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if there is no information on thisBritain needs strong TV industry
Comedy writer
Armando Iannucci has called for an industry-wide defence of the BBC and British
programme-makers. "The Thick
of It" creator made his remarks in the annual MacTaggart
Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival."It's more
important than ever that we have more strong, popular channels... that act as
beacons, drawing audiences to the best content," he said. Speaking
earlier, Culture Secretary John Whittingdale rejected suggestions that he
wanted to dismantle the BBC.
'Champion supporters'
Iannucci
co-wrote "I'm Alan
Partridge", wrote the movie "In the Loop" and created and wrote the hit "HBO" and "Sky Atlantic show Veep".
He delivered the 40th annual MacTaggart Lecture, which has previously been
given by Oscar winner Kevin Spacey, former BBC director general Greg Dyke,
Jeremy Paxman and Rupert Murdoch. Iannucci said: "Faced with a global
audience, British television needs its champion supporters."
He continued his
praise for British programming by saying the global success of American TV
shows had come about because they were emulating British television. "The
best US shows are modelling themselves on what used to make British TV so
world-beating," he said. "US prime-time schedules are now littered with
those quirky formats from the UK - the "Who Do You Think You Are"'s and the variants on "Strictly Come Dancing" -
as well as the single-camera non-audience sitcom, which we brought into the
mainstream first. We have changed
international viewing for the better."
With the renewal of
the BBC's royal charter approaching, Iannucci also praised the corporation. He
said: "If public service broadcasting - one of the best things we've ever
done creatively as a country - if it was a car industry, our ministers would be
out championing it overseas, trying to win contracts, boasting of the British
jobs that would bring." In July, the government issued a green paper
setting out issues that will be explored during negotiations over the future of
the BBC, including the broadcaster's size, its funding and governance.
Primarily Mr
Whittingdale wanted to appoint a panel of five people, but finally he invited
two more people to advise on the channer renewal, namely former Channel 4 boss
Dawn Airey and journalism professor Stewart Purvis, a former editor-in-chief of
ITN. Iannucci bemoaned the lack of "creatives" involved in the
discussions.
"When the
media, communications and information industries make up nearly 8% our GDP,
larger than the car and oil and gas industries put together, we need to be
heard, as those industries are heard. But when I see the panel of experts
who've been asked by the culture secretary to take a root and branch look at
the BBC, I don't see anyone who is a part of that cast and crew list. I see
executives, media owners, industry gurus, all talented people - but not a
single person who's made a classic and enduring television show."
'Don't be modest'
Iannucci suggested
one way of easing the strain on the licence fee was "by pushing ourselves
more commercially abroad".
"Use the BBC's
name, one of the most recognised brands in the world," he said. "And
use the reputation of British television across all networks, to capitalise
financially oversees. Be more aggressive in selling our shows, through advertising,
through proper international subscription channels, freeing up BBC Worldwide to
be fully commercial, whatever it takes.
"Frankly,
don't be icky and modest about making money, let's monetise the bezeesus Mary
and Joseph out of our programmes abroad so that money can come back, take some
pressure off the licence fee at home and be invested in even more ambitious
quality shows, that can only add to our value."
Mr Whittingdale,
who was interviewed by ITV News' Alastair Stewart at the festival, said he
wanted an open debate about whether the corporation should do everything it has
done in the past. He said he had a slight sense that people who rushed to
defend the BBC were "trying to have an argument that's never been
started".
"Whatever my
view is, I don't determine what programmes the BBC should show," he added.
"That's the job of the BBC." Mr Whittingdale said any speculation
that the Conservative Party had always wanted to change the BBC due to issues
such as its editorial line was "absolute nonsense".