U.K. Culture Secretary Castigates TV Industry For Being ‘Centralized’ and ‘Exclusive’: ‘It Should Shame Us All’

As a movie buff with a keen eye for industry dynamics, I find Lisa Nandy’s stance at the Royal Television Society conference both refreshing and long overdue. Coming from Wigan, a town far removed from the bustling streets of London, her perspective is one that has been missing in the U.K.’s TV landscape for too long.


At the yearly gathering of the Royal Television Society, I, a passionate cinephile, found myself voicing my concerns about the television industry. I criticized it for being overly centralized and exclusive in its operations.

She expressed to the assembly, filled with television industry professionals such as Kenton Allen, CEO of Big Talk, and John McVey, CEO of PACT, that despite all the hard work put forth by everyone present, it’s disheartening that the U.K.’s television industry remains highly centralized and exclusive. She emphasized this point by stating, “The ones who tell the story ultimately decide what story gets told.

In her address, Nandy encouraged leaders to produce content not just from big cities, but also from towns, villages, and everywhere in between – isn’t that a great idea?

Everyone has talent, but chances to showcase it aren’t always available. If you find yourself shifting positions, locations, and ideas, yet the decision-makers remain confined to their offices in London, consider taking action to change this situation.

Nandy additionally highlighted the minimal representation of workers in television, a topic that was similarly addressed during the Edinburgh TV Festival last month in James Graham’s keynote address.

Essentially, if you’re unaware about why Sunderland captivates the film industry, why Bradford’s arts scene thrives, or the television prospects of the Welsh Valleys, it’s probably because you haven’t visited these places. In that case, you can’t claim to be a genuine public service broadcaster.

Previously at the conference, Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon addressed the challenge of persuading employees to relocate to Leeds following the company’s headquarters shift from London in 2020. Mahon explained that many staff members have strong ties in London, which makes it challenging for them and their families to uproot and move across the country.

Nandy, recently assigned as the culture secretary in July post-Labour’s election victory, marks the 12th individual to occupy that position over the past eleven years.

She serves as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the town of Wigan, located in the northern part of England, and she’s never been employed within the media industry. However, her mom was a television producer.

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2024-09-17 19:47