DOCSLIB.ORG

Stories of Natural History Film-Making from the BBC

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Stories of Natural History Film-Making from the BBC Networks of Nature: Stories of Natural History Film-Making from the BBC Gail Davies Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Submitted 1997 Awarded 1998 University College London Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature Abstract In May 1953 the first natural history television programme was broadcast from Bristol by naturalist Peter Scott and radio producer Desmond Hawkins. By 1997 the BBC's Natural History Unit has established a global reputation for wildlife films, providing a keystone of the BBC's public service broadcasting charter, playing an important strategic role in television scheduling and occupying a prominent position in a competitive world film market. The BBC's blue-chip natural history programmes regularly bring images of wildlife from all over the globe to British audiences of over 10 million. This thesis traces the changing aesthetics, ethics and economics of natural history film-making at the BBC over this period. It uses archive material, interviews and participant observation to look at how shifting relationships between broadcasting values, scientific and film-making practices are negotiated by individuals within the Unit. Engaging with vocabularies from geography, media studies and science studies, the research contextualises these popular representations of nature within a history of post-war British attitudes to nature and explores the importance of technology, animals and conceptions of the public sphere as additional actors influencing the relationships between nature and culture. This history charts the construction of the actor networks of the Natural History Unit by film- makers and broadcasters as they seek to incorporate and exclude certain practices, technologies and discourses of nature. These networks provide the resources, values and constraints which members of the Unit negotiate to seek representation within the Unit, and present challenges as the Unit seeks to preserve its institutional identity as these networks shift. The thesis tells a series of stories of natural history film-making that reflect one institution's contributions and responses to the contemporary formations of nature, science, the media and modernity. 2 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature Acknowledgements A great many people have advised and encouraged me over the last four years in a great many ways. I am particularly indebted to my supervisor Jacquie Burgess, without whom this PhD would never have seen the light; for her inexhaustible enthusiasm, endless patience and personal support. I want to thank everyone in the geography department at UCL who has contributed to the development of ideas in the PhD, either knowing or unknowingly. Amongst them are postgraduates, past and present, whose friendship and understanding have provided solidarity and a source of inspiration; in particular thanks to Tracey Bedford, Kevin Collins, Julia Cream, Nicole Dando, James Kneale, Minelle Mahtani, Ben Malbon, Diane Mortimer- Rebane, Pip Noon, Simon Pinnegar, and Jeremy Stein. My thanks to all the staff at UCL who have patiently read and listened to endless stories of natural history film-making and helped me to make sense of them: Judy Clark, Phil Crang, Claire Dwyer, Peter Wood, Carolyn Harrison, Peter Lunt, and Jon Turney. I am also indebted to Richard Munton for providing regular support for grant applications, and a continuing belief in my research. Thanks are due to everyone at the BBC in Bristol, for not only tolerating my intrusions, conversation, and questions, but additionally offering advice and making me welcome. I would like to express my particular gratitude to the following: Alan Baker, Rob Collis, Jane Gray- Wallis and everyone else in the library for their invaluable assistance in finding archive material, locating films, and following up members of the Unit; the Head of Department Alastair Fothergill for sparing time to talk and the rest of his office for assistance with the questionnaire; Paul Appleby and everyone else in Nature Detectives who allowed me to help and hinder them for a couple of weeks. I am grateful to everyone who helped in developing research ideas and suggesting other contacts; particularly John Sparks, Richard Brock, Keith Scholey, Michael Bright, Ros Kidman Cox, Mike Kendall, Sue McMillan, Clare Brook and Jeffrey Boswall. I am, of course, especially indebted to everyone who filled in questionnaires and found time between busy filming schedules to talk to me and guide me through their complicated histories of natural history film-making. I wish you all the best of luck for the future. Finally, I would like to thank all those people who have provided friendship and more over the last four years. At Bristol University, James Kneale and Bon Holloway provided coffee and a sounding board for the frustrations of doing research. Nic Beynon and Jenny Coe have given moral support and demonstrated that there is life beyond postgraduate studies. Luke Desforges has been a fine companion throughout the lengthy process of doing a PhD. And as ever my family have provided love and support. I would lastly like to thank Geoff Kent, for his love, commitment and encouragement, and his ability to share equally in the low periods and high points over the last four years. Any mistakes in the thesis are of course all my own. 3 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature Table of Contents Abstract Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Figures List of Plates Preface Chapter I: Introduction: Histories of Natural History Films 1.1. Introduction: Stories of Natural History Film-Making 1.2. Forty Years of Film-Making at the Natural History Unit 1.3. Cultural Geography and the 'Matter of Nature' 1.4. Reviewing Natural History Films 1.5. Natural History Films and the Nature of Modernity 1.6. The Aims and Scope of the Thesis Chapter II: Television, Science and Television Science 2.1. Part 1: "Doing Television" 2.1.1. An Introduction to Two Cultures 2.1.2. Media Studies and the Communication of Science 2.1.3. The Narratives of Television Science 2.1.4. The Science of Television Science 2.2. Part 2: "Doing Science" 2.2.1. The Social Construction of Scientific Knowledge 2.2.2. The Anthropology of Modernity 2.2.3. Networks of Nature 2.2.4. The Situatedness of Science 2.2.5. Representation and Scientific Practice 2.3. Part 3: Interpretations of Natural History Traditions 2.3.1. Enrolling Animals and Natural History Classifications 2.3.2. Inscription and the Emergence of Ethology 2.3.3. Negotiating the Position of Animals 2.4. Part 4: "Doing Natural History Television" Chapter III: Researching the Networks Natural History Film-Making 3.1. Introduction: Networks and Research Methods 3.2. Qualitative Analysis and the Politics of Research 3.3 Case Studies and Production Ethnographies 3.4. Discourse Analysis and the Narratives of Actor Network Theory 4 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature 3.5. Materials and Methods 3.5.1. Learning the Language 3.5.2. Learning the History 3.5.3. Following the Actors 3.5.4. Analysing the Relationships 3.5.5. Constructing Narratives 3.6. The Actor Networks of the Natural History Unit Chapter IV: The Era of the Amateur Naturalist Film-Maker 4.1. Introduction: Enrolling Animals 4.2. Post War Opportunities 4.3. News from the Zoos 4.4. A New Look at Nature 4.5. Survival: Competition and Gaining Control 4.6. Conclusions: The First Networks of Natural History Films Chapter V: Empire Building in an Age of Broadcasting 5.1. Introduction: Building the Network 5.2. Before Life on Earth 5.3. The World About Us 5.4. Life on Earth 5.5. After Life on Earth 5.6. Conclusions: Networks and Exclusions Chapter VI: The Ethics and Environmental Responsibilities of Natural History Film-Making 6.1. Introduction: Animal Images and Animal Rights 6.2. Supersense and the Supernatural 6.3. Science, Entertainment and Film-Making Ethics 6.4. Conclusions: Building Momentum and Maintaining Authority Chapter VII: The Birtean Revolution and the New Television Age 7.1. Introduction: Extending Choice and Centralising Control 7.2. Managing Success 7.3. Watch Out and new styles of Natural History Television 7.4. "Something to Write About” 7.5. Conclusions: Looking Back and Looking Forward Chapter VIII: The Commissioning Process: A Year in the Life of the Natural History Unit 8.1. Introduction to the Editorials 8.2. The Production and Consumption of Natural History Films 8.3. The Future of Natural History Film-Making 5 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature 8.3.1. “There will always be a place for the blue-chip film” 8.3.2. “The Animal Hospital Syndrome” 8.3.3. Environmental Programming 8.3.4. Conclusions: “The same, very differently” Chapter IX: Conclusions: The Politics and Pleasures of Natural History Film-Making 9.1. Introduction: Modern Freedoms and Obligations 9.2. Natural History Film-making and Situated Knowledges 9.3. Natural History Films and Universal Knowledges 9.4. Actor Network Theory and Natural History Film-Making Appendix B: Questionnaire Responses Appendix C: A Filmography of Films from the Natural History Unit: 1946-1996 Sources Bibliography 6 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature List of Figures Figure 2.1. The Processes of Purification and Translation Figure 2.2. Purification and Translation in Natural History Films 7 Gail Davies Phd: Networks of nature List of Plates Plate 1. Look 1955 Heinz Sielmann Johnny Morris Peter Scott Armand and Michaela Denis (all copyright, NHU publicity brochure, 1990, BBC South) Plate 2. Life on Earth 1979 Filming Life on Earth Life on Earth Book Cover David Attenborough David Bellamy (all copyright NHU publicity brochure, 1990, BBC South) Plate 3. Supersense 1988 New Filming Techniques Trials of Life Logo Supersense Book Cover Nature (all copyright NHU publicity brochure, 1990, BBC South) Plate 4.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Scotland's 'Forgotten' Contribution to the History of the Prime-Time BBC1 Contemporary Single TV Play Slot Cook, John R
    'A view from north of the border': Scotland's 'forgotten' contribution to the history of the prime-time BBC1 contemporary single TV play slot Cook, John R. Published in: Visual Culture in Britain DOI: 10.1080/14714787.2017.1396913 Publication date: 2018 Document Version Author accepted manuscript Link to publication in ResearchOnline Citation for published version (Harvard): Cook, JR 2018, ''A view from north of the border': Scotland's 'forgotten' contribution to the history of the prime- time BBC1 contemporary single TV play slot', Visual Culture in Britain, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 325-341. https://doi.org/10.1080/14714787.2017.1396913 General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please view our takedown policy at https://edshare.gcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/5179 for details of how to contact us. Download date: 26. Sep. 2021 1 Cover page Prof. John R. Cook Professor of Media Department of Social Sciences, Media and Journalism Glasgow Caledonian University 70 Cowcaddens Road Glasgow Scotland, United Kingdom G4 0BA Tel.: (00 44) 141 331 3845 Email: [email protected] Biographical note John R. Cook is Professor of Media at Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland. He has researched and published extensively in the field of British television drama with specialisms in the works of Dennis Potter, Peter Watkins, British TV science fiction and The Wednesday Play.
    [Show full text]
  • Breathtaking Stories of Extreme Filming. Read the Full Story on Page 6
    The newspaper for BBC pensioners - with highlights from Ariel Heights, Camera, Action Breathtaking stories of extreme filming. Read the full story on page 6. June 2011 • Issue 4 Yes, Prime Lord Patten Minister back takes the helm Sounds better? on stage Page 2 Page 7 Page 12 NEWS • LifE aftEr auNtiE • CLaSSifiEdS • Your LEttErS • obituariES • CroSPEro 02 uPdatE froM thE bbC Patten takes helm at BBC Trust On 3 May, Lord Patten began his appointment as chairman of the BBC Trust – with an interesting first day spent taking questions from staff in a ringmain session. Quality First) should be all about and I hope we’ll be able to discuss options with the Executive during the summer.’ 2011 pay offer It is also apparent that the new chairman is ready and willing to deal with the – an update repercussions of the less popular decisions to be taken, and those which will not always Further to requests by the unions for all be accepted gladly by the licence fee payer. staff in bands 2-11 to be awarded a pay ‘I hope we won’t be talking about closing increase which is ‘substantially above services but, whatever we are talking about inflation’, the BBC has offered a 2% doing, if the Trust and the Executive are increase – which falls far short of the agreed it is the best way of using the money Retail Prices Index (RPI) figures on which then we have to stand by the consequences. If it is intended to be based (5.2% as at that involves answering thousands of emails, April 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • BFI CELEBRATES BRITISH FILM at CANNES British Entry for Cannes 2011 Official Competition We’Ve Got to Talk About Kevin Dir
    London May 10 2011: For immediate release BFI CELEBRATES BRITISH FILM AT CANNES British entry for Cannes 2011 Official Competition We’ve Got to Talk About Kevin dir. Lynne Ramsay UK Film Centre supports delegates with packed events programme 320 British films for sale in the market A Clockwork Orange in Cannes Classics The UK film industry comes to Cannes celebrating the selection of Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk About Kevin for the official competition line-up at this year’s festival, Duane Hopkins’s short film, Cigarette at Night, in the Directors’ Fortnight and the restoration of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, restored by Warner Bros; in Cannes Classics. Lynne Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin starring Tilda Swinton was co-funded by the UK Film Council, whose film funding activities have now transferred to the BFI. Duane Hopkins is a director who was supported by the UK Film Council with his short Love Me and Leave Me Alone and his first feature Better Things. Actor Malcolm McDowell will be present for the screening of A Clockwork Orange. ITV Studios’ restoration of A Night to Remember will be screened in the Cinema on the Beach, complete with deckchairs. British acting talent will be seen in many films across the festival including Carey Mulligan in competition film Drive, and Tom Hiddleston & Michael Sheen in Woody Allen's opening night Midnight in Paris The UK Film Centre offers a unique range of opportunities for film professionals, with events that include Tilda Swinton, Lynne Ramsay and Luc Roeg discussing We Need to Talk About Kevin, The King’s Speech producers Iain Canning and Gareth Unwin discussing the secrets of the film’s success, BBC Film’s Christine Langan In the Spotlight and directors Nicolas Winding Refn and Shekhar Kapur in conversation.
    [Show full text]
  • Fame Attack : the Inflation of Celebrity and Its Consequences
    Rojek, Chris. "The Icarus Complex." Fame Attack: The Inflation of Celebrity and Its Consequences. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2012. 142–160. Bloomsbury Collections. Web. 1 Oct. 2021. <http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781849661386.ch-009>. Downloaded from Bloomsbury Collections, www.bloomsburycollections.com, 1 October 2021, 16:03 UTC. Copyright © Chris Rojek 2012. You may share this work for non-commercial purposes only, provided you give attribution to the copyright holder and the publisher, and provide a link to the Creative Commons licence. 9 The Icarus Complex he myth of Icarus is the most powerful Ancient Greek parable of hubris. In a bid to escape exile in Crete, Icarus uses wings made from wax and feathers made by his father, the Athenian master craftsman Daedalus. But the sin of hubris causes him to pay no heed to his father’s warnings. He fl ies too close to the sun, so burning his wings, and falls into the Tsea and drowns. The parable is often used to highlight the perils of pride and the reckless, impulsive behaviour that it fosters. The frontier nature of celebrity culture perpetuates and enlarges narcissistic characteristics in stars and stargazers. Impulsive behaviour and recklessness are commonplace. They fi gure prominently in the entertainment pages and gossip columns of newspapers and magazines, prompting commentators to conjecture about the contagious effects of celebrity culture upon personal health and the social fabric. Do celebrities sometimes get too big for their boots and get involved in social and political issues that are beyond their competence? Can one posit an Icarus complex in some types of celebrity behaviour? This chapter addresses these questions by examining celanthropy and its discontents (notably Madonna’s controversial adoption of two Malawi children); celebrity health advice (Tom Cruise and Scientology); and celebrity pranks (the Sachsgate phone calls involving Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross).
    [Show full text]
  • Or, Read the PDF Version of the Spring 2013 Magazine
    Spring 2013 Golden moments at the Minster University marks its 50th Anniversary THROUGH THE STAINED GLASS: CAPTURING THE WONDER OF RESTORATION EXHIBITION UNLOCKS MYSTERIES OF STONE AGE HOUSE PROTECTING THE CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE 15 magazine CONTENTS Spring 2013 Produced by Communications Office Spotlight University of York Heslington York YO10 5DD A Stone Age house unlocked 15 Telephone: +44 (0)1904 322622 Protecting the champions 16 Director of External Relations of change Joan Concannon Restoring a national treasure 18 Editor Jilly Lovett Assistant Editor Alice Jenkins Editorial team Exhibition to showcase Star Carr David Garner, Suzy Harrison, William Haydon and Sheila Perry 9 Photography Suzy Harrison Copy deadlines www.york.ac.uk/magazine Email 18 [email protected] Working to restore the Great East Window in The Communications Office reserves the right to edit York Minster submissions Design The Studio Mystery ring sheds light on York’s past University of York Telephone: +44 (0)1904 328414 www.studio.crevado.com University highlights 16 Printed by University marks 50th 3 Wyke Printers, Hull Anniversary celebrations The University of York Magazine ©University of York. If you require this publication in an January graduation ceremonies 7 alternative format visit www. york.ac.uk/magazine York Concerts 8 York in pictures Life and work at York 11 In memoriam 21 University news At the chalk face 22 8 Karak Denyok, one of York’s human rights defenders Alan Ayckbourn in the audience the university of york magazine 50TH ANNIVERSARY 3 York Minster launch for 50th Anniversary The University of York returned to the scene of its inauguration at York Minster for a 50th Anniversary celebration which proved an inspirational start to a year-long calendar of Anniversary events.
    [Show full text]
  • BBC AR Front Part 2 Pp 8-19
    Executive Committee Greg Dyke Director-General since Jana Bennett OBE Director of Mark Byford Director of World customer services and audience January 2000, having joined the BBC Television since April 2002. Service & Global News since research activities. Previously as D-G Designate in November Responsible for the BBC’s output October 2001. Responsible for all European Director for Unilever’s 1999. Previously Chairman and Chief on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three the BBC’s international news and Food and Beverages division. Former Executive of Pearson Television from and BBC Four and for overseeing information services across all media positions include UK Marketing 1995 to 1999. Former posts include content on the UKTV joint venture including BBC World Service radio, Director then European Marketing Editor in Chief of TV-am (1983); channels and the international BBC World television and the Director with Unilever’s UK Food Director of Programmes for TVS channels BBC America and BBC international-facing online news and Beverages division and (1984), and Director of Programmes Prime. Previously General Manager sites. Previously Director of Regional Chairman of the Tea Council. (1987), Managing Director (1990) and Executive Vice President at Broadcasting. Former positions and Group Chief Executive (1991) at Discovery Communications Inc. include Head of Centre, Leeds and Carolyn Fairbairn Director of London Weekend Television. He has in the US. Former positions include Home Editor Television News. Strategy & Distribution since April also been Chairman of Channel 5; Director of Production at BBC; Head 2001. Responsible for strategic Chairman of the ITA; a director of BBC Science; Editor of Horizon, Stephen Dando Director of planning and the distribution of BBC of ITN, Channel 4 and BSkyB, and and Senior Producer on Newsnight Human Resources & Internal services.
    [Show full text]
  • African Cats Study Notes
    African Cats Directed by: Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill Certificate: U (contains documentary footage of animals hunting and fighting) Running time: 89 mins Release Date: 27th April 2012 Suitable for: The activities in these study notes address aspects of the curriculum for literacy, science and geography for pupils between ages 5–11. www.filmeducation.org 1 ©Film Education 2012. Film Education is not responsible for the content of external sites Synopsis An epic true story set against the backdrop of one of the wildest places on Earth, African Cats captures the real-life love, humour and determination of the majestic kings of the Savannah. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a rival lion and his sons. Genre African Cats is a nature documentary, referred to by its producers as a ‘true life adventure’. It was filmed in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, a major game region in southwestern Kenya. The film uses real-life footage to tell the true story of two families of wild animals, both fighting to survive in the Savannah. African Cats features a voiceover narration by the actor Samuel L. Jackson and a portion of the money made from ticket sales went to the African Wildlife Foundation. Before SeeinG the film Review pupils’ understanding of the documentary genre. How are they different to other films they watch? Make two lists, one of nature documentaries children have seen (e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Lasa Journal 8 Pp.36- 43) to Set up a Working Group with Us
    laSa• International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives Association Internationale d' Archives Sonoreset Audiovisuelles Internationale Vereinigung der Schall- und Audiovisuellen Archive laSa• journal (formerly Phonographic Bulletin) no. 9 May 1997 IASA JOURNAL Journal of the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives IASA Organie de l'Association Internationale d'Archives Sonores et Audiovisuelle IASA Zeitschchrift der Internationalen Vereinigung der Schall- und Audiovisuellen Archive IASA Editor: Chris Clark, The British Library National Sound Archive, 29 Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AS, UK. Fax 441714127413, e-mail [email protected] Reviews and Recent Publications Editor: Pekka Gronow, Finnish Broadcasting Company, PO Box 10, SF-00241, Helsinki, Finland. Fax 358014802089 The IASA Journal is published twice a year and is sent to all members of IASA. Applications for membership of IASA should be sent to the Secretary General (see list of officers below). The annual dues are 25GBP for individual members and 100GBP for institutional members. Back copies of the IASA Journal from -1971 are available on application. Subscriptions to the current year's issues of the IASA Journal are also available to non-members at a cost of 35GBP. Le IASA Journal est publie deux fois I'an et distribue a tous les membres. Veuilliez envoyer vos demandes d'adhesion au secretaire dont vous trouverez I'adresse ci-dessous. Les cotisations anuelles sont en ce moment de 25GBP pour les membres individuels et 100GBP pour les membres institutionelles. Les numeros precedeentes (a partir de 1971) du IASA Journal sont disponibles sure demande. Ceux qui ne sont pas membres de I' Assoociation puevent obtenir un abonnement du IASA Journal pour I'annee courante au cout de 35GBP.
    [Show full text]
  • The Perfect Planet Trailer
    Top Tips: 1. Read the questions carefully. 2. Use a highlighter or your pencil to underline the relevant information from the text. 3. Answer the questions in full sentences unless you need to copy individual words. The Perfect Planet Trailer This is a perfect planet. Life flourishes here thanks to powerful natural forces. Light from the sun reaches us in just eight minutes, powering our living world and its daily and yearly rhythms shape the lives of every creature on Earth. Volcanoes are powerful and uncontrollable forces, but they are the architects of the planet, creating over 80 of the Earth's surface. Life could not exist without them. Our oceans are in constant motion. They're linked by a network of powerful currents that carry nutrients around the globe. Every drop of sea water rides these currents taking a thousand years to complete a single circuit. And where there are currents there is life. From mighty storms to freezing winds, weather is vital to life. Rain clouds form and powerful winds carry this fresh water around the globe revitalizing the land. Annual weather patterns have been stable for thousands of years and it's this reliability on which life depends. Together these forces have shaped our perfect planet. But it's a fragile system. Today there is a new force one so powerful it threatens life on Earth. Human activity is now so dominant that it's disrupting the forces of nature and the vital habitats life needs to survive on Earth. To preserve our planet, we need to act now.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Pinkoes Traitors'
    ‘PINKOES AND TRAITORS’ The BBC and the nation, 1974–1987 JEAN SEATON PROFILE BOOKS First published in Great Britain in !#$% by Pro&le Books Ltd ' Holford Yard Bevin Way London ()$* +,- www.pro lebooks.com Copyright © Jean Seaton !#$% The right of Jean Seaton to be identi&ed as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Designs and Patents Act $++/. All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN +4/ $ /566/ 545 6 eISBN +4/ $ /546% +$6 ' All reasonable e7orts have been made to obtain copyright permissions where required. Any omissions and errors of attribution are unintentional and will, if noti&ed in writing to the publisher, be corrected in future printings. Text design by [email protected] Typeset in Dante by MacGuru Ltd [email protected] Printed and bound in Britain by Clays, Bungay, Su7olk The paper this book is printed on is certi&ed by the © $++6 Forest Stewardship Council A.C. (FSC). It is ancient-forest friendly. The printer holds FSC chain of custody SGS-COC-!#6$ CONTENTS List of illustrations ix Timeline xvi Introduction $ " Mrs Thatcher and the BBC: the Conservative Athene $5
    [Show full text]
  • Future of Public Service Media: Open University Response Summary
    Ofcom – Future of Public Service Media: Open University Response Summary 1. Education is a crucial part of the Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) requirements. Several of the statutory requirements set out in Section 264 of the Communications Act 2003 relate to educational objectives. There are opportunities to strengthen these requirements as part of the new Public Service Media (PSM) offer. 2. The Open University (OU) plays a key role in supporting the delivery of PSB requirements around education through its partnership with the BBC. The partnership co-produces high-quality factual content across several channels and platforms, which is developed in collaboration with academic experts and closely linked to related educational materials hosted by the OU. A key objective of the partnership is to encourage people to embark on learning journeys from the informal, factual content produced with the BBC, through online and printed educational resources which enhance and enrich their broadcast/digital experience, to taking up formal learning opportunites inspired by watching, listening to and engaging with the content produced as part of the partnership. 3. In 2019/20: • A total of 257 hours of content produced via the OU/BBC partnership was broadcast by the BBC. • This resulted in a combined total of 308 million viewing/listening “events” and digital engagement interactions. • The three most popular television programmes broadcast – A Perfect Planet, Springwatch and Hospital (Series 5) all saw viewing figures in excess of 22 million. • There were 765,000 unique visitors to the online educational content related to the OU/BBC partnership hosted on the OU’s free online learning platform, OpenLearn.
    [Show full text]
  • Fawlty Towers - Episode Guide
    Performances October 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 Three episodes of the classic TV series are brought to life on stage. Written by John Cleese & Connie Booth. Music by Dennis Wilson By Special Arrangement With Samuel French and Origin Theatrical Auditions Saturday June 18, Sunday June 19 Thurgoona Community Centre 10 Kosciuszko Road, Thurgoona NSW 2640 Director: Alex 0410 933 582 FAWLTY TOWERS - EPISODE GUIDE ACT ONE – THE GERMANS Sybil is in hospital for her ingrowing toenail. “Perhaps they'll have it mounted for me,” mutters Basil as he tries to cope during her absence. The fire-drill ends in chaos with Basil knocked out by the moose’s head in the lobby. The deranged host then encounters the Germans and tells them the “truth” about their Fatherland… ACT TWO – COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS It’s not a wise man who entrusts his furtive winnings on the horses to an absent-minded geriatric Major, but Basil was never known for that quality. Parting with those ill-gotten gains was Basil’s first mistake; his second was to tangle with the intermittently deaf Mrs Richards. ACT THREE – WALDORF SALAD Mine host's penny-pinching catches up with him as an American guest demands the quality of service not normally associated with the “Torquay Riviera”, as Basil calls his neck of the woods. A Waldorf Salad is not part of Fawlty Towers' standard culinary repertoire, nor is a Screwdriver to be found on the hotel's drinks list… FAWLTY TOWERS – THE REGULARS BASIL FAWLTY (John Cleese) The hotel manager from hell, Basil seems convinced that Fawlty Towers would be a top-rate establishment, if only he didn't have to bother with the guests.
    [Show full text]