January 2017 Shonda Rhimes A defining American voice DaVinci Resolve 12.5 now with 1,000 enhancements and 250 new features for faster editing, better color and new e ects! DaVinci Resolve 12.5 is a massive new update that gives professional New Eects editors and colorists a faster and more refined editing and grading DaVinci Resolve 12.5 introduces ResolveFX, an amazing collection of experience! You get professional editing with advanced color correction, high performance plug-ins such as blurs, light rays, mosaics, and more! plus incredible new eects so you can edit, color correct, add eects You also get more transitions, enhanced titles, keyframe animation and and deliver projects from start to finish, all in one single software tool! speed ramp eects, along with Fusion Connect, which lets you send shots to Fusion for visual eects! 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You get color that goes far beyond any other editing system and DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panel £23,595* you can switch between editing and grading with a single click! Watch Video! www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk *SRP is Exclusive of VAT. Journal of The Royal Television Society January 2017 l Volume 54/1 From the CEO The RTS events pro- see so many people turn out on a perhaps over a glass of your favourite gramme was, to say cold, windswept Friday evening. wine or craft beer. the least, hectic as we The RTS Futures Xmas Quiz was Turning to some recent changes at headed towards the a tremendously entertaining event. the RTS I am absolutely delighted that end of 2016. Our Thanks to everyone who took part. Tom Mockridge, CEO of Virgin Media, bumper issue of Test your own TV knowledge with the has agreed to be our new Chair. He Television carries questions on page 34. succeeds John Hardie, whom I’d like reports of almost all these events. Simon Shaps provides this month’s to thank for being such an inspira- We had a wonderful night at the cover story and celebrates the tional boss these past four years. RTS Craft & Design Awards. Sandi achievements of the US showrunner Finally, I’d like to wish every RTS Toksvig was a brilliantly funny and Shonda Rhimes. Her hit series, such member a very happy New Year. From incisive host. My congratulations to as Grey’s Anatomy, continue to provide the Society’s perspective, I can prom- all the winners. Full details inside. signature drama for ABC. ise you a very lively 2017! “An evening with Steve Hewlett”, Nearer to home, I was thrilled that held at the BBC Radio Theatre on Alastair Stewart found time to pen a 25 November, exceeded everybody’s review of the year. expectations. Steve was in amazingly What a year it’s been, and what a energetic form. It was encouraging to take on it: this is a piece to savour, Theresa Wise Contents Alex Horne’s TV Diary 2016: TV’s defining year for diversity? Alex Horne discovers that making a TV show can be The protracted reign of able-bodied white men over 5 family-friendly 22 British television may finally be drawing to a close, writes Steve Clarke A defining American voice Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, Mixing it up on a global scale 7 has set a new benchmark for TV storytelling, argues Sky Vision chief Jane Millichip is a TV executive who Simon Shaps 26 confounds the corporate stereotype, says Tara Conlan The man riding C5’s success Matchmaking fixed-rig style Viacom’s European chief, David Lynn, explains Channel 5’s Channel 4’s First Dates revels in its documentary roots. 10 place in a unique business model to Steve Clarke 28 Matthew Bell feels the love Why social media needs TV RTS Student Programme Masterclasses Television is helping to drive platforms such as Facebook Four distinguished programme-makers offer their 12 and Twitter, hears Matthew Bell 30 insights across a range of genres. Matthew Bell and Steve Clarke report ‘A real stubborn bugger’ Despite undergoing intensive treatment for cancer, RTS Craft Skills Masterclasses 15 Steve Hewlett finds the energy to entertain a capacity Matthew Bell and Steve Clarke look, listen and learn as crowd with stories of his unmatched career 32 experts share their tradecraft Welcome to the post-truth world RTS Futures Christmas quiz Alastair Stewart looks back on a year of Brexit and Trump Test your televisual knowledge with our RTS Futures 18 as sanity and normality were hijacked by social media 34 festive quiz Our Friend in the North RTS Craft & Design Awards 2016 How healthy is Scotland’s TV production sector? The winners and nominees over eight pages 21 Alan Clements gives his diagnosis 35 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 2017. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television Writer Sub-editor T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail) £172.22 20 Crimscott Street are not necessarily those of the RTS. Matthew Bell Abigail Sanderson 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 January 2017 3 Your guide to upcoming national and RTS NEWS regional events NORTH WEST National events Wednesday 25 January 2017 An evening with Kay Burley RTS FUTURES Hosted by Jim Hancock. 6:30pm Wednesday 1 February Venue: The Compass Room, RTS Futures – The Ultimate TV Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays Careers Fair M50 3AZ Network at the biggest careers ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 fair in TV, learn about the jobs, ■ [email protected] schemes and opportunities available and get crucial tips NORTHERN IRELAND on how to stand out from the ■ John Mitchell crowd. Tickets: early-bird rate ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@btinter- £6; full price £10 net.com Venue: Business Design Centre, Forget Carter: 26 January 52 Upper St, London N1 0QH BFI REPUBLIC OF IRELAND ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 For group bookings (11+ guests): High dynamic range (HDR), ■ [email protected] ■ Alice Turner 020 7822 2822 Local events wider colour gamut and higher ■ [email protected] frame rate (HFR) will hugely SCOTLAND BRISTOL affect the benefit to consumers. ■ James Wilson 07899 761167 RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT Sunday 19 March The evening will include a ■ james.wilson@cityofglasgow- Tuesday 7 February RTS West of England demonstration of HDR HFR college.ac.uk In conversation with John Awards 2017 Ultra-HDTV. 6:00pm Petter, CEO, BT Consumer Venue: Bristol Old Vic, King Venue: TBC SOUTHERN With journalist and presenter Street, Bristol BS1 4ED ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 Wednesday 1 February Kate Bulkley. ■ Belinda Biggam ■ [email protected] Meet the professionals 6:30pm for 6:45pm ■ [email protected] An opportunity for students Venue: TBC NORTH EAST & THE BORDER from production-based courses ■ Book online at www.rts.org.uk DEVON & CORNWALL Thursday 26 January across the South to meet ■ Kingsley Marshall Forget Carter informally a wide range of RTS AWARDS ■ Kingsley.Marshall@falmouth. A virtual tour with Chris Phipps, media production professionals. Wednesday 1 March ac.uk media historian, showing how 2:00pm-5:30pm RTS Television Journalism Newcastle has been portrayed Venue: Bournemouth University, Awards 2017 EAST on television and film. Free to Talbot Campus BH12 5BB (TBC) Venue: London Hilton on Park ■ Nikki O’Donnell members of the RTS, who can ■ Gordon Cooper Lane, London W1K 1BE ■ [email protected] register on Eventbrite — please ■ [email protected] ■ Jamie O’Neill 020 7822 2821 bring evidence of membership ■ [email protected] LONDON with you on the night: THAMES VALLEY Wednesday 25 January www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/royal- Wednesday 15 February Tuesday 21 March Prosthetics and CGI: From the television-society-forget-carter- Advances in compression RTS Programme Awards 2017 real to the virtual tickets-29254501000. 7:00pm 6:30pm for 7:00pm In partnership with Audio Speakers TBC Venue: City Library (Bewick Hall), Venue: Pincents Manor Hotel, Network 6:30pm for 7:00pm 33 New Bridge Street West, Calcot, Reading RG31 4UQ Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, Venue: ITV London Studios, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8AX ■ Penny Westlake Park Lane, London W1K 7TN Upper Ground, South Bank, ■ [email protected] ■ Alice Turner 020 7822 2822 London SE1 9LT Thursday 23 February ■ [email protected] ■ Daniel Cherowbrier Networking evenings WALES ■ [email protected] The last Thursday of the month, ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 RTS CONFERENCE for anyone working in TV, film, ■ [email protected] 13-15 September MIDLANDS computer games or digital RTS Cambridge Convention Wednesday 18 January production.