World

G.5.3. What does work on television?Strong television output: no different from other areas ofprogrammingThe industry decision-makers’ responses alreadynoted indicate that:Coverage of the developing world should in principle be anaturally integrated part of mainstream television. Butin practice this has not been achieved as it has tended tolose audiences.But, while important in general, as part of television’srole as a ‘window on the world’, individual programmescan no longer be made simply because they cover a topicthat is deemed important. It is not a specifically‘protected’ area, like news or religion. As part of themainstream, they must be judged on the same basis as allother programming.The criteria for all programming include:● The ability to draw an audience (judged by ratings)● If not, the ability to win plaudits or get noticed● Affordability● Timeliness● Use of current (if not trend-setting) formats andstyles● Providing something distinctive to the channelremit● Suiting regulatory requirements“The developing world should not be seen as a separatesubject area. Stories are judged alongside everything else.The key thing is impact not minutes, occasional butimpressive” Jane Root, BBC“If you flag this type of programming as a zone, peopleare put off. Seasons and theme nights are not the answerhere, you wouldn’t keep up the interest.” RosemaryNewell, Channel 4G.5.3.1. Distinctive features necessary to makecoverage of the developing world work well ontelevisionThere are, however, certain features that the majority ofinterviewees (both policy-makers and programmemakers)regard as necessary requirements in the currentclimate for this type of programming to work well.AN UNPREDICTABLE APPROACHTwenty interviewees stressed the need for new angles.“We have to approach the subjects in an unpredictableway and breathe fresh life into this area. We have to touchpeople in ways they least expect – like COMIC RELIEFdid” Alan Yentob, BBC“These programmes should be full of surprises andchallenges. One way we are trying to do this is to crossgenres, because some traditional genres have become toopredictable on their own. For instance, INTO AFRICAcombined archaeology, politics and history with travel.Pleasure for BBC2 audiences involves thinking and beingchallenged, not giving them what they already know”Jane Root, BBC“On GMTV we might put the Spice Girls on first to catchpeople’s interest before an item on Soweto. When wewent to South Africa we deliberately mixed it in with LEand wacky domestic stories, because there’s no pointdoing South Africa at all if people don’t watch.” PeterMcHugh, GMTV“The best output has a surprise element, it’s not widelyknown, and it forces people – and governments – toaddress the issue” Richard Ayre, BBC News“We need novelty and invention. It took a genius to makea programme like the Modern Times programme Mange-Tout, to see there was a way of making a wittydocumentary which related to a sizeable British audienceby unpicking what was on their dinner plate – not in apreachy way – and demonstrating something about theinterdependence of food provision in the world. It’s agreat example of how wit and imagination transformedsomething from a sterile topic to something that madegreat watching. Lagos Airport is another example ofthis.” David Lloyd, Channel 4“It may take greater ingenuity to present theseprogrammes in a popular way, but it can be done. We’vedone it with anthropology, which once was hugelypopular. With our Forbidden Rites series we decided tofind a tabloid label for it, to shock people into beinginterested, but make the films as serious anthropology. Sothe first three programmes are on human sacrifice,cannablism and headhunting! Yet it’s actually turnedinto one of the most interesting anthropologyprogrammes I’ve ever been involved in, and takes usinside societies in Latin America, the Middle East andIndonesia in a serious way. You have to sell yourself in aHollywood style to get the issues across.” André Singer,Café ProductionsBeing unpredictable, for some, includes the idea ofbeing more upbeat in this area.“People expect gloom and hopelessness. But the bestprogrammes bring the unexpected glimmer of hopeamong the problems, like Jonathon Dimbleby’s AnEthiopian Journey” Grant Mansfield, ITV168 DFID – July 2000