TV Industry in Northern Ireland

[Una Murphy]

The NI Select Committee of MPs met in Belfast yesterday to hear evidence for its Inquiry into TV broadcasting in Northern Ireland. The submissions from journalists and producers representatives' the NUJ and Pact both highlighted the low moral in the local industry due to a combination of redundancies and lack of network commissions. It would be good to hear of any suggestions to boost the industry in Northern Ireland just now

[Chris Lennon]

No punches intended Stuart

[Stuart Cosgrove]

Your not in a C4 chat room Chris and I'd rather you spoke really frankly rather than pull punches. There is no right or wrong here, I think both C4 and the wider creative community in NI want more action and more diverse action.

[Chris Lennon]

I do realise I'm in a C4 chat room, but just thought I'd voice my take on what you guys are looking for

[Chris Lennon]

Hi there,
I was at the Channel 4 Commissions conference at the Waterfront, back in Sept, and the key problem they discussed with the lack of commissions is that big commissioners like C4 and BBC are not looking for just TV, they're looking for the whole package: TV; web interface; games and chat forums. So in order for that to happen, N.Ireland, companies hav to get with the program and form collective hubs churning out a multi-medium package.
Their problem with N.I was everyone is still trying to be individuals. I think sites like these are the way foward in combining talents to solve this solution.

[Stuart Cosgrove]

I felt the process was a bit gentle Una, as a broadcaster I had gone expecting a much more challenging time, I suspect that it was just too much to discuss - news, regional TV, network production, digital media, indigenous language and the all-Ireland market. That's a lot in 45mins.

A key challenge facing the sector and TV is the relentless journey towards scale ideas and returning formats, which has suited bigger companies and further squeezed individual film-makers. It’s a tough one to resolve when the debate is always about 'quantitative' targets - you must do more - measured by bigger scale, rather than 'qualitative' value - measured by quality, diversity and reputational value.

Whatever opinion people may have about say 'Hunger' it has won Oscars and is world class, so too is Margo Harkin's Surf movie ‘Waveriders’ etc. But they only add up to 70-90 mins of screen time and don't even make a dent in targets-by-volume.

Moving a game-show does but its not what we both got into the industry to try to achieve.