When eight years ago an internal crisis propelled the then head of BBC Worldwide, Tim Davie, into the job of acting BBC director general, he was criticized for not wearing a tie.
The criticism didn’t stick and Davie, now CEO of BBC Studios and director of global, is emerging as the favored candidate to replace Tony Hall, the outgoing director general, who announced his planned departure in late January.
Under ordinary circumstances, the announcement of Hall’s successor should have been imminent, but the coronavirus pandemic appears to have put the brakes on the recruitment process.
It is possible that headhunters may delay the search for the next head of the BBC still further owing to anxieties that the reported shortlist of four candidates includes only one woman.
Despite sounding out a number of senior women that run British broadcasters and London-based producers, including ITV’s Carolyn McCall, Channel 4...
The criticism didn’t stick and Davie, now CEO of BBC Studios and director of global, is emerging as the favored candidate to replace Tony Hall, the outgoing director general, who announced his planned departure in late January.
Under ordinary circumstances, the announcement of Hall’s successor should have been imminent, but the coronavirus pandemic appears to have put the brakes on the recruitment process.
It is possible that headhunters may delay the search for the next head of the BBC still further owing to anxieties that the reported shortlist of four candidates includes only one woman.
Despite sounding out a number of senior women that run British broadcasters and London-based producers, including ITV’s Carolyn McCall, Channel 4...
- 5/22/2020
- by Steve Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
The Grand Ole Opry anointed its newest member with the addition of bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent, who was surprised with the honor during Friday night’s festivities.
Following Vincent’s performance of “Like I Could,” the song’s co-writer and Opry member Jeannie Seely extended the invitation and asked Vincent if she wanted to join the venerable show. A stunned Vincent responded, “100% percent yes. Oh my gosh! I grew up listening to the Grand Ole [Opry]. Thank you dear God!”
Vincent, who won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album for her LP All the Rage,...
Following Vincent’s performance of “Like I Could,” the song’s co-writer and Opry member Jeannie Seely extended the invitation and asked Vincent if she wanted to join the venerable show. A stunned Vincent responded, “100% percent yes. Oh my gosh! I grew up listening to the Grand Ole [Opry]. Thank you dear God!”
Vincent, who won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album for her LP All the Rage,...
- 2/29/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Tony Hall announced his shock decision to stand down as BBC director general on Monday, sparking what is likely to be a six-month race to be his successor. A job advert is already being prepared by the BBC board and prospective candidates will likely be dusting off their resumes for one of the most prestigious roles in British media.
Whoever prospers will walk into the BBC’s headquarters in central London to a bulging in-tray of priorities. Hall’s successor will have to negotiate the BBC’s future funding and operating agreement with, what appears to be, a hostile government, emboldened by Boris Johnson’s thumping election win last year.
Other priorities include building on Hall’s legacy of launching BBC Studios as a commercial entity, developing radio, music and podcast app BBC Sounds, and cleaning up a messy equal pay dispute that has become a protracted and toxic problem under the current director general.
Whoever prospers will walk into the BBC’s headquarters in central London to a bulging in-tray of priorities. Hall’s successor will have to negotiate the BBC’s future funding and operating agreement with, what appears to be, a hostile government, emboldened by Boris Johnson’s thumping election win last year.
Other priorities include building on Hall’s legacy of launching BBC Studios as a commercial entity, developing radio, music and podcast app BBC Sounds, and cleaning up a messy equal pay dispute that has become a protracted and toxic problem under the current director general.
- 1/20/2020
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
1917 director Sam Mendes and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight are among the Brits to score a prestigious award as part of the New Year’s Honours List 2020.
The distinguished awards are handed out once a year and recognize the outstanding achievements of 1,097 people across the UK.
Neal Street co-founder Mendes, whose one-hit war movie was released Christmas Day by Universal Pictures, and Knight, who also wrote BBC and FX’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, have both received knighthoods, as has 12 Years A Slave director Steve Mcqueen.
“I’m amazed, delighted and extremely proud,” Mendes told Deadline. “I have stood on the shoulders of so many collaborators and colleagues over the last thirty years – actors, writers, designers, producers, technicians – to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude. I would not be receiving this honor without them.”
Elton John, who was the subject of biopic Rocketman, becomes a Companion of Honour,...
The distinguished awards are handed out once a year and recognize the outstanding achievements of 1,097 people across the UK.
Neal Street co-founder Mendes, whose one-hit war movie was released Christmas Day by Universal Pictures, and Knight, who also wrote BBC and FX’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, have both received knighthoods, as has 12 Years A Slave director Steve Mcqueen.
“I’m amazed, delighted and extremely proud,” Mendes told Deadline. “I have stood on the shoulders of so many collaborators and colleagues over the last thirty years – actors, writers, designers, producers, technicians – to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude. I would not be receiving this honor without them.”
Elton John, who was the subject of biopic Rocketman, becomes a Companion of Honour,...
- 12/27/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
With progress on diversity in the television workforce appearing to slow, British broadcasters must “redouble their efforts” to improve the situation across the industry, the U.K.’s media regulator said.
In its third annual report into diversity and equal opportunities in the British TV sector, Ofcom said that in the past year there had been “no discernible change in the TV industry’s diversity profile” with regard to women, minorities and people with disabilities in the workforce. The standstill comes after encouraging progress the year before, in 2017-18.
“We want a TV industry where differences are celebrated, and the door is open to all,” Sharon White, Ofcom’s outgoing chief executive, said Wednesday. “But the evidence shows that the dial towards full inclusivity is not shifting quickly enough, and we cannot allow progress to stall.”
The new Ofcom report found that, for the second year running, the proportion of...
In its third annual report into diversity and equal opportunities in the British TV sector, Ofcom said that in the past year there had been “no discernible change in the TV industry’s diversity profile” with regard to women, minorities and people with disabilities in the workforce. The standstill comes after encouraging progress the year before, in 2017-18.
“We want a TV industry where differences are celebrated, and the door is open to all,” Sharon White, Ofcom’s outgoing chief executive, said Wednesday. “But the evidence shows that the dial towards full inclusivity is not shifting quickly enough, and we cannot allow progress to stall.”
The new Ofcom report found that, for the second year running, the proportion of...
- 9/18/2019
- by Robert Mitchell
- Variety Film + TV
Streaming giant chief executive to make rare UK appearance at Cambridge.
Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings will deliver the international keynote at September’s Royal Television Society (Rts) Cambridge Convention.
Hastings rarely speaks in the UK but in recent months Netflix has shown a propensity to further involve itself with the sector and chief content officer Ted Sarandos recently said the SVoD giant is looking to “physically” set up here.
Rts chief executive Theresa Wise said Hastings had been a “transformative figure in the global TV industry”.
Other speakers lined up for the biannual event include last month’s Broadcast guest editor Lenny Henry,...
Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings will deliver the international keynote at September’s Royal Television Society (Rts) Cambridge Convention.
Hastings rarely speaks in the UK but in recent months Netflix has shown a propensity to further involve itself with the sector and chief content officer Ted Sarandos recently said the SVoD giant is looking to “physically” set up here.
Rts chief executive Theresa Wise said Hastings had been a “transformative figure in the global TV industry”.
Other speakers lined up for the biannual event include last month’s Broadcast guest editor Lenny Henry,...
- 6/27/2019
- by Max Goldbart Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
The CEO of U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Wednesday called on British public service broadcasters to collaborate on a streaming service for British content in the vein of Netflix and Amazon.
"If the growth of Netflix and Amazon tells us one thing, it is that viewers will flock to single destinations that offer a wide variety of quality content," Sharon White said in a speech at an industry conference in London, according to a copy of her remarks provided by Ofcom.
Each of the big U.K. public service TV companies runs its own on-demand catch-up service,...
"If the growth of Netflix and Amazon tells us one thing, it is that viewers will flock to single destinations that offer a wide variety of quality content," Sharon White said in a speech at an industry conference in London, according to a copy of her remarks provided by Ofcom.
Each of the big U.K. public service TV companies runs its own on-demand catch-up service,...
- 11/28/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Britain’s top TV regulator Ofcom has urged broadcasters to join together to create a domestic Svod service capable of taking on the likes of Netflix and Amazon.
CEO Sharon White called for the BBC to lead the development of a service that brings together content from the British public broadcaster, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – and offered BritPlayer as a potential name.
Speaking at Freeview and Digital UK’s Outside the Box conference in London, White said, “There has been talk of our [public service broadcasters] combining their content – and pooling their appeal – through a single destination across smart TVs, phones and digital devices. That would require significant investment, shared ambition, and taking a chance on success. Our broadcasters would need to reconcile their varied brands, audiences and funding models. Some say it cannot be done,” she said. “[But] the opportunity to reach more people [is greater than ever].”
The civil servant, who has run Ofcom...
CEO Sharon White called for the BBC to lead the development of a service that brings together content from the British public broadcaster, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – and offered BritPlayer as a potential name.
Speaking at Freeview and Digital UK’s Outside the Box conference in London, White said, “There has been talk of our [public service broadcasters] combining their content – and pooling their appeal – through a single destination across smart TVs, phones and digital devices. That would require significant investment, shared ambition, and taking a chance on success. Our broadcasters would need to reconcile their varied brands, audiences and funding models. Some say it cannot be done,” she said. “[But] the opportunity to reach more people [is greater than ever].”
The civil servant, who has run Ofcom...
- 11/28/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Regulator’s first report also challenges Tony Hall on transparency and representation.
Ofcom chief executive Sharon White has urged the BBC to do far more to engage young people as part of the regulator’s inaugural report into the corporation’s activities.
Writing a letter to Tony Hall as the report was published today, White said that the Psb needs to “take significant further steps to engage young people”.
She told the director-general: “As the BBC recognises, it is not currently doing enough, quickly enough, to reach young people, who are critical to its future success.
“It needs to take...
Ofcom chief executive Sharon White has urged the BBC to do far more to engage young people as part of the regulator’s inaugural report into the corporation’s activities.
Writing a letter to Tony Hall as the report was published today, White said that the Psb needs to “take significant further steps to engage young people”.
She told the director-general: “As the BBC recognises, it is not currently doing enough, quickly enough, to reach young people, who are critical to its future success.
“It needs to take...
- 10/25/2018
- by Max Goldbart Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
The Chinese adaptation of Saturday Night Live has been pulled from Chinese digital platform Youku. The remake of the NBC Universal format has been taken down from the service after launching a few weeks ago. The fourth episode of the Chinese show was due to launch last weekend but did not air and the previous episodes have also been taken down. It’s not exactly clear why the show was removed but there’s an increasing crackdown on controversial entertainment shows by the Chinese government. Regulators have recently urged media platforms to broadcast “positive energy” and protect them from “low taste and harmful programs.” The Chinese version of Saturday Night Live was hosted by comedians Yue Yunpeng and Chen He. The partnership between Youku, a unit of Alibaba Digital Media & Entertainment Group, and NBC Universal was announced last April. Over the last few years, ten international versions of Saturday Night Live...
- 7/18/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
New Ofcom report shows how Netflix, Amazon have reshaped TV viewing habits.
The number of SVoD subscribers overtook the number of pay-tv homes for the first time earlier this year, according to Ofcom.
The regulator’s inaugural Media Nations report revealed that in the first three months of 2018 there were 15.4m UK subscribers to the likes of Amazon and Netflix, around 300,000 ahead of the number of pay-tv homes.
The figure takes into account those households with multiple SVoD subscriptions and is estimated at 11.1m if calculated on a per household basis.
However, while the pay-tv operators’ income dipped slightly to £6.4bn year-on-year,...
The number of SVoD subscribers overtook the number of pay-tv homes for the first time earlier this year, according to Ofcom.
The regulator’s inaugural Media Nations report revealed that in the first three months of 2018 there were 15.4m UK subscribers to the likes of Amazon and Netflix, around 300,000 ahead of the number of pay-tv homes.
The figure takes into account those households with multiple SVoD subscriptions and is estimated at 11.1m if calculated on a per household basis.
However, while the pay-tv operators’ income dipped slightly to £6.4bn year-on-year,...
- 7/18/2018
- by Max Goldbart Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
The level to which Netflix and Amazon are redefining the TV picture has hit home in the U.K. as new data from media regulator Ofcom show subscriptions to streaming services outnumbering those to traditional pay-tv for the first time. Pay-tv revenues also dropped for the first time after years of sustained growth, Ofcom said.
The numbers are sobering reading for pay-tv heavyweight Sky and Britain’s other major pay-tv firm, Virgin. A mitigating factor is that Sky itself has a streaming service, Now TV, and Virgin also offers a range of services beyond pay TV. But the inescapable fact is that Netflix and Amazon have reshaped the subscription business in Britain.
The findings are contained in Ofcom’s first Media Nations report, which covers TV trends in the U.K. and was issued early Wednesday, British time. It highlights a “competitive shift within the U.K. television industry, driven...
The numbers are sobering reading for pay-tv heavyweight Sky and Britain’s other major pay-tv firm, Virgin. A mitigating factor is that Sky itself has a streaming service, Now TV, and Virgin also offers a range of services beyond pay TV. But the inescapable fact is that Netflix and Amazon have reshaped the subscription business in Britain.
The findings are contained in Ofcom’s first Media Nations report, which covers TV trends in the U.K. and was issued early Wednesday, British time. It highlights a “competitive shift within the U.K. television industry, driven...
- 7/17/2018
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
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