Who really controls what you watch? (And why TV sackings are always messy...)
About this episode
Peter and Jimmy discuss the complexities of TV executive changes and the dynamics of creative power in the industry.
Peter and Jimmy bid farewell to Ian Katz, the outgoing Chief Content Officer at Channel 4, reflecting on what really happens when a top TV executive steps down before answering listener questions. They unpack who really holds creative power in TV versus film — from auteur directors and “final cut” culture in Hollywood to why, in television, producers and writers often overrule directors in the edit. They also lift the lid on how shows get recommissioned or cancelled, revealing the crucial role of schedulers, the temptation to keep ageing hits on air, and how streamers’ data-driven decisions could be the death of the “slow burn” success story. And finally, they tackle why there’s no ‘right way’ to sack someone in TV when people rarely believe they deserve to go. Plus, Peter’s top fashion tips, Jimmy’s new ‘Guess That Fishy Channel Controller’ gameshow, and why you should never say never on a Saudi Arabian version of Outnumbered… Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997…
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