Broadcast 31st January 2014

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

31 January 2014

INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW

BEHIND THE SCENES

Page 26

Page 20

Page 28

CPL: the power duo Talpa’s John de Mol behind the hits lifts the lid on Utopia

CDN to put broadcasters’ diversity pledges to test

Rethinking crime drama for Channel 5

Broadcast appoints new editor

BY JAKE KANTER

Undateables: Creative Diversity Network wants common standards to apply across the sector

BY LISA CAMPBELL

The Creative Diversity Network (CDN) is on the brink of unveiling a monitoring service that will assess how the major broadcasters’ are performing against their diversity targets – and compared with each other – for the first time.

The aim is that the initiative will become a permanent benchmark to track the industry’s successes and failures, holding its key players to account. A pilot is set to launch in spring featuring the BBC, ITV, Sky and Channel 4.

However, it is not clear how much of the data will be shared publicly.

Metadata system Silvermouse will be used to monitor workforces and on-screen representation in five key areas: ethnicity, disability, gender, age and sexuality.

Broadcasters currently monitor diversity stats independently, but representatives on the CDN chief executive group have agreed to

produce a standardised set of figures on a quarterly basis.

The pilot has been signed off at CDN board level, but the final costs for the initiative will not be revealed until the end of February.

The creative industries are facing greater political pressure to get their house in order on diversity issues after culture minister Ed Vaizey held a roundtable with key figures to discuss the steep decline in BAME representation, as reported by Creative Skillset.

Broadcast attended the House of Commons event alongside 40 leaders in TV, film and theatre, including BBC director of television Danny Cohen, Sky managing director of content Sophie Turner Laing and senior execs from Directors UK, the BFI and Pact.

The consensus was that diversity monitoring is irregular, ineffective and lacks accountability. Vaizey said he welcomed the CDN initiative and that there was

Getting people to the table to make change happen is an important step Adam Crozier, ITV

“an accountability role for government to play”.

The CDN has also restructured with the launch of three working groups in news, commissioning and production. The groups will be headed by ITV director of news and current affairs Michael Jermey, BBC head of religion and ethics Aaqil Ahmed and Pact chief executive John McVay respectively.

The plan is for programmemakers rather than diversity execs to set priorities. ITV chief executive Adam Crozier said: “Getting senior people around the table who have the authority to make change happen is an important step forward.”

Chris Curtis has been named the new editor of Broadcast.

Curtis has worked on the brand for seven years, joining as news editor and becoming deputy editor in 2010. He will take over from Lisa Campbell, who leaves next month to become director of the Edinburgh International Television Festival.

Curtis said: “It’s a pleasure to take on the leadership of Broadcast. Lisa has been a great editor and I look forward to building on the brand’s strengths.

“One of my aims is to make Broadcast a truly digital product, offering new and innovative types of content. We want to deliver an unparalleled range of business information about the TV market.”

Plans include the introduction of new company-specific areas on broadcastnow.co.uk and the launch of a tablet app.

Conor Dignam, chief executive of Broadcast publisher Media Business Insight, said: “Chris will be an outstanding editor of Broadcast. He is a natural leader and has his finger on the pulse of what matters to the broadcasting sector.”

Curtis: planning digital innovation

Editor’s Choice

Broadcast, 101 Finsbury Pavement, London EC2A 1RS or email lisa.campbell@broadcastnow.co.uk

Online this week www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Lisa Campbell, Editor

Top News

Pressing need for diversity data Representation won’t improve if we don’t know who’s making TV

I

t’s a 21st-century scandal. The broadcast industry fails to represent modern multicultural Britain on screen and makes it difficult for anyone but the most advantaged and well-connected to enter its ranks.

As the ethnic population increases, their chance of being part of the TV industry declines. At present, BAME people make up a paltry 5.4% of the sector’s workforce. Factor the BBC’s 10%

‘Even the banking sector performs better than TV on diversity. Embarrassed?

We should be’ into that average and it means some companies are registering a big, fat zero.

A study being published next week by former Equalities and Human Rights Commission chair Trevor Phillips looks at the ethnic make-up of a range of FTSE 100 companies. His findings? Even the banking sector performs better than TV on diversity. Embarrassed? We should be.

As well as a desire to use his ministerial power to affect positive change, culture minister Ed Vaizey (below right) is likely to be embarrassed by Creative Skillset’s statistics, which prompted him to hold a parliamentary roundtable last week.

The DCMS has announced that it is giving the creative sector a major push in 2014 with the GREAT Britain campaign – an effort to build on the “£8m per hour” the sector generates for the UK economy by bolstering its global reputation. But all that soft power threatens to evaporate in moments 2 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

when high-profile black actors and directors publicly bemoan the lack of opportunities in the UK and their forced flight to the US. We want our actors to perform in the US, said Kwame Kwei-Armah at the roundtable, but out of choice, not necessity.

Broadcast was invited to the meeting by Vaizey on the back of our campaigning work in this area. Expert Women has been running for two years, and our recent Diversify conference helped spark what is now a hot topic in the media.

What was clear at the debate was the need for rigorous monitoring of diversity in broadcasting. For all their obsession with ‘big data’ and the high-level technology at their fingertips, no one can answer the question of who is in our shows, and who is making them. Broadcasters have yet to agree a standardised system, and without a benchmark, the issue has attracted nothing but hot air for decades.

What was striking about the debate is that people are sick to death of talking.

Which is why the Creative Diversity Network benchmark pilot could be a landmark, putting an end to hot air, snapshot studies and ad-hoc activity. Broadcasters can work together to identify long-term solutions, representing the world we live in more accurately and preventing what I’m dubbing the ‘BAME drain’.

That requires the people at the top to back and resource the initiative, and to re-examine a structure that is quick to attract new BAME talent, but far too quick to spit them out the other end.

As Baroness Floella Benjamin (left) said in her powerful address at the event: “You owe it to the future.”

è The BBC has revealed that John Linwood (below), the technology boss who oversaw the £100m Digital Media Initiative fiasco, was formally relieved of his duties in July last year.

è The BBC has gone back into business with Lesley Douglas, the Radio 2 controller who resigned from the corporation at the height of the Sachsgate scandal. BBC Worldwide has struck a first-look deal with Lonesome Pine Productions, the indie Douglas established with scriptwriter Aschlin Ditta.

è Simon Andreae has bought John de Mol’s new social experiment format Utopia as his first major deal for Fox.

Ratings Top Five The Jump (below) leapt into action for C4 on Sunday with 2.6m.

1

2 Splash! bellyflopped to a low of 3.7m on Saturday.

3 ITV’s Benidorm beat Silent Witness on Thursday with an audience of 5.3m.

4 Britain’s Great War kicked off a year of BBC programming on WWI with 4.2m.

5 C4’s The Taste dipped below 1m viewers for the first time on Tuesday.

Team Tweets è Pleased to say I’ve been appointed as new editor of @Broadcastnow. @MsLisaCampbell leaves big shoes to fill, but I’m up for the challenge!

Chris Curtis @ChrisMCurtis

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

News & Analysis

TV admits diversity failures

BY LISA CAMPBELL

Baroness Floella Benjamin made an impassioned plea in her opening address at Ed Vaizey’s diversity roundtable last week: “Don’t let our children down,” she said, “especially our young black men. They don’t feel part of this.

The image that we’re showing time and time again is saying, ‘You’re not wanted, you don’t belong.’”

The debate took place in a formal Victorian room, complete with leather pews and oak panelling, but the culture minister encouraged informality.

He wanted an honest and open debate about diversity on- and off-screen – and he got it.

While passion and frustration was palpable from many of the diversity champions, there was also an admission from key players across TV, film and the performing arts that monitoring has fallen short, targets remain unmet and the need for accountability is more marked than ever.

ITV entertainment commissioner Asif Zubairy began by outlining the Creative Diversity Network’s plans for a new monitoring system and the launch of new CDN Working Groups (see page 1).

Zubairy also revealed that ITV is analysing the CDN pledge, whose signatories include indies as well as broadcasters, assessing “how it can become a more qualitative tool for commissioning and production”.

He added: “I’m planning to write to the major production companies that I work with in entertainment because I’m keen to know more about how they engage with the CDN.” Zubairy acknowledged the progress that had been made on diversity within soaps, but added: “We really want to see a hero or role model leading his or her own drama, as well as more diversity in supporting roles.”

ITV director of drama Steve November currently has three dramas in development by nonwww.broadcastnow.co.uk

ALAMY

Culture minister Ed Vaizey hears that monitoring is falling short and targets remain unmet

Diversity roundtable: attendees included Trevor Phillips, Oona King, Danny Cohen and Sophie Turner Laing

white writers or featuring nonwhite leads.

BBC director of television Danny Cohen also admitted: “I don’t think the BBC is doing enough. We’re getting better but we’re not getting better fast enough. We should be honest and open about that.”

Cohen said that on-screen portrayal and diversity of the workforce were “incredibly interlinked”, and noted that disability often took a backseat in such debates.

Like ITV, he praised the soaps, whose collective ethnic diversity ratio for their cast is 28%. He said

I don’t think the BBC is doing enough.

We’re getting better, but not fast enough Danny Cohen, BBC

BBC2 had played a key role in bringing through a new generation of female historians, and that the Expert Women days, in conjunction with Broadcast, had helped to boost the range of contributors in news.

IN THE MIX IDEAS PUT FORWARD AT ROUNDTABLE ■

Use the BBC’s nations and regions model to ring-fence money as a way of boosting diversity (suggested by Lenny Henry, pictured, see broadcastnow.co.uk) ■ Employ a ‘London solution’, reflecting that 50% of the licence fee is spent outside London but the major-

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■

■ ■

ity of the BAME population lives in the capital Introduce the Rooney Rule, which puts quotas on interview candidates. It saw the percentage of African American NFL coaches rise from 6% to 22% Give the CDN Diversity Pledge “teeth”. Consider withholding a percentage of the production fee if targets are unmet Link public funding to meeting diversity targets Task the DCMS with ensuring the industry meets its targets

He added: “BBC3 does the best out of all the channels; it’s closest to the ethnic and demographic make-up of the UK. The other channels need to learn from that.”

The BBC’s off-screen ethnic diversity ratio of 12.5% is above the Skillset industry average of 5.4%, but Cohen revealed he has set a target of 15.2%.

“We’re doing better on entry level than on mid- and senior management,” he said. “Director general Tony Hall and others are saying that’s an area we need to focus on.”

Change at the top Trevor Phillips, former chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, pointed out that the BBC Trust’s Sonita Alleyne is the only non-white exec across 42 seats on TV boards such as Ofcom, Channel 4 and ITV. There was broad agreement from figures including Sky managing director of content Sophie Turner Laing that the requirement is for more accountability rather than more targets. Baroness Oona King, a diversity exec at Channel 4, said: “It is up to the industry to do this, but government needs to be asking, ‘Have you done it yet? How far are you with this?’”

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 3

News & Analysis

UK indies in demand in DC Reality and doc series top of broadcasters’ wish lists at Realscreen event in Washington

BY Peter White

The Realscreen Summit in Washington, DC, was a hive of activity this week as 300 UK producers fought it out to secure commissions from US broadcasters.

Major broadcasters including NBC, National Geographic, Discovery, A&E and TNT all called for UK producers to bring them reality and documentary projects, while a raft of new entrants to original commissioning, such as Microsoft Xbox, Esquire Network, Pivot and CNN, were also searching for fresh formats.

Last year’s event is thought to have been worth close to £10m in commissions for UK indies, and this year’s is expected to deliver even more.

The popularity of British producers was highlighted by the news that Discovery had held talks over investing in Gold Rush producer Raw TV (see page 5).

Pact took a delegation of around 60 indies to the event, including Tern TV, which has received significant interest in a number of its docu-formats, Zig Zag and Back2Back Productions.

In addition, some of the UK’s larger groups, such as Shine Group and ITV Studios, had their own meaningful presence, as did Warehouse 51, the indie set up by former Sky Vision chief Carl Hall, which is understood to have won its first commission, from a US network.

“There’s an unrelenting openness in the States,” said Debbie Manners, managing director of Skint producer Keo Films and chair of the Pact Council.

NBC, one of the few broadcast networks represented at the event, is looking to work with international producers with proven formats in the dating, gameshow and business genres as it searches for a show to equal the success of The Voice.

“The fact that The Bachelor (pictured right) is the only dating show on TV right now is crazy,” said Brandon Riegg, senior vice-presi4 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

Preposterous Pets: Barcroft Media has been commissioned by Discovery for a 6 x 60-minute documentary series

The fact that The Bachelor is the only dating show on TV right now is crazy

Realscreen Summit, including 6 x 60-minute documentary series Preposterous Pets. The Barcroft Media series focuses on people who own animals such as polar bears and tigers.

Brandon Riegg, NBC and Universal TV

Strategic rethink

dent of alternative programming and development at NBC and Universal Television. “Working with international producers is less of a risk. The international market is a huge deal for us; we’re constantly searching for ideas from Australia, Israel and the UK.” TNT is also hoping to add to UK formats such as Ross Noble: Freewheeling, which it is on the verge of signing a deal to remake. But senior vicepresident David Eilenberg warned that it needed fresh ideas. “It’s hard to be the 16th channel in Louisiana finding people that don’t already have a channel,” he said.

Discovery announced several commissions for UK indies at the

Meanwhile, October Films got away its 10 x 30-minute series Deadly Dilemmas, which investigates challenging choices such as: should you take cover in a metal caravan during a lightning strike?

And would you have a better chance of surviving an attack by a crocodile or a great white shark?

Discovery is also working out the next stage in its wildlife strategy following the end of its deal with the BBC. Discovery executive vice-president of production and development for landmark series and specials Andrew Jackson said it remained committed to the genre, as well as

looking for more character-driven series. “We’re trying to move to a new place. We’re trying to find what the next thing is,” he said.

His colleague, executive vicepresident of development and production Dolores Gavin, who has worked on Amish Mafia and Discovery’s first scripted series Klondike, added: “Shows have got to feel different.”

Discovery is still working with the BBC on forthcoming blue-chip doc Survival, a 6 x 60-minute series that uses miniature cameras to film animals including the mimic octopus and the male manakin bird.

But it was not all positive in the US capital, where temperatures had plummeted due to the polar vortex. Some broadcasters decried the large number of formats that just imitate existing shows.

Lifetime programming boss Rob Sharenow said there was a “creative crisis” in unscripted television.

“The renaissance is long over.

The sense of creative energy is not there,” he added. “We’re desperately trying to find new voices.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk

News & Analysis

ITV reveals major Sky channel Sky will carry Encore exclusively for 18 months, and it will be free to subscribers

BY JakE kanTEr

ITV’s deal with Sky to launch drama channel Encore represents its most significant move in the payTV space in more than a decade.

The broadcaster will unveil the channel over the summer as part of a major four-year partnership with the satellite television operator, announced this week.

Encore will showcase the best of ITV’s recent drama, including ITV Studios detective series Vera and Jeff Pope’s Lucan. It will also commission original shows, drawing on funding that will be over and above the broadcaster’s existing commissioning budget.

ITV was unable to outline the scale of its commissioning ambitions, but talks will begin with producers in the coming months.

There is a sense the company is prepared to be guided by ideas that come forward.

Sky will carry the station exclusively for 18 months and it will be free to existing customers. No decision has been reached over Encore’s slot on Sky’s EPG. ITV’s commitment to commission content for Encore is likely to have helped it secure a better deal from Sky, which is prepared to pay a premium to carry chan-

Lucan: Encore will showcase the best ITV drama as well as original content

nels that offer its subscribers exclusive programming.

ITV Encore’s original programming will also be made available on Sky’s on-demand services – Sky Go, Now TV and Sky Store – under the two companies’ wider arrangement. Other ITV content will also be pushed out on the platforms,

while the broadcaster’s channels will be integrated into Sky Go’s live streaming service.

ITV has been exploring the potential to launch a pay-TV channel for some time, having dipped its toe in the water in 2010 by putting HD versions of ITV2, ITV3 and ITV4 on the

Sky platform. The carriage deal for those channels has also been renewed under the Sky partnership deal.

ITV Encore is the culmination of these plans and represents the broadcaster’s biggest play in the pay space since the collapse of ITV Digital in 2002. It forms part of ITV’s plans to secure half of its revenue from sources other than traditional advertising by 2015.

“The time is absolutely right to build on our successful partnership with Sky with the launch of ITV Encore, which will be an important part of ITV’s family of channels, and will complement ITV3, home to our long-running, classic drama series,” said ITV chief executive Adam Crozier.

Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch added: “This is good news for Sky customers and a positive way for us to work with ITV in a broad, mutually beneficial partnership.”

Discovery mulls acquisition of UK indie Raw TV Discovery has been acquisitive in the past couple of years, including striking a deal to buy SBS Nordics

BY PETEr WhITE

Discovery Communications is eyeing a potential acquisition of UK indie Raw TV, signalling its intention to continue to snap up international production businesses.

Several senior industry sources indicated that the global factual broadcaster had held investment talks with the production firm, which makes Gold Rush, one of Discovery’s most successful franchises.

It is not clear what stage talks have reached or if Discovery is likely to make a formal offer. Both companies declined to comment. www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Gold rush: successful franchise

The broadcaster, which operates channel brands including Discovery, Animal Planet and TLC, has been acquisitive in the past couple of years, including striking huge

deals to buy Scandinavian media group SBS Nordics last year, and upping its stake in Eurosport earlier this month to take control of the group.

However, it is more than two years since Discovery bought The Joy Of Teen Sex producer Betty,

in November 2011, its first UK indie acquisition.

Raw TV was founded in 2001 by Dimitri Doganis and has produced documentaries including Miracle On The Hudson and Unexplained Files, as well as feature films including The Imposter.

In addition to Gold Rush, it has produced series including adventure format Shackleton: Death Or Glory for Discovery.

Bart Layton joined the firm as creative director in 2005 and has been responsible for a slew of commissions both in the UK and US, while the company hired former Zodiak UK boss Joely Fether as chief executive last year.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 5

News & Analysis

BBC Arabic ‘civil war’ runs up £65,000 bill

BY JAke kANter

The BBC has spent more than £65,000 on legal wrangles with staff at BBC Arabic, according to figures seen by Broadcast.

The Global News division was hit by 10 employment disputes from nine individuals between 1 April 2010 and 15 July 2013, which resulted in compensation and settlement payments of £48,363. It paid a further £16,727 in barrister fees.

The figures, released under a Freedom of Information Act request, highlight some of the internal tensions at BBC Arabic, which were revealed by Broadcast in October last year. At the time, insiders complained of a “civil war” between management and staff.

Of the 10 cases, three were withdrawn by the claimants and one was struck out before reaching tribunal. The BBC won two, and a third was partially upheld in its favour, but it lost one case and settled out of court for a further two.

BBC Arabic reporter Ahmed Elsheikh successfully proved at a tribunal in November 2013 that he was blocked from securing a promotion because of his involvement

BBC Arabic: Global News division dealt with 10 employment disputes

with the National Union of Journalists. He was awarded £9,000 in compensation by the BBC. In another tribunal, the BBC successfully defended itself against a claim by broadcast journalist Said Shehata that he was passed over for promotion because he was a Coptic Christian. Shehata is understood to be appealing the ruling.

Broadcast can also reveal that presenters on BBC Arabic have been warned that they should improve the way they treat make-up artists. The disclosure was made by BBC director general

Tony Hall in a letter to Labour MP Stella Creasy last week. The latter raised questions about the treatment of a make-up artist in her constituency.

BBC Arabic installed Tarik Kafala as head of service last year and the consensus is that the division’s working culture has improved.

A spokeswoman said: “BBC Arabic has undergone significant structural changes over the past year. A system of informal mediation has been implemented to resolve staff issues before they become intractable.”

BBC1 places order for full series of Still Open All Hours BBC1 is to keep Still Open All Hours in business, committing to a full series after the successful update of the 1970s comedy at Christmas.

The corporation’s in-house comedy unit will produce a 6 x 30-minute run, with the aim of getting it on air in the autumn.

BBC Productions controller of fiction and entertainment Mark Freeland said creating a full series was “irresistible” given the Boxing Day performance, when it was seen by 12.2 million (44%). That made it the most-watched comedy on UK television since an episode of The Vicar Of Dibley in 2007.

Freeland said star David Jason had wanted to assess how well the revival was received before committing to a full series and was now “dying to do more”. Introducing a love interest for Jason’s Granville is a priority for writer Roy Clarke, who has begun scripting the series.

Still Open All Hours was ordered

by BBC comedy controller Shane Allen and BBC1 controller Charlotte Moore. Gareth Edwards will produce and Freeland is exec producer.

Allen said: “Roy has done a terrific job of updating the characters while keeping what was warmhearted and enjoyable about the original series.”

CPL developing controversial dating format for C4

BY JAke kANter

Channel 4 is in the early stages of developing a controversial Danish dating format in which strangers get married after meeting each other for the first time.

The commercial broadcaster is in talks with CPL Productions to work up Married At First Sight for a UK audience, after it was taken to series in Germany, France and Australia.

The format is distributed by Red Arrow International, which is owned by CPL’s parent company, Red Arrow Entertainment.

The A League Of Their Own indie has been helping to pitch it to UK 6 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

It sounds horrific, but it is one of the most life-affirming shows you are ever likely to see Murray Bolan, CPL

Married At First Sight: Danish format

broadcasters, and is now in formal talks with C4.

The original Danish show is billed as an “extreme social

experiment”, in which six singletons marry a complete stranger.

Cameras follow the couples’ every move, from their honeymoon to their first six weeks living together.

The couples then return to their families and friends to reflect on their experience before they are reunited with their spouse. At that

time they decide to either stay together or file for divorce.

Red Arrow’s Snowman Productions created the format in Denmark and it has been a ratings hit on public broadcaster DR3.

CPL creative director Murray Boland said: “On the face of it, it sounds horrific, but it is one of the most life-affirming shows you are ever likely to see. If we can get that right, it will be one of those programmes that makes people question their lives – in a good way.”

A C4 spokeswoman said: “We can confirm we are developing an idea with CPL based on the Danish format.” ➤ See Interview, page 26 www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Commissioning News

For more projects in development and the latest commissions, visit

http://greenlight.broadcastnow.co.uk

Q&A MichelA Giorelli Michela Giorelli Vice-president, production and development, Discovery Networks International and Latin America What’s your most recent commission and why?

City Eagles, a docu-reality series following São Paulo’s military police helicopter unit. Real-life drama, actionpacked and heroic characters.

How much has the programme changed from what was initially pitched?

Due to military restrictions, we ended up covering helicopter rescue missions with GoPros attached to the military and medical personnel. This gave us an intimate view into their work and interactions.

What was it that grabbed you?

Full access to the military police unit of one of the largest and most chaotic cities in the world.

What’s your most recent UK commission?

Building The World Cup from Blink Films. Hosting the tournament is a daunting challenge but Brazil is facing it head on, building stateof-the-art stadiums, battling crime, and planning new construction and infrastructure across the country. We’ve secured unprecedented access to some of Brazil’s most ambitious engineering projects. This is the second commission I’ve worked on with a UK production company, following on from Misterios De La Fe – an 8 x 60-minute Spanish-language series from Wag TV. What would you like more of?

Human adventure and turbo series with strong Latin American and US Hispanic characters.

What’s a definite no for you?

Topics unrelated to Latin America and the US Hispanic population.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Brazilian telenovelas and dulce de leche.

What’s your riskiest commission and why?

Dual Survival Brazil, the first survival series we produced in Latin America in extremely remote locations.

Which TV character/personality would you most like to be?

Daenerys from Game Of Thrones.

What’s the worst line you’ve heard in a pitch?

“We will make telepathic contact with ETs and hear their views of our world.”

What is the most important lesson life as a commissioner has taught you?

Never over-promise. Be honest with what you think you can and can’t achieve.

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who helped to build the Latin American factual industry.

How quickly do you aim to respond to an idea?

Within about two weeks.

How should producers pitch to you?

Producers can register and submit their proposals through our portal (producers.discovery.com). All proposals need to be directed to Discovery Latin America/US Hispanic.

What’s your top pitching tip for producers?

Specify your access and expertise in the subject matter. Passion is important, and a good taster tape goes a long way.

Further information and programming tariffs available at: http://greenlight.broadcastnow.co.uk

recent coMMissions

BUilding THe World CUp

CiTy eagles (series 2)

Indie Blink Films Duration 3 x 60 minutes TX tbc, May, Quest Summary Series following Brazil’s World Cup preparations, with unprece­ dented access to some of the country’s most ambitious engineering projects.

Indie Mixer (based in São Paolo) Duration 8 x 60 minutes TX 30 April, Discovery Channel Brazil Summary Docu­reality series following São Paulo’s military police helicopter unit.

8 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

International News

Tinopolis partners with US producer for indie launch

BY PETER WHITE

The Real Housewives Of Orange County producer Kevin Lee has agreed a partnership with Tinopolis Group to launch production company Tollbooth Group.

Lee, whose showrunner credits include Fox reality show The Simple Life and Spike TV’s crimethemed gameshow Murder, will base the new business in California.

Tollbooth will focus on developing unscripted programming for the global market. Tinopolis will own a majority stake and distribute shows through its sales arm, Passion Distribution.

Tollbooth will be the super-indie’s fourth US venture, joining A Smith and Co, Base Productions and Firecracker Films’ US base. Tinopolis board member and Base founder John Brenkus said Lee was a “rarity”.

“He has created and sold a number of formats that have gone on to do well both domestically

Lesley Douglas returns to BBC with Lonesome Pine The BBC has gone back into business with Lesley Douglas (below), the former Radio 2 controller who resigned from the corporation at the height of the Sachsgate scandal. BBC Worldwide has struck a first-look deal with Lonesome Pine Productions, an indie Douglas has established with Aschlin Ditta, whose credits include The Catherine Tate Show and No Angels. BBCW will provide “investment and global market support” under the “development partnership”, in return for exclusive rights to distribute Lonesome Pine’s future programming.

BBCW has not taken an equity stake, but is providing funding for development. The deal is Douglas’s first formal collaboration with the 10 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

Real Housewives Of Orange County: producer Kevin Lee to head Tollbooth

and internationally. He also has a strong track record of successfully running his own production company,” said Brenkus.

“Not only can we take advantage of Tinopolis’ extensive global distribution, but we can also tap into the logistical infrastructure and vast experience of the group’s existing US production companies.”

Separately, Tinopolis-owned production business Sunset+Vine has opened an office in Asia to take advantage of the growing demand for sports programming in the region.

Located in Singapore, Sunset+ Vine Asia will be headed by Huw Bevan, who joins from Fox International Channels.

BBC since October 2008, when she left the broadcaster after taking responsibility for the lewd answerphone messages left by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross on Andrew Sachs’ voicemail.

Scripps funds Transparent TV Travel Channel series

DRG swoops to distribute Babylon and Genius DRG has picked up the rights to Danny Boyle’s forthcoming Channel 4 drama Babylon and National Geographic doc series Genius. The distributor began showcasing the pilot episode of the C4 show, which is due to air next week, to international broadcasters at this week’s NATPE event in Miami.

Separately, DRG has struck an agreement with Stephen David Entertainment, producer of Robert Redford’s The West, for the international rights to Genius.

Transparent Television has secured a commission from the Travel Channel that is almost fully funded by owner Scripps Network International (SNI) as part of its commitment to airing standout shows. The Argonon-owned indie has also secured distribution rights for all territories outside of SNI’s EMEA footprint for food travelogue Jonathan Phang’s Gourmet Trains (below).

The 6 x 60-minute show launches in the UK imminently. Scripps UK and EMEA senior vice-president of content and marketing Nick Thorogood said the broadcaster was open to allowing producers to retain rights, where appropriate. “We are able to work with [Argonon’s] distribution arm, so even if we

ITV2’s Release The Hounds set for German remake Release The Hounds, the horror gameshow created by Gogglebox Entertainment for ITV2, is to be remade in Germany.

Broadcaster ProSieben has signed the first format deal for the show, ordering a two-hour special that will be called Scream! If you Can. It will air in March.

Gogglebox is a joint venture with Sony Pictures Television, which sells the show. SPT Productions Germany will make the new version.

Astrid Quentell, managing director and senior vice-president of SPT Productions Germany, said: “Release The Hounds caused a stir when we first pitched the format. It is unlike anything else on TV with its unique mix of horror and gameplay.”

Release The Hounds aired as a one-off on ITV2 in October and was picked up for a full series last week. Contestants enter a forest at dusk and face challenges to get hold of money locked in chests. It concludes with the contestants trying to out-run a pack of hounds to escape with the cash.

have the show on our channel in a country, there may be a discussion about secondary rights for other platforms or channels,” he said.

Title Role links with Foxtel to secure first format deal Title Role Productions has brokered its first international format deal, for a local version of Crimes That Shook Britain for Australia’s Foxtel. The series will comprise 6 x 60-minute docs investigating the biggest crimes in the country’s recent history, as told by those involved in the cases. Manchester-based indie Title Role will handle the production of the series, Crimes That Shook Australia, while Cineflix will distribute it. The show already airs in the UK on A+E Networks UK’s Crime & Investigation Network, as well as in more than 100 international territories. www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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Multiplatform News In BrIef BBC Radio hires web duo BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra have appointed two dedicated social media producers to manage their online profiles. Charlotte Greenman and Alex Manzi will give each station a consistent tone and sense of humour, as well as encouraging more listener interaction. Updates will be posted more regularly, with more unique content. Controller Ben Cooper said: “Our DJs represent us on air; now our social media producers will represent us online.”

BBC Worldwide reaches out to digital start-ups LaBs story so far Foodity Secured a commercial partnership with BBC Good Food, allowing visitors to fill a Tesco.com basket with the ingredients from a recipe with a single click.

Ko-Su Online learning tool secured a distribution deal with BBC Worldwide’s Motion Gallery Education, allowing access to an archive of educational video clips.

BBC Weather app hits 5m The BBC Weather app has been downloaded 5 million times just eight months after its launch. Downloads, which are taking place at an average rate of 15 times per minute, are split equally between iOS and Android. Each week, 60% of users access the app on mobile, with 40% of visits via tablets.

UKTV offers YouView VoD UKTV has rolled out VoD players for free-to-air channels Really and Yesterday on YouView. The seven-day catch-up players, developed by Capablue, offer access to a selection of the channels’ acquisitions and original commissions. The services join the Dave player in a single UKTV ‘hub’, available via YouView’s on-demand section.

Rise in connected devices The number of TV-centric connected devices around the world is expected to hit 2 billion by 2017, according to a study from Futuresource Consulting.

The installed base of connected TVs, set-top boxes, games consoles and Blu-ray players passed 1 billion in 2013. “By 2017, more than 80% of all TV sets sold worldwide will be enabled for online connectivity and smart features,” said senior analyst Jack Wetherill.

For the latest breaking news www.broadcastnow.co.uk 12 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

Wirewax Developed interactive online trailers for the BBC, including a 60-second Sherlock promo that has generated 1.2 million interactions and an average view time of 5 minutes.

Sherlock: Wirewax developed online trailer as part of labs initiative

BY Alex FArBer

BBC Worldwide has kicked off its third annual Labs initiative, designed to forge ties with emerging digital start-ups.

Labs, overseen by chief digital officer Daniel Heaf, will offer a further six companies the chance to relocate to BBCW’s offices at MediaCityUK in Salford, to be mentored and build contacts across the corporation.

“Internal innovation is incredibly difficult to make happen,” said Heaf. “It’s important for us to work with those young, smart companies that are rewriting the rules of the internet and how consumers interact with connected devices.”

Previous businesses picked from the 100 hopeful applicants include shopping tools, learning services and talent networks (see box). While Heaf is keeping an open mind, he is keen to bring mobile and video specialists into the scheme.

“Key areas for us include businesses that have built themselves to be mobile-first and video experts – whether that’s around the player or ad technology,” he said. “But BBCW operates in multiple different areas, so we need to consider areas such as what 3D

Key areas for us include businesses that are mobile-first and video experts Daniel Heaf, BBCW

printing might look like within our consumer products division.”

BBCW does not seek to take a stake in its Labs partners, and Heaf said that people, business fit and growth potential are the most important criteria.

“We said we would only continue with Labs if it offered value to the companies that go through the programme, and to ourselves.

Every year it continues is a sign that it does just that.”

Exchanging skills Separately, BBCW has begun working with YouTube star Jack Burke further to its first Creator Exchange event, held late last year.

The initiative, held in partnership with Google Campus and YouTube Next Lab, paired 10 up-and-coming YouTubers with digital start-ups.

The contest required the YouTube stars to use their expertise to produce a video to promote the start-up’s business.

The Backscratchers Freelance network that has secured a contract with BBCW, having sourced talent for the Dancing With The Stars global brands team.

Future Ad labs Innovative ad formats business worked with Good Food to introduce a ‘playcaptcha’ that involved dragging a spoon of flour into a mixing bowl, rather than requesting a sequence of numbers and letters.

Peekabu Studios Motion technology firm produced BBCW’s 2013 Christmas e-message.

Burke, who runs the 27,000 subscriber-strong Jack Vs Life YouTube channel, won the event for his work with local listings site Twenty Something London.

Burke and the start-up were invited to work for 12 weeks with BBCW as ‘entrepreneurs in residence’ from January this year.

Twenty Something has since been working closely with the BBCW Travel team, while Burke is helping to relaunch the BBC Comedy Greats YouTube channel.

BBCW programme co-ordinator Hannah Blake said the Creator Exchange program was about working with “raw talent”.

“We have a lot of internal expertise, but these YouTube stars have attracted a ton of subscribers off their own backs, with no budget. We want to learn from them and bring a refreshing angle to the team.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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Technology & Facilities CREATIVE REVIEW

BRITAIN’S GREAT WAR

AN ISLAND PARISH

Post Clear Cut Pictures Client BBC Arts Brief Picture and audio post for the Jeremy Paxmanfronted four-part series, which is the first of the BBC’s WWI centennial programming.

How it was done Colourist Enge Gray used Nucoda Film Master to give the pictures a soft, sombre look. A delicate touch at the low end and natural tones and hues were used in harmony so viewers aren’t distracted as the stories unfold. The Film Master’s DVO fix assisted with the removal of scratches, flickers and blemishes from the archive material and helped to increase stabilisation. Head of audio Greg Gettens led a historically accurate sound design, creating sounds that were married with the archive footage. This was achieved through a highly researched track-lay, which was complemented by an emotionally charged mix.

Watch it Mondays, 9pm, BBC1

Post Prime Focus Client Tiger Aspect Brief Picture and audio post-production on series eight of the show about life on the island of Sark.

How it was done Footage was shot on location and combined with archive of the island. The Baselight grade was completed by Alex Gascoigne, who used contrast and saturation to bring out the beauty of the island, emphasising the colour palette while maintaining a realistic and natural feel throughout.

The aim was to build on the programme’s insight into a lifestyle that is influenced by the environmental and geological surroundings. Production manager Charlie Bennet said the overall look helped with one of the most important aspects of the series: capturing the beauty and atmosphere of the islands. The online edit was completed by Andrew Penfold with Avid Symphony.

Watch it Fridays, 8.30pm, BBC2

DAN SNOW’S HISTORY OF THE WINTER OLYMPICS Post Dock10 Client BBC2 Brief Picture and audio post for a documentary looking at the history of the Winter Olympic Games.

How it was done The production was edited off site for three weeks before the Avid project and DNX files were loaded into Dock10’s Isis. The Red files were moved onto Isilon ready for conform. The fine cut took place over three weeks using Media Composer 6.5. At picture lock, the final sequence was relinked to the Red RD3 files by ingest team leader Sam Butler. Senior colourist Jamie Parry graded using Baselight, enhancing the stunning location footage. Head of audio Mark Briscoe mixed the programme using Pro Tools v10 to create a vibrant and energetic mix, boosting the archive footage with added effects.

Watch it Thursday, 9pm, BBC2

You can view clips at broadcastnow.co.uk/techfacils/creative-review To include your work email george.bevir @broadcastnow.co.uk

AmberFin hands Adrian Smith EMEA sales role AmberFin has appointed Adrian Smith to vicepresident of sales for Europe, Middle East & Africa.

Smith (right), who had been AmberFin’s vice-president of sales for the Asia Pacific region for four years, will replace Paula Bargery, who has joined Harris Broadcast.

Ray Bragg to take up role as director at IPE Systems integrator IPE has appointed Ray Bragg as a director of the company. Bragg most recently worked as a consultant for TSL on the technical installations for the Dock10 Studios in Salford, ITV news studios in Leeds and 14 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

MediaCityUK in Salford, plus the recent move of the Coronation Street studios. He said: “IPE has won great respect within the industry, not just for the timely delivery of major projects including BBC North in Salford and BBC New Broadcasting House in London, but also for its highly regarded IDS product line.”

BBC: DMI boss Linwood was ‘relieved of duties’ The BBC has revealed that John Linwood, the technology boss who oversaw the £100m Digital Media Initiative fiasco, was formally relieved of his duties in July last year. The corporation ended chief technology officer Linwood’s contract two months after he was

suspended in May 2013, but has only just been able to confirm his departure following months of legal wrangling.

Allen & Heath expands Qu digital mixer range Allen & Heath has added a new model to its Qu series of compact digital mixers.

The Qu-24 (right) includes a dedicated fader per mic input channel, 24 mic or line inputs, three stereo inputs, and four FX engines with four dedicated sends and stereo returns.

The Qu-24 will ship in February for £2,160.

Insurance firm warns against fraudulent hires Fraudulent hires have recently cost

three hire firms a total of just over £20,000 in stolen equipment.

Insurance firm Allan Chapman & James warned that “a substantial amount of camera equipment” was taken from companies in London and Manchester, including Canon and Sony cameras and lenses. Allan Chapman & James commercial director John Claffey stressed “the importance of thorough checks on all hirers, but in particular on new customers”.

Potato chooses Evolutions for The Chase post services Evolutions has been appointed

by ITV Studios-owned producer Potato to provide picture and audio post services for the eighth series of The Chase. Evolutions will www.broadcastnow.co.uk

For the latest technology and facilities news, updated daily, visit www.broadcastnow.co.uk/techfacils

Goldcrest recruits for move into high-end picture post

BY GeorGe Bevir

Goldcrest is gearing up for a major push into the world of high-end picture post.

The facility, which is best known for its audio post work across feature films and broadcast, is believed to have poached senior members of staff from DI facility Company 3 to support the move.

Company 3 UK boss Patrick Malone, who resigned from the Deluxe Entertainment Services firm towards the end of last year, will head Goldcrest’s theatrical post department.

Malone, who held the role of director of digital film services at Company 3, is set to join Goldcrest in the coming weeks, when his period of gardening leave ends.

His departure has fuelled speculation that he will be joined at Goldcrest by other Company 3 employees, leading to a major shake-up in the UK’s DI sector.

Company 3 colourists Adam Glasman and Rob Pizzey, together with technical director Laurent

work on 150 episodes of the quiz show. Managing director Simon Kanjee said: “This is a huge series, possibly one of the biggest runs for any post house, so we are delighted.”

New Media Partners to evaluate DPP performance The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) has appointed consultancy firm New Media Partners to assess the cross-broadcaster group’s performance. As part of the initial three-month deal, New Media will also provide advice about what the DPP needs to do beyond the switchover to filebased delivery later this year, and how it can best serve the industry after 2014. The DPP will continue to work with media technology firm Mediasmiths International.

Foundry launches plug-in The Foundry has launched MeshFusion (above right), a plug-in for www.broadcastnow.co.uk

The Hollow Crown: Goldcrest team picked up Bafta Craft Award for sound

Treherne, have also resigned from Company 3.

Goldcrest has 50 dry hire cutting rooms and a handful of online suites, but is expected to make significant investment to support the expansion, with two grading suites to be installed at its Lexington Street base.

The company bolstered its picture post department in 2012 when it formed a year-long alliance with boutique grading facility

Narduzzo Too, and recruited Moira Brophy as head of post production and Sinéad Cronin as senior online editor.

Company 3 president Stefan Sonnenfeld said: “Our team of colourists around the globe, which has recently been enhanced by the addition of Greg Fisher, gives us the flexibility to accommodate change within the business, and ensures that we will continue to deliver a first-class DI service to our clients.”

the firm’s 3D modelling, animation, sculpting, effects and rendering tool Modo 701. Modo product marketing manager Shane Griffith said: “MeshFusion removes the challenge of complex and frustrating

The Space Project. Project director Sue Woodward said: “With so much high-spec production and back stage space available, it seemed fitting.” The facility, due to open in June, will provide 55,000 sq ft of dedicated studio space, split across five production stages.

Tomori joins Soho’s Root6

Boolean operations and makes the process of producing high-quality models consistent and accurate. ”

Manchester studio build dubbed The Space Project The 360,000 sq ft studio space in Manchester being developed by the team responsible for the city’s Sharp Project has been branded

Amanda Tomori has joined Sohobased reseller Root6’s sales team in the newly created role of internal sales support. Tomori most recently worked at Avid, where she provided internal sales support for the Northern Enterprise Team.

Avid unveils plug-ins for Pro Tools 11 software Avid has announced that 850 plug-ins from more than 80 developers are now available for the 64-bit release of its Pro Tools 11 software. “With over 10,000 Pro Tools HDX systems sold, there is a

Sony launches pay-as-you-go licensing deals Sony has launched pay-as-you-go software licensing agreements for a selection of its cameras for the first time.

The new pricing model applies to the manufacturers’ range of HDC studio cameras, and covers varying frame rates for a period of seven or 30 days.

The manufacturer said the new model would allow users to switch between formats without becoming tied to long-term deals. Sony is expected to roll out the pay-asyou-go plans to other product lines over the coming months.

Sony Europe product marketing manager Norbert Paquet said: “This licensing model will reduce the level of investment at the outset and change the way that licensing costs impact the balance sheet.

“It will free up money to be spent in other areas and mean that customers can be ready for anything, without it costing them the earth.”

The models covered by the plans are the HDC-1700, HDC-2400, HDC-2400DF and HDC-2570.

fast-growing market for 64-bit AAX plug-ins, not only for Pro Tools HDX but also for our S3L live system,” said Avid senior vice-president of products and services Chris Gahagan.

Video Europe invests in Sony HDC-2500 cameras Rental firm Video Europe has invested in 40 of Sony’s HDC-2500 cameras. They will be used across Video Europe’s dry hire, specialist projects and OB businesses.

Loft boosts Chiswick base with online edit suites Loft London has expanded its Chiswick facility with the addition of four online edit suites, which will run Media Composer, Symphony and Final Cut Pro, supported by Isis and Interplay platforms. Loft has also increased its encode and transcode capacity with DVS Venice and Content Agent.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 15

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Comment

If you can provide a place where people can do good work, then that will result in good TV Danielle Lux, Interview, page 26

101 Finsbury Pavement, London EC2A 1RS Editor Lisa Campbell 020 3033 2813 Deputy Editor & News Editor Chris Curtis 020 3033 2718 Features Editor Robin Parker 020 3033 4202 Web Editor Alex Farber 020 3033 4204 Senior Reporter Jake Kanter 020 3033 4205 Senior Reporter Andreas Wiseman 020 3638 5066 Senior Reporter, International Peter White 020 3033 4271 Technology and Facilities Editor George Bevir 020 3033 4207 Production Editor Dominic Needham 020 3033 4201 Group Art Director, MBI Peter Gingell 020 3033 4203 Head of Production and Art, MBI Mark Mowbray 020 3033 2817 Contributors Kate Bulkley, Stephen Price Group Commercial Director, MBI Alison Pitchford 020 3033 2949 Conference Director, MBI Charlotte Wheeler 07702 381809 Events Manager, MBI Mai Le 020 3033 2950 Deputy Sales Manager Sonya Jacobs 020 3638 5057 Business Development Director Patricia Arescy 020 3638 5063 Recruitment & Classified Manager Jonathan Thornley 020 3638 5065 Greenlight Co-ordinator Maria Sell 020 3033 2932 Sales Administrator Justyna Zieba 020 3033 2694 Marketing Executive Sheryl Rood 020 3033 2872 Production Manager, MBI Jon Cooke 020 3033 4296 Chief Executive, MBI Conor Dignam 020 3033 2717 Advertising Fax 020 3033 2604 Subscription Enquiries 01604 828706 Customer Services Email help@subscribe.broadcastnow.co.uk 0203 033 2620 The formula to email individual members of staff is: firstname.surname@broadcastnow.co.uk The formula to email individual members of staff with MBI after their job title: firstname.surname@mb-insight.com

To subscribe to Broadcast simply follow one of these steps VISIT www.subscription.co.uk/ broadcast/bmla Or Call 01604 828705 (UK) or +44 (0)1604 828705 (international) and quote BMLA Broadcast is part of Media Business Insight Ltd (MBI), publisher of Screen International & shots www.mb-insight.com

18 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

The new deal in acquisitions It’s about forming partnerships to secure talent, says Kate Bulkley

W

e may be at the end of the January sales, but there’s every chance buyers of independent production companies will continue to look like manic bargain hunters for the whole of 2014.

However, the money that the buyers are willing to lay out has changed – its seems there’s a new way to do a deal and the next 12 months could see it blossom, particularly in the US. Consolidation of the indie market picked up last year, with ITV, Tinopolis and Red Arrow among the main purchasers. ITV led the way, picking up five indies: two British and three from the US. The US is where much of the action is now taking place and the creation of the Tollbooth Group this week is a good example of why. Tollbooth is not so much the purchase of an indie as the creation of one. The producer of US hit The Real Housewives Of Orange County (pictured), Kevin Lee, is teaming up with UK superindie Tinopolis to co-own the new company. Partnering with a successful producer/showrunner seems like a new way forward rather than the traditional formula of a big indie swallowing up a smaller one, based on a deal that combines an up-front payment with some kind of complicated, multi-year earn-out structure.

The US is increasingly attractive, due to higher production margins and bigger growth prospects because of the fierce competition for hits between cable and network broadcasters. This has allowed the US indie market to “wake up”, according to Thomas Dey, chief executive of broker About Corporate Finance, which is paying particular attention to the market.

A new way of securing indies and talent is overdue because the traditional earn-out model is broken, says Charles Corwin, co-chief executive and chairman of

Endemol’s North American operations. Corwin admits he did “quite well” under his own earn-out, when Original Media was purchased by Endemol in 2007, but he believes the landscape has changed.

“I don’t think the structure of those deals makes sense for Endemol anymore,” he says. Not only do the deals “skew incentives” for those who signed them, but in most cases, US indies don’t own a lot of their own IP, so the deals are really about “investing in the principals”.

Once the earn-out is over, the relationship usually is too.

There are also meta-changes in the TV market that are blurring the lines between broadcaster and producer. Endemol’s purchase of a 33% stake in Israeli broadcaster/producer Reshet in December 2013 underlines the change. “I’ve grown up with the idea that there are broadcasters and there are producers,” says Endemol president Tim Hincks. “But that is where Reshet is very different. We’ll be taking risks both as a broadcaster and a producer in backing our own IP.” Corwin says the future is about creating a “hybridised studio model” to attract and keep creative talent.

This could include some elements of how the studios structure deals with showrunners, but have more of a strategic partnership element to it.

Not that Endemol won’t do traditional deals if it makes sense to, but Corwin says “smarter deals” must be found. Creating new financial models for talent is a script begging to be written. ➤ Kate Bulkley is a print and TV journalist and awards secretary of the Broadcasting Press Guild. Follow her on Twitter @katecomments

‘The future is about creating a “hybridised studio model” to keep talent’

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Post your comments online at www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Your saY

Henry: called for diversity funding

Responses on broadcastnow.co.uk to our story ‘Lenny Henry: diversity needs dedicated funding’ To place any business or individual on a platform which has special case written all over it is not healthy. Hire and do business with people on merit and ability as any other industry works. Don’t create settlements of entitlement.

Agent What the roundtable fundamentally lacked was the voice of representatives in the community or media organisations that are developing or have ready-made talent for the industry. You do not need quotas, you need to listen and work with the community organisations and media businesses that are already out there.

Make the diversity heads more diverse, stop setting agendas among senior management and get them to start listening to their front-line people who know what to do to engage, retain and promote diversity on merit.

Producer Most big media companies are led by people whose only point of reference in a diversity conversation is their reggae collection, the life-enriching experience their public-school educated kid just had in Kenya on a gap year, and that they’re Jewish so they know what it’s like to be a minority.

I don’t blame anyone for asking for stricter targets because the situation is so obviously wrong.

But behaviour in companies big or small starts at the very top. The only sustainable answer is to hire leaders who genuinely care.

Producer www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Comment

Broadcast, 101 Finsbury Pavement, London, EC2A 1RS or email bcletters@emap.com

IN mY vIew Responses on broadcastnow.co.uk to Brian Woods’ comment piece ‘Our duty is to show, and care’ (Broadcast, 24.01.14) The media furore about Benefits Street is very convenient for Channel 4 and Love Productions.

Not only is it a ratings ‘winner’, but it’s a distraction from what should be the real issue of concern for our industry – and one that needs addressing as a matter of urgency.

The contributors in Benefits Street claim that they were not told the truth about the series before they agreed to take part.

One couple, who were filmed extensively, say they were left out of the final cut because their reality didn’t fit the producer’s agenda or script.

The pressure on production teams to ‘deliver’ what an exec has promised to a commissioning editor, or what a commissioning editor has demanded – irrespective of the facts – can be overwhelming. I speak from experience – and I know I’m very far from being alone. But anyone who openly admitted this would never work again – so there’s a conspiracy of silence, even though we all know what goes on.

Like Broadcast editor Lisa Campbell, I also have a problem with using the word ‘characters’ – and I hate to think in terms of ‘casting’ contributors. I work in factual programmes, not drama.

Proper aftercare for those who agree to expose themselves and their lives on TV is essential – but that’s of little value if you’ve lied to them in the first place to get them on board. Our industry needs to clean up its act.

Producer/director Poor Kids was brilliant because its treatment of poverty was sympathetic (as it should be in any civilised society) and by focusing on a child’s perspective it had a ‘truth’ to it that Benefits Street doesn’t.

I still believe that for £150,000 per annum, commissioning editors in particular should have a clearer idea of what ‘the right thing to do’ is. And that is to not exploit the poorest in society in a cynical battle for audience figures.

Development producer

News needs to reflect the audience to stay relevant Advertisers realise the importance of diversity, and so should we, says Sangeeta Bhabra

L

enny Henry and Ed Vaizey MP were not the only ones keeping diversity in the spotlight last week. ITV News has just held its latest Diversity Forum, for more than 80 colleagues from around the regional and network newsrooms.

The event at ITV’s South Bank offices brought together attendees from across all newsroom roles, along with viewers who are part of our local diversity panels.

All were in London for what is an ongoing and honest debate about how newsrooms around the country can better represent the communities that make up local audiences on and off screen.

The event last Friday was our sixth conference and, we think, the most dynamic yet.

In the audience was Michael Jermey, director of ITV news and current affairs, and Robin Elias, managing editor at ITV News, as well as senior programme-makers from around the country. Also present were a cross-section of people, from production specialists to news presenters.

The aim of the day was to question what we in ITV News think we know about Britain in 2014, and to encourage a debate that would have a positive impact on how we do things back at base.

The forum had an expert panel discussion, chaired by ITV News London’s Ronke Phillips. Her guests were disability campaigner Phil Friend, writer Paris Lees, who is currently number one in the Independent on Sunday’s Pink List, Broadcast editor Lisa Campbell and Simone Pennant, founder of The TV Collective. Each reflected on diversity from their perspective, and the insights they’d give to news media.

It didn’t take long for the debate to get fired up, with Phillips asking open questions to stir the discus-

sion, such as: if news is news, how does diversity fit into that agenda?

And what role can news coverage play in reinforcing stereotypes? Our panel of experts provided great insights, as did contributors from the floor, who offered valuable advice to those who make the news.

ITV News’ Nina Hossain hosted the main afternoon session. The 80 attendees were divided into discussion groups, each tasked with brainstorming new ways of addressing old problems. Recruit-

‘Those setting the agenda need to look more like the people who are watching’ ment, use of language, women in sport and portrayal monitoring were all scrutinised.

What came out of those sessions was lots of good ideas, and some food for thought. They will now be discussed at a senior level in ITV News, at the 14 regional diversity panels around the country where local programme-makers meet with representatives of the local communities to get feedback and ideas, and in team meetings in all newsrooms.

A telling comment made in the panel debate by Campbell was that you can only be what you see.

If all news programmes are going to be more relevant in 2014 then those setting the news agenda, those delivering the news stories, and those commenting on them, need to look more like the people who are watching.

As the opening film at the start of the day revealed, advertisers have already started realising this and are making their campaigns work harder to connect with all communities. In news, we must make sure that we are continuing to do the same. ➤ Sangeeta Bhabra is co-presenter of ITV News Meridian 31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 19

The Broadcast Interview Talpa Media JoHn de Mol

Hunting for a new reality Talpa Media’s Utopia is the hottest new reality format right now. Chris Curtis heads to a former Dutch military base to hear owner John de Mol’s plans for a ‘more upscale Big Brother’

O

ver the past few weeks, execs from the biggest broadcasters in the world have made their way to a disused military base in the Dutch countryside. Tucked away between the towns of Hilversum and Laren is what feels like a relic from the Eastern bloc or the setting for a horror movie, but is actually the home of the latest major format from John de Mol. Utopia, a shift back to the idea of reality TV as social experiment, is a huge show. It has a production team of 160, airs five nights a week on Dutch channel SBS6 – which De Mol part owns – and is scheduled to run for a year. Not that that’s putting off potential buyers of the format.

“There’s only one factor that matters: is it a success or not?” says Talpa Media owner De Mol. “If it is, the broadcasters will come here like bees to honey. Especially when it is proven; when they can see the show and its ratings.”

Utopia only launched on 6 January but Fox in the US has already snapped it up (Simon Andreae bought the show last week) and De Mol says buyers are wasting no time.

“The Voice was quick, but this was even quicker – we haven’t been on air for two-and-half weeks and we’re close to deals in several countries,” he says.

Gut feeling He’s predictably tight-lipped about other territories, including the UK, but keen to discuss Utopia’s origin, which lay in De Mol’s “gut feeling” that, 14 years after Big Brother, the reality genre was due for a shake-up.

He explains: “Talpa isn’t an ordinary production company, it’s a creator of ideas. We do have a production division to make shows, but the whole company is based on creativity.”

De Mol has a team of around 25 people that work directly with him on format creation. They do so in a professional way, studying trend reports and what’s going on in the world, and meet on Monday nights to discuss what they’re thinking about.

20 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

“It’s a more upscale reality show because the level of the people inside is slightly higher than for BB,” De Mol says. “Utopia genuinely has people who want to show the world that things can be done differently. Even so, if 15 people want to achieve something, the way they want to get there always creates arguments or different points of view. There are many decisions, and the process of getting to the answers is very exciting.”

The show also takes Big Brother’s back-stabbing out of the equation: the nominations process takes place in front of the whole group and each participant explains their reasons.

“There’s no hidden agenda, no pretending to be best friends. It’s open and fair. We’re asking people to create the perfect world, so it makes sense to give them the chance to correct the group a little bit – to take out one rotten apple,” he says.

Production techniques

‘In Big Brother, the fridge is half full – in Utopia, it’s cold and they have to create heating’ John de Mol

“During 2013, we noticed a fairly constant piece of information: people are really insecure, they’re worried about their financial future, and they’re unhappy with regulations. So we asked ourselves: what happens if we give people the chance to do it all again? Would they be able to create a mini society rather than the one we are living in now?”

The emphasis on Utopia’s inhabitants shaping their society dovetails with a far less ‘produced’ format.

There are nomination structures and some duty-of-care rules, but De Mol describes it as a far “purer” show, with fewer “strings to pull” and no equivalent of Big Brother’s games and tasks.

“In Big Brother, the fridge is filled every day, the people could just sit on the couch. Here, it’s cold and they have to create a heating system.”

The result is that arguments on Utopia tend to be about setting up a group hierarchy or agreeing how decisions are taken, rather than rows over who drank the last beer.

But while the production is hands-off in terms of influencing the inhabitants, it still requires plenty of hard work. The gallery is a frantic hive of directors and camera operators following storylines and loggers hammering in metadata details and taking notes of dialogue.

The editing is also more considered and crafted than Big Brother. Each episode of the latter features the previous day’s highlights, but Utopia has a five-day lag between real events appearing on the show. The delay, one senior production exec tells me, is because “we’re making a soap opera”.

That might explain why SBS airs Utopia at 7.30pm. It was conceived as a shoulder-peak show offering multiple repeats – there’s an 11.30pm repeat and more repeats in the morning and early afternoon the next day – although De Mol acknowledges international broadcasters might have their own view on when it should air.

What he will demand is a chance for Utopia to prove itself. He knows that a channel buying the format is unlikely to guarantee a year-long run, but ➤ www.broadcastnow.co.uk

For all the latest breaking news, updated daily, visit www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Utopia: the 15 contestants live in a leaky old silo on a disused military base.

Between them, they are given €10,000, two cows and a brood of chickens

UTopia HoW THe FoRMaT WoRKS Utopia is Talpa Media’s attempt to bring some purity back to the reality genre – with viewer involvement ramped up via second screen and producer manipulation cut back.

The initial premise is that 15 participants aged 20 to 60 are selected to spend a year creating their own utopia, living in a leaky old silo on a disused military base.

They are given €10,000, two cows and a brood of chickens, plus a single mobile with €25 credit. They may take in a small crate of possessions, but must otherwise fend for themselves. Friends and family visits are forbidden, but interaction with the

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outside world, in particular business deals, is allowed. Participants can use their cash to fix the roof or the taps, but they also need to spend it on food, as the winter start means they can’t grow anything for the first three months.

The show’s website features a section called Doing Business with Utopia. Almost immediately, there were 2,500 proposals from Utopia ‘passport holders’ – viewers who pay €2.50 a month, which allows them to do business with the Utopians, watch four live streams and use two 360degree cameras. A few weeks in, Talpa has sold 50,000 passports.

The nomination and eviction process is complex but, perversely, takes place in the open

every four weeks. All 15 participants are given three points to allocate to their fellow Utopians, which can either be put against one person, or shared among several.

Passport holders collectively also have three points to allocate, based on their total votes.

The three highest point scorers are up for eviction. Meanwhile, passport holders select two from three candidates to go into Utopia as potential new participants. Four days later, the 15 originals pick one of the two to stay permanently, who must then decide which of the three high scorers they will replace.

The show builds towards naming a winner in the final week.

Inhabitants, viewers and passport holders vote until just one person is left – and they take home the total earnings generated by Utopia.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 21

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Part of the whole

:

The Broadcast Interview TALPA MEDIA JOHN DE MOL ‘Utopia genuinely has people who want to show the world that things can be done differently’ John de Mol

Talpa will seek a minimum commitment of around three months to give the show a “fair chance” to prove its popularity.

If (or should that be when?) a UK broadcaster picks up the format, a decision will need to be made on which company will produce the show. More than 18 months ago, De Mol told Broadcast about his ambitions to establish Talpa UK, but there’s been little progress since, despite talks behind the scenes. “It’s still on the agenda,” he says. “Once we find the right partner or the right people to manage it, we’re ready to go.”

Is it something he is actively pursuing? “There were a lot of discussions in the past year about different strategic moves, and that made us a little reluctant. Things are still going on that make it a little difficult to start our company. In the next few months, we’ll decide which way to go.”

What those “things” are isn’t clear.

Shine Group is Talpa’s joint venture partner in France and Australia, for example, which might be one option, but he also hints at a “bigger agreement with a larger player for a wider international rollout”.

Whichever route he goes down, there will be plenty of interest, not least as Talpa’s business model has been a factor in De Mol’s success over the years.

The company owns a third of SBS Broadcasting and uses its channels as a test ground for Talpa formats – De Mol calls it “fine-tuning” – which then reassures international broadcasters.

“There aren’t many companies capable of doing that,” he says. “They’d like to, but buying a substantial part of a broadcaster is a big step – and it only makes sense if, on the other side of the operation, you have the people to come up with the great ideas. If you only have one good idea, then it doesn’t work.

“The 25 people who work constantly with me to create formats and elements – that’s Talpa. Once we’ve created those formats, I want to make sure the execution is right. I want us to do that ourselves. But I’m not so much a producer – I’m a developer.” www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Utopia: the year-round show uses a production team of 160

UTOPIA THE VIEW FROM HOLLAND What’s Utopia like to watch? Painful and fascinating in equal measure, writes Netherlands-based journalist Lisa McDonald Like all reality shows, Utopia hooks us in by appealing to our voyeuristic nature and our desire for drama. Designed to be a real-life soap to rival Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden (Good Times, Bad Times), Holland’s number one soap opera for 20 years, it features an array of larger-than-life characters, such as: Rienk (pictured right), the suspiciously well-educated drifter and the only resident to grasp the project’s ideology; Billy, the ‘life artist’ (pictured left) whose whining ways grate on everyone’s nerves – including the cows, who won’t produce milk when she’s around; Emil, the burly professional wrestler who wept when confronted with too much tuna in his sandwich; and Jimmy, the menacing paramilitary giant who refuses to take off his red beret, sleeps outside in the shed, and is definitely not someone you would want to meet in a dark alley.

In the show’s current ‘storylines’, the residents are fighting over showers, food, chores and anything else that calls for decisionmaking or sharing.

The show is receiving a bashing on several

Dutch websites about its authenticity (are some of these ‘real’ people actually actors?) but there’s no denying that real or not, you want more: more mediocre-quality video footage of gossiping girls milking cows; more alpha males fighting over food and asserting their authority; and more personalities clashing dramatically.

Critics also question the purity of the experiment, asking how residents can create a new society when they have frequent and daily contact with the outside world, including the internet.

Much of the debate has been intellectual in nature. What happens when people create a new society in a time of crisis, free from the perils of the world they leave behind? What changes?

Very little, it seems. Three weeks in, the participants are recreating the same old hierarchies and capitalist realities. It’s essentially survival of the fittest, with the strong and aggressive leading and manipulating the weak.

So will Utopia evolve into an idealistic micro-society that will revolutionise the way we think about our individualistic lifestyles and our political, social and economic systems – or is it merely a TV-dinner live soap with the added bonus of being able to evict unpalatable characters?

I’m hoping a bit of both, but fear that it will end up degenerating into the latter.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 23

Masterclass loudness

sound without limits The BBC Academy’s Paul Buller talks to three top engineers about how new loudness recommendations can open up the full audio range – and give viewers less of a headache

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What’s the problem – and hoW can We fix it?

John Heraty Broadcast engineering trainer, BBC

Until recently, there was no standard way of monitoring how the loudness of a TV programme was perceived by the audience. By and large, TV programmes are quiet in comparison with the trails. But when compared with each other, they are inconsistent in their average loudness, which means the viewer often has to adjust the volume when one programme finishes and another starts.

This problem has many causes, but at its root is the way we measure audio. The UK broadcast industry has historically used the PPM (Peak Programme Meter). This was designed 24 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

for monitoring the feed to AM radio transmitters. In the 1930s, its use spread to monitoring the sound in the first ‘405-line’ TV broadcasts.

Despite being used for many decades, the PPM does not indicate how loud our ears truly perceive sound to be. It also doesn’t tell the whole truth as to how close to overload a signal source is.

Using loudness monitoring tools, we can measure the loudness of the programme over its entirety. This allows producers to be more dynamic with the volume range across all their output.

All a broadcaster needs to do is use a loudness meter for the programme mix. We then make all the programmes to the same ‘target’ loudness. This reduces complaints and allows all of our shows to have the style of sound they want. A new True Peak Meter will indicate that the sound does not overload the signal

‘All a broadcaster needs to do is to use a loudness meter for the programme mix. We then make all the programmes to the same ‘target’ level John Heraty, BBC

chain, far more accurately than the PPM ever could.

I tell people to think about the average living room: how comfortable is the volume when you consider the background noise levels? How loud can you make the show without disturbing the people in that room?

The engineer in the studio will have a meter that can measure the average loudness of contributors and the overall mix, but then you need to take an average of the entire thing. It’s more difficult in live shows, but for pre-recorded programmes, the automatic quality control systems can monitor loudness. There are several places in the signal chain that can be monitored and, if need be, corrected.

In a controlled environment, it’s about learning to listen rather than being obsessed with levels. Producers need to learn to trust the sound operator and let them say: “Look, we can give more dynamic range to this www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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programme and it will give you the drama – that bit more punch you want – while still keeping the average loudness.”

Experienced sound ops and engineers should find this easy. The word I’ve heard time and time again is that the new monitors are “liberating”.

They let them use the whole range of sound, yet still make it intelligible and useable in a home environment.

The meter is a good teacher too, so for self-shooters like journalists, without the luxury of a sound engineer, it’s important to use these systems – you’ll learn to use your ears better.

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the neW Guidelines GiVe us more dYnamic ranGe Andrew Mason Senior research and development engineer, BBC

Everyone making a programme listens to it at whatever level they find comfortable, but it is then presented to an audience at home in one continuous event. What we rely on is an instrument to measure it in a consistent way.

That doesn’t mean it must be at the same level all the time, but that the viewer shouldn’t feel the need to adjust their volume from one programme to another. There are still dynamics there but we now have a way of measuring that average loudness at a comfortable level.

Viewers don’t want shocking variations in loudness and the new guidelines say that all programmes should be produced to the same average loudness. That way, the audience can

choose whether to turn the volume up or down.

Having average loudness doesn’t mean we don’t want dynamic range in programmes. The EBU committees I’ve worked with have reported that once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s not that difficult. The time is right for everyone to think about this. It should be second nature by now. ➤ Andrew’s white paper on terminology is available for download at www.bbc.co. uk/rd/publications/whitepaper202

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learn to trust Your ears Richard Collins Freelance post production sound engineer and dubbing mixer

US broadcasters were the first to really get concerned about loudness, about six years ago. The US has the CALM act and global productions supplying US broadcasters need to deliver to it.

It threw a lot of us because we were sending programmes off to the States and getting conflicting instructions on what was required. A lot of work was getting sent back by QC because they had auto-loudness checkers.

Too many people over-compress and over-limit, which makes the average loudness of a programme too high. As soon as I start doing my dialogue pre-mix, I start thinking about loudness. In post-production, there are more and more deliverables, so you want to have it right all the way through.

I’m looking to keep things in the same ball park and give myself room to mix it around so I can have bits that seem

r128 What it means The latest version of the DPP Technical Standards (v4.0), released in October 2013, includes compliance to the EBU R128 audio loudness specification.

The R128 documents describe the principles of loudness measurement, as opposed to peak measurement (which the PPM tried to do), and how to use loudness and true peak measurement in productions. Governments and broadcasters across the world are addressing this problem with legislation.

All production staff need to be aware of these legal restrictions if they wish to sell their programmes to other territories.

The European Broadcasting Union does not describe a specific meter display, although it does specify ranges for scales, integration times, and state that units must be displayed. It is up to manufacturers to determine what they look like, and there have been many different display types. For a free broadcast audio production tool, visit http://sourceforge. net/projects/baptools/.

r128 the ips VieW The Institute of Professional Sound (IPS) welcomes the introduction of the R128 loudness normalisation scheme, which removes the current delivery restrictions and offers opportunities to create more dynamic mixes.

R128 involves a new type of metering that enables the subjective value of loudness to be measured objectively, backing up what skilled audio balancers have always done naturally and automatically using only their ears, training and experience.

In practice, many IPS members are reporting that their normal working practices generally need very little modification to produce mixes that meet the required -23 LUFS target value for loudness.

‘Too many people overcompress and overlimit, which makes the average loudness of a programme too high’ Richard Collins

BBC1: UPS AND DOWNS

Graph shows loudness on BBC1 for one night. The black line, indicating average loudness, should be straight without breaks www.broadcastnow.co.uk

louder when they need to, and quieter when they need to.

The best analogy I’ve heard of television sound is that it’s like trying to pass a parcel through a letterbox. We have to keep the loud and the quiet within a certain range, so it’s about squeezing it into that without it being too obviously compressed or limited.

Most of it is common sense. Once you see the guidelines and you have the metering, it’s all to do with controlling your environment. You don’t want to spend the whole time looking at a meter or getting bogged down in the technicalities. If you learn where your parameters are, you can trust your ears. ➤ The BBC Academy will be presenting a series of events around the UK to raise awareness of loudness and audibility issues in TV sound among BBC staff, indies, freelancers and external suppliers.

See broadcastnow.co.uk for links to further material.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 25

Interview CPL PRODUCTIONS MURRAY BOLAND AND DANIELLE LUX

Playing it for laughs CPL’s bosses have a strong bond and an even stronger desire to make good television.

They tell Jake Kanter why the company’s culture of having fun is key to getting results FACT FILE Murray Boland Career 2005-present Head of factual entertainment, rising to creative director, CPL Productions 2001-2005 Head of programmes, E4 1999-2001 Director of programmes, MTV Danielle Lux Career 2003-present Managing director, CPL Productions (formerly Celador) 2001-2003 Head of entertainment, C4 1998-2001 Commissioning roles, including controller of entertainment, BBC 1995-1998 Head of young entertainment and children’s programmes, Granada TV

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here’s a lot of love in the room.

Danielle Lux and Murray Boland finish each other’s sentences, howl at each other’s jokes and exchange endless compliments.

To the casual observer, it may come over as a shade luvvyish, but scratch a little deeper and you find one of television’s strongest and most genuine bonds. “She’s the other half of my brain,” Boland jokes.

The CPL Productions bosses met 25 years ago on the set of Club X, which Boland memorably called a train wreck of a show during a 2013 Edinburgh session titled The Worst TV Show I Ever Made.

The pair have been virtually inseparable since, with their professional paths crossing a number of times, including at Channel 4 in the early noughties, where Lux was head of entertainment and Murray oversaw E4. When not working together, Lux admits that they would holiday as a duo “all the time”.

She brought Boland over to Celador Productions in 2005 and the pair completed a management buyout at the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? producer two years later.

The collapse of the world’s financial systems did not deter CPL, which at one point was weeks from closing its doors. In 2008, it won its first major commission: ITV’s All Star Mr And Mrs (left). It was a turning point, Boland remembers, putting CPL in a small pool of producers making a hit primetime entertainment show.

Mr And Mrs remains strong for ITV. CPL initially built around this base with some forgettable factual efforts (remember Bravo’s Alex Reid: The Fight Of His Life or Louis Walsh And Kian Egan’s Next Big Thing – Wonderland for ITV2?) but, crucially, also secured a format with legs: Sky 1’s comedy panel show A League Of Their Own.

26 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

Working to an open brief from Sky entertainment channels director Stuart Murphy, the show evolved out of a Paul Brassey quiz show and CPL fended off competition from a number of rivals to win the commission. A League Of Their Own is now in its seventh series and CPL has begun negotiations over a further three runs.

Best in show “We thought it would work, but never in a million years did we think it would work as well as it has. It sounds terribly arrogant, but it’s the best panel show of its kind on television,” Boland argues.

James Corden, he adds, shows no sign of losing his enthusiasm for the series either. His shtick with regulars Jamie Redknapp and Andrew Flintoff plays a major role in attracting big sporting stars and lends the show its warmth, which Boland credits as a big part of its success.

‘Warmth’ is a word that crops up many times over the course of our interview. Another good example is Off Their Rockers, ITV’s pensioner prank show, which, Boland says, bucks the trend of many hiddencamera formats because it generates something of a glow.

Not that this was always the case.

Originally piloted for BBC1, the show stubbornly refused to click in its early iterations, but Lux says it eventually fell into place when Boland included shots of the pranksters and unsuspecting members of the public laughing in the aftermath of a sting.

Off Their Rockers is based on Belgian format Benidorm Bastards, distributed

by Red Arrow Entertainment’s SevenOne International. It helped open the door to wider discussions with Red Arrow, a door that ultimately led to CPL becoming part of the ProSiebensat1-owned production entity in a March 2012 deal worth up to £8m.

Lux says they were in talks with potential suitors for some time, with the ambition to strike a deal that would open up a pipeline of tried-and-tested formats. Red Arrow, run out of the UK

by James Baker, struck a balance between providing this and offering a hands-off approach to ownership.

“We realised when we had success with Mr And Mrs that we were competing with the biggest indies in the world,” Boland explains. “We needed a ready supply of formats from abroad that had proved themselves.”

Lux adds: “They are decent people, morally intact. We had a courting process for a really long time because www.broadcastnow.co.uk

For all the latest breaking news, updated daily, visit www.broadcastnow.co.uk

BOLAND AND LUX ON… Danielle Lux Values “When I was a broadcaster, some meetings I would dread with indies because they would get their way through bullying and screaming. We live by values that we think are right.”

A League Of Their Own “I knew we had got the right mix of general entertainment show and comedy when our comedy expert series producer David Taylor said: ‘I’m very sorry, but that sparkly cape is just not big enough.’”

Murray Boland Partnership with Lux “We sit opposite each other and before we send every email, we say ‘does this sound right?’. It’s an endless dialogue.”

The Taste judge Ludo Lefebvre (right)

Clockwise from top: The Taste; Off Their Rockers; A League Of Their Own

we didn’t want to get into bed with people we couldn’t work with.”

One format CPL got its hands on was The Taste, a blind tasting bonanza that had already made waves in the US on ABC. A Channel 4 version was launched in a blaze of publicity earlier this month – not to mention a slew of unrelated front page headlines for star judge Nigella Lawson – but its ratings have been underwhelming.

A debut of 2.1 million (7.9% share) viewers gave way to a second instalment that could muster only 1.3 million (4.8%). The third episode delivered an overnight audience of 1 million against BBC1’s popular Death In Paradise.

Speaking before transmission, Boland and Lux talk with pride about the show. Both are fanatical amateur cooks, and the production was a genuine passion project. “There’s a piece on how to cook a basic tomato sauce: God, it’s riveting,” Boland jokes. www.broadcastnow.co.uk

‘We wanted to have a company that reflected what we wanted: to make really good TV and have a laugh’ Murray Boland

In a statement to Broadcast following the show’s transmission, Lux and Boland said: “We are delighted with the show. Nigella, Anthony and Ludo are brilliant talent – they are a joy to work with.”

The format pipeline will continue with controversial German show Married At First Sight, now in development at C4. The Red Arrow deal has also paved the way for a partnership with The Apprentice creator Mark Burnett’s One Three Media. CPL will house the company’s UK operations and help bring over its US formats.

This is distinct from CPL’s ambitions to re-energise its own fact ent content, which is being spearheaded

by Silver River Productions’ former head of development Deborah O’Connor, while scripted comedy is also a priority. Here, CPL is growing female-skewing ideas out of its radio division and has two projects in

“He’s like a volcano. He has these extraordinary Versuvian eruptions.” development with ITV, but it remains “very early days”.

Lux has strong ties in the comedy world and a track record that includes helping bring Jonathan Ross to the BBC in 2000, and handing Jimmy Carr his first C4 deal in 2002. It helped CPL land the production deal for The British Comedy Awards.

If making TV for laughs is a speciality, then Lux and Boland also believe that having fun producing it is just as important. It is part of a culture they work hard to maintain. “We wanted to have a company that reflected what we wanted: to make really good television and have a laugh,” Boland says.

Lux adds: “If you can provide a place where people can do good work, then that will result in good television.”

Which brings us back to the bond between Boland and Lux. “It is complete love and trust,” Lux says, before the pair share a warm embrace.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 27

Behind the Scenes suspects

Dragging crime drama into the 21st century Semi-improvised dialogue and a documentary shooting style give Channel 5’s police drama an edgy, contemporary feel, says Paul Marquess Paul Marquess Executive producer

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hatever happened to the long-running, contemporary British cop show? For decades, Z-Cars, Softly Softly and The Bill told contemporary crime stories that reflected our concerns about crime and, ultimately, reassured us that right would triumph over wrong.

Along the way, these series challenged prejudices and pushed back boundaries – and entertained millions. Has the appetite and audience for this kind of drama really just faded away?

I don’t think so, which is why I’ve just produced 10 hour-long episodes of Suspects for Channel 5.

Like its predecessors, Suspects dramatises the investigation of contemporary crimes. But unlike those shows, it does so with the ‘insider feel’ of a raw and edgy fly on-the-wall doc.

In the ’80s, new camera technology – combined with the growth of ob docs – allowed the makers of shows like Brookside and The Bill to change fundamentally the way that popular drama was produced. I believe we’ve reached a similar moment. Cameras are smaller and more-light sensitive than ever before, and from TOWIE to 24 Hours In A&E, millions of viewers are watching narrative television that has been constructed and shot in a much looser way than conventional drama.

A spell behind enemy lines working on series two of TOWIE was a real eyeopener for me. Despite the fact that 28 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

there were no scripts (as such) and no professional actors, the producers and directors were consciously aping drama storytelling techniques and shooting styles. They were stealing our drama clothes – and it worked a treat.

A spell working for Fremantle in Germany further opened my eyes when I was exposed to what the Germans call ‘docu-dramas’ – simple moral dramas told in basic but effective documentary style. Then I heard that C5 – the home of imported crime series like CSI – might be looking for an original drama of its own.

Suddenly, everything came together.

C5 director of programming Ben Frow got the idea straight away. He and commissioning editor Greg Barnett have been enormously supportive throughout the process, which has been handy. To say that it’s been a learning curve would be an understatement.

Story is, of course, where compelling drama starts and finishes. Suspects was written by a hugely experienced team.

This – along with playing close attention to police procedure – gave our story process real rigour. We tried to come up with investigations that felt contemporary and relevant for the C5 audience, and then tested every draft as a group. It’s lucky that we’ve all known each other for a long time.

Throughout the process, we stuck firmly to our concept of creating a realistic documentary feel – so we avoided putting words into our police officers’ mouths. Instead, we handed that baton to our three lead actors.

Together with our police adviser – who was on set at all times – it was the actors’ job to give voice to the investigation, including conducting

‘Lightweight, light-sensitive cameras made it feel like we were recording real life rather than setting up elaborate action sequences’ Paul Marquess

suspects

production company Newman Street (part of Fremantle Media UK) Length 10 x 60 minutes tX tbc, February, 10pm, Channel 5 commissioners Ben Frow; Greg Barnett executive producer Paul Marquess creators Paul Marquess; Steve Hughes; Darren Fairhurst series producer Kara Manley Directors John Hardwick; Craig Pickles Dop Graham Smith post house Sequence Post summary Police drama with the ‘insider’ feel of a documentary, tackling difficult subjects in a gritty and realistic way.

paul Marquess My tricks of the trade n Hire a brilliant series producer.

Kara Manley’s combination of clear-sightedness and amazing attention to detail was invaluable. n Employ experienced professionals.

People need to know the rules before they can start breaking them. n Tell your broadcaster the truth. We hit some problems, but C5 was always sympathetic and supportive. n Trust your instincts. There were moments when just about everyone thought I’d lost my marbles, but I knew we could make it work.

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complicated and sensitive interviews.

It worked a treat – and helped to keep down the cost of the production.

It was essential to employ a visual storytelling language that matched the raw, edgy feel of our material. DoP Graham Smith was brilliant at making it feel like the camera was following rather than anticipating the action.

This allowed our directors to throw their energies into storytelling and performance. It felt like a good balance, and the results are impressive.

Those lightweight, light-sensitive cameras I mentioned earlier were key to the process, and gave us the ability, particularly on location, to make it feel like we were recording real life rather than setting up elaborate action sequences. Hopefully, this all translates into a drama with a unique energy and realistic feel.

Perhaps my favourite innovation is our fixed-camera interview room. It used five cameras (including a moving, operator-controlled Q-Ball) and, once we were rolling, it was an actor-only space. Many of the actors who faced Fay Ripley’s cynically arched eyebrow told me it was as close to live theatre as they’d ever got in television. Just like the rest of this enormously collaborative process, it was properly scary – but the results speak for themselves. www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Clockwise from left: on set with Fay Ripley as Detective Inspector Martha Bellamy; Damien Molony (Detective Sergeant Jack Weston) and Ripley between takes; shooting a scene with Claire-Hope Ashitey (Detective Constable Charlotte Steele) in the interview room

suspects FRAMING tHe ActION Graham Smith Director of photography

My brief was to shoot the drama in the style of a documentary, with improvised action on a very tight schedule.

To give it a cinematic feel, we decided to use a full-format camera with a shallow depth of field. I went for the Sony F55 (pictured), which produces some lovely images.

This camera is generally more at home on a dolly or a tripod, but I shot entirely handheld while fielding my own focus. This approach – coupled with the unpredictable action – required some extremely nimble footwork, but I’m delighted with the results.

With schedule pressures in mind, the main police sets were pre-lit with practicals to give a 360-degree shoot-

ing angle. Any fine adjustment was in the form of small sandbags on top of the fittings that could be swung to favour the light one way or the other.

The main CID set was created by series designer Eryl Ellis to be a fully functioning office, with lots of permeable space and no camera traps.

This was very liberating, as I was able to get right into the heart of the action.

As Detective Inspector Martha Bellamy, Fay Ripley had her own office. This was partially glazed, which meant I could capture high-stakes briefings in a way that felt natural.

All of our other locations were unseen until the shooting day, so we made the most of the natural light. The sensitivity of the cameras even allowed some night scenes to be lit entirely with torches.

The experience was enjoyable, unpredictable – and challenging.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 29

Marketplace

To advertise here, contact Jon Thornley on 020 3638 5065 email jonathan.thornley@broadcastnow.co.uk

TRANSFERS & SALES

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

ELSTREE STUDIOS

TO LET AT ELSTREE STUDIOS Fully equipped audio post facility with two mixing areas, foley suite, voice over booth and avid edit system.

Open to rental offers and possible profit sharing.

Most recently used for ITV’s Your Face Sounds Familiar.

Please call 020 8953 1600 info@elstreestudios.co.uk www.elstreestudios.co.uk

SUITES AND AUCTIONS

FCP & AVID EDIT SUITES WET OR DRY HIRE

10-11 Percy Street London W1T 1DN 020 7637 3322 support@tvset.com

AUDIO PRODUCTION

Specialist online auctions

SELL YOUR SURPLUS KIT FAST

support@techbid.co.uk

www.techbid.co.uk

MEDIA BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

e l a S For

IFF ESS CARD D BUSIN E S A B

Well established staging, drapes scenery and prop hire business

Scenic Service Ltd has been supplying the television, film, conference and theatre industries in Wales and the West of England with a wide range of hire stock for over 20 years.

At this time of extraordinary growth in media industries in Cardiff and South Wales the current directors have decided that the company can best realise its huge potential for growth under new ownership.

It will provide an excellent and reliable long term source of income, steady turnover figures with good profit margins and an established client list.

Staged payments is a possible purchase option.

The hire stock to be included in the sale includes:● 70 aluminium and steeldeck units, ● over 300 rostra of various heights, ● 8’ diameter electric variable speed revolve ● over 50 FR serge and lightweight black drapes, ● 400’ x 25’ FR serge black cyc in 4 sections ● 120’ x 25’ c/k green FR serge cyc plus other smaller units, ● 20 x 20 and 15 x 15 c/k blue FR serge blue drapes, 260’ x 25’ FR sharkstooth gauze plus 12 other smaller units ● 30 No. 10’ – 14’ fibreglass Corinthian columns & pilasters ● 42 photographic and painted backcloths ● conference lecterns ● illuminated OB ● 26 lit ratstands plus make- up mirrors ● stageweights & braces 1 MD stand ● in vision quality ● curved infinity wall highstools and chairs ● audience chairs Plus many other essential production items

Interested parties are invited to register their interest by email to: info@scenicservice.co.uk

To advertise in the Marketplace section please contact: Jonathan Thornley 020 3638 5065 jonathan.thornley@broadcastnow.co.uk

30 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Appointments

To advertise here, contact Jon Thornley on 020 3638 5065 email jonathan.thornley@broadcastnow.co.uk

ELSTREE STUDIOS Managing Director

“I want to let you know how delighted we have been with the response to the recruitment advertisements we have recently been running in Broadcast.

As you know we do not typically need to advertise, but we had to fill numerous roles pretty quickly. These roles were varied and outside our normal area of expertise and knowledge. The responses came in thick and fast and the vast majority were of a very high quality. We have now filled most of the roles with people who applied to the advertisements in Broadcast”.

Nicky Sargent; CEO

The UK indie radio production trade body seeks a Managing Director.

Candidates will have seniorlevel industry experience and demonstrate real vision for this emerging sector.

The role initially involves the equivalent of 2 days a week with regular London meetings.

Apply at www.radioindies.org

Please mention Broadcast when replying to adverts

Maternity cover required for PR & Marketing Manager at Elstree Studios Start April 2014 on a temporary 9 – 12 month basis.

Legal & Business Affairs Manager Tiger Aspect is recruiting for an experienced Legal & Business Affairs Manager to oversee the legal and contractual/business aspects of productions and projects primarily within Children’s/Animation, Comedy, Entertainment and Factual Entertainment. In this role you will be responsible for negotiating agreements with broadcasters, co-production partners, distributors, performers, writers and rights holders generally. You will provide trusted advice on legal, commercial and business affairs issues surrounding the development, financing, production and distribution of programmes and ancillary rights.

For further information, including a full job description and details how to apply please visit www.tigeraspect.co.uk/jobs/ The closing date for applications is Friday 7th February 2014.

To receive job specification, email: laura.paxman@elstreestudios.co.uk If you meet the requirements outlined in the job specification please apply in writing to Laura Paxman by 14th February 2014.

STRICTLY NO CALLS OR AGENCIES

EMS

technical personnel are looking for:

TALENT

___________________ L I M I T E D ___________________

As a result of winning new contracts, Key Talent Ltd are looking for key studio and location talent to add to our portfolio of bookable individuals in the following categories;

FILM & TV CREWS

Scenic: Scenic Painters and Carpenters Supervisors and Operatives Construction Management

Lighting: Gaffers Electricians

Also: Cameras Sound Studio Engineers

And many other crafts.

If you’re looking for work or for Key Talent to deliver your production needs, contact us today or drop us your CV. info@keylight.tv Tel: 020 8963 9931

Camera Technician Hampshire Trancoding and DAM Team Lead London Technical Architect(playout) London Call us, e-mail your CV or register online. +44(0)20 8948 9400 recruit@ems-tp.com. www.ems-tp.com

CONTROLLER OF COMEDY PRODUCTION, UK £COMPETITIVE + BENEFITS | CENTRAL LONDON BBC Comedy Production is the most prolific comedy producer in the country, both on TV and Radio. It is the place where hits such as Little Britain, Absolutely Fabulous and The Office came from and more recently has carried on its award winning form with much loved programmes such as The Thick of It, Mrs Brown’s Boys, The Wrong Mans, Twenty Twelve, Big School, Miranda, Bluestone 42, Jonathan Creek, Pramface, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Psychoville, Gangsta Granny, Still Open All Hours, Citizen Khan, The News Quiz and The Now Show.

Reporting to Mark Freeland, Controller of Fiction and Entertainment, BBC Television, you’ll be Comedy Production’s key creative and business leader, responsible for delivering the very best in-house comedy programming to all BBC channels and platforms.

You will have outstanding experience in the genre, being able to work on all types of comedy, from big BBC One audience sitcoms, to critical jewels on BBC Four. You will

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

have extensive experience of working with and running teams – passionate about on-screen and off-screen talent.

You will be a visible champion of BBC Comedy. You will collaborate with other genres – Entertainment, Drama and Films and have a close relationship with Genre and Channel Controllers and also with BBC Worldwide.

You will have a keen editorial, strategic and commercial mind. With in-depth experience of comedy production and/or commissioning, you’ll need to show you can set an exciting, effective comedy strategy, develop and retain a diverse range of comedy talent, including writers, producers, directors and on-screen talent. You’ll also have a passion for delivering the most innovative, funny and original programmes, ensuring value to the breadth of our audiences.

If you meet the requirements for this role, please submit your CV and a covering letter to Ian Critchley at Ian.Critchley@bbc.co.uk by Friday 31st January 2014.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 31

Ratings Mon 20 Jan – Sun 26 Jan

BBC dares to win on Saturday The Voice UK and National Lottery beat Splash! and Take Me Out, but Thursday belongs to ITV

BY Stephen price

At an evening of cello scraping on Saturday, I was reminded why I couldn’t master a musical instrument. It wasn’t necessarily the technical issues, it was the gurning. Virtuoso contortions are one thing, but as a nipper, squeezing out Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on a cheap violin while looking like an old man with no teeth persuaded me that football was perhaps a better option. Yehudi Menuhin breathed again (as, probably, did Ryan Giggs).

Most TV folk are too classy for gurning but there’ll be a few rueful smiles and some chin-stroking as the new scheduling battles play out. ITV will be feeling warmly towards its Thursday comedy, while BBC1 can be satisfied with its much stronger winter Saturdays.

At 8pm on Monday, ITV’s A Great Welsh Adventure With Griff Rhys Jones climbed slightly to 3.9 million/16% (143,000 +1); the channel’s best post-8pm rating that night. Opposite, BBC1’s EastEnders won with 7.7 million/31%.

At 9pm, BBC1’s New Tricks repeat (2.7 million/11%) was defeated by ITV’s The Bletchley Circle with 3.7 million/15% (195,000 +1), the drama’s lowest live rating over its two series so far.

Channel 4’s Benefits Street won the slot with 4.5 million/18% and then scored a sizeable 772,000 +1 to deliver its highest rating to date.

Fans of BBC1’s Death In Paradise have clearly welcomed new recruit Kris Marshall, with audiences dropping just 200,000 on last week’s launch to 6.9 million/29% at 9pm on Tuesday. ITV’s Paul 32 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

BroadCaSt/BarB top 100 network programmeS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 42 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Title

Day

Start

Viewers (m) (all homes)

Share %

Broadcaster/ Producer*

Coronation Street Coronation Street Call The Midwife Coronation Street Coronation Street The Voice UK EastEnders Emmerdale EastEnders EastEnders Coronation Street Emmerdale Emmerdale Emmerdale Emmerdale EastEnders Death In Paradise Countryfile Birds Of A Feather The National Television Awards 2014 The Musketeers Dancing On Ice BBC News At Six BBC London News BBC News At Six BBC News At Six Benidorm Silent Witness Holby City Benefits Street Silent Witness The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins BBC News At Six Mr Selfridge BBC News At Six BBC News The One Show The One Show Mrs Brown’s Boys BBC News At Ten Casualty BBC News At Ten All Star Family Fortunes The One Show Dancing On Ice: The Results Inside Out ITV News & Weather ITV News & Weather Fake Or Fortune?

Pointless

Mon Mon Sun Fri Wed Sat Mon Mon Tue Thu Fri Tue Thu Thu Fri Fri Tue Sun Thu Wed Sun Sun Mon Wed Fri Tue Thu Thu Tue Mon Fri Sat Wed Sun Thu Sun Mon Tue Sat Thu Sat Tue Sun Thu Sun Mon Sun Mon Sun Fri

19.30 20.30 20.00 19.30 19.00 19.00 20.00 19.00 19.30 19.30 20.30 19.00 20.00 19.00 19.00 20.00 21.00 19.00 20.30 19.30 21.00 18.15 18.00 18.30 18.00 18.00 21.00 21.00 20.00 21.00 21.00 20.15 18.00 21.00 18.00 22.00 19.00 19.00 22.00 22.00 21.10 22.00 19.45 19.00 20.30 19.30 18.00 18.30 18.00 17.15

9.61 9.42 9.26 8.33 8.19 7.76 7.66 7.61 7.54 7.44 7.26 7.20 7.20 7.18 7.06 6.98 6.87 6.77 6.51 6.20 6.19 5.97 5.72 5.43 5.38 5.32 5.27 5.24 5.22 5.21 5.20 5.19 5.11 5.03 4.97 4.96 4.88 4.74 4.72 4.66 4.65 4.62 4.62 4.61 4.60 4.48 4.47 4.37 4.31 4.19

40.98 37.74 33.82 38.09 38.89 34.80 31.24 35.09 33.89 34.27 31.24 34.09 32.51 34.55 33.83 31.21 28.72 27.72 27.99 27.26 23.75 25.37 29.05 27.43 28.88 28.11 21.56 21.43 22.68 21.22 22.15 24.34 27.38 19.30 26.94 23.83 22.51 22.43 23.52 24.49 21.62 24.38 17.58 22.17 16.55 19.13 21.19 20.75 19.30 26.12

ITV ITV BBC1/Neal Street Productions ITV ITV BBC1/Wall to Wall BBC1 ITV BBC1 BBC1 ITV ITV ITV ITV ITV BBC1 BBC1/Red Planet Productions BBC1 ITV/Retort/Quirky Media ITV BBC1 ITV BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 ITV/Tiger Aspect BBC1 BBC1 C4/Love Productions BBC1 BBC1/12 Yard BBC1 ITV BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1/Boc-Pix/RTÉ BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 ITV/Thames BBC1 ITV BBC1 ITV/ITN ITV/ITN BBC1 BBC1/Remarkable Television

Figures include HD and +1 where applicable

the national television Awards

A Great Welsh Adventure With Griff rhys Jones www.broadcastnow.co.uk

All BARB ratings supplied by: Attentional

Source: BARB

51 52 53 54 55 55 57 58 59 60 61 61 61 61 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 73 75 76 77 78 78 78 81 81 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Title

Day

Start

Viewers (m) (all homes)

Share %

Broadcaster/ Producer*

The One Show FA Cup Live: Chelsea V Stoke City BBC News BBC News ITV News & Weather BBC News At Ten ITV News & Weather ITV News & Weather Pointless A Great Welsh Adventure With Griff Rhys...

Pointless Pointless The Bletchley Circle BBC News At Ten ITV News & Weather Take Me Out Party Political Broadcast: Conservatives Pointless The Graham Norton Show BBC News At Ten Splash!

Tonight: The Rise Of The E-Cigarette The Chase Hidden Kingdoms The One Show The Chase The Chase The Chase BBC News Room 101 ITV News & Weather The Chase University Challenge P Morgan’s Life Stories: Beverley Callard Paul O’Grady's Animal Orphans BBC News At One A Question Of Sport Celebrity Big Brother: Live Eviction The Martin Lewis Money Show BBC News At One ITV News & Weather Dynamo: Magician Impossible Crimewatch Update Crimewatch Antiques Road Trip BBC News At One BBC News At One Winterwatch River Monsters BBC News At One

Fri Sun Sun Sat Tue Fri Thu Wed Mon Mon Wed Tue Mon Mon Fri Sat Wed Thu Fri Wed Sat Thu Mon Thu Wed Wed Thu Tue Sat Fri Sat Fri Mon Fri Tue Mon Fri Sun Fri Wed Sun Sat Wed Wed Fri Tue Fri Mon Tue Thu

19.00 15.00 17.35 18.45 18.30 22.00 18.30 18.30 17.15 20.00 17.15 17.15 21.00 22.00 18.30 20.15 18.25 17.15 22.35 22.00 18.45 19.30 17.00 20.00 19.00 17.00 17.00 17.00 22.30 20.30 18.30 17.00 20.00 21.00 21.00 13.00 19.30 21.00 20.00 13.00 22.00 17.20 22.35 21.00 16.30 13.00 13.00 20.30 19.30 13.00

4.18 4.15 4.11 4.10 4.08 4.08 4.07 4.04 4.03 4.00 3.93 3.93 3.93 3.93 3.92 3.85 3.80 3.79 3.73 3.71 3.60 3.54 3.52 3.52 3.51 3.47 3.46 3.41 3.41 3.41 3.35 3.35 3.21 3.19 3.15 3.11 3.08 3.05 2.98 2.97 2.91 2.89 2.88 2.85 2.84 2.82 2.81 2.79 2.76 2.72

20.02 25.23 20.73 20.20 20.09 20.69 20.26 20.42 24.96 16.32 24.80 24.71 16.00 20.19 19.91 17.99 19.99 24.08 25.91 18.63 16.38 16.30 22.96 15.48 16.75 22.96 23.01 22.37 19.54 14.68 17.40 21.78 13.08 13.60 13.19 43.11 14.09 11.71 13.30 41.09 13.98 16.76 18.41 11.94 22.72 39.60 37.54 11.21 12.39 39.58

BBC1 ITV BBC1 BBC1 ITV/ITN BBC1 ITV/ITN ITV/ITN BBC1/Remarkable Television ITV/Modern Television BBC1/Remarkable Television BBC1/Remarkable Television ITV/World Productions BBC1 ITV/ITN ITV/Thames ITV BBC1/Remarkable Television BBC1/So Television BBC1 ITV/Twofour ITV ITV BBC1 BBC1 ITV ITV ITV BBC1 BBC1/Hat Trick Productions ITV/ITN ITV BBC2 ITV ITV/Shiver BBC1 BBC1 C5/Remarkable Television ITV BBC1 ITV/ITN BBC1/Inner Circle Films/Phil McIntyre BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC2 ITV/Icon Films BBC1

*To include producer credits email robin.parker@emap.com by noon on Tuesday. Tables exclude programmes timed under 5 minutes long and omnibus editions, eg soaps.

room 101 www.broadcastnow.co.uk

river Monsters

O’Grady’s Animal Orphans was some distance behind on 2.8 million/12% (310,000 +1).

At 8pm on Wednesday, ITV’s The National TV Awards achieved 5.9 million/26% (295,000 +1), 300,000 up on last year but nearly 200,000 behind 2012. Opposite, BBC1’s Waterloo Road delivered 2.4 million/11% at 8pm, followed by Crimewatch’s similarly defeated 2.9 million/12%.

On Thursday, ITV’s Emmerdale achieved 7.1 million/32% (199,000 +1) at 8pm. With this and Birds Of A Feather’s 6.3 million/27% (183,000 +1) at 8.30pm, ITV defeated Hidden Kingdoms (3.5

‘Fans of BBC1’s Death In Paradise have clearly welcomed new recruit Kris Marshall’ million/15%) on BBC1. And with the help of +1, ITV’s Benidorm (4.8 million/20%; 474,000 +1) just squeezed past BBC1’s Silent Witness (5.2 million/21%).

On Friday, Silent Witness remained steadfast on 5.2 million/22%, well ahead of ITV’s Piers Morgan’s Life Stories (3 million/13%; 231,000 +1).

At 7pm on Saturday, BBC1’s The Voice UK (7.8 million/35%) was up 300,000 on last week, well ahead of ITV’s Splash! at 6.45pm, its earliest start yet. The latter dropped 200,000 from last week to 3.5 million/16% (128,000 +1). At 8.15pm, BBC1’s The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins’ 5.2 million/24% was the channel’s second best of the night and well ahead of ITV’s Take Me Out (3.6 million/17%; 211,000 +1).

On Sunday, BBC1’s Countryfile’s 6.8 million/28% at 7pm and Call The Midwife’s 9.3 million/ 34% at 8pm combined to defeat ITV’s Dancing On Ice (5.8 million/25%; 175,000 +1 from 6.15pm), All Star Family Fortunes (4.5 million/17%; 182,000 +1 at 7.45pm) and Dancing On Ice: The Results (4.4 million/ 17%; 162,000 +1) at 8.30pm. At 9pm, BBC1’s The Musketeers fell 1.2 million on last week to 6.2 million/24%, but was still able to beat ITV’s Mr Selfridge: 4.6 million/17% (428,000 +1), it’s lowest live rating yet.

See over for digital focus, plus channel and genre overviews 31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 33

Ratings Mon 20 Jan – Sun 26 Jan Channel Overview

Seasonal hits for BBC and C4 BY stephen price

The only winter watching I want to do is the sort that involves waving it off at a bus stop, followed by anxious glances down the road searching for the garlanded spring bus. Still, BBC2 insists we should look at it and has found a lot of willing volunteers.

Meanwhile, as Channel 5 evicted celebrities into the cold, Channel 4 embraced the season by pushing another set down mountains.

The best of BBC2’s Winterwatch was on Monday at 8.30pm.

Its 2.8 million/11% defeated C4’s Food Unwrapped (2.1 million/ 8%; 179,000 +1) and Channel 5’s Robson’s Extreme Fishing Challenge (600,000/2%; 81,000 +1) from 8pm.

The third episode of C4’s The Taste at 9pm on Tuesday (900,000/4%; 173,000 +1) was level with last week but well behind C5’s Celebrity Big Brother (2.3 million/10%; 250,000 +1) and BBC2’s The Search For Alfred The Great (1.7 million/7%).

C4’s The Jump debuted with a decent 2.3 million/8% (336,000 +1) at 8pm on Sunday, ahead of BBC2’s The Coffee Trail With Simon Reeve (1.8 million/7%). C5’s best CBB was the live eviction at 9pm with 2.7 million/11% (348,000 +1), ahead of BBC2’s returning Dragons’ Den (2.3 million/9%).

C4 film Unstoppable averaged 1.1 million (185,000 +1) from 9pm.

Source: BARB

WEEk 4 Average hours per viewer Daytime Share (%) Peaktime Share (%) w/c 20.01.14 Peaktime share (%) w/c 21.01.13 yEAR To DATE Average hours per viewer Audience share (%) Audience share (2013)

BBC1 5.82 20.18 22.91 23.13 BBC1 6.31 21.98 21.31

BBC2 1.71 5.56 7.77 8.37 BBC2 1.97 6.85 6.28

ITV1 4.60 16.81 20.72 20.83 ITV1 4.44 15.46 16.09

C4 1.67 5.71 6.98 6.05 C4 1.78 6.18 6.34

Start

Viewers (m) (all homes)

Share %

34 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

Total 27.10 100.00 100.00 100.00 Total 28.71 100.00 100.00

Top 30 BBC2, ChAnnEl 4 AnD ChAnnEl 5 Title

Day

Broadcaster

1

Benefits Street

Mon

21.00

5.21

21.22

C4

2

University Challenge

Mon

20.00

3.21

13.08

BBC2 C5

3

Celebrity Big Brother: Live Eviction

Sun

21.00

3.05

11.71

4

Winterwatch

Mon

20.30

2.79

11.21

BBC2

5

Winterwatch

Tue

20.00

2.65

11.51

BBC2

6

The Jump

Sun

20.00

2.63

9.61

C4

7

Celebrity Big Brother

Mon

21.00

2.60

10.58

C5

8

Celebrity Big Brother: Live Eviction

Fri

21.00

2.59

11.70

C5

9

Location, Location, Location

Tue

20.00

2.53

11.00

C4

10

Celebrity Big Brother

Tue

21.00

2.52

10.54

C5

11

My Baggy Body

Mon

22.00

2.45

14.24

C4

12

Celebrity Big Brother

Thu

21.00

2.37

9.70

C5

13

Dragons’ Den

Sun

21.00

2.34

8.99

BBC2

14

The Undateables

Thu

21.00

2.31

9.45

C4

15

Celebrity Big Brother: Live Eviction

Wed

21.00

2.29

10.19

C5

16

Winterwatch

Wed

20.00

2.27

10.05

BBC2

17

Mastermind

Fri

20.00

2.21

9.86

BBC2

18

Food Unwrapped

Mon

20.30

2.20

8.80

C4

19

Restoration Home – One Year On

Thu

20.00

2.17

9.56

BBC2

20

8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown

Fri

21.00

2.15

9.17

C4

21

Dad’s Army

Sat

20.00

2.02

9.19

BBC2

22

Wild Arabia

Sat

18.00

1.95

10.21

23

Celebrity Big Brother

Sat

21.30

1.94

9.35

BBC2 C5

24

Winterwatch

Thu

21.00

1.92

7.84

BBC2

25

24 Hours In A&E

Wed

21.00

1.90

7.95

C4 C4

26

Mirror Mirror

Sun

18.00

1.89

8.07

27

Dispatches: Are You Addicted To Sugar?

Mon

20.00

1.87

7.61

C4

28

QI

Fri

22.00

1.84

9.41

BBC2

29

The Coffee Trail With Simon Reeve

Sun

20.00

1.83

6.67

BBC2

30

An Island Parish

Fri

20.30

1.81

7.77

BBC2

Figures include HD and +1 where applicable

Multichannel 36.70

Channel 5’s latest US show, sci-fi series Helix, beat the 983,000 slot average (Monday, 9pm)

Others 12.02 47.39 36.70 37.08 Others 12.94 45.08 45.66

Daytime is 09.30-18.00. Peaktime is 18.00-22.30. Figures include HD and +1 where applicable

DAyTimE ShARE (%) w/c 20.01.14

pEAkTimE ShARE (%) w/c 20.01.14

1.1m

C5 1.27 4.35 4.92 4.55 C5 1.28 4.44 4.32

BBC1 22.91

ITV1 20.72

C5 4.92 C4 6.98

BBC2 7.77

BBC1 20.18

Multichannel 47.39

415k C4’s Dispatches: Children On The Frontline attracted half the Wednesday 10pm slot average

ITV1 16.81

C5 4.35

BBC2 5.56

C4 5.71

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

All BARB ratings supplied by: Attentional

Genre Overview

Source: BARB

toP 10 CHildren’s ProGrammes Title

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The Dumping Ground 4 O’clock Club Gigglebiz Nina And The Neurons: Earth...

Newsround Roy Just Kidding How To Be Epic @ Everything The Dog Ate My Homework Rastamouse

toP 10 FaCtual ProGrammes

Day

Start

Viewers (Age 4-15)

Share (%)

Channel

Fri Wed Mon Mon Tue Thu Fri Tue Fri Mon

17.30 17.00 17.25 17.10 08.15 17.00 16.00 08.00 17.00 16.50

301,600 252,400 240,900 228,200 219,000 213,600 212,600 211,700 211,500 207,900

17.05 16.12 13.98 14.70 18.23 13.14 18.84 16.52 13.51 15.85

CBBC CBBC CBeebies CBeebies CBBC CBBC CBBC CBBC CBBC CBeebies

Title

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Countryfile Benefits Street The One Show The One Show The One Show Fake Or Fortune?

The One Show Great Welsh Adventure With Griff...

Hidden Kingdoms The One Show

Day

Start

Viewers (millions)

Share (%)

Channel

Sun Mon Mon Tue Thu Sun Fri Mon Thu Wed

19.00 21.00 19.00 19.00 19.00 18.00 19.00 20.00 20.00 19.00

6.77 5.21 4.88 4.74 4.61 4.31 4.18 4.00 3.52 3.51

27.72 21.22 22.51 22.43 22.17 19.30 20.02 16.32 15.48 16.75

BBC1 C4 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 ITV BBC1 BBC1

➤ the dumping Ground shot to the top as CBBC regained its stranglehold on the children’s table after CBeebies’ good run last week. There were new entries for the dog ate my Homework and roy, while CBeebies registered rastamouse.

➤ Benefits street pulled in its best audience yet with 5.2 million, but it was not enough to unseat Countryfile, which held on to top spot.

Hidden kingdoms and a Great welsh adventure with Griff rhys Jones were new entries for BBC1 and ITV respectively.

toP 10 drama ProGrammes

toP 10 entertainment ProGrammes

Title

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Call The Midwife Death In Paradise The Musketeers Silent Witness Holby City Silent Witness Mr Selfridge Casualty The Bletchley Circle New Tricks

Day

Start

Viewers (millions)

Share (%)

Channel

Sun Tue Sun Thu Tue Fri Sun Sat Mon Mon

20.00 21.00 21.00 21.00 20.00 21.00 21.00 21.10 21.00 21.00

9.26 6.87 6.19 5.24 5.22 5.20 5.03 4.65 3.93 2.68

33.82 28.72 23.75 21.43 22.68 22.15 19.30 21.62 16.00 10.89

BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 ITV BBC1 ITV BBC1

➤ BBC1 ran away with the top six places in the drama table, with Call the midwife, death in Paradise and the musketeers all performing well, despite each losing viewers. mr selfridge lost 240,000 but still beat Casualty, as the Bletchley Circle held on to ninth.

uP The Voice rises 260,000

down Mr Selfridge loses 240,000

uP Benefits Street adds 110,000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

FA Cup: Chelsea V Stoke City FA Cup: Bournemouth V Liverpool Final Score FA Cup Highlights What’s The Story?

Live Capital One Cup Football Focus The League Cup Show Tennis: Australian Open 2014 Ski Sunday

The Voice UK National Television Awards 2014 Dancing On Ice National Lottery: Who Dares Wins All Star Family Fortunes Dancing On Ice: The Results Pointless Pointless Pointless Pointless

Day

Start

Viewers (millions)

Share (%)

Channel

Sat Wed Sun Sat Sun Sun Fri Mon Wed Tue

19.00 19.30 18.15 20.15 19.45 20.30 17.15 17.15 17.15 17.15

7.76 6.20 5.97 5.19 4.62 4.60 4.19 4.03 3.93 3.93

34.80 27.26 25.37 24.34 17.58 16.55 26.12 24.96 24.80 24.71

BBC1 ITV ITV BBC1 ITV ITV BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1

➤ the Voice uk turned up the volume, gaining 260,000 viewers and pushing more than 1.5 million viewers ahead of any of its rivals. the national television awards 2014 had a good year, beating dancing on ice. Pointless scooped up four places.

uP Holby City up 300,000

down The Musketeers down 940,000

uP All Star Family Fortunes rises 210,000

toP 10 Current aFFairs ProGrammes Day

Start

Viewers (millions)

Sun Sat Sat Sat Wed Wed Sat Wed Sun Sun

15.00 12.15 16.30 22.45 22.00 19.00 12.00 23.15 8.15 17.15

4.15 2.67 2.40 1.82 1.50 1.48 1.22 1.21 1.15 1.12

Share (%)

25.23 26.29 16.44 14.34 8.71 6.59 15.00 14.86 14.54 5.75

Channel

ITV ITV BBC1 ITV Sky Sp’ts 1 Sky Sp’ts 1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC2 BBC2

➤ Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Stoke City in the Fa Cup took the honours in the sport table, fending off competition from Liverpool’s fixture on Saturday. Football dominated as usual, but there was a place for the australian open men’s final on Sunday morning. next week Comedy and musiC & arts www.broadcastnow.co.uk

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

down Call The Midwife falls 350,000

toP 10 sPort ProGrammes Title

Title

Title

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Inside Out PP Broadcast: Conservative Party Tonight: The Rise Of The E-Cigarette Crimewatch Update Crimewatch Question Time Panorama: Police: Shooting To Kill?

Dispatches: Are You Addicted To...

The Andrew Marr Show Sunday Politics

Day

Start

Viewers (millions)

Share (%)

Channel

Mon Wed Thu Wed Wed Thu Mon Mon Sun Sun

19.30 18.25 19.30 22.35 21.00 22.35 20.30 20.00 9.00 11.00

4.48 3.80 3.54 2.88 2.85 2.36 1.88 1.87 1.40 0.84

19.13 19.99 16.30 18.41 11.94 19.25 7.54 7.61 18.68 8.61

BBC1 ITV ITV BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 C4 BBC1 BBC1

➤ inside out performed well in the news and current affairs table, holding off competition from a Party Political Broadcast: Conser­ vative Party, which drew 3.8 million. Otherwise, BBC1 dominated, with stalwarts including Question time and Crimewatch featuring.

See over for demographic and digital focus 31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 35

Ratings Mon 20 Jan – Sun 26 Jan Demographic focus Channels

Individuals Share (%)

Source: BARB

Adults ABC1 Share (%)1

Adults ABC1 Profile (%)2

Adults 16-34 Share (%)1

Adults 16-34 Profile (%)2

Male Share (%)1

Male Profile (%)2

Female Share (%)1

Female Profile (%)2

BBC1

21.55

25.14

48.30

12.40

9.98

21.12

44.05

21.90

55.95

ITV

17.23

15.50

37.26

14.11

14.20

14.44

37.67

19.50

62.33

BBC2

6.33

7.94

51.95

3.01

8.24

6.91

49.11

5.85

50.89

C4

6.01

6.18

42.59

8.74

25.22

5.58

41.68

6.37

58.31

C5

5.00

4.76

39.36

6.08

21.07

4.10

36.85

5.74

63.16

ITV3

2.53

2.28

37.29

0.54

3.68

2.12

37.69

2.86

62.29

ITV2

2.39

2.08

35.98

3.96

28.71

2.01

37.77

2.71

62.24

E4

1.98

2.03

42.40

5.32

46.58

2.00

45.40

1.96

54.59

BBC3

1.35

1.32

40.58

3.26

42.04

1.58

52.75

1.16

47.26

Film 4

1.34

1.31

40.43

1.30

16.83

1.75

58.86

1.00

41.13

Dave

1.27

1.28

41.67

2.05

27.99

1.71

60.44

0.91

39.58

More 4

1.24

1.37

45.70

1.24

17.39

1.21

43.80

1.26

56.16

Sky Sports 1

0.99

1.18

49.32

1.41

24.70

1.56

70.75

0.53

29.22

ITV4

0.92

0.85

38.21

0.70

13.16

1.26

61.70

0.64

38.35

5 USA

0.88

0.75

35.51

0.79

15.62

0.83

42.59

0.91

57.39

SKY 1

0.85

0.83

40.20

1.69

34.40

0.97

51.10

0.76

48.85

BBC 4

0.84

1.19

58.34

0.40

8.14

0.96

51.08

0.75

48.94

DRAMA

0.67

0.63

39.05

0.20

5.27

0.67

45.18

0.67

54.80

Yesterday

0.64

0.58

37.40

0.17

4.64

0.83

58.10

0.49

41.87

28%

More than one in four viewers of Channel 4’s The Jump was aged 16-34 – 28% vs a Sunday 8pm slot average of 18%. Viewers were evenly split across the four class demographics.

Share covers all hours. Figures include HD and +1 where applicable 1: Each channel’s share of total demographic. 2: Demographic as a percentage of the channel’s total viewers.

Digital focus

Past treasures fail to shine

BY Stephen price

Rococo or Ancient Egyptian treasures? The votes are in and (if it existed anywhere outside of my head) the most esoteric poll ever delivered the ancients the spoils.

Elsewhere, young teachers found it increasingly tough, while the geeky students ploughed on.

On Tuesday at 9pm, BBC4’s Rococo: Travel, Pleasure, Madness launched with 288,000/ 1%. Two repeats added another 140,000. On Thursday at 9pm, BBC4’s third and final Treasures Of Ancient Egypt achieved 452,000/2%. Wednesday’s 10pm repeats have so far done just as well: 404,000/2% for episode two’s repeat, and 486,000/2% for last week’s premiere Thursday slot.

The third episode of BBC3’s Tough Young Teachers averaged 434,000/2% on Thursday at 9pm, its lowest live rating yet. Two repeats added 286,000. E4’s The Big Bang Theory topped the charts with 1.8 million/8%. Hollyoaks on Monday at 7pm was the channel’s next best on 1 million/5%.

36 | Broadcast | 31 january 2014

Source: BARB

digiTAl HOMEs

TOP 30 MulTicHAnnEl PROgRAMMEs Title

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 11 11 13 14 15 16 17 17 19 19 19 22 23 23 25 26 27 28 29 30

The Big Bang Theory What’s The Story?

Live Capital One Cup Despicable Me Midsomer Murders Hollyoaks The Bridge II Lewis Hollyoaks The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Hollyoaks Midsomer Murders Family Guy The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Brooklyn Nine-Nine Die Another Day The Bridge II The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Tomorrow People The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Chronicles Of Narnia...

The Big Bang Theory Doc Martin Live Capital One Cup The Big Bang Theory

Figures include HD and +1 where applicable

Day

Thu Wed Wed Sun Sat Mon Sat Wed Thu Tue Wed Tue Tue Sun Sat Fri Thu Sat Sat Fri Mon Wed Thu Thu Fri Sat Wed Sat Tue Sat

Start

20.30 22.00 19.00 19.00 21.00 19.00 21.00 20.00 19.00 18.30 19.00 19.00 20.00 22.20 18.30 18.30 21.00 21.00 22.00 20.00 18.30 21.00 18.30 20.00 19.00 20.15 18.30 20.00 19.30 19.00

Viewers (millions)

Share (%)

Channel

1.82 1.50 1.48 1.15 1.11 0.98 0.97 0.95 0.94 0.94 0.91 0.91 0.88 0.87 0.86 0.85 0.84 0.84 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.82 0.81 0.81 0.79 0.78 0.77 0.76 0.75 0.74

7.81 8.71 6.59 4.43 5.55 4.54 4.52 4.07 4.52 4.60 4.33 4.29 3.76 5.34 4.34 4.34 3.42 4.65 4.49 3.71 3.92 3.44 4.04 3.65 3.80 3.72 3.91 3.53 3.21 3.36

E4 Sky Sports 1 Sky Sports 1 ITV2 ITV3 E4 BBC4 ITV3 E4 E4 E4 E4 ITV3 BBC3 E4 E4 E4 ITV2 BBC4 E4 E4 E4 E4 E4 E4 BBC3 E4 ITV3 Sky Sports 1 E4

Channels

Share (%)

BBC1 ITV BBC2 C4 C5 Total Multichannel ITV3 ITV2 E4 BBC3 CBeebies Film 4 Dave More 4 BBC News Sky Sports 1 ITV4 Pick

21.55 17.23 6.33 6.01 5.01 43.88 2.53 2.39 1.98 1.35 1.34 1.34 1.27 1.24 1.04 0.99 0.92 0.90

Figures include HD and +1 where applicable

376k Audience for episode one of US sitcom Mom on ITV2 (Monday, 9pm)

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

All BARB ratings supplied by: Attentional

NoN-PSB toP 50 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Title

Day

Start

Viewers (000s) Share (all homes) %

Broadcaster/ Producer*

What’s The Story?

Live Capital One Cup Live Capital One Cup Live Ford Monday Night Football NCIS Hawaii Five-0 Gillette Soccer Saturday The Simpsons Stella Live Arsenal V Coventry City Criminal Minds Storage Hunters The Simpsons The Simpsons Lee Mack Going Out Live The Simpsons Live Sheffield United V Fulham The Simpsons Mock The Week The Simpsons QI XL Live Stevenage V Everton Storage Hunters The Simpsons Mock The Week Mock The Week The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Storage Hunters The Simpsons Live ODI Cricket Storage Hunters The Simpsons Not Going Out Kill Bill: Vol 2 NCIS: LA The Simpsons Only Fools And Horses Storage Hunters Evening Report Have I Got A Bit More News For You The Simpsons Ross Kemp: Extreme World Mock The Week Mock The Week The Simpsons Mock The Week Not Going Out The Simpsons

Wed Wed Tue Mon Fri Sun Sat Fri Fri Fri Mon Thu Mon Mon Wed Tue Sun Wed Sun Mon Sun Sat Wed Tue Thu Thu Tue Fri Sun Wed Fri Sun Fri Sun Fri Sat Sun Wed Sun Sat Sat Thu Wed Tue Sun Fri Thu Sun Fri Sun

22.00 19.00 19.30 19.00 21.00 21.00 12.00 18.30 21.00 19.00 21.00 20.30 18.30 19.00 22.00 19.30 12.00 19.30 22.20 19.30 20.00 16.45 20.30 19.00 21.00 21.40 18.30 19.00 19.00 20.00 19.30 8.00 20.30 20.30 21.40 22.00 22.00 18.30 17.50 15.30 17.30 22.20 19.00 21.00 21.40 22.20 18.30 21.00 21.00 18.30

1,504,100 1,481,600 746,400 583,400 498,700 495,700 480,000 428,800 425,800 411,800 410,000 405,200 398,200 397,100 382,100 379,200 375,700 369,300 368,800 368,700 367,500 366,400 363,200 360,800 354,400 345,400 342,800 335,800 332,900 332,700 331,800 329,800 328,000 326,500 324,600 321,700 321,400 319,400 315,000 312,200 311,300 308,600 307,900 302,300 291,200 286,900 286,200 282,100 280,700 278,600

Sky Sports 1 Sky Sports 1 Sky Sports 1 Sky Sports 1 Fox Sky 1 Sky Sports News Sky 1 Sky 1 BT Sport 1 Sky Living Dave Sky 1 Sky 1 Dave Sky 1 BT Sport 1 Sky 1 Dave/Angst TV Sky 1 Dave/Talkback BT Sport 1 Dave Sky 1 Dave/Angst TV Dave/Angst TV Sky 1 Sky 1 Sky 1 Dave Sky 1 Sky Sports 2 Dave Sky 1 Dave/Avalon Dave Sky 1 Sky 1 Gold Dave Sky Sports News Dave/Hat Trick Sky 1 Sky 1 Dave/Angst TV Dave/Angst TV Sky 1 Dave/Angst TV Dave/ Avalon Sky 1

8.71 6.59 3.21 2.62 2.12 1.90 4.24 2.18 1.81 1.83 1.67 1.74 1.89 1.83 2.43 1.71 3.29 1.77 2.45 1.57 1.34 1.93 1.57 1.71 1.44 1.59 1.69 1.61 1.39 1.50 1.52 4.23 1.41 1.18 1.50 2.44 1.91 1.61 1.48 2.71 1.79 2.15 1.46 1.26 1.27 1.70 1.43 1.07 1.19 1.21

Figures include HD and +1 where applicable

Stella www.broadcastnow.co.uk

Only Fools And Horses

90k

Acres of press coverage failed to lift four showings of episode one of Girls series three on Sky Atlantic

Old Fools are the best

BY StepHen price

Daves of the world, no matter what their actual names, will this week have felt a pang of sadness stab at their heart with the news of Roger Lloyd-Pack’s passing. Farewell Trigger, we shall miss ye, but at least Only Fools And Horses is on a lot to remind us.

Meanwhile, far from the madding crowd, Sky’s heroine of the valleys returned, while a mad crowd filled the Kumars’ front room.

On Sunday, Gold – not, sadly, Dave – repeated six episodes of Only Fools in two lumps from 9am to 10pm, including Christmas specials from 1995 and 1996.

The best performer, with 315,000/1.5% at 5.50pm, was the oldest: episode one from series three, first shown in 1983.

Sky 1’s Stella returned on Friday to a live rating of 426,000/ 1.8% at 9pm, the channel’s best homegrown show of the week, but way behind 2013’s January series opener, which launched to 695,000/2.8% in live ratings, and then doubled after recording.

Over on Fox, NCIS achieved a larger live rating with 499,000/ 2%, enough to beat the rest of the non-sport programming.

The new and third series of Girls on Sky Atlantic began at 10pm on Monday to a slim 36,000/0.2%, followed by episode two straight after, which managed 22,000/0.2%.

31 January 2014 | Broadcast | 37

Ratings Mon 13 Jan – Sun 19 Jan

All BARB ratings supplied by: Attentional

Consolidated Ratings

BBC’s Midwife really delivers

BY Stephen price

It’s winter and if in the hearth there burns just a candle, then the dear old television set compensates with many a warming treat.

And the viewers, eager for some refuge, have come to what the schedules have built. The stocks of suntan oil took another hit in Spain, while in paradise there were more juicy murders. Elsewhere, the plight of fluffy animals did nicely, while viewing of those midwives, like the pregnant tummies of their charges, grew ever larger.

BBC1: Call The Midwife In January 2012, BBC1 launched its new Sunday night 8pm drama Call The Midwife to an overnight rating of 7.95 million/27%; after nearly 2 million recorded, it finished on 9.8 million/31% and just kept on

Source: BARB

growing. The launch episode of this third series on 19 January began with 9.6 million/36%.

After 1.7 million watched via PVR, that expanded to 11.35 million/39%; its best ever in share terms. The best in volume remains the series one finale on 19 February 2012: 11.41 million/35%.

ITV: Benidorm ITV’s Benidorm, which began as a 10pm half-hour show in 2007, returned for its sixth series at 9pm on Thursday 2 January. It launched to 6.6 million/27% and reached 7.9 million/27% after recording.

The third episode on 16 January achieved an overnight rating of 5.3 million/22%. After more than 1.1 million recorded and watched, it finished on 6.4 million/22%.

Opposite, BBC1’s Silent Witness pulled away, finishing on 7.6 million/26% after being just 200,000 in front on live ratings.

BBC1: Death In Paradise BBC1’s Death In Paradise returned with a new detective on Tuesday 14

January. Its already sterling live rating of 7.2 million/30% was boosted by more than 1.5 million viewers who recorded and watched to deliver a consolidated rating of 8.7 million/32%.

This was the drama’s best performance to date, beating the 8.2 million/31% who watched the first episode of 2013’s winter series.

ITV: Paul O’Grady’s Animal Orphans When not playing football, ITV’s general and sensible strategy in Tuesday peak has been not to spend too much on one of its weaker days. That usually means factual.

Opposite BBC1’s Death In Paradise, ITV launched Paul O’Grady’s Animal Orphans. After a live rating of 3.5 million/15%, it finished on 4.2 million/15%. A very effective effort, delivering competitive numbers in a losing cause and probably an excellent ROI – and ITV’s best-performing factual 9pm show on a Tuesday since Smugglers in April 2011 (4 million/15%).

TOP 30 CONsOlIDATeD RATINGs: RANkeD By GAIN

1 2 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 24 26 26 28 29 30

9.3m

An impressive final figure for episode one of BBC1’s The Musketeers after adding 1.8m

UP Silent Witness (Thursday) adds 390,000 on last week DOWN Birds Of A Feather down 1m

Sign up to receive our ratings newsletter at broadcastnow.co.uk

Title

Day

Start

Viewers (m) (all homes)

Share %

Gain (m)

Gain %

Silent Witness Silent Witness The Musketeers Call The Midwife Death In Paradise Mr Selfridge The Bletchley Circle The Voice UK Birds Of A Feather Benidorm Benefits Street Coronation Street Coronation Street EastEnders Casualty Coronation Street Hostages EastEnders Coronation Street Paul O’Grady's Animal Orphans EastEnders The Great Sport Relief Bake Off Celebrity Big Brother The Great Sport Relief Bake Off EastEnders The Great Sport Relief Bake Off The Great Sport Relief Bake Off The Undateables EastEnders The Bridge

Thu Fri Sun Sun Tue Sun Mon Sat Thu Thu Mon Fri Fri Wed Sat Mon Sat Mon Wed Tue Tue Wed Sat Tue Thu Thu Mon Thu Fri Sat

21.00 21.00 21.00 20.00 20.59 21.00 21.00 19.01 20.31 21.02 21.00 20.29 19.32 19.58 21.09 20.29 21.03 20.00 19.30 21.02 19.28 20.00 21.45 20.01 19.28 20.01 20.31 21.01 19.59 22.01

7.59 7.59 9.28 11.35 8.69 6.76 5.57 8.88 7.65 6.41 6.44 9.33 9.57 7.57 5.72 9.24 2.03 8.79 9.35 4.18 8.26 5.02 2.66 5.07 8.37 4.94 4.37 2.79 8.02 1.49

25.90 26.98 30.93 38.56 31.76 22.39 19.17 35.32 27.60 21.80 22.13 36.05 42.14 29.69 22.40 33.66 7.91 33.66 40.56 15.33 35.85 19.54 11.15 19.98 37.37 18.75 15.48 9.50 32.99 6.71

2.09 1.84 1.84 1.71 1.53 1.35 1.23 1.18 1.14 1.11 1.07 1.04 0.91 0.86 0.84 0.79 0.78 0.75 0.74 0.71 0.70 0.69 0.67 0.66 0.66 0.65 0.65 0.62 0.61 0.59

38.10 32.10 24.80 17.70 21.30 24.90 28.30 15.30 17.50 20.80 19.80 12.60 10.50 12.80 17.30 9.40 62.10 9.30 8.50 20.50 9.20 15.80 33.40 15.10 8.50 15.20 17.40 28.70 8.30 65.60

Broadcaster BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 BBC1 ITV ITV BBC1 ITV ITV C4 ITV ITV BBC1 BBC1 ITV C4 BBC1 ITV ITV BBC1 BBC2 C5 BBC2 BBC1 BBC2 BBC2 C4 BBC1 BBC4

Figures include HD and +1 where applicable

38 | Broadcast | 31 January 2014

www.broadcastnow.co.uk

5 February 2014 | Grosvenor House | London

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ALL A TWITTER

series and documentaries, but the most talked-about UK show at this year’s event was Downton Abbey. However, Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers producer Thom Beers is not too happy about the competition, declaring: “You know what I hate about Downton Abbey? It makes [US public broadcaster] PBS relevant again.”

Eavesdropping some pitches @realscreen that appear to have been scripted by the Coen brothers. @edcrick (Ed Crick) Creative director, Tern TV

BBC Brit goes full throttle Watching brief: pumping out sport

Quenching a football thirst It’s the footie fan’s ultimate pub problem: you’re hooked on the match but desperate for another beer. Luckily, the Danes have found a solution, as North One producer Colin Byrne discovered in a Copenhagen bar: Sky Sports literally on tap. Every tap.

It’s VERY difficult deciding which producers get two kisses in emails and which only get one. A careful balancing of many factors.

Icy dig at PBS and Downton The Realscreen Summit in Washington, DC, focuses on reality

Unveiling male-skewing global channel brand BBC Brit, which is set to feature copious re-runs of Top Gear, BBC Worldwide chief executive Tim Davie told the Broadcasting Press Guild that it would be “lazy journalism” to liken it to Dave, UKTV’s male-skewing channel featuring copious re-runs of Top Gear.

Funnily enough, though, Broadcast’s suggestion that premium drama channel BBC First shared an ethos with HBO went down very well…

@james_blue_cat (James Henry) Writer

Tonight on Channel 4... a heartwarming, non-judgmental look at the issues faced by oversize people. That’s Fat C***s, 9pm, Ch 4. @govindajeggy (Sanjeev Kohli) Actor, Radio 4’s Fags, Mags and Bags

It’s Broadcast Awards time again next week and ahead of the big day, we thought we’d share with you the secret to keeping our judges going after spending hours fixed to their screens: sweets, and lots of them. Though judges sharing a group with Cineflix’s Camilla Lewis might have found it slightly harder to fight their way to the jar.

TV PITCH: “The Sweater” – Celebs have to knit a jumper in a sauna whilst being interrogated as part of Operation Yewtree. @glenlaker (Glen Laker) Writer, Holby City

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of

How do you get your own way?

If reasoned argument and persistence fails: firearms, broken chair legs and faking an asthma attack.

What do you do to relax?

Wrestle with my children, watch TV and films, read, talk.

Who would you put in the Celebrity Big Brother house?

I don’t think I could be that unkind.

Who would you like to play yourself in a movie?

Harrison Ford, of course.

If you could be reincarnated, who or what would you come back as?

A webcam at GCHQ. What subject would you choose if you were appearing on Mastermind?

The Day Today.

Which TV shows would be in your fantasy schedule?

Alan Partridge, Blackadder, The Sopranos, The Wire (pictured) Dominic Sandbrook docs, Peep Show, Frasier, Inspector Morse, The Office, The A-Team.

What are the best and worst things about working in TV or radio?

Best: working with people who share or buy into your vision for a show; worst: the amount of time it can take to get that vision off the ground.

Mark Damazer said handing Ofcom responsibility for the BBC could work, but warned: “If you go down this route, it would require Ofcom to have, deep in its remit, operating procedures and culture, an understanding of the BBC’s

2013

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Ben Butterworth Partner, Snapper Productions

SURVEY DISTRIBUTORS

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Pullout supplemen ck on 20 years pays to look the part ays now ty W new w er Maveri cast Page 26 of unpredictabili RVIE road d INTE mfield: dercov Page 22 w.b rwar Technology ww Broo lming un and techniq ay fo ue for produc st w fi tion, post tions be of and playout S Produc e BBC ng 20 NG e labels’ within be th Page RATI s winnibattle? and six ‘creativ uld s co for development push Who’factual el 4’ £2m Plans COHEN’S VISION L nninclude the 24 CREATIVE OVERHAU Cha in to BY JAKE KANTER Page Pat Younge role split em ak £2m into Younge’s CCO plough st to factual is of The BBC to between controller Humn sy free up executives development, and daytime Natalie latio genres in “creative controller of work across phreys and a new nt. regu encourage senior labels” and fiction and entertainme back to the floor” est a a managers to “go £2m investment into talent, in-house into sugg £2m t, in a bid to turn BBC to plough production outfi erts pilots. world-leading taster tapes and of television Exp director according to Danny Cohen. the changes on Cohen outlined are He said they Wednesday. down working aimed at breaking BBC Productions structures at and creativity” that “stifle energy the corporation and will help “powerful” emercompete with ix. such as Netfl platforms ging vision feeds into his The move also n across the for greater collaboratio

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£1m severance deal for former BBC director general Mark Byford was a particular flash point, with ex-Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons admitting that he discussed the payment, but did not approve it.

Trust director Nicholas Kroll told MPs repeatedly that the governing body is only allowed to intervene on remuneration matters relating to the director general, meaning it could not prevent other payoffs.

Neither did the Trust secretariat brief Lord Patten on the issue when

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