis will explain to me in a and do interesting things and meet

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 9 interest­ing people. I don’t feel the need struction. So what we’re doing now in The Curtis for it.” � the UK is bringing Virgin Media back � This, it turns out, is only the second up to the standards of some of our chronicles full-blown press interview she has other networks in Europe.” ever given in Britain. But we should But some Virgin employees feel that, not mistake reticence for bashfulness. under its new owners, it has lost its old Curtis knows her worth. Early on, she Bransonian spirit, I venture. “It’s got a tells me she is “the grandmother of the Liberty spirit, instead,” she says firmly. British cable industry”, having written She was raised in a home full of the some of the original cable franchise spirit of inquiry. Her father was editor applications that created what is now of the liberal-minded News Chronicle, Virgin Media. Of her work in Japan, she her mother, a sub-editor on The Sunday calls it “the most successful investment Graphic. Miranda was three when they Liberty Global has ever made”. split up, but she continued to see her Miranda Curtis, board member of She joined the Malone empire in father, who, by then, was working for Liberty Global, Marks & Spencer, 1992 and, although she left the staff the Aga Khan and was pleased to RSC, Garsington Opera and the six years ago, she remains on Liberty introduce her to travel in both Europe Institute for Government Global’s board. Malone has been loyal and Africa. to her, and she is a loyalist back. Her mother reinforced the interna- Born 26 November 1955; brought I ask her about the recent acquisition tionalism by sending her and twin up in London with two brothers by the sister company, Liberty Media, sister Julie (now a Russian literature and one twin sister of Formula One. She says that “John” don at Oxford) to the Lycée Français Father Michael Curtis, editor of the has always invested in content, as well in London. The result was that, when News Chronicle and later executive as distribution, and “it’s an increasingly they had something to conceal from aide to the Aga Khan porous industry”. their mother, they’d say it in French. Mother Barbara Gough, sub-editor He seems, I suggest, to be looking After studying Spanish at Durham forward to President Trump loosening University, Curtis took a graduate Single But previously in a civil the rules for the US cable industry and, traineeship at the BBC. In those days, partnership by doing so, opening the way for some linguists tended to head there or the Lives Central London (where big mergers. Foreign Office. she cannot get Virgin cable) and “I think one of John’s great strengths She found a role subtitling and dub- Oxfordshire (ditto) is that he’s never got involved in poli- bing foreign programmes, but it only Education Lycée Français, London; tics, at all, directly,” she responds. “Is lasted a year. Rather than accept a Durham University (read Spanish) he, by nature, on the Republican liber- secretarial job, she applied for a posi- tarian end of the spectrum? Abso- tion in BBC Enterprises selling BBC 1977 BBC graduate trainee lutely. Is he an economic liberal? programmes abroad. 1978 Joins BBC Enterprises, Absolutely.” Aged 25, with no training, she found followed by a spell at Robert And then there is Liberty Global’s herself travelling to the US to imple- Maxwell-owned tech company CEO, Mike Fries, quoted at Davos, ment a new North American distribu- Pergamon Compact Solutions ­worrying that Brexit may lead to less tion contract and sell shows such as Life 1988 Joins United Cable, which later investment in the UK (although not on Earth. She became commercial man- becomes TCI from Liberty). ager for the BBC Micro computer initia- 1992 International development Liberty Global, she points out, was a tive and the BBC Domesday Project. director for Europe and Asia, TCI major supporter of the Remain cam- Deciding that she needed a business International paign, after “a very interesting debate education, she enrolled at London 1996 Executive vice-president, Lib- around the board table, where many Business School. To pay off the fees, erty Media International Holdings individuals would probably instinc- she joined Robert Maxwell’s CD-Rom 2005 President, Liberty Global tively have been Brexit supporters”. publishing house and then United Japan Division So the company favours the “consist- Cable, where her great adventure in 2010 Completes sale of Liberty ent European media and telecoms cable began. Global’s Japanese assets regulation policy” it helped shape. Its Out in Denver, John Malone was as 2010 Takes early retirement, joins $4bn investment in British cable is safe: interested as she was in a country Liberty Global board “In the years that we starting a cable industry from scratch, 2011 Chair of Waterstones after its didn’t own the com- and not just for TV but for telephony. sale to Alexander Mamut pany, there was no He was interested in Curtis, too, and 2012 Joins board of Marks & Spencer investment in flew her over in May 1992 to appoint network her as the first development director Watching Unforgotten on catch-up con- of what was then TCI International. Reading Barkskins by Annie Proulx “He said, ‘There is the planet. Go and (‘not yet convinced’) tell me what we can do.’ And that was Expertise ‘Cultural management – my job description. We divided the which is unusual’ planet into three. I had Asia, Pacific Hobby Scuba diving and Continental Europe. That was my patch. And for the next 12 years – a

10 corporate history. Liberty got a pre- mium of 60% on the share price. With a few concurrent exits, Liberty was handed $14bn, on a total investment over the years of less than $1bn. ‘THERE IS THE Wasn’t the trouble with this that she PLANET. GO AND had negotiated herself, aged 54, out of a job that paid her over £1m a year? TELL ME WHAT “Well, I did, exactly. So, at that point, I thought, ‘Crikey’, but I also definitely WE CAN DO.’ AND needed to get off a plane. At that stage, THAT WAS MY I was in BA’s all-time top flyers. I’m still BA all-time top female passenger. JOB DESCRIPTION I’ve just had my 16th black card.” Had all that flying, all that work, con- tributed to the end of her civil partner- ship, I ask. “I think that’s a personal question I’m not prepared to discuss. I think the point is that, actually, I was spending at least two weeks of the month on a farm [her second home near Woodstock]. There was quite a lot of time where, actually, I could live a completely normal existence.” In Denver, Malone asked her to take early retirement – which she could afford to do having made her own money from the J:Com sale – but remain in the “family”, as a non-­ executive board member. Now began a different sort of life; on the board of Marks & Spencer: chairing, until last July, Waterstones; director- ships at the RSC and Garsington Opera. She is also on the board of the Institute for Government, an influential think tank that examines the machinery of government (she was “stunned” to find that each department had a separate way of measuring its performance).In addition, she chairs the African girls’ education charity Camfed, which, she says, in five years has educated more

123RF Photography than 2 million children. What I cannot tell, because I don’t bit more than that ‑ I didn’t have an To begin with, the male Japanese understand the business mind, is employment contract, I didn’t have a board she headed in all but title at the whether she would have been as bril- job description, I never had an cable business J:Com would go behind liant in any other business. She says appraisal. I worked my way up the her back to Malone to ask if she could she has always been interested in ranks and I could bring back anything really have meant what she said. Yes, communication technologies and I wanted in distribution, content and she did, he always told them. communicating between different technology, joint ventures, directions, “In the later years, I simply became a cultures. There is a synergy there. partnerships.” senior, genderless, hierarchical construct. I ask if Liberty’s old slogan, “Connect, She was flying from her base in It was a very comfortable place to be.” discover, be free” – recently replaced by Denver to Europe and Singapore. She For a year, she nursed KDDI, the “Investing, innovating and empowering” bought content, but wholesale through second-largest wireless operator in – spoke to her, especially. “They are,” companies such as Discovery, never Japan, as a potential buyer for Global’s she says, “useful slogans around which imposing her will on programmes. 37.8% stake in J:Com, unsure if it would to rally executive teams.” Between 1991 and 2002, Malone finally bid. In December 2009, KDDI Well, I say, in any case, congratula- owned UK cable franchises and then asked for a meeting with Mike Fries. tions. She never expected to go into he moved out. There was a setback in With unheard-of directness, they said business, and she made an absolute Germany. So it was in Japan that glory they wanted to buy. fortune. “I hope,” she responds, “that awaited her, once its government On 24 January, the sale was announ­ I’ve created an absolute fortune.” relaxed ownership rules. ced, the fastest deal in Japanese No doubt about that, either.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 11 Trust us, not them

rolls, bots, Russian the technology companies had inter- hackers, fake news, Television news posed themselves between media and disinformation and lies audience to cream off both revenue – 2016 was the year that and valuable user data. news seemed to collapse Objective facts are And there are editorial problems for into Hunter S Thomp- scarcer than ever in news online. Social media rewards son’sT dystopian vision of television speed and sensation over accuracy. as a “cruel and shallow money trench, an era defined by While it is true that “if you’re first and a long plastic hallway where thieves wrong, you’re not first”, Macedonian and pimps run free and good men die Trump and Brexit. teenagers making money from fake like dogs”. Richard Sambrook news don’t care. Which leaves those of us who still, BuzzFeed co-founder Jonah Peretti quaintly, believe in the civic value of asks if UK broadcasters tells us that sharing is the key indicator good journalism in a quandary: where of user value for media on the internet. can we find the truth in a world of can rise to the challenge He’s not a man to bet against. But, “alternative facts”? although sharing may reveal what There’s good news and bad news. There is a crisis in print journalism. interests the public, it is no indicator The bad news has been much dis- Newspaper advertising is still falling, of what is in the public interest. cussed in the aftermath of Donald newsrooms are being hollowed out, Traditional media still carries an Trump’s election and the Brexit result. and, in a race for impact, many news- inherited sense of the civic importance Undoubtedly, the media has problems. papers are becoming more partisan, of news and information. A series of Faced with successful political cam- fixing facts around political policy. algorithmic misjudgements last year paigns based on lies, many have lam- Social media – which many hoped illustrated how tech companies are basted the news for false equivalence would be a saviour with its open struggling with that public expectation and balance. access, extensive reach, targeted and responsibility. In a climate where politicians advertising and user convenience Social media held such promise for increasingly see media as either “with – turns out to have problems, too. democratic engagement and collabo- us or against us”, and where expertise Over the past two years, news ration, but too much of it has become is actively undermined, the space for organisations piled into distributed a noxious echo-chamber undermining neutral, open debate is shrinking. content strategies only to discover that the public interest by treating political

12 journalism as a commodity no differ- 2016 SHOWED In turn, news organisations should ent to the latest cat video. THAT, IN SPITE open up their own methods to rebuild It is not just the media that has prob- OF ALL THAT trust. Media, more than is generally lems: society remains deeply divided acknowledged, has to work to repair its and rancorous in spite of repeated urg- AUDIENCE relationship with much of the public. ings from all sides of every debate to RESEARCH, NEWS Regional broadcasting’s proximity to “get over it”. This seems unlikely to heal the audience ought to help - along in the short term. Polarised politics and ORGANISATIONS with a greater dose of humility. “post-truth” campaigning have proved DID NOT Reuters has moved fast to introduce highly successful in the past year – so greater transparency into its news we should expect more, along with UNDERSTAND operations. Editor-in-chief Steve Adler more shouts of “fake news” directed at THEIR PUBLIC says that it is time to “double down” anything anyone disagrees with. on being good, dispassionate journal- If nothing else, 2016 showed that, in IN KEY RESPECTS ists and “open the door” a little bit spite of all that audience research, more on how Reuters obtains and news organisations did not understand handles information. their public in key respects. Public A glance across the Atlantic at what Other organisations should follow its disenchantment with “elites” ran far has happened to US broadcasting since lead. In broadcasting, many people still deeper than they recognised. the end of the Fairness Doctrine in the judge a devil’s advocate question to be In return, the public doesn’t under- 1980s, which required broadcasters to tantamount to betraying the inter- stand the media. Levels of media liter- provide balance, should be sufficient viewer’s personal view. Or fail to see a acy remain low; and trust, even in warning not to follow suit. distinction between a political editor’s broadcasters, continues to fall. The sins Furthermore, at a time when audi- professional judgement and their per- of toxic media have cross-contaminated ences are questioning who they can sonal opinion. even the best – much of the public trust, regulation should be a differenti- Journalists have developed a profes- lumps “the media” into one odorous ating mark of quality from the press sional shorthand in how they report bucket. and online-only services – offering – understood by those inside their So where, in all of this, is the good clear, independent accountability. bubble but, I suspect, not by many news? Well, there is a real opportunity There are more signs for optimism outside. On Google trends, two of the here – particularly for broadcasters. in the early response of major news most searched-for terms in the past

BBC As the new wave of populism seeks organisations to the current moral year were “austerity” and “populism”. to rearrange the political landscape and panic over false news. Yet, day in, day out, report after report dismiss old assumptions, it provides The BBC’s announcement of a per- assumes these and other once-obscure plenty of meat for journalists to dig into. manent “Reality Check” team to hunt terms are widely understood. Weak political leadership and poor down and flag fake news, as well as Broadcasters could do more to sup- accountability should feed a renaissance fact-check the politicians, is welcome. port greater media literacy among the in investigative journalism. And broad- Fact-checking is clearly going to public by explaining the complex world casters still have the resources to do it. become a more central part of the news we are now in, as well as better Those of us who have been judging offer – building on Channel 4’s success explaining how they report it and this year’s RTS Television Journalism with FactCheck, and sites such as Full arrive at their own news judgements. Awards cannot fail to be impressed by Fact. It is one clear way of increasing the Greater transparency and accounta- the quality of Britain’s broadcast jour- cost of political lying, which currently bility are much needed in the current nalism. Fresh, original investigation on appears to be too cheap. climate of misinformation, political lies topics outside the main agenda, such as and widespread distrust. Michael Crick’s pursuit of Tory election But, above all, the strength of broad- expenses for Channel 4 or the BBC’s casting’s case to “trust us, not them” long-term commitment to investigating FAR FROM will lie in sharp, confident, fair report- mental-health provision. We don’t INHIBITING A ing. That means journalism that is celebrate it enough. differentiated and breaks from the Perhaps unfashionably, I believe BROAD RANGE pack, that is clearly in touch with pub- that this strength is rooted in broadcast OF VIEWS, lic concerns and attitudes, and which regulation. We will shortly face, I am is confident in holding the powerful to sure, another round of argument to PROPERLY account and calling out lies or spin. loosen the impartiality rules that apply APPLIED These are the qualities that will keep to broadcasters – it would be a mistake news out of Hunter S Thompson’s to do so. IMPARTIALITY media sewer. They are the traditional From the BBC to ITV, Channel 4 to REGULATION strengths of British TV journalism – Sky, we keep each other honest and and are needed now more than ever. raise the bar. Far from inhibiting a SHOULD broad range of views, properly applied ENCOURAGE Richard Sambrook is professor of journal- impartiality regulation should encour- ism, Cardiff University, and a former age such views. SUCH VIEWS director of BBC News.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 13 The insider’s insider

avid Clementi is the for what is intended to be a full-time BBC governance first Chairman of a job, might put off potential candidates single, unitary BBC less financially fortunate than himself. Board, his appointment Presumably, he will give up his current Roger Bolton confirmed by Parlia- roles as chairman of both World First, profiles the BBC’s ment and the Sover- a currency exchange firm, and King’s eign. He is now Mr BBC and the Cross Central, the company overseeing new Chairman, Director-GeneralD works directly to him. development of the land around the From now on, there is no debate London station. David Clementi, about who runs the corporation, no He is relatively old: he is 68 this who arrives at discussion about whether the gover- month. He is, therefore, unlikely to be nors or the Trust are more powerful looking for another job following this the corporation in than the Executive. There is only one one. This could make him more inde- testing times Board and he runs it. Indeed, he pendent (although a peerage would be designed it. So he can hardly blame a nice reward for being a successful anyone else if it goes wrong. And, of BBC chairman). course, things often go wrong. Clementi certainly knows about In many ways, Sir David is well money. He has been, among other ­qualified for the job of which he is the things, Chairman of Virgin Money, architect. He is rich and, according to a Chairman of the Prudential, a Deputy friend, “has never had to worry about Governor of the Bank of England and money”. Vice-Chairman of Kleinwort Benson. That will help, as his £100,000 salary, He advised Margaret Thatcher on the

14 chaired by an ex-head of defence pro- BBC can cut around 25% – according curement and included a former private to some estimates – off its spending secretary to the Queen and a permanent over the next few years. It seems cer- secretary of the DCMS. One might be tain that more services will have to go; tempted to say that the Establishment salami slicing will not be enough. has got its man. Clementi arrives just as BBC Studios Clearly, if you think the most impor- prepares to begin operating as a com- tant thing about the person running one mercial division. In one of its final acts, of the greatest broadcasting organisa- the Trust recently gave the go-ahead to tions in the world should not be tainted the revamped BBC Studios, but the by any experience of broadcasting, trade unions are going to ballot their David Clementi is the ideal choice. members about strike action. However the job of the BBC is not to Some independent producers think make a profit, but to produce brilliant that the only way Studios can cut its public service programmes. Its job is to cost base is by making more staff reflect the complex and varied cultures redundant, changing employment of the UK. practices for the worse and issuing far Its job, more necessary than ever in more short-term contracts. these divided times, is to speak truth In other words, greater casualisation to power. The BBC should, on occa- and a widening of the gap between sions, embarrass and anger govern- pay levels at the BBC. This is unlikely ments. Is Sir David up for that? to enhance staff morale. Does the new Chairman know how If Studios is to make a profit, surely to create the best conditions for crea- it will have to concentrate on popular tive talent? Will he encourage those formats, returning series and shows who have an appetite for making that have foreign sales potential. The THE BBC trouble? purely public service programmes that SHOULD, ON Is he ready for the full fury of the only the BBC can provide will have to Brexit debate as we move towards be subsidised in some way. OCCASIONS, withdrawal, or the Trumpian blasts So much now depends on brilliant that blowing across the Atlantic? commissioners with a passion for their EMBARRASS Who wants a well-run, efficient subject matter and the confidence to AND ANGER organisation that makes dull pro- fight their corner. Does the new Board grammes and safe journalism? Perhaps know what is needed to find, enthuse GOVERNMENTS. certain members of the Establishment and empower them? IS SIR DAVID UP do, but not the licence-fee payers who Clementi, like most politicians in are the BBC’s shareholders. Westminster, knows about The Great FOR THAT? By the way, does the new Chairman British Bake Off and the Today programme have any ideas about how to make the – but how much else? The lifestyles of

BBC corporation properly accountable to such public figures leave them little those who pay for it, as well as to those time for watching or listening. But he privatisation of another great British who regulate it? appears to be an exception, having organisation, BT. Clementi’s in-tray is full to overflow- recently told the Commons that he is He is, in other words, the epitome of ing. He has to form an effective relation­ an avid TV watcher, and that his “spe- the City grandee. ship with the BBC’s new regulator, cialist subject is BBC One and BBC Clementi knows about regulation as Ofcom. He has to select the other new Two between 8:00pm and 11:00pm”. well, having undertaken a wide-ranging members of the unitary Board. Clementi does have interests beyond independent review of the regulation There are, at present, four seats set his professional world. For example, he of legal services in England and Wales aside for members of the executive. is a keen yachtsman and seems pas- in 2003. The DG, Tony Hall, and his deputy, sionate about sport. City colleagues, such as Lord Myners, Anne Bulford, get two of them. Pre- The new Chairman will be on a have called him “an inspired choice” sumably, James Harding, director of steep learning curve and will have to and “very wise and sensible”, “a man news, gets the third. take some crucial decisions very early of high integrity”. He certainly feels at That seems to leave a choice in his tenure. We must all wish him home in the establishment. between director of content Charlotte luck and hope that he goes a little, but Clementi’s grandfather was Gover- Moore and director of radio and edu- not too, native. nor of Hong Kong, and his father was cation James Purnell for the fourth. At the very least, he should be pre- an air vice-marshal. He was educated And Clementi has to make this deci- pared to lose some friends in the Gov- at Winchester and Oxford and then sion with a view to developing poten- ernment and the Establishment. He qualified as a chartered accountant. tial successors to Tony Hall as DG. In ought to find that being Chairman of He has been Warden of Winchester that case, Purnell’s political past as a the BBC is a lonely job. College and Master of the Mercers’ Labour culture secretary will, presum- Company. ably, count against him. Roger Bolton is a former BBC and ITV The panel that appointed him was Another pressing problem is how the executive, and independent producer.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 15 TV sport Is TV’s coverage of female sport finally heading into the mainstream? Ross Biddiscombe canvasses opinion Promotion year for women’s sports?

n a year when women’s sports committed as ever to women’s sports. being regarded as secondary to the events will be at the forefront She argues that it is not necessary to male equivalents. of many broadcasters’ operate any kind of quota system “We judge all sports the same,” he schedules, it’s a legitimate because audiences are increasing. says. “It’s about the potential audience, time to ask if these sports are “We have provided live TV coverage the brand that we have developed and poised for a breakthrough. of women’s football since the mid-1990s the commercial reality. We welcome IMore women are taking part in sport and audience interest has grown con- great women’s sport because what we than ever before and there are more siderably,” says Slater. “More people really want is the best sporting stories, hours of women’s sport on TV, includ- watched the 2015 Women’s World Cup wherever they come from.” ing significant numbers of live fixtures. on BBC TV than our live coverage of Both the UK’s pay-TV sports chan- But is the coverage better and is the men’s Open golf championship.” nels, Sky Sports and BT Sports, are big change happening fast enough? For new women’s football broad- supporters of women’s cricket. Sky Some observers would argue that, caster Channel 4 and Eurosport (the Sports has been broadcasting the game judged by audiences, commercial pan-European channel covering the for two decades and is showing this return on investment and scheduling, women’s Euros), the national game is year’s women’s World Cup. BT Sport, women’s sports on TV still lag woefully seen as one of the breakthrough sports meanwhile, has just announced its behind men’s. for women. Strong performances by coverage of the women’s Ashes series A level playing field for coverage either England or Scotland in the tour- and the Big Bash league from Australia. with men’s events is rare. The obvious nament would develop that trend. In addition, Sky Sports News exceptions are grand slam tennis tour- Although Channel 4 is very selective launched the SportsWomen magazine naments, major track and field events in broadcasting any sporting event show in 2012. It was one of the many and both winter and summer Olympics. – male or female – its commissioning initiatives that grew out of the success Everywhere else, the inequality editor for sport, Stephen Lyle, wants to of the London Olympics. remains a sensitive topic for partici- build on his channel’s reputation for SportsWomen producer Anna Edwards pants, administrators, fans and view- innovation: “Our remit is always to go believes women’s sports need to have ers, as well as broadcasters. for programming that has an underdog their own identities. “We want to get to There, it seems, is no shortage of quality, and this falls into that category. a point where we don’t have the term goodwill for events such as the UEFA “We’ll try and bring something new ‘women’s sport’,” she insists. “We actu- women’s European football tourna- to the coverage, but the women also ally have debates about this and, just to ment, the women’s cricket World Cup have to step up, entertain and show make the point that it’s all just sport, we and Ashes series and golf’s Solheim the audience what they can do.” dropped the word ‘women’ from the Cup to succeed on screen, but question Eurosport CEO Peter Hutton argues caption when referring to Mark Samp- marks remain. This month, Sky that producers and broadcasters must son, the England women’s manager. announced that it would show live not skimp on production quality, if “Those are small points, but changes domestic cricket for the first time on they are to stop women’s competitions like that make a difference. If we sat UK television, this summer, with eight here in five years’ time and the situation matches from the Kia Super League. was the same, then I’d be concerned.” Inevitably, the BBC has the longest When BT Sport launched in 2013, one history of broadcasting women’s WE WANT TO of its justifications for claiming to be a sports. These days, however, the rights GET TO A POINT game changer in British TV sport was are spread around – Channel 4, for the signing of high-profile presenter example, has outbid the Beeb for UK WHERE WE DON’T Clare Balding. rights to the women’s Euros. HAVE THE TERM She was given her own chat show, BBC head of sport Barbara Slater with a brief to focus on women guests. says the corporation remains as ‘WOMEN’S SPORT’ The channel has also heavily backed

16 live women’s sport: BT Sport has a stadium means more exciting TV.” One Football Union’s policy of staging Eng- particularly high profile for tennis and strategy that both the federations and land women’s test matches ahead of hockey. the broadcasters want to avoid is the men’s Six Nations games will ben- “There are nearly 1,000 hours of live “ghettoisation” – in other words, gath- efit from live Sky Sports WTA tennis on our channel and, in ering women’s sports in a separate coverage this season. terms of hours, that’s more than the part of the schedule. “It is naive to English Premier League or Champions Every broadcaster thinks this is think that only League or MotoGP,” says Simon Green, inappropriate, especially given the women watch head of BT Sport. efforts of female athletes to appeal women’s He adds: “We’re doing much of it to male viewers as well as female. sports,” with our own commentary teams and Instead, many sports are moving says Sky’s our own personalities on screen. It’s towards Olympic-style formats that Edwards. the same with the Women’s Super allow men and women to perform at “More aware- League in this country. We treat those the same time and location, as with a ness will breed OBs the same as we do men’s football.” grand slam tennis event. more viewers, both But Green also understands that The Boat Race on the BBC adopted men and women.” there is plenty of catching up to do. He this approach in 2015, with male and None of the channels, knows that high production values do female crews racing on live TV on the it seems, are holding back not necessarily guarantee big audi- same day over the same course. on raising awareness. Sky ences or enough commer- It took three years of logistical Sports has held both a netball cial interest. discussions and the support month and a women’s sport “Of course, we want to of the event spon- week (estimated to have fold women’s sports sors for reached almost 3 million into whatever else we viewers). do and have it be seen BT Sport has developed annual as part of the normal Action Woman Awards. And the agenda of what we put BBC put six women on to the Sports to air, but it’s a sensi- Personality of the Year shortlist last tive subject,” he December. They were almost 40% of concedes. “Where the finalists, a far higher proportion we can, we give than if the list had been based on hours marginal sports of coverage or size of audience. – and that means Advocates of women’s sport believe many women’s events that, over time, the equality issue – due exposure, while always main- will fade and women’s sport will taining a nod towards the main sub- not be discussed as a separate scription drivers – which are men’s this to issue. sports.” happen. BT’s Green says the tradi- One sport that is very much about “The tional macho culture of sports women is netball, and this is receiving viewing media is breaking down. He special treatment from Sky Sports. A figures wants women’s sports organi- four-year deal to broadcast the Netball have been sations to work more coher- Superleague was signed last November. excellent,” ently to help the broadcasters: For once, there is no men’s game to says the BBC’s “Women’s sports need to stop compare it with. Head of multisport Slater, “and the acting unilaterally and co-­ Georgina Faulkner says that a strong programme is a ordinate more across a calen- relationship with England Netball is far better proposi- dar that has a narrative that the what makes this kind of deal attractive tion for having two press can follow in a construc- to the channel. high-quality races tive way. “We’ve worked hard with the govern­ rather than just one.” “That would make it easier ing body to make the coverage more The British Darts for women’s sports to get creative and we’ve even sold game Organisation world attention and allow the tickets,” she says. “There are now 9,000 championships, covered involvement of broad- or 10,000 people coming to some of by Channel 4 last month, casters to be con- the games. They’re certainly not all adopted the same plan. structive and women and nor are the viewers. A full Meanwhile, the Rugby realistic.”

West Indies Women captain Stafanie Taylor at practice in Bangladesh during the 2016 Women’s Twenty20 championships Christopher Lee–IDI/Getty Christopher

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 17 The star man’s biggest test

f Mark Linsey is intimidated creative or a business leader? “Inter- by the thought of launching Profile esting question,” he muses. “I would one of the most far-reaching say I am a creative leader who has a and challenging reforms in the good sense of business... and a good BBC’s 90-year history he is Steve Clarke talks sense of what works commercially.” not letting on. to Mark Linsey He will, undoubtedly, need to IHe must be used to dealing with demonstrate this commercial acumen fragile egos and temperamental types as he prepares to if BBC Studios is to become the force from the showbiz end of TV – for envisioned by Director-General Tony seven years, he ran BBC Entertainment. launch BBC Studios Hall. Some cynics regard the coming But, compared with getting BBC Studios as a commercial of a market-facing BBC Studios as the up and running as a successful com- beginning of the end for in-house mercial entity, keeping high-profile, organisation production at the BBC. high-earning stars happy must be a But let’s hope the initiative is, instead, breeze. Christmas and having his teenaged the start of a brave new venture that Not that you’d know it from Linsey’s children all at home over the festive will help insulate the corporation body language or demeanour as he holiday; he has three boys – two against the biting winds of competition looks up from his open-plan desk at 19-year-old twins and a 15-year-old. and even give impoverished Auntie a White City’s Broadcast Centre on a win- His wife is now a yoga teacher, after much-needed new revenue source. try Monday morning. “Would you like giving up her job in TV to have a more Linsey was appointed director of BBC a hot drink?” he asks, ever the PR man. flexible life to accommodate bringing Studios following his predecessor Peter Cheerful and casually attired, he up a family. Salmon’s abrupt and unexpected might have recently returned from a Linsey is the consummate profes- departure early last year. He gives every Sunday post-lunchtime family stroll. sional, a TV veteran who’s worked not impression of relishing the opportunity He seems that relaxed. only at the BBC, but also at ITV (for to make broadcasting history. As we are escorted into an adjacent Central and LWT) and the independent “To lead a production entity is one of meeting room the quietly-spoken and sector (at entertainment specialists the most exciting jobs in television,” he unobtrusive Linsey makes small talk Tiger Aspect and Hat Trick). says. “When you look at the range of about being back at work after Does he consider himself to be a programmes we’ve got here… we

18 ended last year on a high, with things audience figures ever. It’s highest AIs what it takes to run a successful pro- such as Strictly and Planet Earth II.… ever. Is it a good use of all of our crea- ducer (the kind of fleetness of foot “It’s the sheer range of programmes tivity to be competing over Strictly necessary to compete head-to-head that means I’ve got one of the most Come Dancing when the audience loves with a thriving and well-resourced exciting and rewarding jobs in TV.” it?” he asks of what, for now, is a hypo- indie), they think that the BBC’s Few could deny that, creatively, BBC thetical situation. “That is a challenge. “instinctively top-down” culture Studios continues to score. Last year, it It does take a lot of time because, obvi- could hamper the project. won an unprecedented 29 prizes, inc­ ously, we want to win these tenders. “There is a nervousness about the luding nine RTS awards and six Baftas. That does concern me.” BBC ‘brand’ that is attached to Studios But, with the end of any guarantees Even sceptics acknowledge that, and I think that will hobble them that BBC shows will be made in-house, while Linsey’s experience gives him when it comes to competing with Linsey is charged with overseeing genuinely commercial entities,” sug- nothing less than a cultural revolution. gests an independent producer who He looks certain to end up firing is a regular BBC supplier. quite a few of his colleagues. Already, He adds: “Anyone who has run a around 300 jobs are going and more production company knows that the losses are likely in the coming months. successful ones have been those with There is nothing, in theory, to stop creative entrepreneurs at their head. all of the BBC’s flagship productions And yet the BBC seems to have deliber- – apart from those in sport, news and ately gone the other way current affairs and children’s – moving and put business to the independent sector by the end of managers in the key the current, eight-year Charter period. positions. In return, BBC Studios is free to “I know some pitch and bid for commissions from of these people third-party broadcasters and content and they are clever platforms, as well as, of course, for the but they are not BBC’s own outlets. creative leaders. In this sink or swim world, what That seems to me to keeps the apparently unflappable put these divisions at a Mark Linsey awake at night? “The massive disadvantage com- most worrying aspect is competitive pared with the creatively led tendering. I think that having a 100% competition.” of your titles up for competition is Linsey denies this and is proud extremely challenging for us. of the team he has assembled: “I “We want to win all of those titles think we’ve got the right commercial but, in order to do that, we have to put and management leaders.” in a lot of creative energy… and we Under him sit three genre directors: are competing with indies who are Lisa Opie (factual, including natural also expending a lot of creative history), Roger Leatham (entertain- energy. ment, music and events) and Nick “Is it the best thing that, as an Betts (scripted). “The three of them industry, we will be putting a lot have commercial and business of creative energy into competing skills,” he insists. over something like Antiques Road- Most appointments are now show, Countryfile or EastEnders?” filled, says Linsey, adding: “You It must be stressed that none of can’t be complacent. You are these shows is out for tender yet: always in the market for an ones that are include Songs of outstanding creative or an Praise and Holby City, plus pro- outstanding business gramme ideas for Horizon. Who winner. knows, perhaps Linsey’s “Our business empire will retain the lion’s plan is to sup- share of BBC commissions port all gen- – earlier this month it secured res. Yes, we A Question of Sport,. want to � It’s one thing, he argues, for shows that are past their peak – he’s not naming names – to be put on to the market, but when a programme is in rude health, it makes no sense at all. “If you take Strictly Come Strictly Come

Dancing, it’s getting its highest Dancing All pictures: BBC

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 19 � be commercially successful in our extremely curious as to what we’ll drama, our fact ent and our entertain- WE ARE MOVING bring to them. ment formats, but we also want to be “We’ve now got to prove our crea- reputationally successful in our spe- FROM A PUBLIC tivity and pitch good ideas to them.” cialisms, particularly in factual but SERVICE WORLD On rights retention, the BBC will also in drama.” retain the IP to all existing BBC Stu- He continues: “We are moving INTO A MORE dios shows. Even if BBC Studios loses from a public service world into a COMMERCIAL an in-house show to the independent more commercial world. That means sector, the BBC will keep the rights. we need to be more nimble, more WORLD Some broadcasters among the flexible and make sure that we give potential customers are more deter- our teams the tools they need to be mined to retain rights than are others efficient and commercial. responds. “The conversations I’ve had – notably Discovery. “It could be that “That’s how I’ve approached it. I’ve with domestic broadcasters at a top we are hired to produce a show. brought in a team who have the com- level is that the door is open for us to Obviously, depending on the show, mercial nous to lead and to give us the start pitching. They appreciate the we’d be interested in that. expertise that we need to be commer- quality of our execution and our “We will be flexible in our deal-­ cially efficient and have a foundation delivery.... making, as indies are. The terms of that is commercially sound.” “We already do a lot for other trade are going to vary according to Linsey stresses that he is “trying to broadcasters, such as PBS and Dis- the broadcaster.” make the business as flat as possible covery. Domestic broadcasters are Linsey says that he is working to a so that… there is real accountability “long-term business plan” and that within the business. There’s real he expects some genres to do better autonomy, so people are taking than others. Which ones? responsibility for what they do. “It depends on the market. It I’m after fewer management layers. depends on the creativity, the com- “Inevitably, if we’re to operate in missioners commissioning the ideas.… a world where there is no 50% guar- As a business, you’d be extremely antee, where we have the uncertainty lucky if all genres were on fire at the of competitive tendering – which same time. I used to sit on the board means revenue is uncertain – we at Tiger Aspect [as head of entertain- have to be as efficient as possible. ment] and the holy grail was for all That has led to role closures.” [the genre chiefs] to do extremely well Ultimately, staffing levels will at the same time, but I can honestly depend on how many commissions say it never happened.” He hopes that BBC Studios secures. Currently, there Studios’ successful genres will finan- are around 1,900 people employed cially support those doing less well. full-time by Studios. If enough of Looking five years ahead, what does Studio’s pitches succeed, he could he hope to have achieved? “I’d love us eventually be in the happy position to continue with our award-winning of hiring, rather than firing. natural history and for our science “We don’t want there to be output to have grown and be as glob- more jobs going, but we do ally appreciated as our natural history. have the uncertainty of “Also, that we grown our reputa- competitive tendering. All tion in history. We won a Bafta last our planning is based on year for Britain’s Forgotten Slave the revenue we have at Owners. I’d like to build on that. the moment,” Linsey “I want to have commercial says. “And, until we get success with our factual enter- through competitive tainment and our entertain- tendering there is going ment formats. I’d like us to to be uncertainty around have some commercial our revenue and, there- success with our drama. fore, around our staffing I’d like to have a new pop- level.” ular drama that is as big as While most indies spe- Doctor Who. cialise in certain genres, “And, at the same time, BBC Studios is making a retaining our much- virtue of the fact that it can loved titles such as create and produce shows Countryfile, Holby, across most genres. Might this Casualty, Antiques be a weakness? “There’s Roadshow…” always a market for good Linsey is nothing On the tender list: Holby City

ideas… particularly hits,” he if not ambitious. BBC

20 February 2017 www.rts.org.uk Television OUR FRIEND IN NEW YORK

or the first time in the Mark Thompson unnamed executive described it as a history of the Ameri- identifies the “fucking firing squad”. can republic, one of The President-elect was due to pay our own is in the Oval truth concerning a visit to the New York Times the very Office. His day job Donald Trump next day, but a critical difference was may have been run- that our Chairman and Publisher, ning a property em- Arthur Sulzberger, had insisted that pire but, as a successful reality star the main meeting at the Times should Fwho still retains an executive producer be an on-the-record meeting with credit, the 45th President of the United our editors and journalists. States is unquestionably a TV guy. Mr Trump began the day by tweet- That experience gives Donald Trump ing that he wouldn’t be coming after an “attack is the best form of defence” all – falsely claiming that we had confidence in his handling of the changed the terms of the visit. In the media. He banned from his campaign end, he did turn up and spent an hour those publications that he claimed and a quarter answering our questions. were reporting on him unfairly. A day that began with him describ- Since his inauguration, he’s ing us as the “failing @nytimes” ended attempted to set up a classic showbiz with him telling the rest of the world’s system of incentives to influence media, gathered in our lobby down- press coverage, rewarding “good stairs, that the Times was a “jewel” for behaviour” with preferential access, America and the world. Go figure. while sending those journalists he He has subsequently reversed or

deems to be hostile to Coventry. Times York Ryan/New Kathy contradicted many of the answers he An assiduous spreader of false and gave us that day – about torture, fantastical claims himself, he has rethinking some of our own tradi- immigration and much else. taken to using the term “fake news” tional editorial boundaries. I asked him, given his pledge dur- to delegitimise any media reports that The New York Times has now twice ing the campaign to tighten America’s don’t suit him. used the word “lie” to describe public libel laws, whether he supported the He is bolder and more adept than statements by Trump, because that’s First Amendment, which guarantees any previous Western politician in what they were. the freedom of the press. He replied: using Twitter and other digital plat- Fact-checking used to be an activ- “I don’t think you’ll have anything to forms to get his message out directly ity consigned to paragraph nine, or worry about.” to the public and over the heads of put in a box at the bottom of the Is that a commitment he will keep? the media. Even this seems to be built story. Now we routinely add words One of the reasons that audiences on lessons in viral marketing learned “falsely” or “with no evidence” to around the world took to reality for- in modern reality TV. headlines about new remarks by mats such as The Apprentice was their So how should the media respond? Trump, as in “Trump claims, with no unpredictability – you never knew First, by not falling into the trap of evidence, that ‘millions of people’ just what was going to happen next. becoming a political opposition: our voted illegally”. Now, one of the most idiosyncratic responsibility is to report his presi- We need to stand up for our inde- and protean stars of reality TV is dency rigorously, but also objectively pendence corporately, as well. Soon installed in the White House. It’s and fairly. after the election, Trump summoned going to be a white-knuckle ride. Second, by confronting the new the leadership of American TV jour- President’s unprecedented willing- nalism to Trump Tower for an off- Mark Thompson is President and CEO ness to bend or break the truth by the-record dressing-down – one of the New York Times.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 21 t looks easy to compose an elegy for television advertising in the UK. Its market share has been Are they staticI for years. Viewers are drifting to video- ­ on-demand and gorging on box sets partly to avoid watching advertising. eating Brexit could cause an economic slowdown directly hitting television advertising budgets. You can even hear voices predicting the eventual death of linear television. TV’s lunch? More pressing, viewers are increas- ingly watching video on mobile phones and other portable devices, or away from the main TV set. Advertising This is all viewing that, for the time being, traditional audience measuring systems find difficult to record. Raymond Snoddy asks the Stewart Easterbrook, former digital director at Starcom MediaVest, the experts whether TV can hold large media communications group, on to its advertising revenue argues that traditional commercial television has simply become a less effective medium. Viewers may not be leaving in droves, he acknowledges, WPP company, Group M, which sug- He suggests – like Unerman – that but the fact that they are consuming gests that only one in 20 Facebook ads some advertisers have started to ques- it on different platforms at different are watched for 10 seconds or more tion TV as a platform only because cur- times has implications. and just one in three for three seconds rent viewing data is not reliable enough. “The great thing about TV in the past or more. “Our systems of audience measurement was that it reached an awful lot of Unerman believes one big issue is have not advanced with the changes in people at your chosen time in one hit,” that younger people are not necessarily audience behaviour,” he says. says Easterbrook, who now chairs watching less television – they are just Sorrell recalls how he watched BBC digital start-up companies. “If you are watching TV on other devices and coverage of Mo Farah winning Olym- a retailer who has a promotion starting platforms. The MediaCom executive pic gold medals on his mobile phone tomorrow or your company is launch- describes as “unfathomable” what she in a restaurant in New York. Could any ing a new product tomorrow, if 30% of sees as the slowness in integrating existing measurement system have your audience is shifted across subse- conventional and online data into picked that up? quent weeks it’s not as powerful a products such as Barb’s Project Dove- Despite the challenges, over the next medium as it was. It’s a matter of tail – a weakness that is costing media three or four years he expects com- degree, but it is a problem.” owners dear. mercial television to hold up well: Moreover, the disruptive viewing Unerman’s ultimate boss, Sir Martin “Newspapers have been under pres- patterns of the young, in terms of Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, believes sure but talk of the death of newspa- when they watch, are starting to that TV remains “a strong and effective pers is overstated. Talk of linear TV’s become more mainstream. medium”. His web of marketing and death is also overstated, but there is However, it is much easier to sing a advertising companies is responsible pressure in the system. happy tune about the future of televi- for placing advertising across the globe “Trying to get advertising and sub- sion advertising, even with a few flat worth around $76bn a year. When all scription revenues from online content notes, than it is to write an elegy. screens are included, he reckons that is not easy,” he concedes. “Commercial “What we see is opportunity. TV is viewing hours are increasing. television will remain one of the, if not robust from a revenue point of view. the most, significant factors [in mar- We use econometrics to plan into keting], but there are alternatives and channels that really work, and TV linear channels should be aware of works. It’s good and it’s strong,” insists THERE IS NO those alternatives and try to deal with Sue Unerman, chief strategy officer of them. There is no room for compla- MediaCom, the largest media-buying ROOM FOR cency. Paranoia rules.” agency. COMPLACENCY. What do the latest numbers look She highlights new research con- like? Guy Bisson, research director of ducted with the client base of another PARANOIA RULES Ampere Analysis, believes that total UK

22 TV advert for online commerce company Quidco

IT’S THE PROGRAMMES THAT MAKE TV ADVERTISING TOLERABLE TO VIEWERS Quidco/ITV television advertising revenue will good value. In the first half of 2016, ITV “It’s the programmes that make TV decline slightly this year to £3.9bn, delivered 98% of all commercial audi- advertising tolerable to viewers.” compared with around £4.3bn for 2016. ences over 5 million, the company said. Jenny Biggam, co-founder of the He predicts it will reach £4.5bn by Mark Howe, a senior Google advertis- independent media agency The7stars, 2021, with the slow recovery caused ing executive who worked in commer- is at the sharp end of the issue. She partly by Brexit. cial television for more than 20 years, decides where to spend her clients’ Bisson is adamant that commercial believes that, in the UK, commercial marketing money (including that of television advertising is not facing television is “in rude health” – as Iceland Food, Warner Music, Nintendo terminal decline despite a challenging opposed to the US, where it is declining. and Suzuki cars). market that is shifting generally “Also, when I look at the UK, com- “The likes of Facebook come in and towards online. pared with markets in Italy and Spain, they are compelling and they work very ITV gets high marks from the analyst British broadcasters are in a very hard to prise advertising money away for what it is doing in the catch-up and strong position to continue to drive the from television, but what we find is that over-the-top (OTT) space via the ITV emotional engagement that advertisers television continues to work really, Hub and the forthcoming BritBox are looking for,” says Howe. “Video really well for our clients,” says Biggam. streaming service, but it is still too remains one of the most evocative The marketing executive adds that, UK-focused, compared with European methods of reaching consumers with apart from mainstream advertising, the peers, to protect future revenues. programmes and advertising.” ITV, Sky and Channel 4 commercial Alex Wisch, media specialist at For Tess Alps, who chairs Thinkbox, teams also do very well at creating Bloomberg’s research arm, Bloomberg the commercial TV marketing body, additional revenue opportunities Intelligence, estimates that television video in all its forms is growing. What through leveraging content, licensing advertising will “moderate” this year is losing out, generally, is what she deals and product placement. because of a decelerating economy, but described as “static” forms of advertis- “For the past two or three years, forecasts that it will not fall of a cliff. ing – from newspapers and magazines we have spent almost 50% of our total “I think that Facebook and Google to posters. budget on TV. Every year, I think it will are eating more into print advertising “The mistake is to think that one decline and every year it ends up at 50%. than TV – television is always in form of video is replacing another TV is very effective,” Biggam argues. another league and has another – that YouTube advertising must hit TV But will it still be 50% of The7stars purpose,”­ Wisch explains. advertising. It’s not like that at all. They budget in five years? ITV declined to comment on adver- work better together. You need both,” “Probably, yes, if you include the tising trends before its upcoming says Alps. entirety of television such as video financial results, but suggested that the The big difference between TV and on demand,” concludes Biggam on a cost of television advertising is now fleeting online clips is that you are happy note for the future of commer- similar to 2004 levels – and therefore advertising around shows, she argues: cial television.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 23 How the Iron Lady waged TV war in Whitehall

n a classic sketch in the ITV Archives, show that, when it came to satire Spitting Image, Prime Broadcasting policy broadcasting policy, the Prime Minister Minister Margaret Thatcher became increasingly frustrated with was seen dining in a restaurant sifts the vegetables when they showed an with her male Cabinet col- Stewart Purvis appetite for wanting something differ- leagues. Waitress: “Would you newly released Cabinet ent to her. likeI to order, sir?” Thatcher: “Yes. I will papers that reveal The papers recording the internal have the steak.” Waitress: “How would debates about what became the 1990 you like it?” Thatcher: “Oh, raw, please.” Margaret Thatcher’s Broadcasting Act include Prime Minis- Waitress: “And what about the vegeta- terial hand-written comments such as bles?” Thatcher, gesturing at the Cabinet: mounting frustration “this is ridiculous” – and that’s just “Oh, they’ll have the same as me.” with TV bosses and what she said about her own side. The Thatcher Cabinet papers for The 1988 white paper, published in 1989-90, just released into the National ministers November, had set out the Thatcherite

24 stall with a package of radical change Attenborough, Michael Grade, etc) has the Prime Minster his proposals for for British broadcasting. The regulator, clearly been getting at the Home ITN to become the holder of a com- the IBA, was to be replaced and ITV Secretary.” mercial night-time franchise starting licences were to be awarded by com- Channel 4’s counter-proposals were at 10:00pm. petitive tender. “absolutely outrageous.... They simply The Prime Minister had commented: In the months of lobbying and confirm Rupert Murdoch’s definition of “Has the Home Secretary seen this debate before the white paper became public service broadcasting as ‘some- paper? It is most impressive.” a bill and, ultimately, an act, the Prime thing run for the benefit of the people Eventually, the 1990 Act kept the Minister achieved her ambitions and who provide it rather than the viewer’”. franchise auction but stipulated a qual- more: an independent production Thatcher accepted a compromise ity threshold that applicants must pass quota of 25%; the creation of an extra but, later on, Channel 4 held firm on before their bids would be considered. “taste and decency” regulator; the That was partly the work of IBA Chair- abolition of the duopoly enjoyed by man George Russell, who had been Radio Times and TV Times; the removal introduced to Thatcher by Burnet. of ITN from ITV control; and the THE POWERFUL What the 1989 documents reveal are ­sell-off of BBC transmission. CHANNEL 4 LOBBY two previously secret papers that may But despite full-blooded support have helped pave the way for this from Nigel Lawson, her Chancellor, HAS CLEARLY compromise. The crown jewel is before he resigned in October 1989, she a simple, two-page, hand-written was unable to force the BBC down the BEEN GETTING ­“private and confidential” note to the road to subscription and Channel 4 AT THE HOME Prime Minister from her “Willie”. Wil- towards privatisation – two issues that liam Whitelaw had resigned as Deputy haven’t exactly gone away today. SECRETARY Prime Minister following a stroke at The papers reveal that ministers the end of 1987. A Cumbrian by adop- pushed back on a range of issues. tion, Lord Whitelaw, as he had become, Northern Ireland secretary Peter Brooke another area of governance. This time was a strong supporter of the ITV ser- and Scottish minister Ian Lang opposed Hurd’s successor, Waddington, com- vice for the Borders. her reluctance to require regional news promised. She responded with: “This On 9 June 1989, he wrote on House on Channel 3 (that, is ITV) to be “high is ridiculous.” of Lords notepaper: “If the leaks about quality”. Scottish secretary Malcolm When told of the threat that, if the the Cabinet Committee are correct Rifkind (who was succeeded by Lang) Government did not back down, – they are certainly widespread - strongly supported the funding of “Attenborough and maybe others will I must stress that I would be horrified Gaelic broadcasting. resign,” she replied: “Then so be it. and deeply antagonistic if franchises None of them prevailed against the Parliament decides, not Channel 4.” In were automatically to go to the highest Thatcher view, but Douglas Hurd and the end, Parliament decided in Chan- bidder without clear safeguards.… then David Waddington, the home nel 4’s favour on that one. “I am convinced that any such secretaries in charge of broadcasting Thatcher’s political secretary, John course inevitably leads to a major loss policy, were more successful – to the Whittingdale (two and a half decades of quality in TV programmes. I cannot frustration of No 10. later the DCMS Secretary of State), believe it would be right to sacrifice Asked, “are you content with the wrote that Waddington’s response quality in the hope of greater financial Home Secretary’s comments” on the on impartiality was “extremely disap- gain. It would certainly be very unpop- powers of the proposed extra regulator, pointing”. The BBC and Channel 4 ular in many quarters. Sorry to bother the Broadcasting Standards Council, were public broadcasters in a privi- you. Yours ever, Willie.” Thatcher clearly was not. She wrote: leged position and “they have consist- Another interesting intervention “If the broadcasting authorities are ently abused this”. The last three words had come earlier that year from only to have regard to the BSC there were double-underlined by the PM. another loyal Thatcher ally. He was was no point in setting up the BSC! The main meat and drink of the pol- also unconvinced that free-market ‘Having regard’ means able to ignore icy debate were the details of the new competition would necessarily mean for flimsy reasons. The broadcasters licensing regime for ITV. The No 10 better television. don’t like the BSC.” gatekeepers were kept busy with the Press secretary Bernard Ingham Her adviser on broadcasting, Profes- ITV companies’ lobbying attempts. advised: “Politically, you are most sor Brian Griffiths, regularly wrote com- Did the Prime Minister still wish to vulnerable in the area of quality. You, ments such as “the BBC management meet the Chairman of LWT, Christo- of all people, must not go down in has clearly been getting at Home Office pher Bland, who is “often mentioned history as the person who ruined ministers. The BBC has plenty of fat and for bigger jobs in broadcasting” [he British­ television.” we should help them get rid of it.” subsequently became Chairman of the It was “nothing less than astonishing” BBC] to discuss his proposals for broad- Stewart Purvis was editor of ITN during to Griffiths when Hurd’s team wanted casting? “No.” (See obituary, page 26.) the progress of the 1990 Broadcasting Act. to back down in a dispute with Chan- But, yes, she would see Sir Alastair He is currently a non-executive director nel 4 over governance structures. “The Burnet, who wanted ITV to be forced of Channel 4 and writes in a personal powerful Channel 4 lobby (Sir Richard to give up control of ITN. He had sent capacity.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 25 RTS NEWS ir Christopher Bland, hated it when people were who died on 28 Janu- Sir Christopher Bland late for an appointment. ary, aged 78, was one “Even one minute’s of the most influen- unpunctuality would draw Stial broadcasters of the past steam from his ears,” said Birt. 40 years. He chaired London “When annoyed, he could Weekend Television, the BBC suddenly and unexpectedly and British Telecom. In addi- bite you badly.… Slow or tion, he served as deputy inarticulate people – as well chairman of the IBA. as the successful and Bland was a regular powerful – could suffer a speaker at RTS events, an terrible, searing mauling.” authoritative contributor to Bland modernised LWT, the Society’s Cambridge cutting costs, reducing staff Convention, a Fleming and focusing on the core lecturer and more than business of TV. His “golden willing to participate in other handcuffs” scheme, in which RTS activities. He was always key personnel invested in the pithy and wryly humorous, franchise bid in return for big known for speaking his gains if LWT prevailed, was mind and not suffering fools. regarded as a master-stroke At LWT, he was pivotal in by City watchers. forwarding the career of The company’s low bid Greg Dyke and designing the succeeded because the rival so-called “golden handcuffs” consortium, London Inde- scheme that kept key talent pendent Broadcasting, failed such as Dyke and Melvyn to pass the quality threshold. Bragg at LWT during the LWT had triumphed. game of poker that was the But, three years later, 1991 franchise round. Granada launched a takeover He was hugely loyal to bid and, following much LWT and said the worst day bitterness (Bland considered

of his life was when the Hampartsoumian Paul risking his own money to company fell to a hostile prevent the Manchester- takeover by rival Granada. based predator), secured LWT. The aristocratic and In 1996, Bland was patrician Bland looked every Christopher Bland appointed Chairman of the inch the imposing, successful, BBC, then being run by his multimillionaire City old LWT colleague John Birt. financier that he was. He was 1938-2017 He supported Birt’s born to Northern Irish gentry controversial reforms and and sent to boarding school ensured that Dyke succeeded in Cumbria. Later, he did It was one of his Conservative companies. Bland was Birt in 1999. national service with the contacts, Christopher Chata- appointed Chairman in 1984, He again played the role of Royal Inniskilling Dragoons way, the minister for posts and worked with such moderniser, as Chairman of before reading history at and telecommunications, television luminaries as BT. And from 2004 to 2011 he Oxford. He fenced for Ireland who invited him to become Brian Tesler and John Birt. was an enthusiastic Chairman at the 1960 Rome Olympics. deputy chairman of the IBA “Christopher was hugely of the Royal Shakespeare Bland wanted to become in 1972. He soon discovered, enjoyable to work with – Company. Late in life, he a journalist but was rejected in his early thirties and not amusing, decisive and quick discovered a talent for for three journalistic jobs, owning a TV set, a passion to learn,” wrote Birt in his writing and wrote two novels including a BBC traineeship. for broadcasting. autobiography, The Harder Path. and had a play staged at the He went into business, but did John Freeman, then “Like me, he loved his fun, Jermyn Street Theatre. edit Crossbow, the magazine of Chairman of LWT, recruited and organised jolly escapades He is survived by his wife, the moderate Conservative Bland after meeting him at for his friends.… He was Jennie, his son, Archie, two Bow Group, which he chaired the IBA. The supremely passionate, open and honest.” stepsons, Jamie and William, from 1969 to 1970. confident London weekend But the new chairman and and two stepdaughters, In 1967, he was elected to broadcaster was one of ITV’s brilliant businessman was Georgia and Tara. the Greater London Council. most forward-looking famous for his short fuse. He Steve Clarke

26 BBC chief warns against fake news

elen Boaden high- But impartiality is something lighted the threat of absolutely founded in fact.” fake news at a Radio Impartial reporting of news Academy North East is at the heart of her next Hevent, supported by RTS North move as she heads to the US East and the Border Centre. to begin a Harvard fellowship In conversation with former exploring the idea of whether BBC executive Wendy Pilmer, “impartiality in news can the outgoing director of BBC survive in an age of anger”. Helen Boaden

Radio and former director of As an ex-director of BBC BBC BBC News also spoke of the News – “a role not for the pressure placed upon the BBC faint-hearted” – Boaden the reality is that almost no into work.… I may have made (and herself) in the wake of knows the importance of one did. A brilliant man from mistakes, but I did not sup- the Jimmy Savile scandal. impartiality. She was at the the NSPCC said: ‘He press the journalism.” In the week in which Don- epicentre of Newsnight’s han- groomed the nation’. In a room full of students at ald Trump was inaugurated dling of the Savile scandal and “It really was the most the David Puttnam Media as US President, Boaden, who the inquiry that followed. extraordinary thing to be at Centre, her advice to emerg- is leaving the BBC in March, “My concern was [that], the centre of the story.… I had ing talent was: “Be practical addressed the impact of fake just because someone is to leave my home as it was and listen a lot. news. “News is a commod- dead, it doesn’t mean to say surrounded by the paparazzi “Be clear in what you ity,” she told her audience at you can’t do anything about and that happened four want, but be flexible. Keep the University of Sunderland. them,” said Boaden. times. It was very sobering. your expectations low and “To some, it doesn’t matter if “Although we all think now “I was determined to get outpace them.” it’s true – it may be your truth. that we knew about Savile, up every morning and go to Alex Whelan

n RTS Midlands welcomed BBC R&D’s Richard Salmon ONLINE at the RTS and Manish Pindoria to the IET in Birmingham in n The new RTS Futures website how a career in the army pre- January. A bumper crowd launched last month, creating a pared him for life as an explorer, heard Salmon discuss hub of advice and inspiration for writer and broadcaster (www. Ultra-HDTV and the greater those in the early stages of their rts.org.uk/LevisonWood). range of colours it brings to TV careers. From handbooks TV. Pindoria explained how on surviving as a freelancer to n We caught up with Walter high-dynamic-range imag- lists of training schemes and Iuzzolino, the exuberant Italian ing makes programmes video tips, there’s something for behind Channel 4’s on-demand look more natural. everyone looking to climb the foreign drama service, Walter ladder (www.rtsfutures.org.uk). Presents, to hear about how the n RTS Scotland launched platform has taken British audi- its 2017 Awards before n The latest in our Tea Break Locked Up on ences by storm. Since its launch in Christmas, with a new Walter Presents

Tips videos sees set decorator Channel 4 January last year, the service has category for Young Jour- Anita Gupta discuss life in the racked up more than 17 million nalist of the Year in mem- art department. After her first n Explorer Levison Wood talks hours of streaming as audiences ory of ex-BBC Scotland break on Emmerdale, Gupta has about his latest expedition for have binged on shows such as editor of news and current gone on to work on The Royle Channel 4, Walking the Ameri- Deutschland 83 and Locked Up. affairs George MacFarlane Family and DCI Banks, as well cas. Accompanied by photog­ Iuzzolino tells us what to look Sinclair. The ceremony will as on the upcoming film Won- rapher Alberto Caceras, the out for in 2017 (www.rts.org.uk/ take place at Òran Mór, der Woman (www.rts.org.uk/ former army officer walked from WalterPresents). Glasgow, on 17 May. AnitaGupta). Mexico to Colombia. He tells us Pippa Shawley

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 27 RTS NEWS Paul Styles 1948-2017

aul Styles, who died He established a domestic of pneumonia on and international client base, 5 January, aged 68, advising on franchise bids, was regarded as the regulation and strategy, as Pgodfather of Britain’s inde- well as start-ups. On second- pendent production sector. ment from KPMG, he helped He was the lynchpin of the set up one of Britain’s first campaign that persuaded cable channels, UK Living, legislators to ensure that a which began broadcasting minimum of 25% of all TV on 1 September 1993, as part airtime in the UK was devoted of BSkyB. to programmes made by To those of us who knew independents. This was Styles as an immaculately described by the Financial dressed media consultant Times as “the most successful – Paul Smith and Armani lobby of the 1980s”. Styles’s suits were favoured – it was efforts were rewarded with hard to imagine that he had an OBE. once worn a kaftan and lived “There’s no doubt that in a commune in Norfolk. those of us involved with But then, he always was Paul Styles [producers’ association] Pact someone ahead of the curve in the 1990s owe Paul an who, according to his friend, enormous debt. He had producer Sophie Balhetchet, to people in all kinds of further to independent pro- a ferocious intellect and “made a point of challenging difficulties. ducers, the broadcasters remarkable political instincts,” vested interests”. Styles lived with like- were, at first, resistant. But said Alex Graham, the founder In 1971, he graduated in minded people, who used Styles was a persuasive lob- of Wall to Wall Productions. economics from Oxford their home as a refuge for byist. He was adept at han- John Woodward, Chairman Polytechnic, where he had battered wives and other dling the media and, crucially, of Arts Alliance Media, said: been president of the union homeless people. the zeitgeist was on his side. “Paul’s legacy is powerful. and helped to run the anti- Between 1978 and 1983 he “Paul came to be seen as He helped transition the war demonstrations­ in Gros- worked for the National something of a sage, a wise independent TV production venor Square against US Council for Voluntary Organ- consigliere to media leaders,” sector from a group of small involvement in Vietnam. isations. His aim was to train said Balhetchet. “For Paul, it companies working for charities to think in a wasn’t power that energised Channel 4 into the more businesslike way. him, but change and friend- dominant force in the HE MADE A POINT In 1985, he was ship – change for an indi- UK television industry invited by a team of vidual or a system stacked that we can see today.” OF CHALLENGING film-industry profes- against the interests of the Styles’s professional VESTED INTERESTS sional associations to many.” life in television and create the Joint Board He was diagnosed with media went beyond his for Film Industry Parkinson’s disease when he duties as director of the After his sojurn in the Training. At the time, access was 50 but, typically, endured Independent Programme Norfolk commune, he to technical jobs was effec- the illness with stoicism. Producers Association from moved to Manchester, tively controlled by nepotism, Styles was a Fellow of the 1987 to 1991. where he joined a whole- but Styles persuaded vested RTS, an executive committee He left the IPPA to join foods workers’ co-operative, interests, including member of the British Screen KPMG, where he helped On the Eighth Day, which the ACCT union, that a fairer, Advisory Council and of the create the company’s media still exists. He also helped more meritocratic system Arts Council panel. consulting practice. There, he found and run Magic (Man- should be adopted. He is survived by his wife, built a team of consultants chester Alternative General When he joined the IPPA Paula Hornby, a former direc- specialising in different Information Centre), giving and started the campaign to tor of HR at BBC Worldwide. aspects of the sector. free advice and information open up the TV industry Steve Clarke

28 A Weeping Angel

ondon Centre’s first movement towards real-time event of the year collaboration­ across borders, attracted a capacity to allow, say, people in LA, crowd to ITV Studios New York and London to L– and not one of them was share products in real time. computer generated. “There are really clever A panel of experts discussed people who are using the use of visual effects in TV complex pieces of software – both real and CGI – and to create an image that’s argued that, used responsibly, believable – in many cases, they aid creativity. you can’t tell the difference Visual effects have moved between what’s been created on apace over the past two in CGI and what’s actually decades. Graeme Harper first been shot. It requires huge directed Doctor Who in 1984, processing power to do that.” although, as a floor assistant One recent development at the BBC in the 1960s, he that found little favour with worked on the series when the panel was using CGI to Patrick Troughton was the bring dead actors to life. In Time Lord. the latest Star Wars movie, “The Doctor Who [series] of Rogue One, Peter Cushing, the 1980s were great because who died in 1994, appears the stories were great – we again as Grand Moff Tarkin. all forgave them that the sets “We’ve already had three creaked,” said Harper. phone calls this year from He returned to the sci-fi Prosthetics television productions show following its successful inquiring about doing it, [but relaunch by Russell T Davies it would] be very expensive in 2005 and directed a and time-consuming. [The number of episodes, including and CGI in technology] is not quite there the 2006 two-parter Army of yet,” said Cohen. Ghosts/Doomsday, which saw Looking to the future, Daleks and Cybermen at war. Harper said that he saw CGI “In the 1980s, we couldn’t harmony as an “enhancement and an make the Daleks fly. aid that makes things look I found it brilliant. I want to be able to extraordinary direct actors”. to have Gorton – who is the

thousands of All pictures: BBC director of both Millennium them in the FX and Gorton Studio, which sky – I was Almost a effects work on Deep Breath provides industry training gobsmacked,” decade later was recognised with the – also saw a limit to visual said Harper, and Cohen’s award of a TV Craft Bafta. effects technology: “We don’t who showed new outfit, Millennium FX specialises want all digital actors, and an the audience Milk VFX, in prosthetics, animatronics actor doesn’t want to be stood a clip from where he and make-up. It’s famous in front of a green screen all Army of Ghosts/ is CEO, was Doctor Who creations include the time – they want to play Doomsday, in working the Cybermen and the a character. Just because you which Daleks with fellow Weeping Angels. can do something, it doesn’t mount an The Half-Face Man panellist Neill The panel at the RTS mean you should.” aerial attack Gorton from London event was completed In 10 years, he continued, on London. Millennium by Gary Negus, VP Sales at “we’ll have more technology Will Cohen, who was then FX to produce the complex Sohonet, which provides fast and toys to play with, but at visual-effects facility The effects required for the broadband connections for we’re going to be just as Mill, worked on the revived sinister Half-Face Man from effects houses. He said: “We busy. No one’s going to take Doctor Who. “We were doing the 2014 episode Deep Breath. do the less glamorous the actors away and, if you [effects that] no one had Milk created a hollow, back-end work of providing still have actors, you are still ever tried to do before in a computer-generated the IT, the network and the going to need prosthetics [UK] TV drama,” he said. structure, complete with infrastructure to enable the and make-up.” “We were trying to copy cogs and machinery, to creative process to flourish. Report by Matthew Bell. The what you see in the movies replace the missing half of “We enable people to event was produced by Rose- – with no time or money.” the villain’s face. The visual share content. There’s a big mary Smith.

Television www.rts.org.uk February 2017 29 OFF M E SSAGE

ff Message was ­ever-charming and dulcet-toned So where will Mair turn his atten- delighted to visit Sands is certain to be an excellent tion to next? How Brexit is likely to the White City ambassador for the Beeb. affect the media, of course. Broadcast Centre Her sheer likeability and apparent last month. Like unwillingness to upset the Today ■ The lengths some people will go to any modern-day applecart was much in evidence in order to produce a must-see real- media workplace, during a recent Media Show interview. ity show. For the latest of Channel 4’s it’s all very open-plan and not dis- She made light of her lack of broad- signature series The Island with Bear Osimilar to a certain, much-loved BBC casting experience and dealt adroitly Grylls, cast and crew had to endure Two comedy starring Jessica Hynes. with several difficult questions. testing conditions, to say the least. The building is not without its We wait with eager ears to hear It rained torrentially for all five days quirks. In the meeting room, the what impact Sands makes on a BBC and the camp flooded. overhead lights kept switching them- programme that remains essential Beat that, Big Brother. selves off and so neededconstant ­ listening for the chattering class. attention. ■ Talking of apocalyptic scenarios, Another odd note was the show ■ All’s well that ends well. Discovery a recent FT Magazine cover story was that was playing on a TV screen in and Sky managed to agree a carriage devoted to the gripping subject of the foyer. A perfect opportunity, you’d deal at the very last minute. Brink- the Murdoch succession. think, to promote one of the BBC’s manship or what? How interesting to learn that, own brilliant hits such as Planet Earth Good to see the two TV giants following Roger Ailes’s fall from II or Strictly Come Dancing. ­“celebrating” with a series of news­ grace, Rupert, 86 this year, has been Think again. The programme being paper ads. Next time round, it might running Fox News as interim CEO. shown to BBC visitors in the entrance be best not to leave things until the He took personal charge of the news was none other than Netflix’s genre- very last moment. channel’s US election coverage. defining period beauty The Crown. All that suspense is just too stress- James, meanwhile, in addition to Yes, the one the BBC couldn’t afford ful. And all on exactly the same day his leadership roles at Fox and Sky, to make. as the deadline for the January foot- is overseeing the building of a new ball transfer window. property, according to the piece. ■ Over in radio, the corporation A luxury home in Manhattan, or a needs to be congratulated for going ■ It’s that man again. John Mair beachside bolthole in Santa Monica? outside the BBC to hire a new editor recently held a very entertaining eve- Not exactly. The media leader is put- of the agenda-setting, Radio 4 news ning at the Groucho Club to launch ting his money where his mouth is by flagship, Today. his latest book, Last Words? How Can building an eco-retreat. This “end of Sarah Sands, who, against the odds, Journalism Survive the Decline of Print? times” house comes complete with its turned the London Evening Standard A stellar cast of contributors to the own water and solar power supply at into a successful freesheet, should be book co-authored by Mair includes a remote spot in Canada. a welcome addition to the BBC pro- Raymond Snoddy, Roy Greenslade If James Murdoch thinks the apoc- gramme hierarchy. and Richard Tait, whose essay on the alypse is nigh, then maybe we should Auntie is not exactly bursting way in which Channel 4 modernised all start worrying. at the seams with senior staff adept its advertising model, “Digital Now, where is that Book of Revela- at putting the BBC’s case. The alchemy”, is especially fascinating. tion when you need it most?

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

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

RTS Accenture Deloitte IMG Studios STV Group Major Amazon Video Enders Analysis ITN UKTV Patrons Audio Network FremantleMedia KPMG Virgin Media Boston Consulting FTI Consulting McKinsey and Co YouView Group Fujitsu Pinewood Studios BT Huawei S4C Channel 5 IBM Sargent-Disc

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

Television www.rts.org.uk February 201751 31 LBHUW1512005P_210x297_MEDIA EN.pdf 1 16/10/31 下午4:52

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