Dr. Carolina Matos

Lecturer in Media and Communications

Department of Sociology

City University London

WK 8 – The invention of the independent TV production sector

Core readings Essential readingChalaby, J. (2010) ‘The rise of Britain’s super-indies: Policy-making in the age of the global media market’, the International Communication Gazette, 72(8): 675-693.Doyle, G. And R. Paterson (2008) ‘Public Policy and Independent Television Production In the U.K.’, Journal of Media Business Studies, 5(3): 17-33. (Web link on moodle and article free to download from the journal’s website.) Highly recommended readingCrisell, A. (1997) An Introductory History of British Broadcasting. Routledge. Chapter 9.Curran, J. and J. Seaton (2010) Power Without Responsibility - 7th Edition. Routledge. Chapter 13.Potter, I. (2008) The Rise and Rise of the Independents: A Television History. London.

Key issuesThe cosy duopoly challengedThe public versus the private The launch of C4 and PSBThe birth of the independence TV production sectorThe shift towards content producersThe rise of the super-indiesEarly and contemporary TV formats and examplesAudience research and TV ratingsConclusions and seminar topics Readings for week 9

The cosy duopolyLimited competition between the BBC and ITVConvergence of programming between the BBC and ITV

The changing face of broadcasting in the 1980s and 1990sFactors of change:

1. Technology (cable, satellite & internet)2. Policy decisions

The four “Cs”CommercialisationCompetitionChoice (which channel to watch, how to watch it, etc.)Complexity

The cosy duopoly challenged

‘Private’ versus ‘public’ dichotomy

Private PublicRight/Conservative/Centre/Left – the consumer

Centre/Left/Liberal/some conservatives - citizen

‘Objective’ and informational journalism ‘Objective’/’public’/’serious’ journalism

Talk shows/sit-coms/reality TV – American programming, some content from other countries

Realism in films/documentaries/reality TV – ‘arty’ and European programming, some US material

Advertising/aesthetic of consumerism – self/intimacy/the private sphere (i.e. Sci-fi, horror)

‘Quality’ aesthetic/Challenging material - collective/the public sphere

Dreamy/fantasy/’escapism’ texts – occasional ‘serious’ material

Historical material/in depth analyses – some entertainment (i.e. Soaps, drama, sci-fi, horror).

The launch of Channel FourLaunching UK’s 4th channel:

- Ten years of debates, arguments and lobbying - ITV certain it had its 2nd channel - Thatcher government (1979-90) decided otherwise

On air: 2 November 1982

Three characteristics:1. Minority programming

(The Annan Committee, 1977)2. A hybrid commercial/PSB channel

3. A ‘publisher’, not a ‘producer’ of programmes

30 years of Channel 4:1982- 2012

* The setting up of C4 was an important first step in fostering the development of the independent television production sector (Doyle et al, 2008)

* It had no in-house capacity of its own

* In sum, Channel 4 was asked by an Act of Parliament “to encourage innovation and experiment in the form and content of programmes, to cater for interests not catered for by ITV, to provide overall a distinctive service, and to take as many programmes as we could from new, independent producers.”

30 years of Channel 4:Living it up to its public service remit

Breaking and nurturing new talent

C4 has often showcased new comedians, given new writers their first commissions and taken risk on unknown actors and presenters.

Examples:

- Davina (Big Brother)

- Jamie Oliver

- Russell Brand

- Dermot O’Leary

- Vernon Kay

- Jack Whitehall

30 years of Channel 4: Living it up to its public service remit

Innovation

C4 has often scheduled programmes that innovated and experimented.

Examples:

- Big Brother (2000-10)

In terms of genre (reality TV) and multi-platform programme

- Embarrassing Bodies: Live From the Clinic (2011)

Delivers healthcare to patients via Skype

- Misfits (2009)

Keeps its young audience engaged with Twitter

-The Million Pound Drop (2009)

Took the gameshow genre and made it a live event

Big Brother UK 2000-2010

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ct8qENC-0A )

30 years of Channel 4: Living it up to its public service remit

Alternative points of viewC4 has often provided a platform for minority voices.Examples:

- The Undateables (2012) (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-undateables)

Individuals with Asperger’s, Tourette’s and narcolepsy look for love through a matchmaking service

- Drugs Live: The Ecstasy Trial (2012)Investigating the impact of class-A drug MDMA on the human

body- My transsexual summer (2011)Programme about seven people preparing gender-reassignment

procedures-Paralympics coverage (2012)

A global event taken to a new level

30 years of Channel 4: A success story?

C4 operates in an increasingly competitive environment and it struggles to maintain its ratings.

However:- It has remained a creative force in the UK, helping create a

phenomenal amount of economic value over the past 30 years. - The history of C4 is in effect the history of the independent TV and film

production sector in the UK, and the relationship between the two remains symbiotic.

- C4 plays a pioneering role in independent British film production through Film 4, which includes the Film 4 channel (http://www.film4.com/), Film 4 Productions, Film4.com, Film 4OD and Film 4.0.

Film 4 and independent British film

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSfXh8IJEg4) Film4 has been involved in a range of critically acclaimed films

including Kevin Macdonald'sLast King of Scotland, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, Martin McDonagh's In Bruges, Phyllida Lloyd'sThe Iron Lady, Steve McQueen's Hunger, Mike Leigh's Another Year, Andrea Arnold's Wuthering Heights, Joe Cornish's Attack the Block, Paddy Considine's Tyrannosaur, Ben Wheatley's Kill List, Ben Palmer's The Inbetweeners Movie and Carol Morley's Dreams of a Life, among others.

The birth of the Independent TV production sector

1980s and 1990s:

- Production companies not owned by broadcasters.- Collectively known as the ‘indies’.- Small companies- Mostly supplying Channel 4, and mostly producing

documentaries

- But it was about to change...

The Strategic Shift Towards Content Producers

The 1990 Broadcasting Act introduced ‘the statutory independent quota’

The 1996 Broadcasting Act expanded the principle to digital terrestrial television channels.

New Labour: elected in May 199, prime minister Tony Blair)PACTRise in the competitive environment in programme-making and

boost to the independent production sector

The 2003 Communications Act:

Code of Practice (between broadcasters and producers)Defining new terms of trade Imposing the disaggregation of rights, including distribution rights,

international rights and ancillary rightsCreating a new intellectual property (IP) regime

The Strategic Shift Towards Content Producers

Consolidation: The Rise of Britain’s Super-Indies

As Chalaby (2010) states, traditionally it is vertically integrated broadcasters who have been Britain’s top exporters.

“The BBC has been Europe’s leading programme exporter and the world’s third largest format originating company. ITV….is another strong performer in the international TV market, its large catalogue of well-known dramas and entertainment shows stretching over five decades…”

A few British series have had success in Europe, including The Avengers, Absolutely Fabulous, Dr. Who and The Office.

Soon they were joined by the “super-indies”, including All3Media, Shine Group, IMG Media and Endemol UK

I.e. All3Media’s export catalogue spans most genres, and is strong in drama (i.e. Hollyoaks, Midsomer Murders)

Larger independent TV production companies, bring several small companies under one roof.

The emergence of TV formats A TV format is the structure of a show that can generate a distinctive

narrative and is licensed outside its country of origin in order to be adapted to local audiences

Proof of concept (ratings) and flying producers Early British TV formats: Changing Rooms Ready Steady Cook Robot Wars Scrapheap Challenge Faking It Supernanny Who Wants To Be a Millionaire (i.e. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=4fSt4mBfRPU) Wife Swap

Contemporary British TV formats

Come Dine With MeDancing With the StarsGot TalentIdols (American Idol, etc.)Million Pound DropUndercover BossSecret MillionaireX Factor

Come Dine with Me

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY_NoMumfEQ)

Britain’s Super-Indies

All3Mediadrama: Apparitions, Hollyoaks, Midsomer Murders, Skins, Wild At Heart;

factual entertainment: Bondi Rescue, Fifth Gear, The Rough Guide To… and Victorian Farm. Formats: Cash Cab.

Shine GroupMasterChef, Merlin, The Office (USA) Ugly Betty (USA).

IMG Media- Mr Bean, Murphy’s Law, Charlie and Lola.

Britain’s Super-Indies

Endemol UK- Big Brother UK and derived shows, Gok’s Fashion Fix; Deal or No Deal; Ready Steady Cook, Would I Lie to You?

RDF Media (now part of Zodiak Media Group)- Wife Swap, Location, Location, Location, Don’t Forget the Lyrics, Faking It and Secret Millionaire.

Britain’s Super-Indies

Tinopolis- current affairs: Question Time; factual and entertainment: The World’s Worst…, Traffic Cops, Drunk & Dangerous; formats: Paradise Hotel.

Shed Media (now part of Warner Bros)- dramas: Footballers’ Wives, Hope Springs, Waterloo Road; formats: Supernanny, Who Do You Think You Are?, World’s Strictest Parents.

British content producers: An export industry

Hundreds of companiesFormation of a commodity chain in broadcasting

(e.g. food supply chain)4,224 staff in total (2013)Supply about half the programming on BBC, ITV, C4

and Five£2.08 billion global turnover£1.2 billion in TV exports (UK world’s 2nd exporter in

the world behind USA)

How do we know how many people watch TV?The Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB) provides official

viewing figures for UK television audiences www.barb.co.ukPanel survey of 5,100 households representative of UK TV audience

Television viewing is monitored automatically by metering equipmentMore than 30,000 viewing devices are monitored, including PVRs, DVDRs

and VCRs, and standard set-top boxesEach morning overnight viewing figures released to TV industryEight days later, consolidated audience figures are released, incorporating

any timeshift viewing from the previous seven daysSocio-demographic characteristics of households captured too

Who does audience research?

Official organisations for commissioning audience researchTelevision:The Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB) www.barb.co.ukRadio:Radio Joint Audience Research (RAJAR) www.rajar.co.uk Newspapers: National Readership Survey (NRS) www.nrs.co.ukRegulator: Office of Communications (OFCOM) http://www.ofcom.org.uk

There are many audience research companiesIPA Touchpoints www.ipa.co.uk/touchpoints Kantar Media www.kantarmedia-audiences.com IPSOS-MORI MediaCT www.ipsos-mori.com/researchspecialisms/ipsosmediact.aspxAGBNielson www.agbnielsen.net Many more!

Share of audience by channel

http://www.barb.co.uk/trendspotting/analysis/share-of-viewing-by-channel?_s=4

% share of audienceYear to end Sep 2013For all broadcaster groups with at least 1% share

Ofcom 2013 report on the media: key findings News consumption in the UK TV remains the most important and frequently-used mode of news

consumption, and one in five people say their only source of news is television.

Nearly 8 in ten (78%) UK adults say they use television to access news. Newspapers by four in ten; radio by just one-third (35%); and the Internet, either on a computer or mobile, by just one third (32%).

TV channels are seen as the most important source, but one in seven people nominate a website or apps as their most important news source

TV channels are the most popular source of local news, although one in three respondents say they browse online for local news and information.

Across all platforms, BBC One is the most-used news source. After the BBC, Facebook and Google are the most used online news sources.

The UK television industry generated £ 12.3 bi in revenue during 2012, an increase of £ 103 m (or 0.8%) on 2011 in nominal terms.

Conclusions and questions for thought C4 has paved the way for the independent TV production sector It catered for minorities, and launched creative talent, such as Russell

Brand The UK’ regulation policy has had a fundamental role in helping shape

the broadcasting sector and stimulate competition, opening spaces for new voices and diversity of perspectives

The ‘super-indies’ have contributed to boost the competitive edge of programme-making in the UK

Some successful TV formats include Big Brother, Come Dine With Me, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, etc.

What have been some of the problems of the independent TV production sector?

Class topic: Analysis of last week’s ratings (terrestrial television).

Readings for week 9 Essential readingCrisell, A. (1997) An Introductory History of British Broadcasting. Routledge. Chapters 10 & 11.ORCurran, J. and J. Seaton (2010) Power Without Responsibility - 7th Edition. Routledge. Chapters 14 & 16.

Highly recommended readingHorsman, M. (1997) Sky High – The amazing story of BSkyB. Orion Business.

Additional: Hutchison, D. (1999) Media Policy: An Introduction. Blackwell. Chapter 10.