“There’s a huge opportunity for news broadcasters to tell the softer or more interesting stories through the platform – also [stories] that aren’t necessarily so time relevant. That’s basically what our audience want,” said Edward Lindeman, TikTok’s European strategy manager.
“I don't really want to go on the platform and hear about [Brexit] – but I am interested in learning new things and discovering content.”
Shifting viewing habits, developments in technology and the rapidly evolving competitive landscape are having a fundamental impact on our industry,” argued RTS Convention Chair Carolyn McCall as she opened Cambridge 2019.
But amid the change and uncertainty, which included Britain’s future relationship with Europe and the rest of the world, McCall maintained that television had a bright future.
Written by Roger Goldby (The Durrells) and Simon Nye (Men Behaving Badly), Finding Alice focuses on Alice (Keeley Hawes) as she navigates grief, love and life following the death of her husband Harry.
Harry’s sudden accidental death happens not long after him and Alice move into their newly finished dream home and he falls down the stairs.
His death sparks a storm of secrets, mess, debt, suspicion and criminality, which Alice must confront in order to survive.
Alongside Q&A panel sessions with top execs who work on some of the country’s biggest shows, practical workshops In the exhibition hall included how to make drama with BBC One’s Doctors in their specially created hospital set, filming on smartphones, using drones and how to make a podcast.
The major broadcasters joined more than 40 exhibitors from across the industry to give attendees one-to-one advice on how to break into the industry, from creating the perfect CV to gaining professional experience.
The four-part limited series is led by Russell Tovey (Years and Years) who plays Nathan, a well-meaning but directionless man struggling to escape his past.
Nathan’s devoted married life becomes deeply unsettled when he receives shocking news from Bob, an unwelcome figure from his past, played by Bertie Carvel (Doctor Foster).
This news causes a terrible, buried secret to resurface, triggering a series of disastrous events as Nathan struggles for redemption.
The three-year partnership aims to tackle obesity in young people by reaching 90% of UK children through the TV.
The health and wellbeing initiative hopes to change long-term behaviour towards eating and exercise across all communities.
‘Eat Them to Defeat Them’, an advertising campaign partnership between Veg Power and ITV, aims to increase vegetable consumption among children, of whom 80% do not eat enough.
This series, wannabe popstars looking for their big break will be replaced by celebrities who will sing their hearts out to try and impress the judges.
The line-up includes reality stars, soap stars, models and sporting stars, with Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger joining Simon Cowell on the judging panel.
Cowell is serious about finding a new singing sensation among the celebrities, with a record deal on offer for the winner.
Meet the contestants who are hoping to become the next X Factor champion.
Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey will follow Ant and Dec as they attempt to uncover their ancestral roots with the help of expert genealogists and historians.
Using their DNA, the duo’s journey will take them to Ireland and the US, meeting far-flung relatives along the way. The show will reveal some astonishing truths about both Ant and Dec’s heritage, including celebrated war heroes, ‘historically important’ ancestral bones and even Royal descendants.
Remaining “local” in terms of story, themes and talent was key. In fact, Paul Marquess – MD of PGM TV and a veteran of soaps including Brookside and Hollyoaks – argued that what worked, in his experience, was being “very local”.
Marquess said: “It is much harder to build a franchise with global appeal… but there is a huge appetite for quality English-speaking drama.” He called for more locally produced drama in Dublin, adding: “This is a cool place!”
Lorna Martin, who won the inaugural Writers Award at the RTS Scotland Awards in June, encouraged would-be writers in the audience to put pen to paper: “People want your story. There’s so many production companies and they want content.”
Martin – who adapted her best-selling book, Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, for UKTV channel W and RTÉ2 (Women on the Verge) – continued: “Look for the type of production company whose shows resonate with you or [make] shows you like – I think that’s crucial.”
She added: “And send them a nice email.”
