April 2015

Armando Iannucci: A life in comedy Delivering quality experiences in the digital age

Fujitsu helps media leaders engage global audiences. Deploying ICT solutions with exceptional security and performance. Together, we can make it happen. uk.fujitsu.com

2692_Fujitsu_in_Media_A4_advert_v04.indd 1 30/03/2015 16:28:19 Journal of The Royal Television Society April 2015 l Volume 52/4

From the CEO The Society’s most Later in the month I had the honour Interviewed by Sky’s Head of Com­ glamorous and starry of attending a memorial lunch ar­ edy, Lucy Lumsden, Armando spoke evening, the RTS ranged by RTS Midlands for Tony about his extraordinary career and his Programme Awards, Pilgrim, the Society’s former Chair­ success on both sides of the Atlantic. was a huge success. man who died earlier this year, aged In the course of a wonderfully enter­ I’d like to thank every­ 91. More than 50 years ago, Tony taining evening, he recalled what it one involved in what helped to set up our Midlands Centre. was like to work for BBC Radio in the was a glittering event at Grosvenor George Pagan made a very touching pre-digital era, and the contrasting House on Park Lane. Congratulations speech, reminding us of the man and approaches to making The Thick of It in to all the winners and nominees. his achievements. the UK and US. Thanks, too, to the evening’s bril­ Comedy is perhaps the hardest of He also recounted his first encoun­ liant host, John Sergeant, who kept all the TV genres to get right. At the ter with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the star proceedings running super smoothly. end of March, we were privileged to of his hit HBO series, Veep. Earlier in March, I was fortunate hear from one of its most successful enough to attend the RTS West of ­practitioners, Armando Iannucci, at England Awards at the Bristol Old Vic: a sold-out early-evening event in the another memorable evening, and a magnificent surroundings of West­ great night for the BBC’s Natural His­ minster’s Telford Theatre. He is, tory Unit, proud winner of six awards. ­rightly, our cover star this month. Theresa Wise Contents Muriel Gray’s TV Diary Why diversity pays dividends Muriel Gray goes on the trail of some prized restoration Reflecting the whole nation makes business sense for 5 architecture – and ends up scooping a jackpot at the 18 broadcasters. But will the BBC’s lack of a commercial RTS Programme Awards imperative derail its diversity targets? Matthew Bell reports

Funny ideas about how to do satire From the digital editor Armando Iannucci looks back on more than two decades of What you need to know to break into TV news. And 6 TV laughter and reveals his love for Morecambe and Wise. 21 comedy. And animation. Tim Dickens highlights new RTS Steve Clarke takes a front row seat online features

The drama doctor Sackings, secrecy and sex Boyd Hilton interviews Jed Mercurio, whose edgy approach A new history of the BBC during the Thatcher era by its 10 to his craft has transformed storytelling on TV 22 official historian has it all. But Maggie Brown wonders if the approach lacks genuine focus A strategy for success Lucinda Hicks, COO of newly merged Endemol Shine UK, To the internet and beyond 12 has never made a programme in her life. But that hasn’t As broadcasters meet at the NAB technology show, stopped her rapid rise, says Tara Conlan 24 Adrian Pennington highlights four trends that could transform TV On a rescue mission As Tony Hall prepares for an epic Charter renewal battle, RTS Programme Awards 2013-2014 14 Anne McElvoy detects an upbeat mood at Broadcasting Six pages of the winners and nominees for the Awards, House. Can he win over the BBC’s critics? 26 which were presented at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, in March and hosted by John Sergeant Our Friend in the North Graeme Thompson shows how studying media in North 17 East England trumps North East China Cover picture: Philip Bannister

Editor Production, design, advertising Royal Television Society Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Steve Clarke Gordon Jamieson 3 Dorset Rise, UK £115 ISSN 0308-454X © Royal Television Society 2015. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface £146.11) Printer: FE Burman, The views expressed in Television Writer Sub-editor T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail £172.22) 20 Crimscott St, are not necessarily those of the RTS. Matthew Bell Sarah Bancroft E: [email protected] Enquiries: [email protected] London, SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728 [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 3 Your guide to upcoming national and RTS NEWS regional events

MIDLANDS SCOTLAND National events Local events April to May Wednesday 20 May Education workshops in Annual Awards RTS FUTURES BRISTOL secondary schools 6:30pm. Tickets are free if you Monday 27 April 14-15 April These will give students in years join the RTS by direct debit dur- I made it in… digital New directions in film and 8 and 9 an insight into jobs in ing April, otherwise: members, Venue: The Hospital Club, 24 Endell television production studies the TV industry. ■ 16 April Blue £24 inc VAT plus booking fee; Street, London WC2H 9HQ Two-day academic conference Coat Academy, Walsall ■ 21 April non-members, £48 plus booking ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk Venue: Watershed, 1 Canon’s Baxter College, Kidderminster fee. Online booking at Eventbrite Road, Bristol BS1 5TX ■ 23 April King Charles I School, Venue: Oran Mor, Glasgow G12 8QX RTS FUTURES Wednesday 15 April Kidderminster ■ 30 April Charlton ■ James Wilson 07899 761167 Monday 11 May The Bristol Distinguished School, Wellington ■ 17 May SCA ■ james.wilson@ First dates Address Series: Sir Peter Academy, Walsall cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk A formatting event Bazalgette Educators’ seminars Venue: Hallam Conference Centre, Chaired by Lynn Barlow. 6:00pm ■ 28 April Worcester University SOUTHERN 44 Hallam St, London W1W 6JJ for 6:30pm RTS industry update roadshows Thursday 30 April ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk Venue: Arnolfini, 6 Narrow Quay, ■ 22 April Birmingham, venue Peter Kosminsky in conversa- Bristol BS1 4QA TBC ■ 26 April Worcester Univer- tion with Gordon Cooper RTS LEGENDS May – date TBC sity ■ 21 May BBC Nottingham 6:30pm for 7:00pm Tuesday 19 May RTS Futures event ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 Venue: Bournemouth University, General election 2015: Did TV Venue: Bath Spa University ■ [email protected] 89 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8EB come to the aid of the party? ■ Belinda Biggam ■ Gordon Cooper Jeremy Paxman and Alastair ■ [email protected] NORTH EAST & THE BORDER ■ [email protected] Stewart OBE in conversation. 19-20 May Just days after the conclusion of DEVON & CORNWALL Young People’s Video Festival THAMES VALLEY the election, two of television’s ■ Contact TBC Venue: University of Sunderland Wednesday 13 May leading interviewers will share ■ Jill Graham NAB review their insiders’ views of exactly EAST ANGLIA ■ [email protected] Venue: Pincents Manor, Calcot, what happened. Tickets are ■ Contact TBC Reading RG31 4UQ £69.60 inc VAT (£58+£11.60 VAT) NORTH WEST ■ Penny Westlake per person and are inclusive of LONDON Monday 27 April ■ [email protected] service but exclusive of alcoholic Wednesday 15 April Great Big Telly Quiz beverages. 12.30pm for 1.00pm Future technologies for immer- Venue: Compass Room, Lowry WALES Venue: London Hilton on Park sive and personal broadcasting Theatre, Salford Quays M50 3AZ Monday 27 April Lane, London W1K 1BE 6:30pm for 7:00pm Thursday 14 May Post-production training ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk Venue: BBC Research & Screening: The Day They In association with Digital Media Development, Centre House, Dropped the Bomb Training, Cardiff. 7:00pm RTS AWARDS 56 Wood Lane, London W12 7SB Followed by Q&A with Producer/ Venue: DMT, Pascoe House, Bute Friday 5 June Wednesday 29 April Director Leslie Woodhead. 6:30pm Street, Cardiff CF10 5AF RTS Student Television Awards Suspects: an unusual drama Venue: Compass Room, Lowry Tuesday 12 May 2014 The backstory of Channel 5’s Theatre, Salford Quays M50 3AZ My Grandfather Dylan Venue: BFI Southbank, Belvedere first original drama commission ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 Screening and discussion Road, London SE1 8XT in eight years. Suspects is un- ■ [email protected] with Producer Phil George. In ■ Jamie O’Neill 020 7822 2821 scripted, with the cast devising association with Carmarthen ■ [email protected] their own dialogue based on a NORTHERN IRELAND Bay Film Festival. 1:00pm detailed plot description. ■ John Mitchell Venue: Stradey Park Hotel, RTS CONVENTION 6:30pm for 7:00pm ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@ Llanelli SA15 4HA 16-18 September Venue: Riverside Bar, ITV Studios, btinternet.com ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 RTS Cambridge Convention 2015 Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT ■ [email protected] Venue: West Road Concert Hall, Wednesday 13 May REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Cambridge CB3 9DP and King’s Freeview Play, the natural Date – TBC YORKSHIRE College, Cambridge CB2 1ST next step iPhone and iPad workshop Friday 19 June ■ Events 020 7822 2820 6:30pm for 7:00pm Presentation by Noel Hayes of Annual Awards ■ [email protected] Venue: Riverside Bar, ITV Studios, CompuB. 8:00pm Venue: Royal Armories, Leeds Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT Venue: Studio 4, Audience LS10 1LT ■ Daniel Cherowbrier Reception, RTÉ, Dublin 4 ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 ■ [email protected] ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. ■ [email protected] co.uk

4 April 2015 www.rts.org.uk Television TV diary

Muriel Gray goes on the trail of some prized restoration architecture – and ends up scooping a jackpot at the RTS Programme Awards

’ve been travelling the coun- One of my travelling companions, Of course, I tweet this picture, try with the heavenly task of Professor Tom Inns, Director of GSA, feeling safe. How will he ever know looking at restoration archi- demonstrates the greatest restraint that someone at the next table has tecture, in connection with by not only allowing our scholarly behaved so childishly? Fifteen min- our daunting project at Glas- conductor to talk nonsense, but also utes later, I bump into this acting god gow School of Art (GSA) to tipping this man who insists that outside the toilets. He does know. rebuild the iconic Charles nobody in Northampton cares about Turns out Twitter isn’t a private Rennie Mackintosh building, dam- Mackintosh anyway. We have a thing. I ask a passing Floella Benja- Iaged by fire last May. ­natural-born leader here at GSA. min to take a photo with me actually Miraculously, most of the building beside Mr Hollander this time. She was saved by the incredible quick ■ The trek takes us north to Liverpool does. Because she is smashing. thinking, bravery and professionalism and a tour around the spectacular, Later, it occurs to me that I was of the Scottish Fire and Rescue refurbished St George’s Hall. The probably quite rude to Baroness Ben- Service.­ janitor, Mike, unlocking things as we jamin, who would have been nicer in Tragically, though, we lost one of go, is passionate about the building. the picture anyway, as she was look- the most beautiful buildings in the We end up listening to him as much ing gorgeous in a stunning red dress world, the Mackintosh Library. We as to our guide. and I was wearing stupid shiny pants. are, of course, going to rebuild it. However, even Mike cannot explain I think I may have to give up this why civic buildings, regardless of tweeting thing. I’m rubbish at it. ■ Examining parallel, albeit smaller, their breathtaking grandeur, all end heritage projects has been a delight. up smelling of boiled cabbage. ■ Melvyn Bragg rounds off a terrific For instance, 78 Derngate, a ridicu- evening with a properly stirring lously tiny, Mackintosh-designed, ■ Having chaired a fascinating and speech in defence of the arts and terraced house in Northampton, has inspiring RTS Programme Awards the BBC, as he collects his Lifetime been exquisitely recreated, with a Arts Jury, I am rewarded, together Achievement Award. We should contemporary wing added to enhance with my fellow judges, by attending clone him while we can. the visiting experience. A joy to walk the ceremony at the Grosvenor House around. Hotel, with its carpeted staircase eter- ■ I win the sweepstake, through Our taxi driver, who’d brought us nally spangled by dropped sequins. sheer luck and guesswork rather from the station, had ejected us half Our table is the best of fun. I start a than any broadcasting insight, and a mile away, assuring us we were sweepstake, with everyone marking probably by being last to fill in the “nearly there”. on the programme who they think programme – thereby putting my So as not to be fooled on the return will win each category and the per- initials against programmes nobody journey, we call one to the door. son with most wins taking the pot. else had picked. I’m a little embar- The driver turns out be a Mackin- On discovering that my hero Tom rassed. It smacks of corruption. tosh expert, except that everything Hollander is sitting at the next table, I he tells us with the grave authority abuse my evening’s companion, fel- ■ We all go home proud of our jury’s of a local is spectacularly wrong. low juror and provider of my London decision, Grayson Perry: Who Are You? We smile and nod, and make overnight accommodation, Alexei The arts are back in broadcasting noises of feigned interest in the back Sayle, by pretending to take his photo with a vengeance. Happy days. of our throats, mindful of the possi- while secretly snapping my real tar- bility of another half-mile walk with get, Mr Hollander. Shameful fan-girl Muriel Gray is an author, broadcaster, non-wheeled cases. behaviour. Alexei rolls his eyes. producer and journalist.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 5 Funny ideas about how to do satire

Comedy

Armando Iannucci looks back on more than two decades of TV laughter and reveals his love for Morecambe and Wise. Steve Clarke takes a front row seat

y many people’s reckon- Labour spin doctor Malcolm Tucker, change one element”. To demonstrate ing, Armando Iannucci played to manic perfection by Peter his point, Iannucci showed the audi- is one of our greatest and Capaldi in The Thick of It, and the hap- ence a Morecambe and Wise sketch in funniest TV satirists. The less, gormless Alan Partridge, an which the former struggles hilariously political classes and the enduring creation that refuses to die. and in vain with a gigantic ventrilo- grammar and conceits of Iannucci told interviewer Lucy Lums- quist’s dummy. television have proved fertile ground den, Sky’s Head of Comedy, how, as a This love of the surreal was evident forB Iannucci’s wit and his team of gifted child, he’d been brought up in Glasgow also in a clip of Spike Milligan. In the collaborators, notably Steve Coogan, on a diet of mainstream TV, supple- sketch, the comedian does the voice­ Rebecca Front and Chris Morris. mented by a side order of radio comedy. over for a dalek invading a suburban Iannucci’s remorseless, and occa- The family “was a big Saturday night, dining room as the table is being laid. sionally scabarous, humour has sus- BBC One, Morecambe and Wise, Generation “You could sort of call it satire, but tained a wide-ranging and lengthy it’s not really,” explained Iannucci career across radio, TV and film. He in remarkably genial tones for learned his craft as a radio producer I LOVE COMEDY THAT someone who is obviously drawn back in the late 1980s. Since then, to the darker side of human he’s worked as a writer, performer HAS SURPRISES AND nature. “It’s funny, completely and director, principally for the BBC, HAS IDEAS BEHIND IT distinctive. Spike Milligan has his but also for Channel 4 and, latterly, own voice and yet takes bits that for HBO. are familiar cultural iconography… The US subscription service, feted Game, Mike Yarwood-watching” house- “The people I really enjoyed were for high-end fare such as Game of hold. As a comedian in the making, he the quirky ones: Ivor Cutler and Spike Thrones, commissioned Iannucci to failed at first to appreciate Monty Python, Milligan, Marty Feldman and The make Veep, for which Julia Louis-­ preferring instead the eccentricities of ­Goodies.” Dreyfus has thrice won an Emmy as The Goodies. It was after Oxford (where he did a a gaffe-prone Washington politician. Lumsden asked if he considered bit of writing and stand-up) and land- Veep is further proof that British himself a satirist. “I’ve never really ing a job in the comedy hothouse that humour can work on the other side of seen myself as being political,” replied was BBC Radio that Iannucci began to the Atlantic and thrive in the world’s Iannucci. “I’ve always been fascinated find his own voice. most competitive TV market. by politics and drawn towards it “They talk about corridor culture. It At a sold-out RTS early-evening because I think politics is important… literally was a corridor, with lots of writ- event, Iannucci looked back on his life “I really love slapstick… visual ers coming in and out,” said Iannucci. in comedy. humour… hopefully aligned with ver- “You’d befriend writers over a cup of tea He began by highlighting his comic bally dexterous stuff, as well. and suddenly think of an idea.” roots with clips from Morecambe and “I love comedy that has surprises Having other wordsmiths around Wise and Spike Milligan before explain- and has ideas behind it.” allowed Iannucci to raise his game. ing how he’d helped to sire two of TV’s One of the things he loved about “Writing is a displacement activity,” most perfectly realised comic monsters. Eric and Ernie was the double act’s he said. “If I sit down on my own to Step forward, foul-mouthed, New ability “to take a normal thing and write, I do a 101 things; but if you’re in

6 Iannucci on… Why US does more TV satire

‘We forget that the US audience is much, much bigger. The Daily Show only gets a tiny percentage of the big American audience but it’s enough to keep it going and give it the advertising that it needs. ‘We have a smaller population to play to. I’d say the UK equivalent of The Daily Show is the stuff that Charlie Brooker does. ‘It’s very difficult here to find the resources to justify something that will play to a niche audience. ‘With a bigger market, they can make something work without the obligation to go mass market.’

The birth of Alan Partridge

‘I said to Steve [Coogan]: “Have you got a voice that sounds like a sports reporter? But it’s not an

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul impression. It’s not David Coleman or John Motson.” a room with people who’re all funny, that he was trying to park outside ‘Steve just went [slips into Alan you’re egging each other on. Broadcasting House. Partridge]: “What, a voice like this?” “Or you push ideas to levels that you “He couldn’t find anywhere to park Instantly, everyone in the room wouldn’t really do on your own – or so I just got in. He drove me around went: “That’s him.” you’d take three times the amount of Broadcasting House about 200 times ‘Within seconds, somebody time to get there… There’s something and so we had our meeting.” said: “He’s called Partridge.” And about sparking off each other. The pair assembled what became the someone else went: “He’s an Alan.” “When we write all the Partridge team for the news satire On the Hour. It It’s almost like he emerged fully stuff… either Peter [Baynham] or included the writers Stewart Lee and formed.’ myself will be at the keyboard with Richard Herring, and a line-up of acting Steve wandering around as Alan.” talent headed by Steve Coogan and A pivotal moment at BBC Radio was Rebecca Front. meeting Chris Morris, whom Iannucci As Lumsden noted, unlike a lot of had heard parodying DJs on his Satur- BBC comedy talent, the On the Hour day morning Greater London Radio troop was not an Oxbridge clique. show. Iannucci explained: “It was a dispa- At the time, Iannucci was producing rate group of people who gelled… We programmes such as Just a Minute and wanted to do a comedy show that didn’t Week Ending. The latter was an influen- sound like any other comedy show. tial sketch series lampooning politicians “The humour had to be different. It and their peccadillos that served as a had to have a surreal quality and char- training ground for comedy writers. acters, but feel weird and not too “Chris and I immediately hit it off. scripted, so we encouraged people to We discovered we were both very improvise. But good gags. similar in age, had both gone to Jesuit “We made it like a magazine, with schools and had had the same teachers lots of different items.” despite being educated in different It was here that Alan Partridge was Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge parts of the country,” recalled Iannucci. invented – initially, as a gauche sports PA “He had a very, very battered old car reporter (see box, right). �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 7 � On the Hour’s success gave Iannucci Iannucci said he thought: “What can the confidence to go freelance and you do with that? I worked out that enter the very different and more you could probably do three episodes demanding world of television. if we went to one building.” The result was BBC Two’s The Day As it turned out, The Thick of It was Today, another news spoof, and the filmed in three different unused office comedian’s first experience of working buildings. Each episode was shot in in television. three days. “BBC Television approached us,” “I wanted to make it fast and furious…. Iannucci recalled. “But it was very with a documentary feel,” Iannucci traditional then. They said: ‘You’re revealed. “I didn’t want it to look staged. radio producers. You can’t deliver it, I wanted a bit of improvisation. It was so we’ll give it to someone else.’ as if we were eavesdropping on reality.” “I said, ‘No, you can’t have it.’ This The constraints helped to enhance was bizarre because, at the time, a lot the show’s intensity. “It gave everyone of radio comedy was going to TV.” a little bit of a frenetic look in their eyes Several independent producers, as they tried to learn the lines they’d including comedy specialist Hat Trick, just been given,” Iannucci continued.

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul wanted to make the show. “Fundamentally, it’s a sitcom. It’s a Iannucci and Morris decided to farce… What struck me, reading behind Iannucci on… accept TalkbackThames’s offer, which the inner workings of the Blair, Man- turned out to be a smart move. delson, Campbell thing, [was that] the The Thick of It “Peter Fincham [The Day Today’s funny thing was, they kept worrying Executive Producer] said: ‘I’m here just about stuff. in the US to let you get on with it.’ That’s exactly “If they hadn’t worried [so much] what he did. about stuff, it would have gone away. ‘I was flown out to Los Angeles and “He was a fantastic mentor because But it was the attempts to manage [the stayed in this nice hotel. he understood it and knew the best news]… to try and haul in a news editor ‘Nothing happened for two weeks. thing to do was to leave us alone. If and stop him from doing [something]… I was getting a little restless, so they ever the BBC got in the way, he would It was that, magnified… allowed me to attend a meeting. reassure them,” said Iannucci. “If you actually analyse Malcolm ‘It had 30 people in it. It was Was it intimidating being in telly, Tucker’s record in every episode, it’s to discuss the colour of the ties probed Lumsden. terrible. He comes in and shouts at and jackets the cast were going “It was an enormous learning curve,” people. They’re really scared of him. to wear. It was at that point I said, Iannucci confessed, “because we were “He tells them what to do. They do it. “Take me home.” not just making our own TV show… And it’s a disaster. But he sort of gets ‘The Thick of It depends on its “It was a show about television, so away with it because, by then, he’s left poisonous, vitriolic freneticism. we were learning television in order to the building… But the US version was shot very undo it. “I wanted it to be unsettling, which conventionally. “The BBC was very good. BBC News is why the language is the way it was.” ‘There was no swearing, Ollie even arranged for Chris and me to In The Thick of It the actors lead and was a girl, and I think there was an attend a training course in order to the cameras follow. Lumsden wanted upbeat, happy ending. learn how to make TV news – so that, to know if the same was true of Veep. ‘It wasn’t bad, it was boring.’ basically, we could give it the finger.” “Yes, we didn’t put any marks down In the same year that Iannucci and there were radio mikes. I said: ‘Even worked on The Day Today, he was also if you’re not in this shoot, if you speak, involved in assembling Alan Partridge’s we’ll hear you. So don’t feel you’re off.’ Being an first dedicated show, Knowing Me, Know- “I remember the cast saying that it ing You, originally for Radio 4 but later to was exhausting. You can’t save all your outsider move to TV. performance for the close-up: it might Meanwhile, BBC Two gave Iannucci not come. It’s every take. The camera ‘[In Scotland], there is that thing of his own programmes, including Friday can suddenly swing around. being neither in nor out. If you go to Night Armistice and, later, Time Trumpet. “I was always saying to the camera a very Scottish occasion, such as a On the eve of Tony Blair’s 1997 team: ‘Don’t go to them before they ceilidh, you think it’s a bit strange. ­landslide victory, Iannucci hosted an speak. Let them speak and then go and But if you go to an Italian wedding election-night special, Election Night find them, as if you were a documen- or your first communion, it’s also a Armistice, which ran for more than tary team.’” bit strange. three hours. A key moment in getting Veep off the ‘You don’t know quite where The Thick of It began life as a reinven- ground was Iannucci’s first encounter to fit. You’re an Italian in Scotland tion of Yes, Minister but ended up break- with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. and a Scot in England. There are ing new ground – partly because it Iannucci said he “was fully expect- these layers of feeling slightly at was made on a shoestring. BBC Four ing an entourage of people and a very one remove.’ Controller Roly Keating told Iannucci polite 20-minute conversation. She he had £100,000. just turned up and we chatted over a

8 Iannucci on… Improvising with actors

‘Working with a really good actor is like working with a musical instrument… ‘I know that if I give Rebecca Front a scenario, she is going to be absolutely amazing… ‘The cast of Veep forces you as a writer, as well as a director, to think of new things and play to their strengths. ‘I always love it when a The Thick of It

BBC performer gives you something you weren’t expecting… In the first episode of The Thick of It, the THE THICK OF IT DEPENDS ON ITS minister says: “Why don’t we fire POISONOUS, VITRIOLIC FRENETICISM. David at Transport?” And Malcolm says, “Fine”, and the minister says: BUT THE US VERSION WAS SHOT “It’s only fucking transport.” ‘At that point, Malcolm looks VERY CONVENTIONALLY at him, the charm suddenly disappears from his face and the eyes start to burn with hate. ‘That wasn’t in the script. It’s just Peter thinking. He didn’t say anything for a very long 10 seconds. ‘I was watching on the monitors. That’s when I thought we’re on to something here. ‘That’s what I like about the collaborative thing… There are people who want to take risks. ‘That’s why I want to make another film. I love working with great actors. ‘They don’t have to be famous actors or big names. They just have to be good.’

Veep HBO What he’s pot of tea for about three and a half TV are in awe of their counterparts in hours, making each other laugh… the US. He reminded the RTS audience watching “At the end of the meeting, I got on that the editors and writers working on the phone and said, ‘Right, we’re away.’ Veep have won awards in the US. ‘I’ve been so stuck in the edit for It was like meeting Chris Morris, driv- “It’s a source of great pride,” he said. the past four years that I feel a ing around Broadcasting House.” “We shouldn’t feel embarrassed to be bit behind. Working for HBO reminded him of there [in America]… I think the British ‘I like Uncle (BBC Three). the BBC a decade or so earlier. The lines television industry is world class and ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys occasionally of command were flat and he was the best people in British television makes me laugh. I am not anti- allowed to get on with making the show. can compete with anyone.” Mrs Brown’s Boys; I don’t watch it All the writers, directors and editors regularly. on Veep are British. The show is written ‘Armando Iannucci in conversation with ‘I like House of Fools and Toast in the UK, shot in Baltimore and edited Lucy Lumsden’ was held at the Telford of London. in London. Theatre in central London on 25 March. ‘They’re all silly and written by Iannucci said he finds it irritating The producers were Sally Doganis and quite seasoned writers.’ that a lot of people who work in British Terry Marsh.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 9 Jed Mercurio (right) with actor Catherine Walker (centre) on the set of Critical, episode 2 John Rogers/Sky The drama doctor

ed Mercurio doesn’t make it His was an extraordinary route into easy for himself. His current Scriptwriting TV drama. Twenty-two years ago, he show, Sky 1’s Critical, is a 13-part was working as a doctor when he drama set in a state-of-the-art stumbled across an ad in the British trauma centre. Every week, it Boyd Hilton interviews Medical Journal placed by Tony Garnett’s focuses on a different and Jed Mercurio, whose Island World Productions (which went J gruesome medical emergency on to make This Life and The Cops). while also telling the edgy approach to his The company was interested in intertwined personal stories of its large developing a new TV medical drama cast.J Oh, and it’s told in real time, too. craft has transformed and Mercurio, without any prior pro- “I always think that everything is fessional writing experience, submit- achievable,” he says, when I ask if storytelling on TV ted some “weak material I’d written he deliberately set the challenge of for a medical review”. making this series as hard as possible To all intents and purposes, he is He was invited to an interview and for himself. the showrunner but Mercurio doesn’t spent an hour describing what it was “My instinct was that those limita- necessarily embrace the term. like being a junior hospital doctor. A tions would intensify the viewing “I’m very fortunate to be in the posi- couple of weeks later, he was asked to experience.” It palpably has, pushing tion of having a voice in every aspect write a synopsis of how a series might back the boundaries of medical drama, of the production, especially the tech- work depicting what it was really like and not just by showing us such grim nical side, but I don’t get hung up giv- working in the NHS in the early 1990s. sights as a woman with a spike through ing it a title. I just kind of do it.” So Cardiac Arrest was born. her face in unflinching style. He is also at pains to point out that He credits veteran producer As we speak, in a central London the whole process is still a huge collab- ­Margaret Matheson for encouraging café, Mercurio is on a break from oration. Mercurio has his say in every and enabling his move into TV drama, supervising the editing of a later epi- element of Critical but, of course, it as well as Garnett himself. “They took sode of Critical. wasn’t always thus. an enormous leap of faith,” he says. “I

10 reckon they managed to get it on air criminal justice system), Mercurio knit together the plot details as he goes at the BBC mainly because it was so draws a deep breath and lets rip. along. cheap and the BBC thought, ‘Why First, he explains, high levels of He maintains, however, that he is not?’” technical accuracy and story credibility ruthless at getting rid of stuff he Key to the success of Cardiac Arrest are very different matters: “There are knows isn’t working: “I’m interested in and his later medical drama Bodies things that happen in the real world very direct forms of storytelling. If you – the latter was shown, rather incon- that aren’t credible in a TV drama.” have a scene that isn’t advancing the gruously, on BBC Three – was their Then, there are the so-called experts story, why is it there?” no-holds-barred, insider’s portrayal who complain about factual inaccura- Indeed, it’s nigh-on impossible to of the hectic, gruelling, under- cies in his own shows. He says: “I find a scene in either series of Line of staffed world of the NHS. am shocked about Duty that doesn’t advance the story. “I definitely had a voice and a Every now and then, Mercurio view that was highly contradic- reminds himself of theo- tory of what medical drama ries of character and was doing at that time,” recalls structure and storytell- Mercurio. “There were certain ing. But, using one of conventions within the genre many sporting analogies that were repeatedly observed during our conversation, and felt so out of date to me. he explains: “My relation- “My approach to it was to ship with those things is just try and tell a version of like the relationship a pro- what the reality was. I was fessional sportsman has naive enough to think that with his coach. You can look I could represent the reality at small details but, funda- of the hospital precinct and mentally, my swing works.” how that world worked.” Line of Duty If that sounds arrogant, he He was also naive about how doesn’t mean it that way, and BBC involved in the production he would has a wry smile when he says be allowed to be. It soon became clear IF YOU HAVE it. He just knows his own on Cardiac Arrest that “a lot of decisions worth and his own method. were being made by people who had no A SCENE THAT “I have a reel running in my head of experience of what was being depicted ISN’T ADVANCING what a scene should look like, so, when in the script. I was very much held at I see it being filmed or at assembly, I arm’s length and I felt marginalised.” THE STORY, WHY can compare that to what I have in my When the series was recommis- IS IT THERE? head,” he says. “The same goes for the sioned, Mercurio played it differently. way I deal directly with the cast about “I wanted to be involved in casting but what I was going for when I wrote I was excluded from that. And I didn’t some of the stupid things doctors have their characters.” think the reasons for my exclusion said about medical dramas and it wor- When he has finished with this made any sense. ries me that they are clinically weak. series of Critical, Mercurio will move “There was just a desire by some of “My favourite idiotic remark was by on almost immediately to the filming the people involved in the series to have a guy who said he thought the clam- of series three of Line of Duty. as much control as they could. And shell use in Critical was woefully inac- And there’s also the unusual prospect they would get that by excluding the curate because he’d seen one in 1980. of a Mercurio classic period piece: a writer. It’s also possible that they didn’t And they didn’t do it that way. one-off, feature-length BBC version like having me around.” “I mean, these are the kind of idiots of Lady Chatterley’s Lover on the way, So, to guarantee that he had to be who go on Twitter and make comments which he adapted and directed. around, Mercurio made sure he became – you can always find some idiot who He’s directed a few episodes of the series’s medical advisor. He was thinks he knows best.” shows before, but admits it’s not his always on hand to communicate with Mercurio goes on to explain how usual preference. “Since I’ve been the cast and director concerning every important the police advisors were on doing these longer-running precinct moment of medical procedure. And it Line of Duty but, even then, he empha- dramas, it’s been hard to step out of worked. sises that writers and producers have the role I do. Being the director takes The whole experience gave Mercurio to find the right ones – who really you out of the loop on a whole load of the confidence to lobby for more know what they’re talking about. other decisions. influence on the shows that he wrote, The conversation shifts from the “It’s like a manager running on to from Bodies to the massive critical and accuracy issue to Mercurio’s writing the field and deciding he’s going to popular hit Line of Duty. technique, which seems to have got play an anchoring midfield role. You When asked about the thorny topic more focused as his career has devel- lose sight of the game.” Mercurio of accuracy in TV drama (as we meet, oped, with ever-tighter plots and leaner, pauses. “Actually, I wouldn’t play an Chris Chibnall has just gone into print more powerful narratives. anchoring midfield role. I’m much to defend series two of Broadchurch Sometimes, he says, he maps out the more of an attacking midfielder. A from accusations of inaccuracy in its whole story, while at other times there’s creative player.” Yet another sporting depiction of the finer points of the a basic outline and he trusts himself to analogy. But a very apt one.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 11 Profile

Lucinda Hicks, COO of newly merged Endemol Shine UK, has never made a programme in her life. But that hasn’t stopped her rapid rise, says Tara Conlan

he world of television production can, to quote Digital UK Chief Executive Jonathan Thompson, “sometimes be somewhat sniffy aboutT strategy folk”. With this in mind, he says Lucinda Hicks’ success in becoming Endemol Shine UK’s Chief Operating Officer is doubly impressive. He hired Hicks to work with his team at Channel 4 in 2008, when he was its Strategy Director. But there was a surprise when she turned up for her first day – Thomp- son told her he was leaving. He says Hicks took it “on board in such a calm, professional and pleasant way that it made me begin to wish I could stick around a little longer to have the opportunity to work with her”. What was it about Hicks that made him hire her and has seen her rise to

the top echelons of the UK wing of the Shine Endemol newly merged mega-producer? Thompson reckons she is “that rare and wonderful combination of a person who has great intelligence, ambition and determination to get things done, but always with warmth, humour and a A strategy for strong sense of teamwork”. Speak to those who have worked with Hicks and the talk is of a “brilliant colleague” who is “collaborative”, and who people have enjoyed working success with. One says: “She is really good at wonderfully calm and fair-minded, her husband, whom she married last detail, efficient, smart and pleasant to while ensuring everyone is enjoying year. work with. I’ve watched with interest their work and having fun. You could She started her career at Booz Allen, her rise in the indie sector. It’s good to say our professional time together has one of the oldest management consul- see a young, female executive get to been very much one of ying and yang.” tancies in the world. Two years later, those kinds of positions.” Hicks, who is 35, has a sharp business she joined the BBC as Business Strate- Mark Raphael, who was Joint Man- brain, having read economics and man- gist and remained there for a year aging Director with her at Dragonfly, agement at New College, Oxford. She before becoming a Strategy and Com- says of Hicks: “Lucinda is almost was brought up in north-west London, mercial Development Executive at annoying. She manages to be creative, not far from where she now lives with Fremantle.

12 SHE MANAGES TO BE CREATIVE, WONDERFULLY CALM AND FAIR-MINDED, WHILE ENSURING EVERYONE IS ENJOYING THEIR WORK AND HAVING FUN

In 2006, she returned to consultancy, the Shine companies, I watched a lot So that is presumably what the UK and spent two years at leadership of our international content as well, division of Endemol Shine – cheekily advisers Panthea Leadership before including a Shine Germany pilot show dubbed Shendemol by RTS President Thompson recruited her as part of his that had me in floods of tears on a Peter Bazalgette – can expect when strategy team at Channel 4. train one day with my husband. I don’t she takes up the new job this month. Since then, she has not looked back. speak German and it wasn’t subtitled Gluing together the separate entities In 2010, she was hired by MasterChef but I got enough of the gist.” following a merger is rarely easy. maker Shine Group to launch a new She explains that when she left Apart from the production company global business development division management consultancy she “was heads, she will be the most senior as its vice-president – later adding determined to work in an industry person from the Shine side of the busi- operations to her responsibilities. where I cared about the output”. ness in the UK division, where she will In 2013, Hicks was appointed COO “The vast majority of people watch work with CEO Richard Johnston (the of One Born Every Minute producer (and TV to some degree and, love it or hate former Endemol UK COO) and another Shine company) Dragonfly, before it, they all have an opinion on what Endemoler, Chairman Lucas Church. being promoted to Joint Managing they watch,” she adds. “At its best, The companies in the division Director alongside Raphael. television has the power to move peo- include Artists Studio, Brown Eyed Boy, Thompson thinks her greatest ple, to open people’s minds and to Dragonfly, DSP, Fifty Fathoms, House of achievement has been to “make the provoke debate and discussion. Who Tomorrow, Initial, Kudos, Lovely Day, transition from a strategy background wouldn’t want to be a part of that?” Princess Productions, Remarkable Tele- into senior management in an opera- Her job is clearly all-encompassing vision, Shine North, Shine Soho, Shine tional role, which many, many strate- but, when she can spare the time, TV, Tiger Aspect, Tigress and Zeppotron. gists fail to do successfully.” Hicks likes “getting outside at the Their hits range from Broadchurch to Big Hicks acknowledges it has not been weekends – I am a mad-keen skier, Brother and The Fall to Pointless. easy. “Coming up through the strategic play a bit of tennis and try to escape to With her feet not yet under the table, and commercial route has given me a Devon for the odd weekend (where my it is too soon for Hicks to have much of great context but is perhaps an advan- mother now lives) for long walks and an idea about what the future holds, tage and a disadvantage,” she says. even some fair weather surfing”. but she says that the new group “has “Being joint MD of Dragonfly, having Elisabeth Murdoch and Alex Mahon, some incredible talent, both in the UK never made a programme myself, gave who were her bosses at Shine when and internationally, and it has a formi- me a different lens through which to she joined, were both big inspirations dable leadership team in the form of challenge and question things – some- for her. She credits them for giving her Sophie [Turner Laing] and Tim times those questions may have been “the self-confidence and opportunities [Hincks]. I feel really excited about basic but, largely, I think I was able to to really stretch myself”. being a part of it.” bring a different perspective.” Despite her rapid rise, Hicks has kept She adds: “There is obviously a lot Her background was not in media. a fairly low profile, getting on with the happening, at least in the UK, in 2015 Her father worked in the City and her day job and not seeking the limelight. with the public service broadcasting mother was a secretary in a special She was picked as one of four Next review, a lot of the consolidation from needs school – although her sister has Generation Leaders to speak at the 2013 late 2014 shaking out – and, inevitably, joined her in the creative industries, RTS Cambridge Convention. more to come. in publishing. The collaborative way of working “It’s a fascinating and dynamic time Hicks says that the main driving that her former and current colleagues to be part of one of the greatest crea- force for her move into television was talk about is reflected when she says: tive markets in the world. But, as pro- simply that she loved watching it: “To me, great leadership is not just ducers, above all else, we need to “From Spooks to EastEnders, from Faking about real talent but about having the remain focused on doing what we do It to The Fast Show, I grew up loving TV ability to inspire those around you and best: making world-class content.” and I still watch as much as I can. enable them to thrive. That is what Spoken like a programme-maker, “When I was travelling a lot around drives loyalty and respect.” not a strategist.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 13 On a rescue mission

BBC As Tony Hall prepares for an epic Charter battle, Anne McElvoy detects an upbeat mood at Broadcasting House. Can he win over the BBC’s critics? BBC

or an insight into the day called BBC Studios, a producer big often with strategy chief James Purnell job of the BBC Director- enough to vie with the new mega-­ in tow, nodding and smiling to startled General two years into independents. This leaves BBC staff able members of the workforce. his role, I pop into Tony to sell their wares to other networks – He reels off visits to Belfast, Salford Hall’s plate-glass eyrie at “free to stand on their own two feet”, – and, yes, even other parts of the New Broadcasting House. concludes Lord Hall, in what is a mas- BBC’s still-neglected north – as a sign IF arrive in the aftermath of one of the terful alchemy of threat and promise. that he has reconnected to what the regular encyclicals that DGs dispense. A year into the job, it still felt as if the corporation does day to day. When he He’s sung the praises of the BBC’s mild-mannered son of Birkenhead was wants to go incognito, he dons an place in a “thriving, free and competi- sweeping up the shards from the hor- old-fashioned pair of sunglasses, remi- tive market”, an alternative to what a rors of Savile to the debris from the niscent of a 1950s package tourist. colleague terms the “Joni Mitchell” evanescent tenure of George Entwistle. I ask the head of a major arts organi- school of heartstring-tugging about The end of year two feels more like sation if he reckons that Hall’s key the Beeb’s innate brilliance. it embodies his BBC. “The place had achievement is a return of stability, and The most powerful figure in British blown in a Shakespearean sense when am pointed to the fact that there “hasn’t broadcasting has lulled the non-­ he arrived,” says an ally. been a real crisis on Tony’s watch and specialists into catatonia with a A largely defensive posture has been he makes sure there isn’t one”. description of the end of “managed replaced by an upbeat one. In a build- With the inevitability of Greek fate, competition” – the BBC’s cherished ing where few senior executives regu- we all wake up the next day to find that in-house commissioning quotas. larly stroll the corridors glad-handing Jeremy Clarkson has allegedly thumped He is replacing it with something staff, the DG frequently strides out, his producer, putting the future of Top

14 Gear, one of the corporation’s most and freelancers share a view (often for beloved, loathed and internationally opposing reasons) that roles are some- MUCH IS profitable brands, in jeopardy. how parcelled out on an inside track, DESCRIBED IN A petition of 1 million people subse- and that, creatively, the BBC is more like quently demanded the presenter’s Gormenghast than open mic night. HALL-WORLD reinstatement, while Clarkson less than Add to that: shifting targets for a AS ‘FANTASTIC’. helpfully added that he thought the higher on-air profile that tend to lurch nation’s biggest broadcaster had “fucked from women one year to older women ANYTHING up” his show. Crisis, what crisis? the next to ethnic diversity this last LESS THAN The incident showed how precari- year. Quite what the Beeb considers ous the BBC’s balancing act can be. meritocracy can be a bit muddy. OUTRIGHT Hall’s early response was typically Hall’s team has come under scrutiny. ENTHUSIASM judicial. He wanted “to get to the facts”. He appointed prominent outsiders – But the facts mask a vicious culture the former Labour minister Purnell as MEANS war, between those who think that strategy boss and ex-Times Editor DISAPPROVAL Clarkson’s rebellious streak is a tonic James Harding as Director of News and in a broadcast realm in hock to safely Current Affairs – as well as bringing calibrated beliefs and multiple diver- the former Guardian Deputy Editor Ian sity targets, and those who see the Katz in to edit Newsnight. The logic was presenter as a menace, best left to roar clear: a fresh start at the top, employing off to a commercial competitor. talented voices with experience of In the end, Clarkson was let go, but politics and the media outside the BBC the affair pointed to the central BBC bubble. contradiction: is it, at heart, a big, pop- But the impression of a clique re- ular broadcaster or a lightning rod for mains. “Tony has not met a 40-some- preferred values? thing, privately educated, matey male Hall has taken on similarly fraught with a short name he doesn’t like,” sighs challenges before, though, at the Royal an executive outside the inner circle. Opera House. There, he calmed frac- He has appointed and promoted tious unions and ended managerial women: Anne Bulford, Hall’s feared off-stage strife. Managing Director of BBC Finance and Antonio Pappano, its Music Director Operations; Fran Unsworth, head of the and a close friend, says he appreciated World Service; and Fiona Campbell, an Hall’s “eternal calm in many storms”, outspoken new current affairs chief. and his capacity for combining com- Still, a senior (female) editor wonders mercial savvy with good (and strategi- if Hall “has the courtliness of his gen- cally useful) works. eration [he’s 64] and deems women a Sensitive to the Opera House’s repu- bit less naturally ambitious than men”. tation as an elite institution, he expanded That would surprise his wife, Cyn- its work on education and participation, thia, until recently a ferociously strong attending the meetings in person. head of the elite Wycombe Abbey girls’ As a member of its Learning and school turned headhunter. Participation Committee, I have had an If Hall might have to plead guilty to insight into Lord Hall the operator. He the charge of cliquishness, he has dip- would balance out instincts and aver- lomatic talents to seduce the outside sions cannily, encouraging challenges world. And few outright enemies. as well as applause, while sounding He arrived at the corporation via sympathetic to almost everyone. Birkenhead grammar and PPE at Oxford The only difficulty – which persists and has the kind of CV the BBC relishes in the new role – is knowing which – namely, a long and well-padded proposals one could take as likely to internal one: Editor of BBC Nine O’Clock IF HALL MIGHT result in action and which not. Much is News; Director of News and Current HAVE TO PLEAD described in Hall-world as “fantastic”. Affairs; and the man behind the launch GUILTY TO THE Anything less than outright enthusiasm of Radio 5 Live, BBC News 24 and BBC means disapproval. News Online. CHARGE OF That brings us to the thorny part. Does He was not, however, an inevitable CLIQUISHNESS, the DG’s intention of creating a BBC that victor in the 1999 race for the top job: is open to all talents, less clique-ridden he was passed over in favour of Greg HE HAS THE (by implication) and less over-stuffed Dyke, and decamped to the Royal DIPLOMATIC with managers, stand up to scrutiny? Opera House and the Channel 4 board. He admits that the corporation is still Even after that, the BBC was never TALENTS TO somewhat devolved in the wrong far from his thoughts. Giving me SEDUCE THE places, despite a drive to excise at least advice on how to pitch programmes some management layers. Yet unions to Channel 4, he recommended � OUTSIDE WORLD

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 15 � “thinking of what you do for the BBC performance in back-office areas and and suggesting the exact opposite”. production. He has said that he “cannot If old-timers sniff the approach of imagine a world without the BBC”. further squeezes on staffing, they’re These days, however, the fragmenta- probably not wrong. The strategy is tion of the corporation, if not its anni- clear: “I will not make a case about hilation, is quite easy to imagine. the future level of the licence fee until Disaggregation, I suggest, is a force I am confident… that we have done so powerful that it is likely – later, everything to make the BBC as effi- if not sooner – to subvert a licence- ­ cient as possible,” says Hall. It is fee-funded broadcaster that relies on body-armour for future negotiations. a one-size-fits-all funding model. The definition of what is subject to Hall replies (rather hotly) that he competition and what is not does tend THE DEFINITION firmly believes that there are “things to wander a bit. OF WHAT IS everybody should have” – things that Television drama production is a hold the national fabric together, case in point. It is being floated off SUBJECT TO whether it is a notable performance into BBC Studios, a complex pseudo-­ COMPETITION of The Duchess of Malfi on television, company that will create scale and The Voice or Strictly Come Dancing. All a platform for the best to sell their AND WHAT DGs have to profess a love for shiny shows elsewhere. But BBC drama IS NOT DOES floor shows. cannot necessarily compete at the He is convinced that universality market rate and neither can it be TEND TO is what people crave in a more seg- sold off. “Playing at shops,” snorts WANDER A BIT mented media landscape (though an American producer. we don’t really know what people At the same time, current affairs crave until they get a say in it). – the part of factual output that could In truth, he does not much relish profit most from more eclecticism in “what if ” conversations about whether commissioning and ideas – remains the BBC might one day run a partial a semi-autonomous republic of news. subscription model – a subject on And thus not open to competition. which he is unusually testy. But then, Hall thinks that tough calls, such as “no politician argues for coalition,” a difficult Panorama, need a short explains a senior ally of his in the chain of management. This might be licence-fee renewal talks. “We have true, but it is hardly an answer to to pitch for an overall majority.” whether commissioning is bold or The immediate objective is to curious enough overall. secure a return of the licence fee in He has taken much of the heat out the 10-year Charter renewal to be of allegations of political bias. Some negotiated by 2017 (almost no one is think he errs on the safe side and that counting on a real-terms rise). Per- the near-saturation coverage of Wolf haps the licence fee is like Matthew Hall was the sign of a safety-first Arnold’s “long, withdrawing roar” – approach to the dramas that help but it has proved resilient. define a network. Few fear that Hall will fail outright His greatest personal enthusiasm is to deliver its renewal, whoever is in reserved for the arts, albeit with less No 10. His headache is how to make it focus on challenging those who pro- fund his ambition to keep the BBC up duce the shows than on reassuring us to date with digital innovation, while that arts will be covered. Edginess serving a wide audience, to prove its may not prove a Hall speciality. relevance, and keeping enough in the Hall’s message to the purse-string kitty to adequately fund factual pro- holder in No 10 after May will be a grammes on TV and radio. recasting of sturdy BBC principles: Mind-stretching programmes can tooth-and-nail impartiality and the wither on the vine of a cash-strapped argument that, in a bewildering broadcaster; it is much harder to grow world, the Beeb is better than most them back. broadcasters at separating the signal An emotive case for the BBC is easy from the noise. to make, but one made for its cost- And, beneath the geniality, watch effectiveness might sound less and out for a touch of steel as the haggling less convincing as audiences increas- gets under way. ingly segment themselves. Hence his announcement of “com- Anne McElvoy is Policy Editor of The pete or compare”, opening the BBC to Economist and presents programmes competition and benchmarking its for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4.

16 April 2015 www.rts.org.uk Television OUR FRIEND IN THE NORTH

ere in the North East, Graeme Thompson and crew, with shows that include it doesn’t take long to Wolfblood and The Dumping Ground. detect a growing ap- shows how studying Filming starts soon in Northumber- petite for culture and media in North East land on the next instalment of the the creative indus- Brenda Blethyn ITV hit Vera. tries. After years of England trumps Shooting is under way at a quarry eye-watering invest- North East China in Weardale for ITV’s 13-part retelling ment in regeneration, manufacturing of the Beowulf legend. Starring Holly- Hand infrastructure, civic leaders are wood actor William Hurt, the series prioritising design, content produc- mixes action, adventure and fantasy. tion and interactive digital media. It is already being compared to Game And young people are queuing up of Thrones. in their thousands to gain the skills More importantly – at least in my and qualifications to pursue creative book – the efforts by drama producer careers. Will Nicholson to get the show made This is the North East of China and in the North East, ahead of other rug- I’m in the city of Shenyang – a sprawl- ged landscapes, has resulted in jobs ing metropolis of 8 million people. for at least two of Sunderland Univer- I’m meeting university leaders keen sity’s media production graduates. to adopt UK-style industry-focused Which brings me nicely back to the design and media degrees. students and academics I’ve met in At the Shenyang Aerospace Univer- China. I show them my film of life on sity, there’s been extraordinary spend the Sunderland coastal campus with

over the past five years in arts, design Hampartsoumian Paul its lingering shots of post-production and media. Here among the fine-art suites, design labs and expensively studios and design labs, they already compares media degrees to having a equipped radio and television studios. produce animation for broadcasters, qualification in stationery. Politicians A young man is quick to assure me including Disney. openly question the value of young that no one in China under the age of Next door, fellow students are hard people opting to study arts and 30 watches television: “We get every- at work in a vast hanger testing and ­creative degrees at our universities. thing here”; he holds up a large-screen developing solar-powered drones and In North East England, we’re smartphone of indeterminate make. light aircraft. attempting to change those percep- “TV is for grandparents,” concurs This reminder of the Chinese pre- tions. The five universities in the region his friend. occupation with science, engineering are making the case that economic I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve and business continues alongside regeneration needs its artists, designers blown it by mentioning television. their new enthusiasm for creativity. and producers just as much as its plan- I should have stuck with music, The university’s Vice-President ners, accountants and scientists. apps and game design. But, then, outlines his strategy: he wants his staff Games and software activity in another student looks up at the dust and students to learn from the best in North East England is booming. Tele- cloud and fumes filtering the light the world. And, in his book, when it vision, less so. According to the latest and makes my day: “I come to Sun- comes to the creative industries, research from Broadcast magazine, derland to study animation and pro- there’s nowhere better than the UK. independent production across the duction and to breathe the clean sea It’s no secret here that the UK’s North of England has been decimated air and see the sun.” ­creative industries are growing three since 2011 by a lack of commissions I haven’t made the case for televi- times faster than any other sector of and increased industry consolidation sion, but I might have found a new the economy and account for many around London. recruitment slogan. of the globe’s biggest brands. Thankfully, ITV and the BBC con- But, while China is enthusiastically tinue to do their bit for the North East Graeme Thompson is Chair of the RTS promoting careers in art, design and creative economy. Production of BBC Education Committee and Dean of Arts, production, it feels like a different children’s drama continues to employ Design and Media at the University of story back home. Jonathan Miller large numbers of local performers Sunderland.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 17 Why diversity pays dividends

he economic arguments it out of embarrassment – they’d been for diversity came under Diversity left behind,” he said. “The BBC has never the microscope at a lively really seen its debt to people paying the joint RTS/BBC session held licence fee as something it had to take at New Broadcasting Reflecting the whole seriously – perhaps now it is.” House last month. The nation makes business Hanson went on to produce the Ricky panellists agreed that, following years Gervais comedies Extras and Derek. He ofT inaction, broadcasters are finally sense for broadcasters. now runs Tantrum Films with director making an effort to boost black, Asian Amma Asante, who recently enjoyed and minority ethnic (BAME) represen­ But will the BBC’s critical and commercial success with tation in television. lack of a commercial Belle, a film based on the life of an BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live presenter 18th-century woman of mixed race. and ITV Tonight reporter Aasmah Mir imperative derail its “[Amma] and a lot of her contempo­ chaired “Making diversity pay”, part of raries are working in America, mostly the corporation’s “Reflect and Repre­ diversity targets? because they never get asked to do sent” week. This included a session on Matthew Bell reports anything in this country. We have a BBC Two transgender sitcom Boy Meets talent drain as a result of the lack of Girl and an interview with Sally Wain­ when it was asked to make No Problem! investment in diverse voices, be they wright, creator of Last Tango in Halifax “Both those shows were commercial writers, directors or producers,” he and Happy Valley. successes,” he said. “[The broadcaster] claimed. Charlie Hanson, who produced the knew it had growing black audiences, Hanson told the audience that he successful Channel 4 sitcoms No Prob- and, even then, the advertisers were had been on similar panels discussing lem! and Desmond’s in the 1980s and putting on pressure to have shows that TV’s lack of diversity 10 and 20 years 1990s, told a packed house that he they could watch.” ago: “I’ve avoided doing it again because “owed his career to diversity”. The sketch show The Real McCoy, I didn’t see anything happening, par­ Hanson, who is in fact white, had devised by Hanson for the BBC and ticularly with the BBC.” been working for the Black Theatre featuring black and Asian comics, had However, he added, Lenny Henry’s Co-operative (which he co-founded) its first outing in 1991. “They were doing highly effective initiative to increase

18 edition of BBC Radio 4’s Today, where he also drew attention to the issue. Act for Change was launched in Broadcasters’ early 2014 in the wake of an ITV winter drama trailer lacking any BAME actors. diversity targets The campaign, backed by leading members of the artistic community, Last August, Sky set itself a target demands that the live and recorded that 20% of the stars and writers arts reflect the diversity of UK society. of its home-grown UK output “It does seem to me that Sky, Chan­ would come from a BAME back- nel 4 and ITV are moving in the right ground by the end of 2015. direction. The BBC is still introducing This surpassed the BBC’s target the training and mentoring schemes of 15% on-screen portrayal (up that it did 30 years ago, that it does from today’s 10.4%) over three every 10 years and that still haven’t years, announced by Director- worked,” said the TV veteran. General Tony Hall in June. “Perhaps [it is] because the BBC does Other broadcasters followed Sky’s not have the commercial imperative [to lead. Last November, ITV introduced make programmes for BAME people that] it is lagging behind,” he added. Nevertheless, despite his harsh words for the BBC, Hanson said: “We’re at a turning point because peo­ ple do seem to be listening. I hope this will be the last time I have to come on a panel like this.” Diane Kemp, Professor of Broadcast Journalism at Birmingham City Uni­ versity, argued that the economic case for diversity is proven. Turning the question on its head, she asked: “What is the cost if you don’t have diversity at From left: Diane Kemp, Jane the heart of what you do?” Millichip, Aasmah Mir, Charlie Without diversity, Kemp said, “you’re Hanson and Barbara Emile Jane Millichip

All pictures: Hampartsoumian Paul going to lose stories; in terms of news, you’re going to lose experts and fresh BAME representation in the television angles on life; and, particularly for a ‘social partnership’ between its industry and the launch of the Act for public service broadcasting, where you commissioners and producers in a Change project had given the campaign have a licence fee that everybody pays, bid to make its programmes and for greater diversity a shot in the arm. you’re going to lose that legitimacy workforce more inclusive. In the past year, Henry has called for unless people can see themselves, their ‘ITV’s commissioning team will funds to be set aside to boost the pres­ lives and their point of view reflected.” take responsibility for, and owner- ence of BAME people in the broadcast­ “My feeling is that this is an idea ship of, our aim to better reflect ing industry. The comic and actor has whose time has come,” she added. the diversity of modern Britain made a number of high-profile Like Hanson, Kemp also pointed out on screen,’ said ITV’s Director of speeches emphasising the lack of that she had been on panels discussing Television, Peter Fincham. diversity in TV, appeared before the diversity in the past and yet little had The broadcaster also set itself House of Commons Culture, Media and changed. an on-screen target exceeding Sport Committee and guest-edited an Former EastEnders and Holby City the 14% proportion of the country Series Producer Barbara Emile, now made up of BAME people. Executive Producer at the new Lenny In January, Channel 4 launched Henry indie, Douglas Road Produc­ its ‘360° Diversity Charter’, which YOU ARE GOING TO tions, agreed with Hanson and Kemp includes a series of targets. LOSE LEGITIMACY that there was a growing momentum The broadcaster said it would for change. “We do have to acknowl­ increase the percentage of BAME UNLESS PEOPLE edge that every broadcaster is making staff from 15% to 20%, staff with CAN SEE an effort,” she said. disabilities from 1.9% to 6% and Emile backed ring-fencing money lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgen- THEMSELVES, “as the fastest, most efficient way” to der staff from 2.4% to 6% – all by boost diversity in front of and behind 2020. THEIR LIVES AND the camera, and to ensure lasting The new charter is backed by THEIR POINT OF change. “It’s fine to develop one the power to withhold executive drama. For one small company, it takes bonuses if targets are missed. VIEW REFLECTED about three or four years; after that, if �

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 19 IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE NEWS Are quotas the BEING READ, IT’S ABOUT WHO SELECTS way ahead? THE STORIES IN THE FIRST PLACE

Jane Millichip, Managing Director of Sky Vision, told the audience gathered at New Broadcasting House that the impact of Sky’s 20% quota in her international sales division would be ‘positive’. She added: ‘Proper diversity on screen is good for international sales – putting it crudely, in busi- ness terms.’ Questioned by event chair Aasmah Mir, Millichip denied the quota was ‘tokenistic’, adding: ‘It’s about on-screen and off-screen talent and it’s from grass-roots level upwards.

‘Yes, we’ve imposed a quota on Hampartsoumian Paul ourselves to hit but behind that is a genuine, positive desire to make � you do not have another commis­ “In international, the diversity of a difference. It’s a voluntary quota sion, you cease to exist. programming tends to fall into two – it’s not something somebody “Ring-fenced money will ensure camps: those shows where the diver­ forced on us. sustainability and demand. Supply is sity is incidental and those where the ‘It’s something that we’ve not a problem: there is amazing, story is the diversity itself. Both can adopted ourselves to redress [diverse] talent in this country, across sell well – it just depends how the an imbalance.’ the board.” story is told,” she added. From the audience at New Emile argued that emerging markets Millichip pointed to two current Broadcasting House, former RTS around the world and the growth of Warwick Davis shows to illustrate Chief Executive Simon Albury, online programming offered huge her point. A programme for BBC Two who chairs the Campaign for opportunities to British TV. “If we documentary strand Modern Times – Broadcasting Equality, said the limit ourselves and do not consider Warwick Davis’ Big Night, about a thea­ BBC had a ‘minuscule, derisory, diversity, as producers, we are at a tre company for actors, like himself, ring-fenced fund’ for on-screen disadvantage. When I say diversity, of reduced height – was “doing quite representation. I mean across the board. We’ve got well”. ITV1’s Weekend Escapes, featuring ‘It’s hardly surprising that the to get real if we’re going to sell Davis and his family touring the BBC should have an event that programmes.”­ country, was selling less well, she is called “Reflect and Represent” Diversity is more than just a ques­ reported, “not because of Warwick rather than an event that is tion of race, said Kemp, raising the but because it’s about British seaside called “Reflect and Represent lack of social diversity in areas such resorts. and Employ”,’­ he added. as news. “You need to make sure that “I dare anyone here to try and sell Albury argued for the adoption the people in newsrooms making a series like that to a French or Italian of the ‘Lenny Henry plan to drive decisions are from across the [social] buyer – the British Riviera is not off-screen employment, where board – it’s not just about the news something they find in any way the power lies. The editorial being read, it’s about who selects the appealing. decision-making is off-screen.’ stories in the first place,” she said. “For us, it’s sometimes the British­ This plan would see funds ring- Does diversity help or hinder the ness of a show that is a barrier to fenced to increase BAME repre- sale of British programmes? Jane sales, not the ethnicity or diversity sentation in the same way that Millichip, Managing Director of dis­ within it,” Millichip concluded. “The budgets are reserved for regional tributor Sky Vision, argued that the incidental diversity of programming, programmes. degree of “universality of the themes which is increasing, has to be a good Millichip, however, said that in programmes” was central to driv­ thing because it’s a more natural ‘a quota system is only half of the ing international sales. reflection of the world we live in.” story. Ultimately, this is a television “When we’re assessing a show, business. Yes, there is creative what we’re looking for is the essence ‘Making diversity pay’ was a joint RTS/ endeavour here but, unless we of great storytelling, whether it’s a BBC event, held at New Broadcasting make good business out of it, documentary, factual entertainment House in London on 3 March. The pro- then I’m afraid it does become show or a drama. That’s love, loss and ducer was Marcus Ryder, who is Head tokenistic.’ laughter; it’s less about the diversity of Current Affairs at BBC Scotland and in and of itself,” said Millichip. Chair of the RTS Diversity Committee.

20 April 2015 www.rts.org.uk Television FROM THE DIGITAL EDITOR

What you need to know to break into TV news. And comedy. And animation. Tim Dickens highlights new RTS online features RTS

Springtime at RTS HQ and from our window St Paul’s looks glori- ous in the April sunshine. Last month saw our social me- dia following swell to a remarkable new level. The RTS Programme Awards, like the RTS Television Journalism Awards before them, meant that many eyes were glued to our live blogs, Twitter feed and Facebook to get the latest news and gossip from the blue carpet. In case you missed them at the time, our four-strong team bagged interviews with stars including Grayson Perry, Bear Grylls, Russell Tovey and Sheridan Smith. Our

RTS videos – uploaded straight to YouTube – attracted thousands Behind the Scenes at Channel 4 News with disabilities. Online reporter of views. There’s been a lot of interest in the Pippa Shawley found out why when Twitter was vital to the success. latest in our Behind the Scenes series. she spoke to campaigners, charities We generated 1.2 million views The 10-minute film takes a look at all and Ofcom. She discovered some of tweets written furiously from the work that goes into bringing the rather smart tech solutions for deaf laptops as the winners were being daily news show to our screens. or visually impaired audiences. announced. It provides valuable insights for ◗ j.mp/accessTV By the time the glitter was aspiring broadcast journalists, and being swept up at the Grosvenor also examines some of the important House Hotel, we had some 500 craft skills involved, such as editing, new followers at @RTS_Media. vision mixing and directing. The rise and rise of British animation As an educational charity, one ◗ j.mp/BTSChannel4 It’s a good time to be making ani- of the Society’s big priorities is to mated telly, it seems, so reporter reach out to young people who Rebecca Stewart has been talking to want to get ahead in television. animators and producers to ask We’ll be promoting our bur- Video: Armando Iannucci on how to “Where next for cartoons?” With BBC sary schemes across the digital break into comedy writing Three preparing to go online, it looks sphere, as well as the RTS Young Not content with simply filming our like increased opportunities for short- Technologist of the Year Award sell-out evening with comedy great form content could help animation 2015 – for which entries have just Armando Iannucci, we sat him down reach even greater heights. opened. for an exclusive interview about ◗ j.mp/RTSanimate The team will also be playing Partridge, procrastination and with an exciting new platform producing great TV on both sides from Creative Skillset, called Hiive. of the Atlantic. A must watch. This could provide a valuable ◗ j.mp/RTSArmando In the pipeline network and resource for anyone Our next Behind the Scenes takes us to trying to climb the TV ladder. Leeds for Emmerdale. The video team will dissect what it takes to put Tim Dickens is RTS Digital Editor. British television is a pioneer for together the hugely popular soap. ◗ Do you have a news or feature accessibility services We’ve got Tips in 60 Seconds from idea for the RTS website? Let Tim It turns out the UK has a proactive Armando Iannucci. We’ll also take an know on 020 7822 2836 or attitude when it comes to making in-depth look at The Great British Bake [email protected]. television more accessible to those Off format in an online feature.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 21 Sackings, secrecy and sex

Book review A new history of the BBC during the Thatcher era by its official historian has it all. But Maggie Brown wonders if the approach lacks genuine focus

riters of servative Athene” to “Endgame”, about managers were female in 1973. Not until contemporary the dispatch of Alasdair Milne. Monica Sims’ 1984 report was the BBC’s media history Milne’s son Seumas has attacked her disregard for women confronted. The need to be for writing journo history. But this first ethnic-minority graduate trainee brave. They account is the distillation of scores of was employed in 1979. also, of course, interviews, access to the fabled closed The 1980s brought a near-disastrous wantW to be read. Professor Jean Seaton, oral BBC archive (which tapes leading clash with Margaret Thatcher and the the official BBC historian, has a crisp figures on departure) and state papers. more hawkish members of her Cabi- style, a fine grasp of the period 1974-87 All history bears personal imprints. net. “[The BBC] was like a rabbit caught and has authored an absorbing book, The question is: do you trust her in the eye of a ferret,” writes Seaton. with the power to annoy and stimulate overarching framework? This is that This was a period of sectarian war in debate. the BBC, corporately, floundered Northern Ireland, spilling into terror- As the title, Pinkoes and Traitors (taken repeatedly during the 1970s and 1980s ism in England, rising unemployment, from the Dear Bill letters of Private Eye), and failed to address the big issues of and the Falklands war, which announces, the prose is leavened by the day, dominated as they were by the cemented Thatcher’s power. light touches. rise of Thatcherite market forces. The Prime Minister then moved on She describes the BBC alighting on First, it tried and failed to establish to question the licence fee, via the the diplomatic Ian Trethowan as a decent licence-fee settlements with Peacock Committee in 1985, but was potential director-general (he served the Callaghan Government, which thwarted on sound economic grounds. 1977-82) this way: “Treating him like a secretly toyed with ending the licence Seaton credits economists Andrew queen bee grub, the BBC began to feed fee, and then imposed three short- Ehrenberg and Paddy Barwise of the him royal jelly”, consciously expanding term settlements during the period London Business School and their his experience. 1977-79 (the so-called “noose”), which sophisticated independent research for All of this is a far cry from Lord (Asa) forced the corporation into debt. saving the BBC’s funding model. Briggs, whom Seaton follows. He wrote In a decade of social turmoil that There are problems with Seaton’s voluminous doorstopper histories. included the 1970 Equal Pay Act, approach. It is a bit scattergun. There is She compresses her account of what Seaton details a hilarious 1973 “Limita- an extensive chapter on the ambitious were seriously dark years into 384 pages: tions” document to the BBC’s Board of 13-part Life on Earth project, which 13 chapters, with conclusions, from Management that gave reasons not to enabled the Bristol-based Natural “Mrs Thatcher and the BBC: the Con- promote women. Just 81 of the 1,434 History Unit to come into its own.

22 Seaton’s view that Milne was the In 1986, Hodgson gave Hussey, the Pinkoes and wrong person for the DG post rings new Chairman, “the smoking gun from Traitors: The BBC absolutely true. In 1986, I witnessed 1984”. Just before Christmas 1986, Milne and the Nation him being told that the BBC had a new told his Management Board that he 1974-1987 by chairman (following the death of Stuart would be remaining as Director-­General Jean Seaton is Young) as he sat on a public platform until 1990. published by at the BFI. He fled, saying he’d never “Tragic,” comments Seaton. The bru- Profile Books, heard of Marmaduke Hussey. tal sacking went ahead a month later. priced £30. And there is an important discovery: There was no attempt to prepare ISBN: 978- Thatcher consulted Rupert Murdoch Milne. But, as Seaton observes, he did 1846684746 over the appointment of Hussey. not fight it. Seaton points to the failure of More positive examples of the way Milne’s BBC to keep communications in which key figures shaped the BBC open with the Thatcher Government. It are threaded into her story. Seaton had allies, she writes, but barely mus- rescues Director-General Michael tered them. Checkland, “one of the quiet heroes”, Life at the top Following the 1979 election, then- from near obscurity. Home Secretary Willie Whitelaw gave He backed the BBC Micro computer BBC Director-Generals the corporation amazing security in project and defeated a vanity building the form of a 15-year Charter. on the Langham site. He also prepared Charles Curran 1969-77 Another Conservative Home Secre- for and won a pivotal industrial dispute Ian Trethowan 1977-82 tary, Douglas Hurd, and senior civil with scenic services workers in 1984, Alasdair Milne 1982-87 servants subsequently battled in dif- seen as the BBC’s Wapping. Michael Checkland 1987-92 ferent ways to protect the BBC. Checkland “simply refused to be BBC Chairmen Crucial to this history is the decision involved” in the Government’s abor- by the powerful Patricia Hodgson, tive satellite broadcasting plans – the Michael Swann 1973-80 former BBC Secretary and now Chair open sesame for Murdoch’s expansion. George Howard 1980-83 of Ofcom, to be interviewed as the key Another Seaton hero is Bill Cotton, Stuart Young 1983-86 witness in the plot to remove Milne. who rose from Head of Light Entertain- Marmaduke Hussey 1986-96 She reveals her annual dinners with ment to Managing Director of BBC Tele- Thatcher, which began in 1976, when vision. His brilliant handling of talent is Thatcher was Leader of the Opposition. counterbalanced by holding on to The When Milne became Director-General Black & White Minstrel Show too long. in 1982, he stopped these dinners. By the early 1980s, with the BBC Another chapter dissects the wed- Central to his fall is the issue of facing a “brutal crisis” as mass audi- ding of the Prince of Wales and Lady whether the 1984 Panorama programme ences slipped away, Cotton recruited Diana Spencer, noting that “the age of Maggie’s Militant Tendency was flawed. It Michael Grade to run BBC One. The deferential royal coverage [was] on the examined the allegedly extremist launch of EastEnders in 1985 “recon- wane”, and declaring the media as on views of three right-wing Conservative nected the BBC with its mass audience. the “cusp of a febrile royal news story”. MPs (Harvey Proctor, Neil Hamilton In a way, it saved the BBC,” comments But there is scant account of sport, or and Gerald Howarth). Seaton. the nations and regions. Drama expe- Hodgson’s view was that Milne and Unexpected insights include the rienced a golden period – Milne is his Assistant Director-General, Alan central role of engineers: outside credited with encouraging Dennis Pot- Protheroe, were consciously misdirect- broadcast units “thought of themselves ter’s Pennies from Heaven after refusing to ing the governors, “trying to price the as the ‘SAS of broadcasting’… practical, screen his Brimstone and Treacle (the MPs out of the market” so that they physical, expeditionary… focused”. Devil rapes a disabled girl, which made would be forced to drop their libel case. We also learn that chief engineers him feel sick) – but radical figures such At the heart of the programme was had a security clearance above that of as Tony Garnett are not interviewed. an allegation of anti-Semitism in the the Director-General: they could para- Sexual abuse and Jimmy Savile are Conservative Party. Young, the first lyse the emergency communications dealt with briefly: Seaton found no Jewish BBC chairman, “was convinced network. The BBC used the term “for- trace in the BBC’s files of anxiety about that the general argument was correct malities cleared”, stamped on the back him, nor referrals upwards. Uncouth- but did not appreciate problems with of personnel files, as code for such ness acted as a cloak. how the story was told”, writes Seaton. clearance. There is some detail about men Protheroe and Milne assured him that This is a sincere effort. The BBC, groping women and an unnamed the BBC’s evidence was watertight. subjected as it was to some unreason- executive prone to spanking younger When wealthy backers got the MPs’ able political pressure, did have to females. This led to comfy exile in a case to court, the governors decided to change. In 2015, it has to defend uni- BBC America post. BBC Chairman Lord settle. Seaton says they had already versal public service broadcasting in Howard (1980-83) is exposed as a “dirty decided that Milne should go when an age of infinite choice. old man”. Young was appointed, but they were I conclude with a final, helpful For me, the final chapter, about the forced to delay action because of the Seatonism: “The BBC thinks its way sacking of Milne, which was a seismic massive row over Paul Hamann’s 1985 forward by poring over the runes of event, is disappointingly succinct. Real Lives programme. past car crashes”.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 23 To the internet and beyond

As broadcasters meet at the NAB technology show, Adrian Pennington highlights four trends that could transform TV NDS

They already possess a “home gate- However, pictures with a wider col- Why your TV should talk to way” in the set-top box and existing our range and greater brightness levels 1 your toaster: connected-TV billing relationships. – collectively called High Dynamic and the ‘internet of things’ “Advanced services, such as home Range (HDR) – might sway consumers. security, home safety, home automa- Recognising the need for HDR is one One of the big draws at television tion and energy management… usually thing, agreeing a standard for it is technology shows such as NAB in Las require an installer to come on site and another. Every major manufacturer Vegas is the “living room of the future”, handle ‘the last mile’ of the service,” has been marketing its own technique with its wall-filling, multi-image, points out Simon Trudelle, Senior for raising brightness in TVs. interactive TV screen. Such “wallpaper Product Marketing Director at broad- “Manufacturers would like to incre- displays” are still, largely, mock-ups, cast technology company Nagra. ment Ultra-HD technology every year not demonstrations of real services. Broadband and pay-TV suppliers, in order to sell new TVs. But pay-TV But the “internet of things” (IoT) – such as BT, Sky and Virgin “are very broadcasters want Ultra-HD to be a the multiplication of connected devices, well positioned”, he adds. significant step change in quality so body-worn sensors and Cloud data Customer relationships, security and that they can charge more money for services – could soon make such TVs trust are part of the equation but so, it,” says Simon Gauntlett, CTO of the a reality. too, is the interface that will have to Digital TV Group. “In the middle is Analyst IDC optimistically reckons seamlessly and efficiently handle both Netflix, which likes the idea that it can the global IoT market could be worth entertainment and “in-picture” IoT move a bit quicker than broadcasters $7tr in five years’ time. services on the big screen. to implement any new technologies as Consumer gadget vendors such as they develop.” Apple and the online information Even if an HDR standard is agreed, giants Google, Facebook and Amazon Ultra-high-defininition TV its implementation is far from solved. are keen to connect the personal data 2 needs agreed standards for Broadcasters want an HDR-augmented they already hoover up to your elec- better colour and contrast broadcast stream to work without tronic devices in the home, car or out- compromise on the majority of exist- door environment. Broadcasters have been telling con- ing HDTV screens, as well as on new But pay-TV and telco operators sumer electronics manufacturers for Ultra-HD sets. could be poised to steal a slice of that some time that simply cramming more While the incorporation of HDR into IoT pie, if they can capitalise on their pixels into a picture does not make the current Ultra-HD 4K television long experience of in-home customer Ultra-HDTV a compelling proposition specifications is being considered, there service. for viewers. are calls for HDR and Ultra-HD to be

24 separated entirely. The reason for this is that when HDR is applied to a 2,000-pixel-wide HDTV picture, to some eyes it looks far superior to a basic 4,000-pixel-wide 4K image. Which rather calls into question the whole Ultra-HD project.

Unburdened by the hype 3 carried by 3DTV, virtual reality is taking stealthy strides

No one expects immersive virtual reality (VR) programming to supplant conventional viewing any time soon. It will prosper as a second-screen adjunct to cinema and TV programming until someone comes up with a killer enter-

tainment app. Netflix There’s no need to buy a new TV set – anyone with a smartphone can watch VR content on it if they pay around £10 Six of the best for it to be temporarily converted into a headset, using Google Cardboard or Gavin Mann, Global Broadcast Lead platforms that can be adapted to the Samsung Gear VR. at Accenture, selects the six solutions needs of local service providers. Broadcasters have taken a scattergun most urgently sought after by broad- approach to trials: Sky has shot dozens casters and online video providers. 4 Cloud services for broadcasters of VR shorts, including scenes from The Cloud offers a faster time to mar- Fortitude and Critical. 1 Monetising live events ket for new services, the ability to scale The related technologies of pan- Despite the fragmentation of view- service costs according to demand oramic image capture (especially of ership, live events – especially sports and greater access to customer ana- live events) and “mixed reality” (which – give broadcasters access to valuable lytics. The Cloud is fundamental for still requires the viewer to don head- mass audiences. The India vs Pakistan service providers such as Amazon, but gear) are also attracting interest from World Cup cricket match in February increasingly important to broadcasters, video content creators. was seen by about 1 billion people as well. worldwide. The cost of rights to such events 5 Understanding the audience Mobile TV may finally take is rocketing, as broadcasters chase Audience analytics have become 4 off thanks to the arrival of the top-tier live events that will give essential for broadcasters and adver- LTE Broadcast them the edge over their new, digital tisers seeking to understand consumer competitors. This is boosting interest behaviour, trends and dynamics over a Excitement is building around an in technologies that integrate social wide range of devices. emerging technology, LTE Broadcast, media, online video and tools for NAB features many new tools for which the mobile phone companies’ ­monetising the live experience. collecting and analysing statistics in real Global Suppliers Association hails as a time to guide ad-servers and content “game changer”. 2 DIY bundling recommendation engines. LTE Broadcast supercharges existing Consumers want a ‘post-bundle’ world, This relentless focus on consumer 4G networks by delivering the same where they can choose content quickly optimisation will have an impact on all content – such as video or music or and easily. So look out for pay-TV and aspects of broadcasting: from decisions software updates, or even severe internet video providers working more about content to implementing new weather warnings – to multiple users, closely to create joined-up interfaces services for viewers and advertisers. rather than delivering each user their that cut back on the profusion of own individual stream. devices, remotes and subscription plans 6 Future-proofing with Ultra-HDTV The system could come into its own that users currently have to cope with. Relentless, global competition is driving at sports venues, where there is often broadcasters and video service provid- heavy demand for the same live video 3 Flexible streaming platforms ers to stand out from the crowd. Ultra- stream from crowds of fans. The appli- This is a new battleground. Local inter- HDTV in its 4K incarnation provides the cation could easily be extended to net video service providers are having next logical step. other live events and catch-up TV. to fight back against global online But providers are looking for tech- LTE Broadcast even promises to end video distributors, such as Netflix and nologies that will allow them to offer the war between the mobile industry Amazon. At NAB, a lot of interest is 4K content without the need for mas- and Europe’s free-to-air broadcasters focusing on new, flexible streaming sively increased broadband capacity. over scarce spectrum.

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 25 The Awards were presented at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, on 17 March, and hosted by John Sergeant RTS Programme Awards 2013-2014

Scripted Comedy: Harry and Lifetime Achievement Award: Paul’s Story of the Twos Melvyn Bragg Pictures: Paul Hampartsoumian/BBCPictures: Paul Lifetime Achievement Melvyn Bragg ‘Tonight’s recipient enjoys multiple careers – novelist, writer of non-fiction, radio broadcaster, member of the House of Lords, campaigner and educator – but first and foremost, he’s a man of television, a great broadcaster and programme-maker. ‘But even that doesn’t adequately describe the role he has come to occupy in national life – because in Britain, no one is more synonymous with the arts than Melvyn Bragg.’

Actor – Female Actor – Male Arts Sarah Lancashire – Happy Valley Tom Hollander – A Poet in New York Grayson Perry: Who Are You? Red Production Company for BBC One Modern Television for BBC Cymru Wales Swan Films for Channel 4 “The brilliance of [Lancashire’s] and BBC Two “Two words sum this up – original and performance elevated this powerful “[Hollander] immersed himself outstanding.” piece to another level.” completely in the role, delivering a Nominees: Nominees: deeply moving piece of work.” Messiah at the Foundling Hospital, Reef Georgina Campbell – Murdered By My Nominees: Television for BBC Two Boyfriend, BBC Productions for BBC Three Adeel Akhtar – Utopia – Series 2, Our Gay Wedding: The Musical, Sheridan Smith – Cilla, ITV Studios/ Kudos Production for Channel 4 Wingspan Productions for Channel 4 GroupM Entertainment for ITV Toby Jones – Marvellous, Fifty Fathoms Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions Actor – Male: Tom Hollander for BBC Two – A Poet in New York

26 Children’s Fiction 4 O’Clock Club – Christmas CBBC Productions for CBBC “Fresh, unpredictable and with a cracking pace.” Nominees: Hank Zipzer, Kindle Entertainment/DHX Media/Walker Productions supported by Screen Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Content Fund for CBBC Katie Morag and the Tiresome Ted, Actor – Female: Sarah Move On Up for CBeebies Lancashire, Happy Valley Arts: Grayson Perry: Who Are You? Children’s Programme The Big Performance 3: Finale Twenty Twenty Productions for CBBC “Fantastic production values made this a truly satisfying watch.” Nominees: Marrying Mum and Dad, CBBC Productions for CBBC Swashbuckle ‘Pirate Pampering’, CBeebies for CBeebies Comedy Performance Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith – Inside No 9 BBC Comedy Production London for Host: John Sergeant Children’s Programme: The Big Performance 3: Finale BBC Two “Witty, clever and brilliantly inventive.” Nominees: Comedy Performance: Steve Pemberton and Harry Enfield – Harry and Paul’s Story Reece Shearsmith – Inside No 9 of the Twos, Balloon Entertainment for BBC Two Sarah Hadland – The Job Lot – Series 2, Big Talk Productions for ITV2 Daytime Programme Couples Come Dine with Me ITV Studios for Channel 4 “Funny, cheeky and clever ...” Nominees: This Morning, ITV Studios for ITV Children’s Fiction: 4 O’Clock Club Superstar Dogs, Tuesday’s Child – Christmas Television for Channel 4 Documentary Series Life & Death Row BBC Documentaries Production for BBC Three “A brilliantly crafted new take on a familiar topic, offering fresh insight through superb film-making.” Nominees: Bedlam, The Garden Productions for Channel 4 Protecting our Parents, BBC Documentaries Production for BBC Two �

Daytime Programme: Couples Come Dine with Me Pictures: Paul Hampartsoumian/Richard Kendal/BBC/Channel 4 Hampartsoumian/RichardPictures: Paul Kendal/BBC/Channel

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 27 Drama Serial The Honourable Woman Drama Republic and Eight Rooks for BBC Two “Remarkable in its ambition, production values, writing and the way it handled a complex subject.” Nominees: Prey, Red Production Company for ITV The Driver, Red Production Company/ Highfield Pictures for BBC One Drama Series Presenter: Billy Connolly – Billy Drama Series: Line of Duty – Series 2 Connolly’s Big Send Off Line of Duty – Series 2 World Productions for BBC Two “Spell-bindingly good, with an intensity of performance.” Nominees: Happy Valley, Red Production Company for BBC One Peaky Blinders II, Caryn Mandabach Productions/Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Two Entertainment The Graham Norton Show So Television for BBC One “Effortlessly slick, brilliantly cast and continually fresh.” Drama Serial: The Honourable Woman Nominees: A League of Their Own – Series 8, CPL Productions for Sky 1HD Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, ITV Studios/Mitre Television for ITV Entertainment Performance Claudia Winkleman – Strictly Come Dancing BBC Productions for BBC One “It was a stand-out year for the winner – a genuinely individual performer and… a consummate professional.” Nominees: Graham Norton – The Graham Norton Show, So Television for BBC One Entertainment: The Graham Norton Show Keith Lemon – Celebrity Juice, Talkback for ITV2 Entertainment Performance: History Claudia Our World War Winkleman – BBC Documentaries Production for Strictly Come BBC Three Dancing “A fresh way of approaching history, giving a visceral sense of what being there was really like.” Nominees: The First Georgians: The German Kings Who Made Britain, BBC Arts Production Bristol in partnership with Royal Collection Trust for BBC Four The World’s War: Forgotten Soldiers Documentary Series: Life & Death Row of Empire, BBC History Production for BBC Two

28 International Fargo MGM/FX Productions for Channel 4 “A stylised mini-series perfectly capturing the darkly comedic tone of the source material.” Nominees: The Big Bang Theory – Series 7, Chuck Lorre Productions Inc in association with Warner Bros Television for E4 True Detective, HBO Entertainment in association with Neon Black/ Anonymous Content/Parliament of Owls/Passenger, acquired by Sky Atlantic Live Event D-Day: The Heroes Return BBC Event Productions for BBC One “Hugely ambitious, this programme was beautifully produced, with live coverage on a massive scale.” Nominees: The Grand National, IMG Productions for Channel 4 Live Event: D-Day: WWI Remembered – From the Battle- The Heroes Return field and From Westminster Abbey, Fargo International: BBC Event Productions for BBC Two Popular, Factual and Features The Island with Bear Grylls Shine TV/Bear Grylls Ventures Co-Production for Channel 4 “A brave and inspired approach to casting, injecting a level of authenticity and jeopardy that distinguished it from its predecessors.” Nominees: 50 Ways To Kill Your Mammy, Burning Bright Productions/Brown Bread Films for Sky 1HD The Great British Bake Off, Love West History: Our World War for BBC One Presenter Billy Connolly – Billy Connolly’s Big Send Off Burning Bright Productions for ITV “Raw, funny, brave and a great commu- nicator – open and spellbinding.” Nominees: Dr Lucy Worsley – The First Georgians: The German Kings Who Made Britain, BBC Arts Production Bristol in partnership with Royal Collection Trust for BBC Four Grayson Perry – Grayson Perry: Who Are You? Swan Films for Channel 4 �

Popular, Factual and Features: The Island with Bear Grylls Pictures: Richard Kendal/BBC

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 29 Science and Natural History Sports Presenter, Commentator Live from Space: Lap of the Planet or Pundit Arrow Media for Channel 4 Gary Neville “Probably one of the most ambitious Sky Sports live programmes ever made.” “[Neville] has a genuine insight, strategic Nominees: knowledge and a mission to explain.” Life Story, BBC Natural History Production/ Nominees: Open University/BBC Worldwide/ Gary Lineker, BBC Sport for BBC One Discovery/France TV for BBC One Hazel Irvine, BBC Sport The Girl Who Talked To Dolphins, BBC Scotland Science Productions Sports Programme for BBC Four The 2014 Ryder Cup Sky Sports/European Tour Productions Scripted Comedy for Sky Sports Harry and Paul’s Story of the Twos “With an approach that took the Balloon Entertainment for BBC Two audience to the heart of the event and “A masterpiece… incredibly funny with a commentary team of unrivalled and bold.” expertise, this was a production that Nominees: was perfectly placed to showcase great Him and Her: The Wedding, Big Talk sporting drama.” Productions for BBC Three Nominees: Moone Boy – Series 2, Baby Cow British Grand Prix, BBC Sport for BBC Two Productions/Hot Cod Productions/Sprout World Cup: Germany vs Brazil, BBC Single Drama: Murdered by My Boyfriend Pictures/Grand Pictures for Sky 1HD Sport for BBC One Single Documentary Writer – Comedy The Paedophile Hunter Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse and Amos Pictures for Channel 4 Charlie Higson – Harry and Paul’s “An astonishing film with incredible Story of the Twos access – a brave commission and a Balloon Entertainment for BBC Two brave programme to make.” “Funny, clever writing with amazing Nominees: attention to detail.” Baby P: The Untold Story, Sandpaper Nominees: Films for BBC One Jessica Knappett – Drifters – Series 2, This World: Terror at the Mall, Amos Bwark for E4 Pictures for BBC Two Sam Leifer and Tom Basden – Plebs – Series 2, Rise Films for ITV2 Single Drama Writer – Drama: Peter Bowker – Marvellous Murdered by My Boyfriend Writer – Drama BBC Productions for BBC Three Peter Bowker – Marvellous “This work felt important and utterly Fifty Fathoms Productions and Tiger compelling, with inventive direction Aspect Productions for BBC Two and writing – a bold and original “Extraordinary writing – joyful, life-­ approach to difficult subject matter.” enhancing but in no way sentimental.” Nominees: Nominees: Writer - Comedy: Harry Enfield, Common, LA Productions for BBC One Jimmy McGovern – Common, Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson Marvellous, Fifty Fathoms Productions LA Productions for BBC One – Harry and Paul’s Story of the Twos and Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Two Sally Wainwright – Happy Valley, Red Production Company for BBC One Soap and Continuing Drama Soap and Continuing Drama: Casualty Casualty Judges’ Award BBC Drama Production Wales for BBC One Ben Stephenson “A show that had regained exceptional Controller, Drama Commissioning, form. A strong sense of the community BBC Television within the show never detracted from the individual journeys the characters Lifetime Achievement Award went on… an excellent drama.” Melvyn Bragg Nominees: Coronation Street, ITV Studios for ITV EastEnders, BBC Drama Production London for BBC One Single Documentary: The Paedophile Hunter

30 Sports Programme: The 2014 Ryder Cup Pictures: Richard Kendal/BBC/Channel 4/BskyB Pictures: Richard Kendal/BBC/Channel

Single Drama: Murdered by My Boyfriend

Science and Natural History: Live from Space: Lap of the Planet

Writer – Drama: Peter Bowker – Marvellous ‘He was responsible for seven out of the top 10 most-watched dramas of the year and seven out of 10 of the most appreciated. ‘He has built BBC Two drama into a formidable creative force with titles such as Peaky Blinders,­ The Fall, Line of Duty and The Honour- able Woman. And he has successfully introduced a new slate of returning series to BBC One with Sherlock, Call Soap and Continuing Drama: Casualty the Midwife, Death in Paradise, Last Tango in Halifax, The Musketeers and Shetland all playing last year. ‘Also in 2014, he introduced Happy Valley and The Missing – two of the Judges’ Award most talked-about series of the year, Ben Stephenson greeted with huge critical and audience acclaim. ‘We are living through an extraordinarily ‘Add to all that single films such as rich period of television drama in the US Jimmy McGovern’s Common and Peter and Europe, and this year’s RTS Judges’ Bowker’s Marvellous, not to mention a Award acknowledges the contribution rejuvenated EastEnders, and it would one executive has made to what many be hard to disagree that our winner has Sports Presenter, Commentator are calling a new golden age. had an extraordinary year.’ or Pundit Gary Neville

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 31 RTS NEWS Southern talent in the news ore than 200 peo- Editor Lee Desty was hon- ple attended the oured by his colleagues for Southern Centre his services to BBC South Awards dinner at Today. Winchester’sM Guildhall in Lambent Productions won early March. Hosted by the Best Single Documentary for region’s star presenters, ITV’s BBC Three’s Dead Behind Bars Fred Dinenage and the BBC’s and Ricochet took the Best Sally Taylor, the ceremony Factual award with C4 series celebrated the work of Mr Drew’s School for Boys. 10 local independents and There was an excellent four broadcast centres. range of student work on Best Newcomer was Harry offer from five universities Hitchens for his easy-going, in the region. The Animation natural style presenting and Drama awards went to Channel 4’s Gay Sex, Apps University for the Creative and Me. Arts in Farnham; the Factual There were 22 entries and Open prizes were won for Best Regional Journalist, by Bournemouth University; once again won by BBC and the Entertainment cate- South East’s Colin Campbell gory was taken by Arts Uni- for his tireless investigative versity Bournemouth. reporting. The Best Video The event received in-kind Journalist award went to ITV support from BBC South and Meridian’s Christine Alsford. ITV Meridian, as well as The coveted Best Regional sponsorship from Arqiva, News Programme award Bournemouth University, went to ITV Meridian East for Southampton Solent Univer- its timely edition reacting to sity and the Arts University the Eastbourne Pier fire. Bournemouth. Awards winners

Retiring BBC South News Lucas Howard pictures: All Gordon Cooper BBC offers clear signals ■ RTS Yorkshire addressed agers who wrote the report, between “news” and “noise” the future of the BBC’s news published earlier this year. on the internet. She said that, services in terms of changing Interviewed by Yorkshire more than ever, the BBC is technologies and editorial Centre Chair Mike Best, needed as the trusted insti- content, as a contribution to Thomas pointed out that the tution that “makes that news Leeds Trinity University’s report was just the starting clear”. annual Journalism Week. The point for a wider debate. “We The second session fea- two sessions in early March are opening our doors to find tured BBC Radio 5 Live were organised jointly with out how we can continue to reporter Nick Garnett, who the Yorkshire Branch of The be a part of people’s lives in has pioneered the use of Helen Thomas Radio Academy. the next 10 years,” she said. mobile journalism at the An audience of 50, includ- Looking forward to Char- corporation. In the aftermath ing many students, heard ter renewal in 2017, Thomas of the terrorist attack on the Garnett told the audience Helen Thomas, Head of BBC added: “What I want to make offices of French satirical “news is changing and the Regions for Yorkshire and sure of in the future is that magazine Charlie Hebdo in iPhone has certainly changed Lincolnshire, discuss the the BBC remains as relevant January, Garnett filmed sev- broadcasting for ever. But, no corporation’s “Future of as it has always been.” eral hours of footage and matter what the technology, News” report. Thomas was Thomas also highlighted made more than 50 live at the end of the day, it’s still one of a team of senior man- the need to distinguish reports using just his iPhone. all about telling a story.”

32 region’s RTS Student Tele­ vision Awards – were wel- comed on stage by RTS CEO Theresa Wise, who encour- aged them to take a bow before the 300-strong audi- ence and wished them luck in the national awards later in the year. The Sir Ambrose Fleming Memorial Award for an out- standing contribution to television in the RTS Bristol area went to Gina Fucci of Films at 59, a post-produc- tion facility that has been supporting the production community for the past 25 years. Michaela Strachan (left) and Patrick Aryee Sproxton presented the award to Fucci who said: “We are proud to have been a part of some of this city’s most extraordinary creative work for so long and look Factual rises in the West forward to being involved for a long time to come.” BC Natural History The BBC took more Seven Poems, Best Short for BBC One’s Inside Out West Unit programmes awards for: Best Daytime The Kismet Bureau and (with took the News Coverage scooped six awards Series (BBC One’s Glorious Subvertical) Best Graphics category and Robert Murphy at the RTS West of Gardens from Above); “Flying and Visual Effects for BBC from ITV News West Country EnglandB Awards, which were Futures” Talent Award (Erika Two’s full-length documen- was named Best Reporter. hosted by adventurer and TV Jones of See Hear, BBC Two’s tary feature War of Words: Bristol Centre is very presenter Steve Backshall at magazine show for the deaf Soldier-Poets of the Somme. grateful to the main sponsor the Bristol Old Vic in early community); and Editing Aardman Animations won of the awards, Evolutions March. (Glenn Rainton, for BBC two awards: for Digital Crea- Bristol. The company’s Blair Springwatch and Autumn- Two’s MR James, Ghost Writer). tivity (for online learning Wallace won the Best Grad- watch (both BBC Two) pre- From the independent resource Shaun’s Game Acad- ing Award for the BBC Two senter Michaela Strachan sector, Testimony Films took emy); and Titles, Promos and documentary Frankenstein was named Best On-screen the Factual award for BBC Branding for the short film and the Vampyre: A Dark and Talent, while Patrick Aryee Four’s Photographing Africa Flight of the Stories, which Stormy Night. (BBC Two’s Super Senses) took with Harry Hook, and Icon publicised the opening of Matthew Bell the award for New On-screen Films’ Africa’s Giant Killers for the Imperial War Museum’s Talent. BBC Two was named Best First World War Galleries. “I am absolutely delighted Natural History Series. The Bristol-based com- – it’s a great award to get at Dragonfly’sOne Born Every pany was also presented this stage of my career,” said Minute for Channel 4, filmed with a special award for Aryee. “Thank you to every- at Bristol’s Southmead Hos- Shaun the Sheep, the Movie. one who has helped and pital, won the Documentary The “voice” of supported me along the way.” category and Love West’s Shaun (and CBBC Simon Bell was named BBC One show The Great presenter) Justin Best Director for BBC One British Bake Off triumphed Fletcher gave the series Hidden Kingdoms, which in Factual Entertainment. award to Aardman also won the Best Cinematog- Drummer TV took the Chil- co-founder David raphy and Sound awards (the dren’s category for CBBC’s Sproxton and latter went to Wounded Buf- My Life: Born Lucky. Series Producer falo Sound Studios). Nitin Bristol-based indie BDH John Woolley. Sawhney won the Best Com- notched up three wins, secur- The next gener- Aardman’s David Sproxton poser category for BBC Two’s ing the Animation category­ ation of talent – (left) and John Woolley Wonders of the Monsoon. for BBC Two’s The Somme in winners of the

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 33 OFF M E SSAGE

s the general ■ By now, everyone knows that TV collect the Harvey Lee Outstanding election­ campaign types have a passion for hot food. Contribution to Broadcasting Award grinds on, it is a But what is it about film studios and from the Broadcasting Press Guild. shame that there canned tucker? The actor, comedian and diversity will be no more TV Speaking recently to the RTS, campaigner took a break from leaders’ debates Armando Iannucci revealed how he rehearsals at the London Palladium featuring all the was inundated by tins of food when for Comic Relief to attend the BPG political jungle’s big beasts. One thing his movie, In the Loop, premiered at lunch, held less than a mile away at isA abundantly clear from the two that the Sundance Film Festival. the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. we did get: in an age of social media, “Baskets of fruit would arrive in my Collecting his award, Henry television remains uniquely powerful. hotel room from various American described recent initiatives announced ITV should be congratulated for its indies and they also sent lots of by the broadcasters to improve black, deft handling of the seven-way, tinned food. What use is that?” he Asian and minority ethnic representa- ­two-hour marathon, broadcast live wondered. tion in TV as “diversity poker”. on 2 April with only one commercial What, indeed. One can only think Let’s hope none of those involved break. Host Julie Etchingham did an what Jeremy Clarkson might have throw in their hand before meeting exemplary job in keeping all those done, had he been on the receiving their declared targets. egos in check. end of such an odd gift. With more than 7 million people ■ Congratulations to outgoing BBC watching (a 33% audience share), the ■ Staying with Iannucci, it is Controller of Drama Commissioning programme proved to be every bit as intriguing to note that he is adapting Ben Stephenson on his new job. popular as another Salford-based a BBC Films-backed version of David Stephenson is crossing the Atlantic show – Coronation Street. Copperfield, regarded by some Dick- to work for film-maker JJ Abrams’ ens scholars as the novelist’s very Bad Robot Productions as Head of ■ As for the other leaders’ debate, greatest work. Television. it was good to see Jeremy Paxman This is something of a departure Stephenson has overseen an back on form as he made light for the humourist, although not a astonishingly rich period for BBC TV work of both David Cameron complete one since he has made drama. This was reflected at last and Ed Miliband for Channel 4. documentaries on literary subjects month’s RTS Programme Awards, The old bruiser looked seriously before. These include a programme where he deservedly received the engaged – unlike on his latter-day about Dickens. Judges’ Award. Newsnight appearances, where, all too In case you are worried that the Coincidentally, his predecessor, frequently, he seemed bored by the co-creator of Alan Partridge is turn- Jane Tranter, is reported to be return- whole process. ing his back on humour, fear not. ing soon from the US, where she runs Paxman is clearly enjoying his new Another upcoming project is a BBC Worldwide Productions. berth at Horseferry Road and is, once black comedy looking at one of the A job in the UK independent sector again, a ubiquitous media presence. 20th Century’s most sinister charac- appears likely. On the first Saturday in April, Paxo ters, Joseph Stalin. With two such talented drama was the FT’s diarist – and still found So who might play the lead? Not executives quitting the BBC at roughly time to file a lengthy op-ed piece, exactly a part for Steve Coogan. the same time, the corporation will published in The Times the same day. have its work cut out to ensure there His subject? A guide to grilling ■ One of the highlights of Off Mes- is no dip in the quality of television politicians, of course. sage’s March was seeing Lenny Henry drama.

34 April 2015 www.rts.org.uk Television RTS PATRONS

RTS Principal BBC BSkyB Channel 4 ITV Patrons

RTS Discovery Corporate Services Ltd Turner Broadcasting System Inc International Liberty Global Viacom International Media Patrons NBCUniversal International Networks The Walt Disney Company YouTube

RTS Accenture FremantleMedia KPMG Virgin Media Major Channel 5 Fujitsu McKinsey and Co YouView Patrons Deloitte IBM S4C Enders Analysis IMG Studios STV Group EY ITN UKTV

RTS Autocue ITV London ITV Yorkshire Quantel Patrons Digital Television Group ITV Meridian ITV Wales Raidió Teilifís Éireann ITV Anglia ITV Tyne Tees Lumina Search UTV Television ITV Granada ITV West PricewaterhouseCoopers Vinten Broadcast

Who’s who Patron Chair of RTS Trustees CENTRES COUNCIL History at the RTS HRH The Prince of Wales John Hardie Lynn Barlow Don McLean Mike Best President Honorary Secretary Charles Byrne IBC Conference Liaison Sir Peter Bazalgette David Lowen Isabel Clarke Terry Marsh Alex Connock Vice-Presidents Honorary Treasurer Gordon Cooper RTS Legends Dawn Airey Mike Green Tim Hartley Paul Jackson Sir David Attenborough OM Kristin Mason CH CVO CBE FRS BOARD OF TRUSTEES Graeme Thompson AWARDS COMMITTEE Baroness Floella Tim Davie Penny Westlake CHAIRS Benjamin OBE Mike Green James Wilson Awards & Fellowship Dame Colette Bowe OBE John Hardie Michael Wilson Policy John Cresswell Huw Jones David Lowen Mike Darcey Jane Lighting SPECIALIST GROUP Greg Dyke Graham McWilliam CHAIRS Craft & Design Awards Lorraine Heggessey David Lowen Archives Cheryl Taylor Ashley Highfield Simon Pitts Steve Bryant Rt Hon Dame Tessa Graeme Thompson Television Journalism Jowell MP Diversity Awards David Lynn EXECUTIVE Marcus Ryder Stewart Purvis CBE Sir Trevor McDonald OBE Chief Executive Ken MacQuarrie Theresa Wise Early Evening Events Programme Awards Trevor Phillips OBE Dan Brooke David Liddiment Stewart Purvis CBE John Smith Education Student Television Sir Howard Stringer Graeme Thompson Awards Mark Thompson Stuart Murphy RTS Futures Camilla Lewis

Television www.rts.org.uk April 2015 35 RTS LEGENDS LUNCH Did television come to the aid of the party? Jeremy Paxman and Alastair Stewart OBE in conversation

Just days after the conclusion of the General Election, two of television’s leading interviewers will share their insiders’ views of exactly what happened

Tuesday 19 May London Hilton on Park Lane, London W1 12:30pm for 1:00pm Tickets: £69.60 inc VAT (£58 + £11.60 VAT) Online booking: www.rts.org.uk