The Stage

Rivals agree drama is key to TV future

Published Tuesday 30 August 2005 at 13:15 by Liz Thomas

This year’s Edinburgh International Television Festival saw the prominent British channels in unlikely accord as they all pledged greater commitment to dramatic programming in the wake of viewers’ declining interest in reality shows, writes Liz Thomas

All the main broadcasters promised more investment and commitment to drama at this year’s Edinburgh International Television Festival, signalling a period of renewed growth for the genre.

In the past year there has been a shift away from reality and lifestyle programming as the bubble begins to burst and channels look at new ways to win audiences in an increasingly competitive industry.

BBC1 controller Peter Fincham unveiled his vision for the channel, the first time he has done so in detail since taking over the post from Lorraine Heggessey in May. Addressing delegates, he vowed to be more ambitious and take more risks with the channel’s programming. Although BBC1 collected the accolade for festival channel of the year at the event, Fincham admitted there was room for improvement. He said there would be more drama with “scale of ambition” and promised a playhouse season for the genre, featuring a mix of new and established talent. The former chief executive of Talkback Thames added he was keen to boost comedy by introducing a US-style system of piloting multiple sitcom ideas to audiences.

Also speaking at the event, BBC2 controller Roly Keating underlined his plans to increase its drama output with big single event productions. The channel, which was criticised by the board of governors’ annual report for its low audience figures, is aiming to win back viewers with “strongly authored, contemporary dramas”. Keating revealed John Fortune has written a script for one-off production. Entitled Coup!, it charts the efforts of Simon Mann, Mark Thatcher and their co-conspirators attempt to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.

Even ITV’s director of programmes Nigel Pickard, who has come under fire in recent months for the quality of the network’s programming with high profile failures such as Celebrity Wrestling, confirmed a greater commitment to drama.

He pointed to the autumn season, which is dominated by genre and big name stars, as something of a change in the network’s scheduling. However, reality juggernauts I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and The X Factor are likely to continue to be recommissioned.

Channel 4 announced some months ago that, following the loss of the rights to broadcast cricket test matches, it would be investing much of the savings in drama. From 2006 it aims to air an event drama, such as Sex Traffic or Omagh, every month.

At the television festival it launched digital channel More4 with the much publicised drama charting the affair between David Blunkett and Spectator publisher Kimberley Quinn. Entitled A Very Social Secretary and starring Bernard Hill, Victoria Hamilton and Robert Lindsay as Tony Blair, the production has already angered the former Home Secretary, who is now considering legal action. However, the broadcaster is promising contentious feature-length drama every month on its second digital offering. There are already plans for a production tackling animal experimentation and activism.

Following the controversial axeing of its flagship soap Family Affairs, Five is also investing in drama. The channel is best known for its US acquisitions, adult viewing and late-night sport but now director of programmes Dan Chambers has said the UK’s youngest terrestrial station will have a slate of its own.

He said: “Family Affairs had a steady audience but showed no sign of growth at all. We were spending £13.5 million a year on it and we were losing £9 million annually in that slot against Hollyoaks.” He added that it was the right time to look to other things such as scripted comedy and big drama series.

In the past it has only broadcast a handful of original drama, such as Murder Investigation Team, but now a number of indies are working on projects. Ecosse Films, the indie that produces Monarch of the Glen for BBC1, is making a two-hour, two-part drama written by EastEnders scriptwriter Simon Ashdown. Entitled Kitchen, it is based on the rise to fame of a celebrity chef. World Productions, run by This Life creator Tony Garnett, is working on a comedy drama based around a wedding called Perfect Day, while Carnival Films, which makes ITV crime series Rosemary and Thyme, is developing a drama about a recently departed soul not ready to move on.

Chambers revealed there are more productions in the pipeline. He said: “If you look at our US acquisitions - CSI, House - they are all about solving mysteries. I want to do that with our homegrown drama but in a different way to those shows that we already have [from America].”

Again highlighting what many are arguing is the start of a new cycle in the broadcasting industry, even Sky One has said it intends to invest more in distinctive UK programming. The channel is currently populated with lifestyle shows and drama imported from America but its controller James Baker said that bidding wars were pricing acquisitions up to as much as £500,000 an episode. He added: “It is getting close to the point where you can invest in UK drama for that kind of money and have more control and not be so much under the cosh of US studios.”

• Media View, page 12 of the paper