A BBC for - October 2020 - Royal Television Society
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
October 2020
A BBC for
everyone
Television www.rts.org.uk September 2013 1
The world is made up of Innovators and
Storytellers, Change-makers,
Healers and Wanderers.
Our artists create music that is as unique
as they are, to soundtrack a world of
stories and content.
MAKE A MARK THROUGH MUSIC
AND USE IT TO TELL YOUR STORY
AUDIONETWORK.COM/DISCOVER/ART-OF-THE-ARTIST
SEND US YOUR BRIEF
MUSICSEARCH@AUDIONETWORK.COM
Journal of The Royal Television Society
October 2020 l Volume 57/9
From the CEO
Autumn is well and was in conversation with the inimi- flagship series Adult Material reached
truly here, though it table Tim Hincks. our screens. And Nick Frost tells
is one unlike any we A huge thanks to both Tims and to Shilpa Ganatra how he was inspired to
have experienced Alex. Watch out for further RTS one- co-write and star in Amazon Prime’s
before. Thankfully, it to-ones with industry leaders in the Truth Seekers.
remains the season for coming weeks. Our TV Diary is written by former
top-flight RTS events We carry full reports of three more RTS bursary scholar Florence Watson,
across the UK and for enjoying some recent RTS events: “Defining diver- now working as a script editor at Sis-
superb television. sity? That’s easy”; “Winners, losers ter Pictures. Matthew Bell’s interview
The opening session of the Society’s and own goals: Live sport in lock- with S4C’s CEO, Owen Evans (News,
Digital Convention provides our cover down”; and “Making a drama out of page 38), reminds us that there is so
story. We were delighted that Tim a crisis”, in which the great Richard much more to wonderful Wales than
Davie could make the time for an Curtis reminded programme-makers choirs and rugby.
exclusive interview so soon after that humour can be a potent weapon
taking up his new role as Director- in television’s approach to environ-
General of the BBC. mental issues.
In our second Digital Convention Moya Lothian-McLean provides an
session, Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon inside account of how Channel 4’s Theresa Wise
Contents
Cover: Tim Davie (BBC)
5 Florence Watson’s TV Diary
Florence Watson is relieved that the magic of the writers
room is still intact, even in the age of coronavirus 20 A writer who ‘dabbles’ in TV
Mike Bartlett explains to Caroline Frost why the
characters in the Doctor Foster spin-off, Life, are an
antidote to social divisions
6 Comfort Classic: Blackadder
Costume comedy came of age in this milestone of
mirth. Steve Clarke can’t stop laughing
22 Ghostbusters for the online era
Nick Frost reveals how he helped create Amazon Prime’s
new supernatural sitcom Truth Seekers. Shilpa Ganatra
7 Ear Candy: From the Oasthouse
Caitlin Danaher is invited to explore Alan Partridge’s
gets goosebumps
nooks and each of his crannies
25 Our Friend in Ireland
Agnes Cogan reports sightings of Matt Damon as filming
8 Working Lives: distributor
Fremantle’s Jamie Lynn explains programme distribution
resumes in the Republic of Ireland
to Matthew Bell
26 More laughs, less dystopia
Programme-makers who tackle environmental issues
10 A BBC for everyone
RTS Digital Convention interview: Tim Davie insists that
are urged to avoid sensationalism, hears the RTS
the BBC must serve all licence-fee payers, regardless of
who they are and where they live
28 More than a numbers game
An RTS panel raises some big questions concerning
the TV sector’s inability to foster a genuinely diverse
14 Channel 4 rises to the challenge
RTS Digital Convention interview: Alex Mahon, the
workforce
broadcaster’s CEO, praises the UK’s indie sector for
riding to the rescue during lockdown
30 Why Netflix has no rules
Simon Shaps reviews Reed Hastings’ new book – and
divulges what happened when he was headhunted by
17 Porn unwrapped
Channel 4’s powerful drama Adult Material was created
the streaming giant
by an all-female team. Moya Lothian-McLean sheds
light on how they did it
32 TV sport reboots
The RTS learns how the health crisis is nurturing
innovation in TV sport
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 2020.
smclarke_333@hotmail.com gordon.jamieson.01@gmail.com 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: info@rts.org.uk Enquiries: publication@rts.org.uk London SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728
bell127@btinternet.com smbancroft@me.com W: www.rts.org.uk
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 3
For 65 years we’ve been
telling the world’s stories.
Now we’re telling our own.
This autumn marks ITN’s 65th anniversary on air
and we’re celebrating with a virtual festival of news
and content.
We’re looking back at our own story; the scoops, the
interviews, the exclusives and the “and finallys”, and
we’re kicking off an industry-wide debate about the
future of broadcast journalism and TV production.
We’ll also be hosting a special event in partnership
with the Royal Television Society on the key questions
and issues facing our industry. Details coming soon
from the RTS.
Be part of the story at broadcastnow.co.uk/itn-65
#ITN65
TV diary
Florence Watson is relieved that the magic of the writers
room is still intact, even in the age of coronavirus
S
omething I have It’s fantastic and, despite only ever to let those thoughts overwhelm
noticed about the meeting the team via Zoom, we have you. I joined the industry in 2017. As
Covid world is that managed to create a dynamic that a working-class black woman from
everyone keeps using feels just as strong as any pre-Covid Liverpool, talent schemes have been
the phrase, “Time is project. my lifeblood.
meaningless”. January If you have ever been in a writers The RTS bursary helped me
feels like a distant room, you will know there comes a through university. Since then, Chan
memory but, equally, I’m not sure point when it’s hard to work out nel 4’s Production Training Scheme
how we reached October so fast. The where your brain ends and everyone and The Network scheme run by The
amount of news we are having to else’s begins. The characters live, TV Foundation have kept me work
absorb and then adapt to is unprece breathe, love and die in this collective ing. I owe a lot to the people who
dented – and it shows no signs of space. held the door open for me at the start
letting up. It’s a type of witchcraft I wasn’t of my career. This month, I got to do
sure would operate between screens, the same as a member of the RTS
■ Early last month, my landlord but, having been through it, I am Education committee.
announced that they had decided to pleased to report that good ideas,
sell the home my housemates and I talented writers and a brilliant show ■ Each year, the RTS awards 30 bur-
have been living in for the past three runner (Siân Robins-Grace) are all it saries to students from low-income
years. It’s sad because, during lock- takes to replicate that magic, no mat families. As a former recipient, it’s a
down, I finally built up the courage ter the circumstances. privilege to be part of the selection
to do all the DIY, deposit-nullifying process. I am blown away by the
projects that I never had time for ■ I learnt last month that I have talent and determination the appli-
before. won a place on ScreenSkills’ Recali- cants display.
I hate moving house and, in these brate mentoring programme, run by Now, more than ever, it is crucial
stranger times, there is so much ThinkBigger! for women and disa- that our industry opens not only its
more to consider. With homework- bled people who are at a juncture in doors but its pockets to support them.
ing becoming the norm, it was their careers.
important to find somewhere that My mentor is the awe-inspiring ■ As the end of the year gets closer,
would accommodate not only us Anne Mensah, vice-president of orig- and I settle into my new home with
(and our lockdown kitty, Oscar) but inal series at Netflix, who I will be my work desk sat opposite my bed,
also impromptu office set-ups, desks, getting to know over the next six I am hopeful that we will take the
swivel chairs and walls thick enough months. And who knows, by the end resilience and adaptability we learnt
to block out the sound of one anoth- we might even be able to meet in in 2020 with us into the new year –
er’s meetings. person. and time will start to have meaning
again.
■ During all this chaos, I started a ■ Imposter syndrome has always
new job, script editing on Sister Pic been my biggest hurdle, and, without Florence Watson is a script editor at
tures’ new show The Baby, a horror the in-person feedback you get in an Sister Pictures and former RTS bursary
comedy focused on motherhood. office, sometimes it can be very easy scholar.
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 5
COMFORT CLASSIC
I
t is hard to think of another
great BBC sitcom blessed by
such a strong pedigree as that of
Blackadder. Running over four
series, spanning 1983 to 1989
– plus the occasional special –
the creators and stars of this comic
masterpiece read like a roll call of late-
20th-century British screen talent.
Richard Curtis, Stephen Fry, Hugh
Laurie, John Lloyd, Miranda Richard-
son, Robbie Coltrane, Tony Robinson,
Rik Mayall and Ben Elton were all, at
some point, involved in the different
incarnations of Blackadder. Not, of
course, forgetting Tim McInnerny, cast
as the wonderfully camp Percy Percy
and Captain – cue double entendre
– Darling.
At the heart of Blackadder was Rowan
Atkinson, the preternaturally gifted
actor who co-wrote the first series and
starred as Edmund Blackadder.
The historical setting changed for
each series and respectively took place
in the 15th, 16th, 18th and 20th centuries.
But from series 2, when writers Curtis
and Elton came on board, Edmund
remained essentially the same character
– shrewd, conniving and totally devoid
of scruples. Of course, his schemes
invariably come hilariously unstuck.
Edmund’s intelligence contrasts
sharply with that of his dim-witted
comic foil, Baldrick, played to perfec-
tion by Robinson, and Laurie’s aristo-
cratic numbskull, George, Prince of
Wales in series 3, and Lieutenant the
Hon George Colthurst St Barleigh MC
in Blackadder Goes Forth. The absurdities
of the English class system gave Curtis
and Elton much of their inspiration.
What began as a medieval farce
– well, sort of – set in the fictional age
of Richard IV, and continued in the
courts of Elizabeth I and the Regency,
Blackadder Goes Forth
BBC
ended up in darker territory, when the
First World War trenches gave some
Blackadder
bite to the comedy.
At the culmination of the final series,
Blackadder Goes Forth, Captain Blackad-
der can no longer avoid the inevitable
and leads his comrades in arms over
the top to almost certain death. Has
sitcom ever been so heartbreaking?
Atkinson’s relish at playing such a
Costume comedy came of age in this milestone
comic monster is a joy to watch. Most � of mirth. Steve Clarke can’t stop laughing
6
� of the best lines are his in scripts that
Ear candy
fizz with verbal pyrotechnics and are
crammed with sexual jokes, some of
which might now be considered too
boorish for our more woke age.
Throughout Blackadder’s different
reigns, the performers make
everything look effortless as they
deliver some brilliantly crafted lines
heightened by superb comic timing.
What lay behind all this perfect tom-
foolery, with its echoes of the music
hall and pantomime, were years of
hard graft, much of it spent at the
Cambridge Footlights, the Edinburgh
fringe and numerous BBC rehearsal
studios, in TV and radio.
The matchless Lloyd, who produced
all four series and collaborated on the
scripts, served his apprenticeship as
a radio producer in the 1970s before
helping to nurture the comedy gold of
BBC Two’s Not the Nine O’Clock News and
Central Television’s Spitting Image.
From the Oasthouse:
Blackadder gave him what he
famously described as an “epiphany”.
He was referring to the previously
mentioned closing sequence of Black-
Audible Original
adder Goes Forth. “It started out as a
complete disaster because the plugs
were pulled by the crew but, somehow,
The Alan Partridge Podcast
N
we got lucky and it turned into this
amazingly moving piece of TV,” he
said. “It wasn’t deliberate, it’s just the orfolk’s most Over the course of 18 episodes, he
way things turned out.” notorious broad- promises, listeners will learn about
As for the banquet of quotable lines, caster, Alan Par- “the real Alan… his every nook and
is it an exaggeration to say that, like tridge, returns each of his crannies”.
Shakespeare or Dickens, some of them with a six-hours- Recording in his rural oasthouse
have entered everyday speech? Side- plus podcasting abode, he regales us with expert advice
splitting similes come thick and fast: odyssey into his on everything from defaming people
“Baldrick, your head is emptier than a inner mind. He has topped an illustri- via their Wikipedia page to his pre-date
eunuch’s underpants”, “You’re a girl ous career in news, chat and daytime grooming routine. On first dates, always
with about as much talent for disguise shows, not to mention his stint on be specific with your questions, he
as a giraffe in dark glasses trying to get North Norfolk Digital Radio, with the advises. “What are you up to in life?” is
into a polar bears-only golf club.” Or conquest of a new broadcasting bas- far too vague. Instead, he suggests asking
he’s “as cunning as a fox who’s just tion: the podcast. something like: “What were you doing
been appointed Professor of Cunning What he once assumed was the and where were you between the hours
at Oxford University”. domain of “pale, tech-obsessed social of 3:00pm and 5:00pm this afternoon?”
Quite simply, Blackadder is smart lepers who couldn’t get a platform on Whether it’s the ear-worm theme
British sitcom at its very best. No any meaningful broadcaster” has song or the fake adverts interrupting
wonder the show was voted the become his creative audio kingdom. each episode, the series is brimming
second-best sitcom of all time, pipped Stung by a Twitter troll who claimed with one-liners.
to the post by Only Fools and Horses. they saw Partridge clip the wing mirror From the Oasthouse shows Armando
Cunning plan, anyone? n of another car, the erstwhile TV and Iannucci and Steve Coogan’s marvel-
radio host seeks to dispel such poison- lous comic creation at his tactless,
Blackadder Goes Forth is on-demand at ous fabrications: “It’s not just a lie. It’s incompetent and unfiltered best.
UKTV Play. not just bull. It’s libel.” Caitlin Danaher
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 7
WORKING LIVES
We Are Who We Are
BBC
Distributor
D
istributor Jamie Lynn premium shows, that the commission- Brilliant Friend, Elena Ferrante’s incredi-
has been a fixture at ing broadcaster pays the entire budget. bly popular series of novels set around
the world’s TV content Producers need to bring partners on Naples, and there were producers in the
markets for the past board early, including distributors, to States who wanted to set it in the US.
two decades. Freman- make a show internationally viable. But our partnership with HBO and RAI
tle’s EVP head of EMEA So, we get involved at the earliest had it set in Naples – not only in Italian,
distribution recently brokered deals for stage and have creative conversations but in the local dialect. Even in Italy,
the upcoming BBC Three drama We Are about what we think will work around the show had subtitles. It is entirely
Who We Are and BBC Two documentary the world. This can lead to early sup- authentic and Fremantle has sold it
series Enslaved: The Lost History of the port in the form of a pre-sale, or even around the world.
Transatlantic Slave Trade. co-productions, which can be effective
creative partnerships and allow the Surely, distributors can’t concentrate
What does the job involve? scale and ambition of high-profile solely on high-end dramas?
In its simplest form, distributors sell the projects to be realised. We’ve just sold Oscar-nominated direc-
international rights for programmes. This has made my job that much tor Luca Guadagnino’s series We Are Who
Channels and platforms around the more exciting over the past five to We Are to the BBC – this is high art on
world cannot produce all their own 10 years, as the industry has evolved. television. But Fremantle is also one
shows, so they need to acquire content. of the world’s premier gameshow and
Is creativity ever compromised to entertainment producers and distribu-
Has the job changed over time? make a programme more sellable? tors. We’re a company with breadth and
Distribution used to be an ancillary part No, I think the best work results from depth, which makes the job fun.
of the TV business, but it is now funda- allowing the creator to make the
mental to how shows are funded and shows they want to make. Lots of peo- How did you become a distributor?
made. It’s rare now, especially for ple were gunning for the rights to My When I was a kid, records and movies
8
Has the lull in production boosted the
market for older shows?
The demand for classic programming
was already growing with new plat-
forms and services such as BritBox,
Acorn and UKTV Play. It’s been a good
year for selling classic stuff, but it’s not
entirely coronavirus-led. The gaps in
schedules due to production shut-
downs are only starting to appear now.
What makes a good distributor?
You need to be curious and interested
– and listen. You have to understand
the challenges local producers face
and their shows.
What are the best and worst parts of
the job?
The best is when you know you’ve
helped producers realise their creative
vision, found an audience and got a
success on your hands. A little bit of
international travel is also great. Last
week was “budget week”, when I had
to look at spreadsheets for hours on
end. I understand its importance, but
I’m happy when budget week is over.
Are there any tricks of the trade you
can share with us?
Enslaved: The Lost History of
Our former CEO taught me early on
the Transatlantic Slave Trade
BBC
that going for the best financial deal is
not always the right decision – finding
were my obsession. I was a budding beautifully. We had a few high-profile the right home for a show will serve it
journalist in Canada, before moving to places interested in taking it, but chose better in the long term. Fremantle is still
London in my mid-twenties, but I the new Walter Presents service on a company that believes in finding and
couldn’t find work in music journalism. Channel 4 here in the UK. The ratings connecting with audiences, which is
I was hired by a PR company that and reaction were great, despite it why we work closely with public and
represented international production being a German show in a prime-time free broadcasters, as well as platforms.
companies, which sent me to Mipcom slot usually reserved for the best of US Recently, we’ve placed some great
in Cannes. My eyes were opened to the drama – great kudos to Channel 4 for programmes with the BBC, including
world of television and I knew what I not underestimating its audience. Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transat-
wanted to do. Soon after, I landed my lantic Slave Trade, fronted by Hollywood
first job in distribution, covering Asia Is it a glamorous life? star Samuel L Jackson. We could have
for an animation company. Without There’s a lot of pressure and it can be sold it to a US streamer but, although
planning it, I picked the right vocation. exhausting with all the travelling and this deal was harder to seal, it was
Lucky me. juggling involved, but I’m not going to better for the programme to not be
tell you it’s not fun. hidden behind a paywall.
What was the first TV show you sold?
I think it was a British animation series Are you missing the TV trade shows What advice would you give to some-
about animated ghosts to Hong Kong. I cancelled as a result of coronavirus? one looking to work in distribution?
showed it to a broadcaster, pitched my I’ve been to Mipcom and MipTV every Curious people get the most done.
heart out, and the buyer said he’d take year since 2000. There’s an immeasur- Passion is an overused and corny word
it. I said: “Great, so you liked it.” He able value in sitting with your clients but that matters, too, as do tenacity and
replied: “Not really, but I liked your and international partners, whether it’s resourcefulness. When you have to, you
effort, so I’ll buy it.” in Cannes or visiting them in their can learn how to write a programme
home territories. Now, we’re using contract and dissect a rights agreement,
What programme are you most proud video conferences and it’s worked but the other traits are skills that have to
of distributing? better than I anticipated. But, trusted be nurtured. n
So many, but probably Deutschland 83, relationships are key to our business.
because it was such an unlikely main- Existing relationships are as strong, but Jamie Lynn, executive vice-president and
stream success – we loved it from the I don’t know how easy it will be to head of EMEA distribution at Fremantle,
outset and it came together so build new ones on Zoom. was interviewed by Matthew Bell.
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 9
RTS DIGITAL CONVENTION 2020
T
o say that Tim Davie has
hit the ground running is
an understatement. In his
first week as the BBC’s 17th
Director-General he deliv-
ered a remarkably candid
speech setting out clearly his values and
agenda. A fortnight later, he was the first
speaker at the RTS’s Digital Convention
2020, when he was interviewed by the
Society’s CEO, Theresa Wise.
Looking much younger than his
53 years, a consequence of his new
buzz-cut hairstyle, the noticeably
plain-speaking Davie cut a refreshing
figure. He covered a wide range of
topics, such as diversity, impartiality,
competing with the tech giants,
increasing revenue from the BBC’s
commercial activities, BBC pay and the
corporation’s important role as a global
ambassador for Britain.
He also argued that the BBC’s policy
on abolishing free licences for those
over-75s who do not receive pension
credit was correct.
Throughout, he stressed that the BBC
needed to be valued by all licence-fee Tim Davie insists that the BBC must
payers, regardless of where they lived
in the UK or their social class. “We’ve serve all licence-fee payers, regardless
got to deliver for every household. Us
offering value is not just a line,” he
of who they are and where they live
RTS
insisted, mindful, perhaps, of his own
background in south London, where
A BBC for
he was the first member of his family
to attend university. “It has surprised
me that this has become part of me
– focusing on making sure that every
member of the public really gets value
everyone
from us. That’s what I’m about.”
What does a modern public service
broadcaster look like – and how does
this differ from what the BBC has been
doing to date, asked Wise.
“What I’m about is evolution, not
trying everything out. One of my mes-
sages is that you have to evolve things
to protect them.” “We’re not trying to beat Netflix.… the BBC for an average of 18 hours a
He added: “I want people to think It’s about whether we are truly valued week. But there are certain bits of the
deeply about what’s important in this and essential, and whether the BBC country – and it’s not as simple as age
market, what’s important for us in the feels indispensable – not for every – that don’t necessarily feel the BBC is
UK? What do people genuinely care hour of your media consumption but for them. It’s not as straightforward as
about in the BBC? for part of it.” saying, ‘It’s the under-35s’. It’s often
“There is good news for the BBC. In Were some audiences underserved about your life circumstances, where
this world, I don’t think there’s been a by the BBC? “Absolutely. The BBC you are, where you live....
better time for proper impartial news doesn’t deliver equally to everyone. “The BBC is extraordinary in how it’s
or proper local, regional storytelling. You’re never going to quite get that right. connected with an enormous number
“With such incredible competition, There are some people who are getting of people across the UK. We’ve still got
you can’t take an audience for granted extraordinary value from the BBC. a real bedrock of support to justify a
any more. The BBC has to be truly “The overall numbers are pretty universal fee, but I did say [recently
different and differentiated. good: 91% of the population come to that] we don’t have an inalienable right
10to exist. That is under pressure. There – and senior leadership is critical to earning more than me, but that’s nor-
are audiences that, in a diverse Britain, this – progress and the speed of mal in the TV world. We could name a
feel a little bit further away from us.” change has been slow.… Talking number of other [industries] – finance,
How did he square the fact that he bluntly, a lot of people lower down the football – with [high pay for some
wanted the BBC to appeal to the whole organisation look at it and go, ‘Great talent]. It can sometimes be a bit
of Britain while, at the same time, intent, but I can’t do that’ or, ‘I don’t uncomfortable, but we’re trying to get
cutting 450 newsroom jobs in the Eng- really believe it’s going to happen.…’ value within a market. We don’t exist
lish regions? Did he worry that some “This is mission critical. Everything fully in a bubble....
regions, such as the North East, might that goes on at the BBC – including “We try and get a discount [but] we
get left behind? editorial decision-making – is utterly want to pay fairly. And there is a mar-
“You worry, of course, because you dependent on having a truly diverse ket. I recognise the dynamics of this,
want to make sure you have the provi- team. I was very blunt in my first but I don’t think the solution is to say,
sion. By the way, local and regional words [to staff]: don’t hire in your own ‘We’re going to equalise pay between
programming is utterly critical to us. image and there can’t be a ‘BBC type’ different job types’. That doesn’t work
“Let’s be clear, the metric here is not or we’re in real trouble.” for me.”
how many people we employ, it is the
value to audiences. Every area of the
BBC has to find efficiencies, which
doesn’t mean I am diluting anything, it
just means I am doing it better.
“There is a sense that the BBC could
be more efficient in many areas – and
it has done some good work, so this
isn’t the new guy coming in and saying
it’s all overstuffed with this, that and
the other. The fact is that we’ve got a
lot better over the years at being more
efficient, but there are areas – and the
regions is one of them.… A couple of
facts: we will still have well over 2,000
Tim Davie (right)
people in the regional news group,
being interviewed
where we do around 3,800 hours of
by Theresa Wise
RTS
coverage, which will remain the same.
“It’s not as if we’re going to be a small
player. I would like to look at local news Davie said he intends to create a A less contentious area for the BBC is
provision as part of the 2022 discussions “50-20-12 organisation”, a reference, the so-called “soft power” that it wields
[concerning the next five-year licence- respectively, to the proportion of staff on the global stage, which the corpora-
fee settlement] to say, ‘Going forward, who are female, from BAME back- tion has argued is even more vital in
how could that evolve?’ grounds or are disabled. the era of Brexit. Did Davie agree?
“This is not just about the slow strip- He added: “Truly, it’s about leader- “It’s never been more important,” he
ping of areas, I think we can grow.… ship and accountability. I have been said. The unique strength of Britain’s
More than anything, it’s about audience very direct with BBC leaders and told creative industries was “not a random
value. I want people in the North East them they will not get promoted with- occurrence”: it depended on public
to feel the BBC is for them.” out us assessing how happy their staff interventions, exemplified by the BBC,
Turning to diversity, Wise said that are and how they’ve delivered against and successful commercial businesses,
CEOs everywhere were striving to diversity targets.” such as Sky.
improve the diversity of their work- On the problem of the gender pay “Sky’s is an incredible model, and
forces in terms of minorities and gap that has caused great controversy part of that is [due to] our reputation
socio-economic groups. How would at the BBC, he indicated that there was across the world for trusted content
Davie effect real change in this regard more work to do, but it was wrong for and quality, and, specifically, the BBC,
at the BBC? the BBC to beat itself up on this issue with 468 million weekly users of our
He emphasised that “talk is cheap”, “when we’re often a lot better than the content.... One of the things the BBC
and that action on greater representa- [rest of the] industry”. stands for [globally] is trust and very-
tion of disadvantaged groups at all Wise pointed out that Sarah Sands, high-quality content. I think other
levels of the BBC was essential. “One who left the BBC this summer after companies benefit from that.… We are
of the things that everyone in this editing Today, recently criticised what thankful for some government invest-
industry should do is go back and read she said were the huge differences ment [Foreign Office funding for the
the speeches from 10 years ago. It’s a between producers’ and presenters’ World Service]. We’d like more in this
sobering experience.” salaries. What did Davie think of this area and that’s what we’re trying to do.
He added: “There’s been incredible discrepancy? We’re trying to build it.
progress on-screen but internally “As CEO, there will be presenters “I would love to see 1 billion people �
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 11RTS DIGITAL CONVENTION 2020
Lessons from
the crisis Strike: Lethal White
BBC
Q Theresa Wise: Will the
changes to the BBC’s
way of working due to the
� coming to our services weekly. The
data is very compelling. If people con-
nect with the BBC and Britishness – all
[in North America]: we sold a third-
party investment to AMC. Now we’ve
got ourselves a nice business there.
pandemic lead to lasting those terms are loaded, but [I mean] “There are real opportunities across
change? Britishness around the world – they many of our fronts to look properly at
A Tim Davie: The learnings
we’re getting from Covid
are such a strange combination.
are more likely to trade with us....
“This is not without jeopardy. If you
look at what governments around the
[direct-to-consumer] businesses and
there might be other areas – I’ve got
some thoughts in my head that I’ll keep
Stating the obvious, we won’t world are doing, investing in creative to myself – where we could get growth.”
be in a position where everyone clusters, investing in our industry, they As for securing and retaining talent in
is coming in five days a week. want to grow share. competition with Netflix et al, whether
We’ll have more flexible “On my watch, the BBC has to be that be for writers, actors or other per-
working patterns and be part of a successful, growing creative formers, Davie said the key word for
thinking about how we use our industry and not just winning for itself. the corporation had to be “focus”.
buildings differently. That’s really important to me. I think He accepted that the BBC was not
We are a production business people who know me, [know that] I was going to have all the most expensive
and a news operation so, at the interested in growing the radio market, talent in the world but argued that it
end of the day, we need people growing the television market. I want was uniquely placed to grow talent. “I
in, but we’ll take some learnings. the market to grow. It is really impor- think we are a force for good. I person-
I suspect a lot of leaders have tant the BBC does that in the right way.” ally like working in a place where there
found that Zooming all day is What were the priorities for the BBC is purpose. I care about this place, I like
exhausting, but the ability to do increasing its commercial revenues? working here.
Zoom calls with 1,000 people… “Now we’ve got the production base of “We do something different. I am
I hate doing video calls but I BBC Studios, are we firing on all cylin- not going to compete on exactly the
can’t see myself not using ders across all genres? I think we’ve same territory. There’s no point. We
Zoom and other things like it in made great progress. We’re writing lots want to grow talent and be differenti-
the future.… As the BBC, we’ll of business in natural history.… Grow- ated and be more BBC, rather than less
try and capture some of that ing our business as a creative force BBC. There’s an obsession with copy-
best practice quickly.… around the world is really powerful. ing other people but you won’t beat
There are all kinds of things “I think the migration from linear to them on their terms. You’ve got to win
we’ve learned that we’d like to on-demand says, ‘OK, how do we on your terms.
replicate and there are some begin to get into direct-to-consumer “People ask, ‘Is it a winnable battle?’
costs to be saved there. services in the right way?’ Of course, it’s a winnable battle if you
I’m hoping we leap forward, “That’s difficult, because, if you don’t focus. We’ve done a bit of that with
take the best of it and get rid of generate a lot of profit short term, [you BBC Studios. We certainly do that in
the worst of it very quickly. can] build that for the long-term future the UK across a lot of the BBC’s output,
of the BBC. We’ve seen [it] with BritBox but we could do better.”
12Once Upon a Time in Iraq
BBC
In his debut speech as DG, Davie told asking a question someone might
the BBC to “champion and recommit to suggest that this is not because they
impartiality”. Many people believe the
BBC is shaped by particular perspec-
want to get to the truth but because
they’ve got a partisan view.
Davie’s video
tives – so what was he planning to do
to change this? “It means that, together,
“Part of what I was trying to do in
that speech [on 3 September] – and
and audio fixes
we renew our vows on impartiality. I think it is needed – was to say, ‘OK,
“By the way, before we go completely do we really believe it’s deliverable?’ ‘I am a very heavy consumer of
over the top here, I would defend the And I do. radio. My tastes are eclectic. I am
vast majority of BBC output. I think we “I know that, short-term, you could not saying that just to be diplo-
do a brilliant job of delivering impartial get more Twitter followers by being matic. I listen to a lot of sport, Test
output in terms of the left/right axis.… outrageous, but there’s a bigger pur- Match Special, that sort of thing.
“I do think there is something about pose than that. Longer-term, it will put ‘Over the weekend, I listen to
metropolitan-based organisations, or us in a stronger position. 6 Music; Radio 4 during the week.
the way you hire, that can somewhat “We really need to get excited about I’ve always been a fan of radio
feel a bit distant from some of the impartiality and finding truth, evi- drama. I’m a little bit nostalgic about
population. And it’s not about left and dence, testimony. I was very clear that, some of the comedies on 4 Extra.
right. It’s more complicated than that. if you’re not passionate about that, ‘On TV, it’s a classic mix. Once
“It’s about, ‘Do I feel it’s for me?’ you’re in the wrong place.” n Upon a Time in Iraq is a must
There, I think we’re in a challenging watch. I love good documentaries.
situation if we want to deliver impar- Report by Steve Clarke. Tim Davie was Like everyone, I’ll escape into the
tiality. More and more people, espe- in conversation with Theresa Wise at the dramas. I’ve been enjoying Strike:
cially young people, are struggling with first session of the RTS Digital Convention Lethal White.
the idea. They’re surrounded by every- 2020, sponsored by YouTube, on 17 Sep- ‘Now, of course, I get quite a
one having an opinion. tember. The producers were Helen Scott lot of recommendations from the
“This changes the grammar editori- and Sue Robertson. View the full video at: shop floor, so I’ll be doing that.’
ally because, when [an interviewer] is bit.ly/RTSdavie.
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 13RTS DIGITAL CONVENTION 2020
Channel 4
rises to the
challenge
Channel 4
T
hey say that times of crisis the content budget and furloughing
often bring out the best in Alex Mahon, the around 100 staff, Channel 4’s commis-
people and organisations.
For an example of this, look
broadcaster’s CEO, sioners and the UK’s indies rose to the
occasion. Innovative, fast-turnaround
no further than how Chan- praises the UK’s indie shows, such as Grayson’s Art Club and
nel 4 has adapted to post- Jamie: Keep Cooking and Carry On, soon
poned productions and an alarming fall sector for riding to the found an audience as people, unable to
in advertising over the past six months. rescue in lockdown leave their homes, needed diversions.
“In a crisis, when you have to change “Indies did incredible things and
really fast, Channel 4 is actually amaz- produced things cheaply,” said Mahon,
ing,” the broadcaster’s CEO, Alex Mahon, “It was clear to us that we should say who claimed that Channel 4 was more
told Tim Hincks, co-CEO of Expecta- something back to Britain about what in tune with the nation’s mood than its
tion, at the RTS’s Digital Convention. was happening. It was the exact oppo- rivals were.
As lockdown took hold in March, site of what the SVoDs would be doing. Viewers, particularly the under-35s,
almost overnight around 1,000 mem- If you were watching Netflix, it would flocked to Channel 4, including to the
bers of staff began working remotely. be Tiger King, which was not saying highly regarded Channel 4 News. The
“We were prepared with the technol- anything about Britain or the pandemic. number of young people watching
ogy. We had a debt facility in place for Tiger King didn’t bring people together Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Cathy Newman
a market shock. That helped,” she to face an unseen enemy.” and Jon Snow increased by 79%,
recalled. “We had to make a plan to With adverting revenue falling dra- according to Mahon.
cut costs fast. matically, Hincks asked if the begin- It also helped that, back in the early
“We had a clear, strategic conversa- ning of lockdown was a scary spring, Channel 4 had planned for the
tion about what the editorial response moment? “Yes, it was pretty bad.… In worst possible financial scenario, which,
should be, led by Ian [director of pro- the worst months, advertising dropped in the event, didn’t happen – “so we
grammes Ian Katz] and the commis- 50%. To have 50% of your revenue are up compared with where we
sioning team. What did we want to say ripped away and not know how long thought we’d be”.
to the nation and what did we think that would last was bad.” Further lateral thinking was required
our position was? Fortunately, despite a hefty cut to to film its flagship show, The Great
14‘YOU CAN’T COMPETE [WITH]
NETFLIX OR DISNEY+ BY JUST
MAKING EVERYTHING CHEAPER’
British Bake Off, a tent pole of the it be better for Channel 4 to make fewer
autumn schedule. Love Productions shows in order to push tariffs back up?
created “a self-contained biosphere” Mahon stressed that, in such an
for the six-week shoot – in other uber-competitive landscape, audi-
words, baking in a bubble. Last month, ences demanded big shows such as
Bake Off gave Chan- Bake Off and Goggle-
nel 4 its highest box. “We’ve been
audience since 1985, seeing that trend for Progress on
diversity
as an average of years but, equally,
10.8 million people we’ve been seeing
tuned in. new stuff as well.”
As for the next six For new shows,
months, Hincks
asked whether the
broadcaster could
marketing – often
on social media
– was critical for
Q Tim Hincks: The UK PSBs
are run by white people.
Can you effect real change with
maintain its pro- Channel 4, with a white people in charge? If not,
gramme budget. Did younger audience what do we do?
Channel 4 have the
resources to allow
those programmes
than the other Brit-
ish public service
broadcasters.
A Alex Mahon: If you wanted
my successor to be not
white – or the successors of
to continue or will Mahon highlighted those who run the other PSBs –
we see a chipping a recent deal with is there a strong enough field?
away and producer’s social network And, if there isn’t, what are we
Tim Hincks
RTS
tariffs going down? company Snap, doing to develop that?
“The programme which involves You can campaign very, very
budget will go up cut-down versions hard as a CEO to have an
massively next year because we’ve had of 300 shows on Snapchat’s Discover authentically representative
to cut it so much this year,” replied platform. “They will have a reach of group of people in the organi-
Mahon. “It’s not clear yet how much of five, six, seven million [people],” pre- sation. What’s great about
the £150m we took out [from a total of dicted the CEO. Channel 4 is that it’s the only
£650m] will go back in, because we Hincks turned his attention to com- place where it’s written into the
don’t know what the advertising mar- petition from the SVoDs. Could Chan- remit. It’s a core part of my job,
ket will do.” nel 4 compete on scripted content which is why I am so focused
She continued: “There’s also a bit of with Netflix et al? “You can’t compete on it. I really care about it. My
a concertina effect because of things at the same budget point.… but you can job is to ensure that there is a
that have been delayed.… We’ve got to definitely compete on new writers, strong field of people who can
get tariffs back to normal rates. We new directors and on new and impor- run the organisation after me.
can’t survive, and neither can indies, tant work.” Mahon cited two upcoming That’s quite hard to do,
with tariffs being low. dramas as examples of Channel 4’s because you have to go all the
“Lockdown has definitely taught us commitment to new work: Adult Mate- way down the pipeline and start
some things about how we can make rial (see page 30), focused on a woman from scratch. There is structural
cheaper programmes and it’s definitely who works in the porn industry, and racism, structural sexism in the
taught us some things about how we Russell T Davies’s latest series, It’s a Sin, industry, without a doubt. For
can make faster decisions. set during the 1980s Aids pandemic. us, that’s why there’s a focus on
“But you can’t compete in a Netflix “I don’t think the streamers would the numbers.
world or an Amazon Prime world or a make them. They wouldn’t find the My aim is to get to 20%
Disney+ world by just making every people to do them. We’ve got to keep BAME [representation] across
thing cheaper. It’s not realistic, because doing that because this is what stimu- the organisation – but, most
that’s not the quality that viewers lates the new work in the industry and importantly, to get to 20%
demand and it’s not an option that early-stage writers.… The streamers are BAME in our top 100 highest-
producers have.” looking for stuff that’s much more paid jobs. I’m obsessive about
Noting that the BBC’s new Director- global or [written by] proven writers. it. I’m at 14% in the top 100 and
General, Tim Davie, has said that the There’s a space for us, but it’s not easy 17% across the organisation.
BBC may produce less in future, would to compete with them.” �
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 15RTS DIGITAL CONVENTION 2020
Channel 4
The Great British Bake Off
� But, probed Hincks, weren’t the than [similar] governments in many
streamers parking their tanks closer other countries.”
Lessons from and closer to British lawns? After all, Hincks asked what Channel 4
the crisis
Netflix’s Sex Education could easily have wanted from Ofcom’s delayed review
been a Channel 4 show. “We jointly of public service broadcasting and
funded The End of the F***ing World. Sex whether the UK PSBs, all facing com-
Education is a brilliant show but pur- petition from streamers, were becom-
Alex Mahon: ‘I was amazed by posefully omni-place. There’s room ing closer.
how Channel 4 and everyone for both. Sometimes we will overlap, On the PSB review, the Channel 4
adapted so fast. Things you would particularly if it’s a young-adult piece.” CEO said she wanted three things:
have thought would take five Channel 4’s position as a state- legislation to ensure PSB prominence
years happened overnight. owned PSB makes the broadcaster on all platforms; regulation for the
‘We’ve become more location vulnerable to certain ministers’ fasci- tech companies, which would mean
agnostic about where jobs are. nation with privatising the station. At they had to compete on the same
We’ve got five locations. We’ll start the end of last year, relations with the terms as the PSBs; and a change in
to think more about what jobs can Government entered a tricky patch how Ofcom measured Channel 4’s
be done where – do we need to when Channel 4 News replaced Boris performance to account for its grow-
be in a specific location? We were Johnson’s vacant seat with a melting ing digital presence. Mahon claimed
already on that journey... it’s good ice sculpture for a party leaders’ that All 4 had done better even than
because it means we can repre- debate on climate change during the Netflix during lockdown.
sent the UK better. general election campaign. As for the PSBs being more collab-
‘Regarding pitching, it’s become Hincks asked how Channel 4 was orative, Mahon said that this had
more democratic when indies have getting on with the Government today. manifested in making joint submis-
had access to us through Zoom, as “What we’ve found during the crisis sions to Ofcom and the DCMS, and
opposed to having to get on a train – and you’ll hear this from other working together on BritBox.
and come to a meeting and be broadcasters – is that the DCMS has She added: “The days of us all doing
kept waiting in reception. been incredible, the Government has things separately, and feeling like we
‘On Zoom, you get your time been very supportive and responsive. were fighting each other, have gone.” n
slot and, regardless of where you “We’ve had this massive insurance
are coming from, be it London, scheme launched, the biggest glob- Report by Steve Clarke. Alex Mahon, CEO
Middlesbrough or Newcastle, you ally, to help the industry get back to of Channel 4, was in conversation with
get exactly the same access. work. We’ve been working super- Tim Hincks, Co-CEO of Expectation, as
‘We’ve had great feedback from closely with DCMS and it has thought part of the RTS Digital Convention 2020,
indies. They call it the geo-leveller through how to help the industry as sponsored by YouTube, on 28 September.
effect. Also, people turn up on time much as possible. The producers were Sue Robertson and
for meetings and leave on time.’ “They’ve been much more consid- Martin Stott. View the full video at: bit.ly/
ered about what the industry needs RTSmahon.
16Channel 4
Hayley Squires as
Jolene in Adult Material
Porn unwrapped
F
or a show that feels so originally lined up to take on the role
now, Adult Material has Channel 4’s powerful but was forced to exit the series due
been a long time in the
making. It is nearly a
drama Adult Material to scheduling conflicts, so Squires
stepped up.
decade since writer was created by an What drew her to the show, I ask?
Lucy Kirkwood first
thought of penning a story that would
all-female team. Complexity, apparently. Kirkwood
sent her some scripts and a giant
pull back the curtain on the mysteri- Moya Lothian-McLean research treatment containing nine
ous world of the British pornography years’ worth of investigations into the
industry. Now, her vision has been reveals how they did it porn industry and the storylines that
fully realised as a four-part drama had been born out of it.
series. Hayley Squires as Jolene Dollar – an “It was a huge document,” Squires
Adult Material has a lot riding on it, in adult actor at the “top of her game” remembers. “It talked about all the
every sense. Belief in Kirkwood’s work – is an uncomfortable, probing and complexities of the show and her
is such that the show has become the darkly funny examination of power research and the character arc of
flagship programme of Channel 4’s dynamics and consent. Some people everyone in it.
highly anticipated 2020 autumn sea- will not be ready for it. Many thou- “It was the complexity of the char-
son, a gaudy gem in its crown. sands more will. acter, the humour of her, the very
But those tuning in to see a lascivi- “Adult Material on Channel 4,” a detailed and complex ways Lucy had
ous romp will be wrong-footed; after friend texted me, as the first episode told this story without being in any
the first episode aired earlier this drew to a close. “AMAZING.” way prescriptive or a mouthpiece for
month, several viewers expressed “We don’t give people answers,” her own opinion [that made me want
surprise at the darkness immediately Hayley Squires tells me, of her role in the part].”
on show, with intense scenes featur- the series, which has already been While Squires remains tight-lipped
ing rape and even a murder. Carry On, deemed “career-making”. “We give about the exact ins and outs (forgive
it ain’t. them viewpoints. We allow them to me) of Adult Material’s plot line, she is
Instead, what Kirkwood has cre- make their own mind up”. happy to share a broad-brush sketch
ated, alongside director Dawn Shad- Fate brought Squires and Jolene of the bigger picture. “When you first
forth and an ensemble cast led by together: Sheridan Smith was meet Jolene in episodes 1 and 2, she’s �
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 17Channel 4
Tamika Ramsay as
Sabelle in Adult Material
� at the top of her game,” Squires says.
“Legendary status. She projects this air ‘IT IS ABOUT THE “When we were working on the
scripts and the edits, I was really aware
of being in control and having all these PARTICULAR WAY how rare it is to see honest, unvarnished
plates spinning, that she’s fully aware
of the industry and the people she THE BRITS MAKE stories about women and sex and to
see women making decisions that are
shares her life with, both professionally PORNOGRAPHY uncomfortable and unconventional.”
and personally.
“Then she meets Amy, who comes [AND] THE Both Hollick and Squires say there
was an aim to remove Adult Material
to set for the first time. Something BRITISH CLASS from the “male gaze”. “This show was
horrific happens to her on her first day
of shooting. And Jolene takes it upon SYSTEM’ fundamentally made by the female
gaze,” observes Hollick. There’s an
herself to take this girl under her wing, incredible male contribution to the
and go on this campaign for justice, show but the lead actor, the writer, the
which means that they’re taking on Lucy Prebble’s Billie Piper vehicle I Hate director and the DoP were women.
her closest colleague and the very large Suzie, comparisons have already been That feels like something that would
corporations that she’s been working drawn. All three handle difficult con- have been harder to achieve 10 or
with for a number of years.” versations about complicated women, 15 years ago.
This is apparently when it all starts agency in a patriarchal world and how “What you get with the shows [such
falling apart for Jolene. She is forced to power fluctuates in different contexts. as I May Destroy You and I Hate Suzie]
confront trauma from her past and the It’s no coincidence that they are pro- coming to the fore now is that there’s a
looming threat of the all-powerful, grammes created by women. generation of female film-makers who
international porn studios that blur the “It couldn’t have been made any are coming to their peak and that’s
lines between what is empowering other way,” says Shadforth, of the quar- why you’re getting these shows hap-
and what is exploitative. tet of women creating and leading pening at the same time, because these
She risks losing “everything”, includ- Adult Material. Her colleagues agree. women are not afraid to tell the truth
ing her children, Squires explains. But “What’s really standing out is that about uncomfortable realities,” says
Jolene does not yield. “She believes in these stories have not [previously] Hollick.
something, even if she’s not coming to been told by women,” says Channel 4’s She admits that, at times, during the
terms with why she’s doing it.” head of drama, Caroline Hollick, who development process of Adult Material,
Although Adult Material was in devel- worked with Kirkwood and Shadforth she found those realities just too
opment years before the likes of throughout Adult Material’s develop- uncomfortable. This resulted in stand-
Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You and ment process. offs with Kirkwood about removing
18was considered so filthy. I like to think
we’re in that tradition but also that this
is an incredibly modern show, reflect-
ing who we are today.”
Modern, indeed: an “intimacy direc-
tor” – now ubiquitous in the industry
– was on set to choreograph all sex
scenes, something that “just makes
sense”, says Squires, for whom Adult
Material was her first time filming
scenes of that nature. “Talk about in at
the deep end!” she laughs. But she
describes the experience as “comforta-
ble”, thanks to scenes being so care-
fully worked out between the actors
and movement director Alex Reynolds,
whom Shadforth worked with on His
Dark Materials.
Consultations with adult stars them-
selves also heavily informed the work.
On top of Kirkwood’s nine years of
research, porn star Rebecca More, aka
one half of the infamous Cock
Destroyers, was on hand to provide
advice and insight to both the actors
and the development team. She
stressed the large role that social media
now plays in the careers of porn stars.
It is reflected in the finished product
– the very first scene opens with
Jolene faking an orgasm for her Twitter
followers (a platform her loving part-
ner maintains for her). It is a key reve-
nue stream for adult actors in 2020,
who gain far more agency (and oppor-
tunities to profit) from independently
made digital content than from films
produced for studios.
Channel 4
Adult Material is not going to be for
everyone. Some will shy away from
Siena Kelly as Amy. in Adult Material
the truths it uncovers about an indus-
try that, despite being more normal-
some of the more controversial deci- character through this. That’s not a ised than ever, still operates under a
sions that Jolene makes. feminist thing to see happen on screen.’ veil of protective secrecy. But the
There would be late-night emails And that was where I was completely series offers no easy answers and nor
about editing out certain scenes. But wrong.” do its creators want it to.
Kirkwood and Shadforth pushed back, Although Adult Material had already They are just hoping that people will
the scenes stayed, and Hollick says she been commissioned by the time Hol- join them on the journey and be open
realised that they were right. lick joined Channel 4, it became her to the difficult themes it confronts
“I’d never seen a show like this passion project. It was classic Chan- – and how that might cause audiences
before,” she explains. “Sometimes, you nel 4 in its lineage. to reflect on their own judgements,
do lose your bottle. But you have to “I don’t think Netflix would make lives and workplace relations.
remember, as a commissioner, you’re something like this,” she says. “This But the one thing Hollick most
not automatically right.” show is British to its core. It is about wants to stress as our chat draws to a
Making Adult Material changed her the particular way the Brits make por- close is that, “it is incredibly funny.
profoundly, Hollick says. “I’d always nography; it’s about the British class That will surprise people. There were
seen myself as a pretty modern, feminist system as much as anything else. jokes that we just sat in the edit rooms
kind of person. But what I realised was “Channel 4 has a remit to push and laughed out loud at. I miss those
that I am just as uptight and middle class boundaries, to innovate, to reflect lives script meetings so much.
and judgemental as the next person. that don’t get seen on screen. And to “The show is just really funny, even
“Some of the arguments I had at be really bold. I’m old enough to if it’s difficult to watch at times, when
the start of the script came from my remember Michael Grade being some shocking things happen. It’s
old-fashioned feminism, where I referred to as the ‘pornographer in really entertaining. I want people to
thought, ‘Well, we can’t put this chief’ because Channel 4’s material ride that wave all the way through.” n
Television www.rts.org.uk October 2020 19You can also read
