UK television's annual get-together, the MediaGuardian Edinburgh Television Festival, is taking on a more outward-looking focus, according to the event's executive chair, Dawn Airey. "We felt we should include a European channel element," commented Airey, Sky Networks' MD. Accordingly, Gerhard Zeiler, Chief Executive Officer of RTL Group, has been invited to deliver the Worldview Address.
The keynote session, which addresses a global view of the television business, was launched in 1990. Previous speakers include Barry Diller, Elisabeth Murdoch, Barclay Knapp and John de Mol. Zeiler may throw some light on RTL's intentions regarding the UK market, where its terrestrial channel five has been rumoured to be merging with Channel 4.
Festival advisory Chair Murray Boland, head of C4's digital channels, also confirmed that this year's event would include a greater emphasis on programme-making. "In previous years, we've concentrated on the business of television," he noted. Other presentations feature Ed Richards, Senior Partner , Startegy and Marketing developments, of communications super-regulator Ofcom, who will address the issue of public service broadcasting.
The Festival, which takes place from 27-29 August in the Scottish capital, will host BBC DG, Mark Thompson, making his first major public appearance since taking the helm at the corporation. Panels about chequebook journalism TV ('Chequebook versus Notebook') and whether reality TV benefits the charities it supports ('Cheating on Charity') will also feature at next month's Edinburgh TV festival.
The chequebook journalism panel will include Rebecca Loos, who recently alleged she had had an affair with England footballer David Beckham, but he denied the allegations. The panel, which will also include former Sun editor David Yelland and
PR agent Max Clifford, will look at the increasing willingness of TV corporations to pay for exclusive interviews, which has normally been the preserve of tabloid newspapers.
14-07-2004
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