March 2018 Hulu: Under the hood WE FIND GUESTS FOR YOUR SHOW We are television bookers ready to find guests for your show. Guestbooker.com has media trained experts based across the US and the UK in a range of sectors, including; poliics, healthcare, security, law, business, finance and entertainment. Our team is based in London, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington D.C, Nashville, Dallas, Ausin, Miami and Chicago. Journal of The Royal Television Society March 2018 l Volume 55/3 From the CEO It has been an exciting That so many female journalists of Television, don’t miss Mark Lawson’s and illuminating end different ages and backgrounds were insightful profile of the great Macken- to the RTS’s winter among the night’s winners says a lot zie Crook. Meanwhile, our cover looks programme. Despite about the changing times that we are at the rise and rise of Hulu. I, for one, the “Beast from the living in. can’t wait to watch the second season East” bringing snow So, too, did our sold-out early- of The Handmaid’s Tale, coming soon on and ice to even Lon- evening event “Sale or scale”, when Channel 4. don’s Hyde Park Corner, this year’s a high-powered panel analysed the I look forward to seeing many of RTS Television Journalism Awards rapidly consolidating entertainment you at the RTS Programme Awards. generated a lot of genuine warmth. sector. Many thanks to the wonderful This is undoubtedly the most glamor- I’d like to thank everyone who panellists: Kate Bulkley, Mike Darcey, ous night in the RTS calendar. Let’s made this such a very special evening. Tim Hincks and Mathew Horsman; hope the weather has seriously Reeta Chakrabarti was a brilliantly and to the always incisive event chair, warmed up by then – and good luck gracious and witty host. Her smile Matthew Garrahan. There is a full to all the nominees. seemed to be particularly radiant report in this issue of Television. on this coldest of nights. There are many wonderful female Thanks also to Sue Inglish who gave role models working in our industry up so much of her time to chair the and I am thrilled that this month’s awards, and a big thank you to all the diarist is one of them. I know that our jury members. Huge congratulations readers will enjoy All3Media CEO Jane to all the awards winners. Turton’s diary. Also in this month’s Theresa Wise Contents Jane Turton’s TV Diary Our Friend in Bangladesh In a week of bad weather and cancelled travel plans, Sanjoy Majumder describes how the plight of Rohingya 5 Jane Turton is determined to attend her early-morning 19 refugees became a big Western news story spin class The scholar who loves sharing stories Hulu ups the ante Mary Beard tells Pippa Shawley why she was reluctant to Thanks to its reimagining of The Handmaid’s Tale, 21 become a TV presenter and reveals her own viewing habits 6 the US streaming service is moving centre stage. Stuart Kemp investigates British TV’s best-kept secret TalkTalk TV is the UK’s smallest pay-TV provider. The shy genius of Mackenzie Crook 24 Its Managing Director, Aleks Habdank, explains to Mark Lawson learns how one of TV’s brightest but Steve Clarke why it can only get bigger 8 unlikeliest stars turned reticence into an art form Sage advice from the TV pros Sale or scale Attendees at the RTS’s biggest TV Careers Fair yet A stellar RTS panel confronted the threats posed by the 26 received copious expert advice, reports Matthew Bell 10 tech giants to legacy media. Matthew Bell took notes RTS Television Journalism Awards 2018 Tech-savvy minister for testing times Hosted by Reeta Chakrabarti and sponsored Anne McElvoy profiles Matt Hancock, the new Secretary 29 by GuestBooker, the awards were presented on 14 of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport 28 February at the London Hilton, Park Lane – the winners and nominees over six pages The reinvention of Channel 5 The broadcaster is gaining viewers and winning new 16 admirers, says Tim Dams. What is it doing right? Cover: Channel 4/Hulu 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 2018. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television News editor and writer Sub-editor T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail) £172.22 20 Crimscott Street are not necessarily those of the RTS. Matthew Bell Sarah Bancroft E: [email protected] Enquiries: [email protected] London SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728 [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk Television www.rts.org.uk March 2018 3 Your guide to upcoming events. Book online at RTS NEWS www.rts.org.uk National events Local events Gaming and TV: RTS AWARDS BRISTOL Tuesday 20 March ■ Belinda Biggam What’s the score? RTS Programme Awards 2018 ■ [email protected] In Partnership with Audio Network Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, DEVON & CORNWALL 86-90 Park Lane, London W1K 7TN ■ Jane Hudson ■ RTSDevonandCornwall@rts. RTS EARLY EVENING EVENT org.uk Monday 16 April Mind the gap: Closing the EAST gender pay gap in broadcasting ■ Nikki O’Donnell Panellists: Jane Corbin, BBC cur- ■ [email protected] rent affairs journalist; Rt Hon Har- riet Harman MP, former Minister LONDON for Women and Equalities; Sian Wednesday 21 March Kevill, former BBC executive and Making media in a sustainable 2 May founder, Make Productions; and future Charlotte Sweeney OBE, expert Speaker: Aaron Matthews, ITV London Studios SE1 9LT adviser on equality, diversity and project manager, Albert (the inclusion. Chair: Jane Martinson, collaborative indie- and Guardian columnist and journalist broadcaster-backed project NORTHERN IRELAND WALES Venue: The Hospital Club, 24 Endell that provides the film and TV Tuesday 20 March ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 Street, London WC2H 9HQ industries with the expertise Student Television Awards ■ [email protected] to take practical action on Venue: The Black Box, 18-22 Hill RTS AWARDS environmental sustainability). Street, Belfast BT1 2LA YORKSHIRE Friday 22 June 6:30pm for 7:00pm ■ John Mitchell Wednesday 25 April RTS Student Television Venue: ITV London Studios, ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@ Masterclasses: How to get a Awards 2018 Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT btinternet.com job in TV Venue: BFI Southbank, Belvedere Wednesday 2 May Teams from True North and Lime Road, London SE1 8XT Gaming and TV: What’s REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Pictures will hold two 75-minute, the score? Tuesday 27 March video-rich masterclasses, with RTS CONFERENCE Panellists: Steve McNeil, writer, AGM 2018 lots of opportunities to ask Tuesday 18 September comedian and streamer; Sam 8:00pm questions. RTS London Conference 2018 Pamphilon, actor, writer and Venue: AR4 RTÉ, Stillorgan Road, Held in association with the Sponsored by Viacom comedian; Julia Hardy, presenter, Montrose, Dublin 4 Creative Cities Convention, Venue: Kings Place, 90 York Way, journalist, YouTuber and broad- ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 which students will have the London N1 9AG caster. Chair: Ellie Gibson, jour- ■ [email protected] opportunity to participate in nalist, presenter, comedian and (and to attend the networking RTS MASTERCLASSES author. 6:30pm for 7:00pm SCOTLAND drinks on the opening evening, Tuesday 13 Novermber Venue: ITV London Studios, Wednesday 9 May 25 April). RTS Student Programme Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT RTS Scotland Awards Places are free but you Masterclasses ■ Daniel Cherowbrier Venue: TBC must book in advance with Venue: IET London, 2 Savoy ■ [email protected] ■ Jane Muirhead Victoria Griffin (07880231626/ Place, London WC2R0BL ■ [email protected] [email protected]). MIDLANDS Group bookings from universities Wednesday 14 Novermber ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 SOUTHERN and colleges are preferred. RTS Craft Skills Masterclasses ■ [email protected] ■ Stephanie Farmer 2.00pm start Venue: IET London, 2 Savoy ■ [email protected] Venue: Leeds College of Music, Place, London WC2R0BL NORTH EAST & THE BORDER 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7PD ■ Jill Graham THAMES VALLEY Friday 6 July RTS AWARDS ■ [email protected] ■ Tony Orme Annual Awards Monday 26 November ■ [email protected] Venue: TBC RTS Craft & Design Awards 2018 NORTH WEST ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 London Hilton on Park Lane ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE ■ [email protected] co.uk 4 TV diary In a week of bad weather and cancelled travel plans, Jane Turton is determined to attend her early-morning spin class he temperature in ■ We announce a new start-up, ■ Later that day, we make a call to London has plum- Unstoppable, on Wednesday. It’s a the management team in Los Ange- meted to a 10-year new drama company run by two les. We are looking for a new CEO to low and the snow very talented guys, Noel Clarke and run our West Coast studio and, next has arrived. Our top- Jason Maza, and the response has week, we will meet the search com- floor fficeo in Covent been fabulous. pany to discuss progress. Garden has the most I love the strategy and development The business there comprises amazing views over Westminster and parts of my job. I work closely with creative teams from Studio Lambert, Tall the way round to the Gherkin and Steven Brown, our director of corpo- Objective, Main Event, Studio Ram- the Shard. It’s very beautiful in the rate development, and we both enjoy say, Maverick, Woodman Park and snow.