THE TV SWEAT SHOP - ARE YOUNG WORKERS BEING EXPLOITED? - June 2021 - Royal Television Society
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June 2021
THE TV
SWEAT
SHOP
ARE YOUNG
WORKERS BEING
EXPLOITED?
Television www.rts.org.uk September 2013 1
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Journal of The Royal Television Society
June 2021 l Volume 58/6
From the CEO
There have been way of working needs to emerge. British TV may be the best in the
many disturbing The Government’s “levelling-up” world, but South Korea is the home of
headlines of late about agenda continues to concentrate global entertainment formats – Stuart
sexual harassment minds. Our Friend in the North East, Kemp provides a rundown.
and bullying on TV Graeme Thompson, uses this month’s Maggie Brown’s new book on Chan-
and film sets. Our column to sound a note of optimism nel 4 – avidly reviewed by Narinder
cover story highlights about the BBC’s plans for the region Minhas – reminds us that the broad-
another, more widespread malpractice after listening to the corporation’s caster has never stood still. Indeed, it
– the gruelling working conditions director of nations, Rhodri Talfan keeps on innovating, as Shilpa Gana-
endured by young people at the start Davies, address the RTS. We carry tra’s exploration of its fantastic new
of their TV careers. a full report of Rhodri’s interview. comedy We Are Lady Parts demonstrates.
Caroline Frost speaks to a wide After that long, cold and often wet
cross section of production workers spring, summer is finally here. I, for one,
and discovers that new recruits rou- am looking forward to the great sum-
tinely work punishingly long hours mer of TV sport, so badly missed last
and are frequently forced to do jobs year. Matthew Bell’s article on the Euros
they weren’t contracted for. A better will get you in the mood for kick-off. Theresa Wise
Contents
5 Charlene Chika Osuagwu’s TV Diary
On the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death,
Charlene Chika Osuagwu reflects on what has changed 21 Aid for unscripted
A new training fund is aimed at workers in genres such
as specialist factual building careers outside of London
6
Comfort Classic: Drop the Dead Donkey
Steve Clarke alternately giggles and squirms at a biting
satire on media mendacity 22 Channel 4 revives its punk spirit
Shilpa Ganatra salutes We Are Lady Parts for subverting
stereotypes of young Muslim women
8 Working Lives: Fight director
From Corrie to Romeo & Juliet, Kate Waters has choreo
graphed a lot of fights. She shows Matthew Bell the ropes 24 Beauty of the Beast
BritBox lifts the lid on its first original drama, The Beast
Must Die, an ambitious thriller with an all-star cast
10 TV’s dirty secret
Young TV workers are routinely bullied and forced to
work punishingly long hours. Caroline Frost investigates 26 The sober art of sharing joy
Writer Russell T Davies, producer Nicola Shindler and
commissioner Lee Mason on how to create hit scripts
13 Our Friend in the North East
As the BBC boosts its local activities, Graeme Thompson
is optimistic about the region’s future as a production hub 28 Ads bounce back
TV advertising is rebounding but reforms are necessary
for the sector’s long-term future, says Gideon Spanier
14 The beautiful game gets complicated
Matthew Bell explains how broadcasters are covering
the Euros, which kick off this month 30 TV’s middle-aged wild child
Narinder Minhas reviews the second volume of Maggie
Brown’s history of an unfailingly turbulent broadcaster
16 Korea’s technicolour dream shows
Weird, wacky and all-conquering – Stuart Kemp peeks
into the formats factory that gave us The Masked Singer 32 Stories hiding in plain sight
Key people in the creation of BBC One’s Small Axe share
the backstory of Steve McQueen’s film anthology
18 Strengthening trust in the BBC
Does the BBC need a new regulatory system following
Lord Dyson’s report? Caroline Thomson judges the case 34 A serious bid to reach past the M25
BBC director of nations Rhodri Talfan Davies tells the RTS
how the Beeb’s ‘Across the UK’ strategy will deliver
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 2021.
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 June 2021 3
SWEEPING & DRAMATIC AUDIONETWORK.COM/DISCOVER SEND US YOUR BRIEF MUSICSEARCH@AUDIONETWORK.COM
TV diary
A
fter eight months necessary conversation around the
working across impact of domestic abuse on children.
two productions Following the broadcast, Hampton
for Zinc Media, it is Trust received several calls from
officially my last perpetrators seeking help.
day here. During Accounts like this act as a reminder
Charlene Chika Osuagwu
my time at the of just how powerful and transforma-
company, I have produced Brook tive our medium and industry can be.
Lapping’s Ian Wright: Home Truths, a
single documentary exploring the ■ New week, new lockdown rules.
devastating impact of physical and The country is one step closer to
psychological abuse in childhood, and “freedom” – albeit with the per-
two glitzy, feature-length episodes for sistent cloud of new coronavirus
Blakeway’s series about Hollywood in strains overhead. But, on the bright
1939. Cue the old adage: “no two days
in TV are ever…”
Charlene Chika Osuagwu side, at least we get to (sensibly and
cautiously) sit inside a bar this week.
reflects on the first British weather is unforgiving.
■ As most freelancers in our indus-
try can attest, the reality of finishing
anniversary of George ■ Today marks the anniversary of
one job, juggling work offers and Floyd’s death – and the killing of George Floyd – a mur-
moving (hopefully, quickly) on to der that was seen around the world,
the next always comes with mixed
experiences what it’s and one that turned the name of an
feelings of dread and anticipation. like to make a film that ordinary man into the chant of an
Although I am super nervous about uprising seen, felt, and heard across
what is next and when exactly that changes people’s lives the globe.
next may be, I leave the wonderful Since his death, I often reflect on
Brook Lapping greatly energised and this notion of martyrdom as it relates
optimistic about what is to come. to the black experience and the
■ It is the morning after Ian Wright: exhausting need to reaffirm that
■ An article I wrote addressing both Home Truths aired. The response has black lives – our hopes, dreams and
the issue and importance of diversity in been truly heartening. representation, as much as our strug-
our industry is published ahead of the Several individuals – colleagues, gles against injustices – do matter.
transmission of Ian Wright: Home Truths. close friends and strangers – have I sometimes wonder whether
It’s funny, when it was first sug- been in touch to express how moved George Floyd would be gladdened by
gested I write the piece, I was reluc- and affected they were, hearing Ian’s the renewed observance and sense of
tant. Other than not really wanting to personal story and those of the con- commitment to racial equality that we
rehash the (easily answerable) “why is tributors. For some, the film was a have seen permeate everyday conver-
diversity in TV important” question, I vindication of their own experiences sations, news cycles and workplaces
honestly did not know where to start. growing up in abusive homes, and, since his death. But I somberly con-
I spent days staring at a blank for others, an uncomfortable reminder clude he would prefer to be alive.
screen, fighting over how to begin, of events and incidents that they had A year on, his death continues to
sentence structure, paragraph length, endured in life. drive overdue conversations about
tone, font size (erm, why?) – and, Many of the charities and organisa- systemic and systematic racism in
ultimately, what it was that I actually tions involved in helping with the every aspect of our society. This time
wanted to say. In the end, I was hon- documentary have told us that the next year, I hope the same is true and
est and wrote as freely and candidly programme has already positively that the need to commit to and
as the word count would allow. affected their sector. In one note, ensure racial equality remains fixed
Writing the piece was incredibly Chantal Hughes, Chief Executive of in our collective consciousness.
cathartic and, based on the warm Hampton Trust, expressed how Ian’s
feedback I received from peers, edi- journey had amplified the importance Charlene Chika Osuagwu is a TV
fying and empowering for others. of perpetrator work and the very documentary producer.
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 5
COMFORT CLASSIC
Steve Clarke alternately giggles
and squirms at a biting satire
on media mendacity
Drop the Dead Donkey Channel 4
S
itcoms as perfectly realised Hamilton and Jenkin, who met at that needed to push the envelope.
and executed as Chan- Cambridge, were writing partners for Whether the gags would have been
nel 4’s Drop the Dead Don- around a decade, predominantly at so edgy on the BBC is a moot point.
key are exceedingly rare. BBC radio and television, before Ham- Few targets seemed to be off limits as
That this newsroom ilton had the idea for what became leading politicians, royals and other
caper, set mostly in the Drop the Dead Donkey. people in public life were routinely
offices of Globelink News, was a topi- Having written for Not the Nine O’Clock skewered by Globelink’s disreputable
cal satire, filmed partly the day before News and Spitting Image, their satirical and wholly dysfunctional staff.
transmission to keep the material as chops were well honed before they That both Neil Kinnock and Ken
up to date as possible, speaks volumes decided to transplant their humour from Livingstone agreed to appear in the
of the skills of creators Andy Hamilton sketch shows to a workplace sitcom. show suggests the high regard with
and Guy Jenkin, the brilliant ensemble Unsurprisingly, they assumed the which it was held – even by those who
cast and its director, the energetic Liddy natural home for such an endeavour could be the butt of its jokes.
Oldroyd. Unusually, Oldroyd directed was the BBC, but, when the Beeb sat The character at the heart of Drop the
all six series, some 65 episodes. Tragi- on the show, they decided to try Chan- Dead Donkey is editor George Dent (Jeff
cally, she died in 2002, aged 47, four nel 4 instead. Drop the Dead Donkey was Rawle), a hypochondriac who dreams
years after Drop the Dead Donkey ended. soon a defining show for a network of better things. He is eternally harassed
6
Ear candy
and put upon by his wife, his boss – the
jargon-loving Gus – and the mostly
amoral hacks he is unable to control.
With exquisite irony, he falls in love
with new recruit Helen, who turns out
to be gay.
The macho elements in the mix are
provided by the utterly unscrupulous
reporter Damien (a young Stephen
Tompkinson), who would sell his granny
for a scoop, lecherous newsroom assis-
tant Dave (the then largely unknown
Neil Pearson) and grizzled news anchor
Henry (David Swift), hopelessly vain,
hard-drinking and overly fond of a
flutter and young, female company.
If Henry reminds viewers of a cer-
tain age of the late, great ITN news-
caster Reggie Bosanquet, so much the
better. But Henry’s liking for red braces
and crumpled white suits might hint at
other veteran British newsmen. His foil
and co-anchor is the irredeemably
posh and intellectually challenged Sally
(Victoria Wicks). When she is told to
read an item about a crisis in Kashmir,
Sally initially assumes the news is
referring to, you guessed it, cashmere.
Drop the Dead Donkey was first broad-
cast in 1990, a time when it seemed as
if most of the UK’s media would soon
be owned by either Rupert Murdoch or
Robert Maxwell. Globelink forms part
of the empire of the Dickensian-
sounding Sir Roysten Merchant. Note
BBC
his initials. He is determined to take
the station downmarket. The only time
we ever see Sir Roysten is when he
sacks Gus in the final episode – and,
Inside Inside No 9
T
of course, he has no idea who Gus is.
When Maxwell disappeared over-
board in 1991, Hamilton and Jenkin he comedy anthology what the role of an executive producer
took his unexpected exit in their stride Inside No 9 is notori- involves; and guest star Kevin Bishop
and used the death as an opportunity ously always one step has shared some of the downsides of
for some especially mordant news- ahead of its audience. acting wearing masks in Wuthering Heist.
room jokes. So, if ever the fans of Shearsmith and Pemberton provide
As time has gone by, there have been a TV series might entertaining detail on the inspiration
several other great British workplace have pleaded for a for each story – often a melange of
sitcoms, notably The Office and W1A. podcast that deconstructs each epi- real-life experiences and awkward
Hilarious they undoubtedly are, but sode, Inside Inside No 9 answers that call. anecdotes – and how it was produced.
what sets Drop the Dead Donkey apart is Becoming even more granular than Such teardowns include the
its humanity, the tragic vulnerabilities the series itself, the two creators and uncomfortable experience of an
of its characters – and the sheer scope stars, Reece Shearsmith and Steve up-and-coming actor using a family’s
and incisiveness of Hamilton and Jen- Pemberton, dissect each episode after house as a green room, depicted in
kin’s writing. And let’s not forget the it has aired. Hurry Up and Wait.
show’s visual elan, forged partly by Every week, the masters of mis The comedy duo give texture to the
clever use of handheld cameras. direction are joined by a different throwaway comments and small
In our wildly unpredictable times, member of the Inside No 9 team to talk details you might have missed on TV,
viewers look in vain for a 21st-century about the making of the programmes. such as where the mysterious hare was
satirical equivalent of Drop the Dead Series composer Christian Henson hidden in each episode. This, of course,
Donkey. has revealed how he achieves the refers to the small Easter egg containing
show’s huge variety of musical tone a statute of a hare featured in every
Drop the Dead Donkey is available on while obeying strict rules on musical episode. n
BritBox and All4. genre; Jon Plowman has explained Kate Holman
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 7
WORKING LIVES
Kate Waters (right)
rehearsing The Sweet
Science of Bruising
Fight director
Casarotto Ramsay
Kate Waters has worked on together and there’s a discussion among of truth – if you take a hit in the face,
oronation Street for the past decade,
C the director, the actors and me. you don’t want another one.
choreographing the conflicts that are
such a staple of the ITV soap. Recently, How do you deal with the huge varia- So are the actors at risk?
she directed the fight scenes in the tion in actors’ physical abilities? I use soft implements for actors to hit
National Theatre’s triumphant film A lot of my job is about adaptability each other with. A chair, for example,
Romeo & Juliet for Sky Arts. and compromise – you’re always could be made from balsa wood so it
looking to get the best out of an actor, breaks easily. Actors are hit on the top
What does the job involve? but you have to work to their strengths of the back and wear protection, never
I choreograph the physical action in and within their capabilities. on the back of the head. Everything is
the story, whether it’s with swords, a You don’t expect actors to have great choreographed to minimise the risk.
punch up or just a slap, ensuring that skills in fight scenes – they might have
the motivation for the action lies in the done a bit of swordplay at drama school How did you become a fight director?
story and the characters. It’s not about but they’ve probably never picked up a I always wanted to be an actor – I acted
being fancy or funky: it’s about making sword since. at school and took dance classes but,
the action the vehicle for the story, not The secret is to make them feel good following my dad and brother, I took up
the other way around. about what they’re doing – 90% is judo and competed at a reasonable
psychology, getting the actors in a good level. I went to Middlesex University to
So you must work closely with the place and winning trust; the rest is study acting; stage combat was on the
director? choreography. timetable and I felt I had found myself.
It’s a collaborative process: the director I qualified as a stage combat teacher
has a vision for the programme, as do I Is realism the key to a fight scene? and, when I left drama school, I went
for the action sequences. We’re on set Violence needs to come from a place to teach at the Royal Welsh College of
8
Music & Drama, and then to work with come any closer than two metres from actors. The worst part? You can feel on
the fight director and teacher Jonathan the actors on Corrie. It’s unnatural the outside of a production as a fight
Howell, at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre demonstrating techniques from a dis- director, although, on a show that
School. He was my mentor and gave his tance, but we’re making it work. you’ve worked on for a long time,
time selflessly, helping me get all the such as Corrie, it’s not a problem.
qualifications I needed to get on the What makes a good fight director?
Equity register of fight directors. You need to leave your ego at the door Are there any tricks of the trade you
and serve the story. You also need can share with us?
Was that difficult? physical and mental stamina. One day Distract the audience – take their eyes
When I did it, you needed a brown or
black belt in a martial art, fencing quali-
fications and an advanced certificate in
stage combat, and then you went on an
assessment course where fight directors
set tests. You don’t have to be on the
Equity register to work in the theatre
and TV, but I believe in regulation.
Are there many women fight directors?
Twenty years ago, the Equity register
was a bit of an old gentleman’s club,
and even now there are still only three
women on the register. It needs to
evolve and be less patriarchal.
Is physical strength an issue?
No, I’ve never needed my judo black
belt – choreography and storytelling
are the most important skills. My other
sport is boxing – I’ve retired from
competitive boxing but I’m still train-
ing and coaching – but you don’t need
to be an Olympic boxer to choreograph
a fight with actors who almost certainly
Coronation Street
won’t have that skill.
live episode 2015
ITV
What was your first professional job?
Coriolanus at the Tobacco Factory in I could be at the National Theatre, the somewhere else and then you can take
Bristol, and I’ve continued to work on next on the Coronation Street or Emmer them by surprise with a piece of action.
stage for, among others, the RSC, Globe dale set. In TV, you’re usually on set for
and National Theatre. just a day – you have a read-through What advice would you give to some-
with the actors, a rehearsal, a camera one wanting to become a fight director?
What was your first TV programme? rehearsal and then a take. It has to be a vocation, not a sideline to
Coronation Street – choreographing a an acting career. Shadow people and
punch in the Rovers Return. It was What’s the most exciting fight learn from watching them work. Then
difficult to break into TV. I got work on sequence you’ve pulled off? it is up to you – it takes practice and
Corrie because a theatre director was I directed Kylie Platt’s death on Corona passion to choreograph a perfect fight.
directing a block of episodes on the tion Street, and I was also her stunt
show and gave me a break. I’ve since double because the actor [Paula Lane] What TV series would you love to
worked for other soaps, such as was heavily pregnant – one moment I work on?
Emmerdale and Hollyoaks. was choreographing the scene and I have just finished a few days shooting
then I had to go to costume and dress on a film for Amazon and I’m about to
Do you have a favourite memory? for the part. shoot Death of England: Delroy, the next
I worked on the Coronation Street live National Theatre film.
episode in 2015. The first 15 minutes What do you bring to work with you? Although Killing Eve is perhaps more
were crazy and nerve-wracking Snacks – I’m always hungry – the stylised it still comes from a place of
because one of the characters, drug script, my knee pads and a big bag of truth. I would also have loved to work
dealer Callum Logan [Sean Ward], was padding for the actors. on Steve McQueen’s Small Axe, or
killed – it was really quite violent, but something like Russell T Davies’s It’s a
brilliant to work on. What are the best and worst parts Sin. I just love good storytelling. n
of the job?
Has it been hard working under I’ll never fall out of love with creating Kate Waters was interviewed by Matthew
Covid-19 restrictions? action sequences – telling the story, Bell. The fight director is represented by
We have to wear masks and can’t and collaborating with directors and Casarotto Ramsay.
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 9
Young people in production are routinely bullied
and harassed, made to work punishingly long
hours and do jobs they were not hired for.
Ricardo Diaz
Caroline Frost investigates
TV’s dirty secret
‘T
elevision documentaries tempered or even destroyed by the post-production roles, both office and
changed me and inspired reality of the day-to-day pressures and location-based. And all who spoke to
me when I was growing up expectations across different areas of me – anonymously – were emphatic
and, as an adult, I wanted production. that this way of working is everywhere.
to be part of that,” one While incidents of bullying and One told me: “You can’t throw a stone
young researcher tells me. harassment are being talked about in this industry without hitting some-
“I’m from a working-class back- more openly in the wake of allegations body with a horror story to tell. It’s an
ground, and working in factual TV, against Noel Clarke and others, I dis- industry-wide epidemic.”
bringing people’s stories to screen, that covered something less headline- “If you’re in the production office
is no small thing. It’s incredibly impor- grabbing but more widespread for and you’re contracted 9:00am to
tant to a lot of people,” says another. those starting out and hoping to make 6:00pm, you can expect to add an hour
British television has long enjoyed their way up the ladder: the incredibly either side of that,” explains Sarah, who
a reputation for being the best in the long, undocumented and thankless has worked in factual TV for a decade.
world, and a role in this industry is the hours everyone is expected to work. “There’s an etiquette of being seen to
stuff of many young creative people’s I interviewed a mix of male and stay as late as possible. Occasionally,
dreams. Unfortunately, for many, such female professionals, spread across an email will go out at the beginning of
ambitions are increasingly being different TV genres, in production and a project, ‘Don’t expect to make plans
10at the weekend’. But, more often, it’s before – trying desperately to source
not explicitly said, it’s just an expecta- and design the right branding for a
tion that everyone’s aware of.” police vehicle, ahead of a day’s shoot
Location set-ups are no better, costing £100,000. “They won’t cancel it,
according to Miles, who’s worked con- so it’s all resting on me, and it’s not
sistently as a runner, then researcher, even my actual job,” he explains.
on TV documentaries since graduating This is no rare event, it seems. “I’ve
in 2017. He explains: “You receive your been on productions where the show-
call sheet – often around 9:00pm – for runner has changed his mind at 7:00pm
the following day, and you laugh when about what’s required on set,” he says.
you read the words ‘Wrap 7:00pm’. You “That means us staying until 10:00pm
already know you’ll never hit that time.
To even attempt to finish by 9:00pm ‘WE DON’T and being back on set at 5:00am. No
one says no to the showrunner.”
means going without a lunch break.”
For him, the problem is in the small
EVEN WANT THE What happens if someone does
actually say no to the bosses? “It’s a
print of almost every freelance con- OVERTIME. WE freelance world, very competitive, and,
tract, a copy of which he shows me. It
has the line: “You will be expected to JUST WANT TO if you stand up to them, it looks like
you’re not committed or you can’t
work such additional hours as may be BE ABLE TO handle it,” says Sarah. “You get the tag
reasonably necessary for the proper
performance of your duties”, as well as GO TO BED’ of ‘difficult person’, and it means that
you’re less likely to get a follow-up gig
a stipulation that the freelancer opts with the same producers.”
TFC
out of the 1998 Working Time Regula-
tions. Apparently, “reasonably neces- ‘YOU CAN’T “You’re made to feel very guilty for
even saying anything,” says Miles. “And
sary” is interpreted to mean: whatever
the producer wants, they get.
THROW A STONE… you’re constantly reminded, ‘This is a
great opportunity for you’.”
On the relatively low daily rates for WITHOUT HITTING “It’s not about the money,” John adds:
runners and entry-level production
staff, all those extra worked hours
SOMEBODY WITH “For most of us, we don’t even want
the overtime. We just want to be able
mean the hourly rate gets lower and A HORROR STORY to go to bed.”
lower, to the point where it dips below
the minimum wage. Are staff offered TO TELL’ All this pressure can lead to outcomes
worse than not getting the next gig.
compensation at that point? “Try having Everyone I speak to reports fatigue,
that conversation,” scoffs Miles. stress, sickness and worse – one ended
With specialist skills come equal up missing his grandfather’s funeral due
amounts of pressure. When I speak to to work, something he deeply regrets.
John, well established as a graphic Everyone I speak to has either expe-
designer, mostly in big-budget drama, rienced or witnessed both bullying and
he has worked until 11:00pm the night harassment. One time, Sarah was �
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 11� invited to a meeting where it was that’s one less salary they have to pay. Sarah. “Most people are recruited
made clear she wasn’t expected and “They rely on the fact that we’re all through connections, without any HR
someone told her to leave, saying, passionate about our work, so they’ll procedure. If that could be formalised,
“Let the adults have a conversation”. always get the hours out of us,” says it would make speaking up much
She still smarts at the memory. Sarah. She calls it “the tightening of easier. You’d have a point of contact
“When I spoke up about it upsetting the screw”, particularly in an industry from the beginning.”
me, I was told I’d blown it all out of where the most elastic piece of “Acknowledge all those extra hours,”
proportion. They effectively gaslit me. resource is never the camera opera- says Miles. “Remove that clause that
It didn’t feel particularly personal, just tor, the electrician or construction signs away our rights and instead pay
dismissive.” worker, all rightly protected by union everyone overtime. Money talks.”
When a producer shouted at Miles rules, but those younger and newer, “Build schedules over a longer time
on location, it was the latter who most keen to get on. with shorter hours,” says John. ‘There
ended up being the one to say sorry. By contrast, the latter aren’t as will be happier people, fewer mistakes
“When a colleague asked me if I tightly unionised, their rates aren’t and the end result will be better.”
wanted to complain, I refused,” he
remembers. “I didn’t want to be some-
one seen to be making a fuss. I knew
I’d be the one to lose my job. We were
a team living on location for weeks,
and I didn’t want the relationships
affected. I ended up apologising just to
get through the next month.”
Every interviewee agrees that jun-
ior female staff across the industry
receive the brunt of misogynistic
treatment – “literally thousands of
incidents, it’s just a given, you don’t
even bother reporting it” – and har-
assment – “there are loads of sex
pests, we just try to warn everyone in
advance who to avoid”. John adds that
Public domain
young men and women alike are
potentially on the end of more subtle
bullying – what he calls “emotional
manipulation”. He describes one man-
ager telling him: “I thought you were
the guy for this job but clearly not.” ‘YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO
For all these exhausted young pro-
fessionals, there is no single individual KEEP THEIR HEADS DOWN, WORK
villain responsible for their distress.
Instead, they describe a system where
HARD AND HOPE FOR THE BEST’
TV has become a victim of its own
“golden age” success. Companies, advertised, and some I spoke to are In the meantime, though, young
particularly those making drama, are hesitant to spend their hard-earned people are forced to keep their heads
now expected to produce up to eight cash joining a union without being down, work hard and hope for the
hours of high-quality content in six sure that their rights will be protected. best. This kind of back-breaking
months compared with, say, compa- For those feeling brave or desperate experience used to be seen as a rite
nies creating two hours of film in the enough to make a complaint, who can of passage for those wanting to crawl
same period. they go to? to the top of the industry, with such
John describes something he calls “You’re on your own,’ says Sarah, trench experiences all good fodder
“miracle drift”: where shooting sched- particularly referring to smaller inde- for the pub afterwards and part of the
ules with tight deadlines and small pendents, where the owners are run- glamour of TV.
budgets were honoured through the ning the show, or their friends are. However, it seems the production
sheer willpower of staff – “they pulled Another young freelancer explains: hiatus created by lockdown has given
off a miracle”. “There are rarely HR departments or people time to reflect. “Regularly,
This superhuman endeavour then people you feel comfortable talking to people now get to Thursday evening
becomes the norm, with producers confidentially without it impacting and they announce, ‘I’m off’.” reveals
increasingly factoring in unpaid work your future jobs.” John. “They’d rather give up than
by the least experienced of their staff. With all these unwritten promises, carry on like this. Bad days used to be
For example, if they can persuade threats and codes in place, what sin- the exception, now they’re the norm.
that day’s location assistant to turn gle practice would make the biggest “Recently, I saw a tweet by a col-
data wrangler by evening, working in improvement to the working day of league. It just said, ‘I’m broken’.” n
his hotel room until late and embrac- young people in TV?
ing such an “industry opportunity”, “Transparency around hiring,” offers All names in this article have been changed.
12OUR FRIEND IN THE
NORTH EAST
As the BBC boosts
T
he spectacular North its local activities, Only then will we start seeing a
East coast is a popu-
lar location for TV
Graeme Thompson sustainable sector in which the next
generation of writers, directors, per-
and film. Right now, feels optimistic formers and crew can develop ambi-
its castles, cliffs and
endless sandy
about the region’s tions and livelihoods.
The BBC has promised that a new
beaches are playing future as a TV continuing drama will be made in the
host to ITV’s Vera and at least two North of England. We’re lobbying
Hollywood movies. production hub hard for it to come to the land of the
But location work – though good three rivers – the Tyne, the Tees and
for the tourist trade – isn’t enough the Wear.
to sustain the region’s screen sector, Manchester has Coronation Street,
which has never really recovered Liverpool has Hollyoaks, Leeds has
from two decades of successive Emmerdale. We can easily channel the
rounds of BBC and ITV cuts. humour of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, the
The exodus of talent and the lack of compelling humanity of Our Friends in
opportunities for the next generation the North and the hair-raising antics of
University of Sunderland
of crew and creatives has been high- Geordie Shore into gripping BBC One
lighted in a series of conversations primetime.
hosted by my university in association Alongside the BBC conversation,
with the screen agency Northern Film the University of Sunderland is talking
+ Media and Pinewood Studios. to the makers of The Late Late Show and
The six two-hour sessions for stu- Sunderland ’Til I Die about opening a
dents and early-career professionals northern production base on campus.
were led by the film producer Lord Fulwell 73 – named after the
Puttnam. Each one centred on the nations director Rhodri Talfan Davies famous football stand at Roker Park
Catch 22 plight of new starters suggested the corporation’s £700m and Sunderland’s celebrated FA Cup
who struggle to find enough work “levelling-up” strategy would benefit win of 48 years ago – wants its move
experience or training to get them a this corner of the UK. to the North East to uncover new
foothold in a sector with an acknow “We’re missing out on the distinctive talent and tell new stories. But the
ledged skills shortage. identity of the North East,” he admit- group’s managing partner, Leo Pearl-
Some of the region’s most distin- ted. “It’s about changing what we see man, is also passionate about working
guished alumni, including screen- on air. We need bigger, higher-profile with the university and others to
writer Lee Hall, producer David projects in these areas.” support the skills agenda.
Parfitt and director Sir Ridley Scott, BBC Group Managing Director Bob The arrival of a successful and
spoke of their own journeys away Shennan has meanwhile been talking experienced production company
from home. to me and other North East partners alongside a BBC commitment to
The regretful conclusion was that, about what increased activity might more content will be a transformative
without increased production and look like. We need commissions, of moment. Imagine a time when major
commissioning activity to create course – one of the reasons those productions can be conceived, devel-
sufficient critical mass, places such as communities between the Scottish oped, written, staffed, shot and edited
North East England will continue to border and North Yorkshire have such here. And we can even make use of
struggle to compete with the lure of a low appreciation score for the BBC is our own brilliant locations. n
production hot spots such as London, that viewers don’t relate to what they
Salford and Glasgow. perceive to be its metropolitan focus. Graeme Thompson is pro vice-
But there are signs that things are But we also need more people with chancellor for external relations at the
about to change. In his RTS lunchtime a successful track record of winning University of Sunderland and Chair of
interview earlier this month, BBC commissions and delivering content. the RTS Education Committee.
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 13Getty Images
Welsh captain Gareth Bale
The beautiful game
gets complicated
T
he Euros is a football
tournament like no
Matthew Bell explains to the pan-European structure of the
tournament, which multiplies “the
other before it. Delayed how broadcasters are logistical and technical” difficulties.
a year by the pandemic Last-minute changes to some ven-
and rerouted to multiple covering the Euros, ues – with Seville stepping in for Bil-
venues around Europe,
it will be – at best – problematic, and,
which kick off bao and Dublin’s matches moved to
Wembley and St Petersburg – and
in some cases, impossible for fans to this month working under differing Covid-19
follow their teams. protocols across venues, have added
The UK broadcasters covering the City’s boisterous supporters shout their extra layers of complexity.
tournament – with games split between team to FA Cup victory last month. The good news, though, is that the
the BBC and ITV – face the same Back in 2012, Uefa decided to spread BBC is sending commentators and
difficulties. the tournament around Europe to alle- production staff to all the venues host-
The tournament takes place at viate the crippling financial demands ing the home nations: Wembley (for
11 venues– Amsterdam, Baku, Bucha- on single host nations – long before England), Hampden Park (Scotland)
rest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Glasgow coronavirus messed everything up. and, ambitiously, Baku (Wales).
(Hampden Park), London (Wembley), BBC TV football executive producer Wales’s opening two games in the
Munich, Rome, Seville and St Peters- Phil Bigwood is in charge of the corpo- Azerbaijan capital are being broadcast
burg. Football governing body Uefa has ration’s Euros coverage, as he has been by the BBC, with the corporation also
stipulated that all must admit spectators, at every major international football sending a team to preview and report
which will bring some much-needed tournament since the 2002 World Cup. on the principality’s clash with Italy in
crowd atmosphere to the TV coverage. “I’ve never known one like this, with Rome, which is being shown by ITV.
Anyone still harbouring any doubts all these complications and challenges Commentator Steve Wilson and
about the importance of fans to live – it is massively different to anything co-commentator Robbie Savage are
football clearly didn’t see Leicester I’ve done before,” he said, pointing flying to Baku with a small “OB-light”
14production team consisting of some Even if the quality of the football – assuming any of the home nations
eight people. “Steve will also be doing fails to shine, the Euros still have nov- survive – guarantee huge audiences.
some reporting and interviewing,” says elty value. Thanks to the pandemic, it England’s defeat by Croatia in the 2018
Bigwood. “We’ve got to keep people is the first major tournament to air on World Cup semi-final drew a peak
travelling to a minimum because the British TV since 2019’s Rugby World audience of 26.5 million to ITV.
levels of paperwork required are off Cup – and it will offer much-needed Now all the broadcasters need is one
the scale.” revenue to the commercial broad- of the home nations, preferably Gareth
With few direct flights to Baku – and caster. The price of a 30-second ad slot Southgate’s team, given England’s large
many of the normal transit stops in on ITV could rise to £200,000 for population, to reach the final. “Cry
countries on the UK Government’s red matches involving England, Scotland ‘God for Harry Kane, England, and
Covid list – even getting the team to and Wales. Saint George!”’ as Shakespeare
Azerbaijan has proved problematic. A Big games later in the tournament almost said. n
stopover in Kiev or Moscow was the
current plan as Television went to press.
Match coverage itself comes from
production teams dispatched by Uefa
to each venue, with the BBC supple-
It’s a game of two broadcasters
menting the home nations’ games with
pitch-side reports and interviews. The The Euros are a marathon, not a managing a team of former interna-
live feed from matches is being sent to sprint, for the armchair spectator, with tionals Alan Shearer, Rio Ferdinand, Alex
the International Broadcast Centre in 51 games broadcast live over a month, Scott and Micah Richards (England);
Haarlem, outside Amsterdam – where beginning with the Italy vs Turkey clash Ashley Williams and Mark Hughes
the BBC will also have a small team in Rome on 11 June. (Wales); and James McFadden, Shel-
– and then to Salford. Away from the action on the pitch, ley Kerr and Charlie Adam (Scotland).
Thanks to Covid-19, the home both BBC and ITV are offering plenty Bringing some fancy continental foot-
nations matches aside, production will of punditry and support programming. work to the MediaCity UK studio are
be remote from MediaCity, where the ITV’s pundits promise plenty of bite, Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas and Jurgen
BBC has built two off-television areas with gnarled hard men Klinsmann.
to allow commentary from a big Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Guy Mowbray heads
screen. Such coverage has become Nigel de Jong and, on the commentary team
normal during the pandemic, but it loan signings from Sky with co-comms from
does restrict the ability of the com- Sports, Graeme Souness the familiar likes of Dion
mentary team – who are denied a live, and Gary Neville, giving Dublin, Karen Carney, Jer-
360° view of the pitch – to tell the full the team a terrifying maine Jenas and Robbie
story of a match as it unfolds. backbone. Savage.
Eni Aluko
ITV
The BBC faces a challenging first The effervescent Ian The matches have
weekend. “We have to hit the ground Wright vacates his BBC been divvied up between
running because we’ve got the opening One Match of the Day the two broadcasters,
game on the Friday [Italy vs Turkey], seat for the tournament, with both showing the
Wales on the Saturday, England on the and is joined by ex-pro final from Wembley on
Sunday and Scotland on Monday. Eni Aluko and Chelsea 11 July. To fill the gaps
We’ve got to get over that initial mad women manager Emma between the live action,
period and hope it will then start to Hayes. ITV is offering The Euros
calm down a little bit,” says Bigwood. Mark Pougatch and Daily Show and Three
Gary Lineker
BBC
“But we’ll get there – it’s going to be a Seema Jaswal, veterans Lions Raw, which prom-
brilliant tournament.” of ITV’s Russia World ises “no-filter access
ITV, which will exclusively show Cup in 2018, are the main presenters. Its highlights” of England games.
27 live games, has bagged the much- commentary team, led by Sam Matter- For the corporation, Crouchy’s Year-
anticipated England vs Scotland clash face – who replaces the long-serving Late Euros features the lanky, former
at Wembley, as well as the showdown Clive Tyldesley – will be assisted by England striker alongside Maya Jama
between world champions France and Lee Dixon, Ally McCoist and John Hart- and Alex (Taskmaster) Horne on BBC
Germany. It was still unsure whether it son. Former ref Peter Walton, on loan One, while BBC Three follows UK
could send commentary teams to from BT Sport, will explain contentious hip-hop duo Krept and Konan as they
games in mainland Europe when this decisions. create a new England football anthem
article was written. We should be grateful for the return for the Euros with the help of England
“Euro 2020 is a tournament unlike of McCoist, the best co-commentator player and manager Gareth Southgate.
any other,” says Niall Sloane, ITV direc- at the 2018 World Cup, where his Scotland’s last appearance at a
tor of sport. “ITV has brought together enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, all major tournament, France 1998, is
a uniquely talented team from across things foreign was in marked contrast celebrated by BBC One Scotland in
football that will offer viewers and fans to the parochialism of many ex-pros Mr Brown’s Boys, while comedian Elis
compelling insight and entertainment employed by TV. James presents Football Nation on BBC
that, we hope, will enrich their enjoy- For the BBC, main presenters Gary One Wales, a series covering the highs
ment of what promises to be a very Lineker and Gabby Logan will be and lows of Welsh football.
special few weeks.”
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 15Korea’s ‘C razy and cool with a K”
is a good moniker for
the jaw-dropping South
Korean entertainment
technicolour
formats delivering
jaw-dropping audience
figures around the world. In the UK,
The Masked Singer, I Can See Your Voice
and, most recently, The Masked Dancer
dream shows
have featured celebrities disguised as
everything from a bee and an octopus
to a sausage, good and bad singers from
the great British public hiding in plain
sight and dance routines from a llama,
chicken and knickerbocker glory.
“We were ready to embrace some-
thing new, to do something big and bold
Weird, wacky and all-conquering – Stuart Kemp and a bit nuts,” says Joe Mace, ITV com-
missioning editor for entertainment.
hides his identity to enter the formats factory The UK’s biggest commercial broad-
caster is home to both The Masked Singer
that gave us The Masked Singer and The Masked Dancer, two of the
highest-profile fresh entertainment
formats to appear in the past 10 years.
The Masked Singer melds elements of
a guessing game, singing competition,
a comedy panel show, celebrities and
an audience vote. All wrapped up with
outrageous costumes, disguised voices
and a big reveal every show.
Since debuting in January 2020, the
show has sat in ITV’s Saturday night
early-evening slot, one occupied by
The X Factor. It is produced by Bandicoot,
the Scottish indie commissioned to
produce a UK version of what was
already a high-budget, shiny-floor hit
show in both its native South Korea
and then the US.
Bandicoot optioned the UK format
rights to The Masked Singer in 2018 from
MBC, which broadcasts the show in
South Korea. Founded by Derek McLean
and Daniel Nettleton, Bandicoot is a joint
venture with Argonon Group and was
formed to advance the pair’s passion for
wild and twisted entertainment formats.
Nettleton became obsessed with
securing the UK rights after he started
watching hours and hours of the
Korean and Thai versions on YouTube
in 2015. “We were only a little, two-
year-old indie at the time. Getting the
option was expensive for us – half of
our development budget for a year,” he
explains. “It was a bet that we felt we
should and could take.”
The bet paid out handsomely when
the US version of The Masked Singer
– made by reality TV guru Craig Plestis
– debuted on Fox Network in January
2019. It launched to a multi-platform
I Can See Your Voice
BBC
consolidated audience of 17.6 million,
16making it Fox’s most-watched panellists. The winning mystery singer platforms,” Harris observes. “It’s a
unscripted debut in 11 years, and the is revealed as good or bad by means of visual truth that, if you are scrolling
most-watched unscripted debut on a duet with one of the guest artists. If through social media and see a giant
any network for seven years. they get it right, the contestants win a sausage costume and someone shout-
Last year, Plestis launched another cash prize and the final singer can ing, “Take it off, take it off”, that is
South Korean format on Fox, I Can See then belt out a tune. going to pique your interest.”
Your Voice, which became the season’s Phillips has just commissioned a CJ ENM, the Korean corporation
number-one new entertainment show. second series, and the format has been behind Parasite and the multi-territory-
Meanwhile, The Masked Singer picked sold to 18 countries so far. selling Grandpas over Flowers format,
up an Emmy for outstanding costumes The boom in interest for Korean intends to raise its investment in enter-
for a variety, non-fiction or reality formats began in 2016, when travel tainment content to an eye-watering
programme. And, with Plestis at the reality show format Grandpas over Flow- $4.4bn over the next five years. Netflix
helm, Masked Singer sister show The ers sold to NBCUniversal in the US. It has said it will spend around $450m in
Masked Dancer debuted in the US in aired there as Better Late than Never, and South Korea in 2021.
December 2020. secured deals for further countries, CJ ENM’s head of format sales, Diane
“Korea seems to be unafraid to including Italy, Turkey and France. Min, says the company is developing
break out of the box fresh formats with
and the formats global audiences
are not deriv- in mind: “Last
ative,” says year, we had
Plestis. “The a show
Masked Singer called
was bonkers, I-Land. It
weird and was an idol-
frightening for incubating
any network to format that
take on. Fox was targeted both
bold enough to do local audiences
that.” and the global
The Masked Singer and market.”
I Can See Your Voice both She notes that inter-
blend different strands of national buyers are strik-
format television. They are ‘THE ing co-production deals in
“a singing thing, and a ‘guess
who? competition”, says Plestis MASKED addition to snapping up format
shows ad hoc. CJ ENM collabo-
of both. SINGER WAS rated with California-based Bunim/
BBC entertainment director Kate
Phillips shares his love of genre- BONKERS, WEIRD Murray Productions to develop Cash
Back, a format aimed at both the
bending formats. She commissioned
I Can See Your Voice in 2019 from Fre-
AND FRIGHTENING Korean and global marketplaces.
Other formats coming soon from
mantle’s UK entertainment label FOR ANY NETWORK South Korea include the dating and
Thames. It had been on her radar
before Thames pitched to her. TO TAKE ON’ singing format Love at First Song and
300: War of United Voices, which sees a
“Korea follows the ‘kiss’ rule: ‘Keep superstar work towards a performance
it simple, stupid.’ That’s a really good with 300 superfans. The latter launched
rule when you’re developing formats,” Channel 4 head of entertainment in Germany last year on ProSieben-
says Phillips. “South Korean shows Phil Harris suggests that South Korea Sat.1. Then there is Falling in Dance,
always have a very clear USP at their is a hotbed of cultural creativity right a reality dating and dance show and
heart. You can sell it in a sentence. now. Think boy-band phenomenon music competition jeopardy series
They try out hundreds of ideas every BTS and the Oscar-winning film Para- Double Casting.
year and they’re very smart and very site. Harris is mulling pitches and con- The Korea Creative Content Agency
savvy.” sidering various South Korean formats (Kocca), a government agency that
I Can See Your Voice features a guest but no decisions have been finalised. It oversees and co-ordinates the promo-
artist and a team of two contestants is an open secret that Channel 4 was in tion of the local content industry, says
presented with a group of six “mystery the running to land The Masked Singer an average of 300 new shows launch
singers” — some of them good singers, before ITV swooped. each year.
some bad. He points out that The Masked Singer Phillips points out: “It’s such a gam-
The contestants must attempt to and other Korean formats can appeal to ble, the entertainment game. What you
eliminate bad singers from the group young audiences on digital platforms. really need is to have a lot of chips at
by guessing who they are without “Both The Masked Singer and I Can See the table so you can place a lot of bets
hearing them sing. Over the course of Your Voice have a guessing game at the and see what lands.
four rounds, they receive clues and heart of the format, which can be suc- “That is exactly what they do in
help from the show’s celebrity cessfully truncated for social media South Korea.” n
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 17Strengthening
trust in the BBC
BBC
I
t feels like remote history, but strongest reasons why so many nations
it’s true: 27.1 million people
Does the BBC need a choose to have at least one well-funded
watched Boris Johnson new regulatory system broadcaster that serves a public purpose.
announce the first lockdown It is also why broadcasting should not
for the UK on 23 March last following Lord Dyson’s be regarded or regulated as an industry
year. The sequel in May,
announcing the path out of lockdown,
report into Martin Bashir’s like any other, and why it should be –
as it is today – given special status for
attracted an even larger audience of 1995 Diana interview? its cultural, social and cohesive value.
27.5 million, while the PM’s announce- In each of these cases I cite, more
ment of a repeat of lockdown in Janu- Caroline Thomson than half, and up to three-quarters, of
ary this year drew a slightly smaller
audience – as repeats tend to – of
considers the arguments those audiences watched on the BBC.
The proportion that watched Diana’s
“only” 25.2 million. funeral on the BBC was 60%.
All three of those programmes used by the BBC and ITV. The opening It’s hardly surprising that politicians
represented mass gatherings around and closing ceremonies of the London should be suspicious of any organisa-
our TV sets. Only one event since the Olympics brought together 24.4 mil- tion that wields that much potential
advent of multichannel television has lion and 24.6 million people, respec- power and influence with the people
surpassed them all: the funeral of Diana, tively, in front of their television sets. on whose votes they rely for their own
Princess of Wales, in September 1997, I dwell on this mass of figures to ability to govern.
was watched by 32.1 million. demonstrate the power of two things: The BBC has always had to be aware
It’s easy to think that it is only disas- trust and news. There is nothing that of that suspicion and the pressure on
ter that impels us to huddle around the drives us to share an instant experi- the corporation’s independence that
screen, but the largest TV audience of ence more than the coverage of live accompanies it.
all time in this country was in fact for a events – and nothing that drives our However, I am not sure the BBC has
triumph (if you happen to be English). choice of how to watch it more than always responded in the best way,
The 1966 World Cup final drew an our trust in public service broadcasters. either to allay political suspicion or, by
estimated 32.3 million viewers, accord- That ability to gather people together contrast, to resist threats to its special
ing to the somewhat primitive con- is an immense power to rest in the status as an organisation outside the
temporary methods of measurement hands of corporations and one of the currents of politics.
18It is exceptionally good at making better and to encourage honest self-
television shows, radio programmes, reflection and accountability is the key.
news content; it is a model for other In Tim Davie, the BBC has a very
nations around the world in the way strong Director-General more than
that it helps to stimulate the broader capable of doing this. I think the pro-
cultural health of the UK; it is much cess could be helped by the appoint-
less good at being open and accounta- ment of one – carefully chosen and
ble about its decision-making and its reliably free-thinking – non-executive
processes. director. They would be a guarantor of
The trust bestowed upon the BBC independence, of editorial standards
by the British public is hard won and and of accountability and could have
easily lost. It can never be taken for the added advantage of being the des-
granted. To be relied upon in the ignated, obviously independent, recip-
future, there has to be greater transpar- ient of whistleblowers’ complaints.
ency and accountability. The question This is, as we all know, a critical
is how to achieve this without either moment for public service broadcast-
exposing the BBC to the perils of polit- ing as it faces unprecedented competi-
ical manipulation – something that is tion and unusual political pressure.
happening to an alarming extent in ‘THE BBC’S… The BBC, through its governance, has a
other European countries, from the
Netherlands to the Czech Republic PROBLEMS duty to maintain the trust of the British
people. And, whatever our governments
– or damaging its ability to compete ARE, AT HEART, might think about the advantages of
in a hardening, consolidating market.
This latter financial point has already
CULTURAL being able to communicate directly
with voters, the existence of a trusted
emerged as the focus of the Govern- RATHER THAN medium connecting mass audiences
ment in its approach to PSB generally,
and seems to miss the point of public
REGULATORY’ with their leaders is crucial to the
strength of democracy.
service, but that is a subject for another It has always suffered from external
day. To some extent, it is inevitable in attacks and thus, I think, adopted a
an organisation as large and multi- defensive posture more often and more
faceted as the BBC that transparency strongly than perhaps it might have
and accountability can suffer when done. This in turn promotes secrecy,
there is a sense of siege outside and rather than openness, in any organisa-
uncertainty within. But that is precisely tion – another reason for putting
the moment when it is imperative that cultural change ahead of regulation,
the processes of openness are working. something that independent broadcast-
For the BBC, crises mean that its ing has had quite enough of already.
critics always reach for the governance
button. I am not convinced. ‘LEADERSHIP TO Appear on the Today programme,
answer questions on Feedback, use your
There has been a suggestion of CHANGE THE own airwaves to explain and make
appointing an editorial committee to
supervise BBC News production. My CULTURE [AND your case; but also listen and, yes,
when necessary, apologise.
experience tells me that adding layers ENCOURAGE] When David Cameron first achieved
of bureaucracy is rarely the way to
improve either function or accounta- ACCOUNTABILITY power by agreeing a coalition with Nick
Clegg in 2010, the BBC cut into normal
bility within Broadcasting House. Who
would appoint this committee? What
IS THE KEY’ scheduling to show that democratic
process in action. The audience – I am
would prevent it becoming a tool of back to big numbers again – was 9 mil-
politicians and outsiders heavily influ- lion people, 2 million more than would
enced by the BBC’s commercial ene- have watched the episode of EastEnders
mies in the publishing industry? that “WestminsterEnders” replaced.
Or, in the future, by other external That power inherent in the BBC is
forces that we cannot predict today? the friend of government and people.
At its most basic, how do you prevent it Responsibly and accountably used, it is
becoming yet another tick-box exercise? a pillar of our communal relationship.
An editorial committee with any But it is a power that belongs to the
taint of political appointment, just like people, not to parties. It is worth more,
a politically-appointed main board, and it should be protected more
would destroy independence and rot thoughtfully, than the BBC’s would-be
the trust of licence-fee payers. reformers would have us believe. n
The BBC’s governance and opera-
tional problems are, at heart cultural, Caroline Thomson is the Chair of Digital
rather than regulatory. Leadership by UK. She was the BBC’s chief operating
example to change that culture for the officer 2006-2012.
Television www.rts.org.uk June 2021 19You can also read
