Harold Pinter 1930-2008

Harold Pinter, who has died at the age of 78, has been widely acclaimed as one of the most important writers since the war. He was a longstanding member of the Guild - indeed, it was the Guild that nominated him for the Nobel Prize that he won in 2005.

There are tributes across the media, including a whole section in The Guardian looking back at his life and career with an obituary by his biographer Michael Billington.

Pinter was an all-round man of the theatre of a kind we're unlikely to see again: a practical graduate of weekly rep and touring theatre who all the time nursed his own private vision of the universe. And that, in the end, was his great achievement.

Like all truly first-rate writers, he mapped out his own country with its own distinctive topography. It was a place haunted by the shifting ambivalence of memory, flecked by uncertainty, reeking of sex and echoing with strange, mordant laughter. It was, in short, Pinterland and it will induce recognition in audiences for as long as plays are still put on in theatres.

Other Guardian articles include:

• Billington's assessment of Pinter's legacy
• A selection of photographs
• Selected poetry and an appreciation of his poems

Analysing the political nature of his work, Guild President David Edgar argues that Pinter's early plays have often been misunderstood.

Before Pinter, what was said between the words of English plays tended to be suppressed emotion, what individuals denied about themselves. From Pinter onwards, the pauses were about cruelty and menace - what self-satisfied 1950s Britain denied about itself. When I directed The Caretaker at school, the only explanatory quotation in the programme was: "What are my plays about? The weasel under the cocktail cabinet."

Pinter's early plays - some set around the cocktail cabinet, but mostly among the weasels - now look less like British absurdism and more like a portrait of a corroding social structure.

There are also numerous articles offering analysis, appreciation and criticism in The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent and The New York Times.

In the end, though, it's Pinter's own words that deserve most attention. Here's his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize for Literature.



Update (05.01.09): A concise and insightful obituary in The Economist, Mark Lawson on the significance of Pinter's dialogue, and an early essay from Pinter about writing.

The theatre is a large, energetic, public activity. Writing is, for me, a completely private activity; a poem or a play, no difference. These facts are not easy to reconcile. The professional theatre, whatever the virtues it undoubtedly possesses, is a world of false climaxes, calculated tensions, some hysteria and a good deal of inefficiency. And the alarms of this world which I suppose I work in become steadily more widespread and intrusive. But basically my obligation has remained the same. What I write has no obligation to anything other than to itself. My responsibility is not to audiences, critics, producers, directors, actors or to my fellow men in general, but to the play in hand, simply.

e-books coming to the iPhone

From Chris Snyder for Wired:

ScrollMotion, a New York mobile app developer, has concluded deals with a number of major publishing houses, and is in talks with several others, to produce newly released and best-selling e-books as applications for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Publishers now on board include Houghton Mifflin, Simon & Schuster, Random House, Hachette and Penguin Group USA.

Having these big names is a big step forward for iTunes itself in becoming an e-book shop and the iPhone in becoming a legitimate e-book reader and competitor to products like the Kindle and the Sony E-Reader.

What Guild members are getting up to

SARAH BAGSHAW wrote the episode of The Royal “Home from the Hill” going out on ITV1 at 8:00pm on Sunday 21st December.

MATTHEW BARDSLEY wrote the episode of The Bill “The Morning After” going out on ITV1 at 8:00pm on Thursday 1st January.

HELEN BLAKEMAN wrote Dustbin Baby going out on BBC1 at 3:25pm on Sunday 21st December. She also wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:00pm on Monday 22nd December.

IAN BROWN and JAMES HENDRIE wrote the episode of After You’ve Gone “There Will Be Pud” going out on BBC1 at 6:05pm on Sunday 21st December.

MARK BURT wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 8:30pm on Friday 26th December.

MICHAEL CHAPLIN wrote the episode of Foyle’s War “Broken Souls” going out on ITV1 at 7:50pm on Saturday 27th December.

STEPHEN CHURCHETT wrote the episode of Agatha Christies Marple “Nemesis” going out on ITV1 at 9:00pm on Thursday 1st January.

PAUL COATES wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Friday 2nd January.

DAVID CROFT and JIMMY PERRY wrote the episodes of Dad’s Army “My Brother and I” and "Turkey Dinner” going out on BBC2 at 6:20pm on Sunday 21st and at 8:00pm on Friday 26th December.

SIMON CROWTHER wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Wednesday 24th December.

RICHARD CURTIS co-wrote Blackadder’s Christmas Carol going out on BBC2 at 7:00pm on Thursday 25th December.

RICHARD DAVIDSON wrote the episodes of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Friday 26th and Monday 29th December.

ANDREW DAVIES’S dramatisation of Affinity is going out on ITV1 at 9:00pm on Sunday 28th December staring Anna Madeley and Zoë Tapper.

TIM DYNEVOR wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Tuesday 23rd December.

JIM ELDRIDGE wrote Apes & Angels for Radio 4's Afternoon Play going out on Tuesday 6th January at 2.15pm.

MARK EVANS wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Wednesday 24th December.

STEVEN FAY wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Wednesday 31st December.

CHRIS FEWTRELL wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Thursday 25th December.

JEREMY FRONT wrote the episodes of A Charles Paris Mystery: the Dead Side of the Mic going out on Radio 4 at 11:30am on Wednesday 24th and Wednesday 31st December.

BILL GALLAGHER wrote the Christmas special of Lark Rise to Candleford going out on BBC1 at 7:45pm on Sunday 21st December.

FRASER GRACE’S play The Lifesavers is being performed at Theatre 503 in London from 27th January till 21st February.

CAROLINE HARRINGTON wrote the episodes of The Archers going out on Radio 4 at 7:00pm from Sunday 28th December till Friday 2nd January with each episode being repeated at 2:00pm the day following its original broadcast.

JONATHAN HARVEY wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 8:30pm on Friday 2nd January.

ADRIAN HODGES wrote the episode of Survivors going out on BBC1 at 9:00pm on Tuesday 23rd December.

JAYNE HOLLINSON wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Monday 29th December.

JONATHAN HOLLOWAY’S radio play The Loved One is going out on Radio 4 at 9:00pm on Friday 26th December.

AISHA KHAN’S radio play Road Trip is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Monday 29th December.

Congratulations to MIKE LEIGH who has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his film Happy-Go-Lucky. The winners of the 66th annual Golden Globe Awards will be announced on the 11th January.

BILL LYONS wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Friday 26th December.

JOHANNE MCANDREW co-wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:00pm on Tuesday 23rd December.

TONY MCHALE wrote the episode of Holby City “Maria’s Christmas Carol” going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Tuesday 23rd December.

LIZZIE MICKERY’S dramatisation of The 39 Steps is going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Sunday 28th December staring Rupert Penry-Jones.

SUE MOONEY wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Friday 2nd January.

JOHN MORTIMER’S radio play Mr. Luby’s Fear of Heaven is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Wednesday 31st December.

DEBBIE OATES wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Friday 26th December.

JULIE PARSONS wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Monday 22nd December.

Writers’ Guild award winner RHIANNA PRATCHETT wrote Mirror’s Edge now available on PS3, X-Box 360 and PC.

DAVID RENWICK wrote the episode of Jonathan Creek “The Grinning Man” going out on BBC1 at 9:00pm on Thursday 1st January.

MARTIN RILEY wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Monday 29th December.

TONY ROBINSON’S new series of documentaries begins with Tony Robinson and the Blitz Watch in which he and science journalist Becky McCall try to unravel the mysteries, myths and legends of the past. The pair look in to the story of psychic Helen Duncan who was investigated by MI5 during the Second World War jailed under the archaic witchcraft law. It goes out on C4 at 8:00pm on Monday 29th December.

PAUL ROUNDELL wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Tuesday 30th December.

PETE SINCLAIR co-wrote the episode of Lead Balloon “Nuts” going out on BBC2 at
10:35pm on Tuesday 23rd December.

JOE TURNER wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Monday 22nd December.

MARK WALLINGTON’S drama The Man Who Lost His Head goes out on ITV1 at 9:00pm on Wednesday 31st December.

ANDREW S. WALSH wrote Dirk Dagger and the Fallen Idol a Film noir detective adventure now available on Nokia N-Gage mobile phones. He also wrote Prince of Persia for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC and Prince of Persia: The Fallen King for Nintendo DS.

PETER WHALLEY wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Friday 2nd January.

KARIN YOUNG wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Thursday 25th December.

Steven Andrew named as CBBC head of drama

From for Broadcast:

CBBC has named Steven Andrew as head of drama and acquisitions.

Andrew, a former programme director of ITV's digital channels, is already working for BBC Children's as a freelance exec and will take up his new role in early January.

He will report to CBBC controller Richard Deverell and replaces Jon East.

John Soanes's blog

Introducing a blog from a new member of the Guild: John Soanes.

It includes a post reflecting on our Writers' Block poll.

The main thing that keeps me from writing as much as I should, or should like to, is the tiresome and predictable issue of, you guessed it, time; again, I'm aware that I could squeeze in more writing and less loafing, and so for me at present this is a bigger challenge than Writers' Block, though of course that may change in the future.

So, in summary, my concerns: Writers' Block? Not yet. Writer's Clock? You bet.

Self-publishing a book: 25 things you need to know

On CNET, David Carnoy offers a practical and realistic guide to self-publishing.

Barrier to entry may be low, but creating a book that looks professional and is indistinguishable from a book published by a "real" publishing house is very difficult and requires a minimum investment of a few thousand dollars (I'm up at around $5,000 right now). You wonder why "real" books take 9 months to produce--and usually significantly longer. Well, I now know why. It's hard to get everything just right (if you're a novice at book formatting, Microsoft Word will become your worst enemy). And once you've finally received that final proof, you feel it could be slightly better.

Creating the Writers' Guild

On the Guild website, Nick Yapp explains how the Guild came into being.

Creationists may be delighted to hear that a fixed date can be given for the birth of the Guild – 13th May 1959. But joy may turn to consternation when they learn that the Guild also has a lengthy pre-history of evolution.

It all began in 1936, when a group of screenwriters met at London's Café Royal. The initiative came largely from A.P. Herbert and Frank Launder, and the pioneer group included Jim Williams, Sidney Gilliatt, Bill Lipscombe, Leslie Arliss, Roger Burford and J.B. Priestley.

They had come together to form the Screen Writers’ Association (SWA), and to fight the proposed Cinematograph Films Bill of 1937. The Bill was the work of Neville Chamberlain's National Government, an attempt to appease (in true Chamberlain style) those British film distributors and cinema proprietors who wished to lower the quota of home-produced films.

Nick is writing a book about the history of the Guild as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations next year. If you have any stories to contribute you can contact him c/o the Guild office.

A victory for irony

In The Guardian on Saturday, Duncan Campbell reported on a libel case victory against Elton John that, though concerning a journalist, could have important implications for all writers.

In a groundbreaking libel decision, the judge said that "irony" and "teasing" do not amount to defamation. The ruling offers protection to writers of satirical articles clearly not meant to be taken seriously and was welcomed last night by media lawyers and journalists.

Marina Hyde, the journalist whose article had been the subject of the case, also gave her response.

We British have a rich tradition of irony and satire but there is very little case law protecting what may well turn out to be one of the few comforts left to us in these darkening times.

Clearly, there is something absurd about a silly little piece of fluff about Elton John's annual White Tie and Tiara ball being used to enshrine such important principles. But as the Guardian's head of legal informed me yesterday, "we made good law," and it certainly felt good to defend our timeworn right to be satirical, our right to be a tiny bit ironic about a diamond-encrusted celebrity Aids fundraiser.

Like so many sweet moments, however, it was tinged with agony. That the victory came at the expense of Elton John - who is widely recognised as one of the loveliest guys in showbusiness - was tough to take. But I got on with my day as best I could.

West Midlands Branch Christmas Party

From the Guild's West Midlands Branch:

The West Midlands branch of the Writers' Guild is holding a Christmas event and all Guild members in the area are cordially invited.

Join us to celebrate a great year of Guild activity in the Midlands at
7.30pm on Tuesday 16th December at Birmingham Rep Theatre, Broad Street, Birmingham.

Guest of honour will be screenwriter Andrew Davies, adaptor of (among many others) Pride and Prejudice, House of Cards, Middlemarch, Vanity Fair and, most recently, Little Dorrit. He will give an illustrated presentation on the television adaptor's art, after which he and we will enjoy mince pies and wine.

It would be useful to know numbers so could you let us know if you are coming by emailing to WMidWritersGuild@aol.com

David Renwick interview

In The Manchester Evening News, Ian Wylie talks to Guild member David Renwick about the return of Jonathan Creek.

He’s now less inclined to try and create a brand new project because of the length of time it takes to bring to the screen. “You do have to look at time like a geologist, really. Ten years is nothing at all in terms of getting a show on air.”

Then there’s the use of focus groups and other devices that interfere with a TV writer’s work, as he highlighted in one scene during the second series of Love Soup.

“That’s an increasing worry to me. I have led a bit of a charmed life – I have been more or less left alone, thus far. I find it all a very horrifying prospect. You get on the BBC’s internal system and they’ve got hundreds of pages of research reports about attempting to dissect and analyse every genre – comedy, entertainment and drama, with all the pie charts and breakdowns."

Happy birthday, ITV2

On his blog, Gareth McLean talks to ITV2 controller Zai Bennett about his plans and looks back over the channel's first ten years.

For Bennett, ITV2's proposition is clear. "It's an entertainment channel for normal teenagers and twentysomething adults. It's always broad, always about large audiences," he says. "We're mainstream, not niche. We're not a cool channel as E4 is perhaps perceived as a cool channel; having ITV at the beginning of our name means that isn't something we ever aspire to."

What Guild members are getting up to

MARTIN ALLEN wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Wednesday 17th December.

PIERS BECKLEY has adapted A Christmas Carol for the stage - it starts on the 15th December.

ABI BOWN wrote the episode of Casualty “Doing the Right Thing” going out on BBC1 at 8:05pm on Saturday 13th December.

JEREMY FRONT wrote the episode of A Charles Paris Mystery: the Dead Side of the Mic going out on at 11:30am on Radio 4 on Wednesday 17th December.

PAUL COATES wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Thursday 18th December.

DAVID CROFT and JIMMY PERRY wrote the episode of Dad’s Army in Colour “Room at the Bottom” going out on BBC2 at 8:25pm on Saturday 13th December.

PETER FLANNERY wrote the final episode of The Devil’s Whore going out on C4 at 9:00pm on Saturday 13th December.

JONATHAN HARVEY wrote the episode of Britannia High “With a Little Help from My Friends” going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Sunday 14th December.

NICHOLAS HICKS-BEACH wrote the episodes of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Monday 15th and at 7:30pm on Tuesday 16th December.

JANE HOLLOWOOD wrote the episode of The Royal “Stolen Dreams” going out on ITV1 at 8:00pm on Sunday 14th December.

MARK ILLIS wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Thursday 18th December.

PETER KERRY wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Friday 19th December.

DAVID LANE wrote the episodes of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm and 8:30pm on Monday 15th December.

DAVE MORRIS created and wrote Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, which starts with "Stung!", a double-length episode in the Dec 19th edition of The DFC comic (published by Random House) and will run for a year.

LYN PAPADOPOULOS wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Friday 19th December.

DAVID RENWICK wrote the episode of One Foot in the Grave “The Man in the Long Black Coat” going out on BBC1 at 10:35pm on Thursday 18th December.

PETE SINCLAIR co-wrote the episode of Lead Balloon “Mistake” going out on BBC2 at 10:00pm on Thursday 18th December.

TIM STIMPSON wrote the episodes of The Archers going out on Radio 4 at 7:00pm from Sunday 14th till Friday 19th December, with each episode being repeated at 2:00pm the day following its original broadcast.

CHRIS THOMPSON wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Wednesday 17th December.

COLIN WAKEFIELD's new family musical ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES, for a cast of actor/musicians, opens at Theatre Royal Margate on 11th December, running until 3rd January 2009. With music and lyrics by KATE EDGAR and directed by WILL WOLLEN, this is a Theatre Royal Margate commission. The German premiere of Colin and Kate's LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD (DIE ROTKÄPPCHEN-STORY), translated into German by RAYMUND STAHL, opened at Theater Vorpommern in Stralsund on December 2nd.

TINA WALKER wrote the episode of Doctors “Daylight Robbery” going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Wednesday 17th December.

KATHARINE WAY’S radio play Miracle Worker is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Thursday 18th December.

Poll: do you believe in writers' block?

So, is writers' block just an excuse for not writing? Or is it a very real affliction; the writers' curse?

Have your say in our poll (right). And feel free to comment below.

Phil Collinson interview

On the Guild's website, there's an interview with Phil Collinson, the Head of Drama at BBC Manchester.

The interview, by Richard Bevan, is from the most recent issue of the Guild's magazine for members, UK Writer.

Has the department got a particular brief relating to drama?

If we’ve got a brief it’s a self-imposed one in that we’re trying to revitalise drama in this region because it feels it’s lost its way a tiny little bit. There was a golden age of shows from here such as Prime Suspect and Cracker, and before that Brideshead Revisited and Jewel In The Crown. Cold Feet was also an important show. So, big stuff came out of Manchester. But that’s been less and less the case over the past ten years. Now there are at least two of us, Hilary Martin (Development Executive) and myself, at this high level in the BBC who are going to be beating the drum for drama in this region – not just in Manchester but also Leeds, Nottingham and Liverpool.

Performers' Alliance Parliamentary Lobby

Guild representatives joined those from Equity and the Musicians' Union yesterday to lobby MPs, including Culture Secretary Any Burnham, about the pressing issues facing writers and performers.

The future of Public Service Broadcasting, currently the subject of an Ofcom review, was high on the agenda with all three unions keen to emphasise the critical importance of the BBC.

In a speech, Guild and Equity member Tony Robinson singled out TV drama as a particular concern, as it is "the mirror that society holds up to itself." Ongoing budget cuts were threatening its status, he argued, but the public were starting to realise that something of real value was in danger of being lost.

Andy Burnham welcomed the meeting, and the fact that the Performers' Allicance Parliamentary Group, which was founded in 2006 and is chaired by Janet Anderson MP, was working so effectively. It's more important than ever, he said, to have a dialogue about the big issues facing the creative industries, as "2009 is a crunch year in terms of Public Service Broadcasting and the digital age, to ensure that creativity is properly rewarded."

Forest J Ackerman remembered

Forest J Ackerman, the man widely credited with coining the term 'sci-fi', has died at the age of 92. As Bruce Weber writes in The New York Times, though Ackerman wrote short stories, his primary role was as an enthusiast and publisher.

Mr. Ackerman said he came up with “sci-fi” in 1954. He was driving in a car with his wife when he heard a radio announcer say “hi-fi.” The term sci-fi just came reflexively and unbidden out of his mouth, he said...

“He was an appreciator, a collector, not a creator,” Mr. [Stephen] King said. “Well, he was a creator in the sense that with the magazine [Famous Monsters of Filmland] he gave us a window into a world we really wanted to see. He was our Hubble telescope.”

The LA Times has a series of links and YouTube videos.

One original creation Ackerman can take credit for is Vampirella. As Martin Anderson writes on Den Of Geek, she seems a prime candidate for a Hollywood makeover.

Vampirella #1 (Sept. 1969). Cover art by Frank Frazetta.

Oliver Postgate obituary

Oliver Postgate, creator of some of the best-loved children's TV including Bagpuss, Ivor The Engine and The Clangers, has died at the age of 83.

On the day that the Guild will be joining other entertainment unions to lobby MPs to save children's TV, it's worth reflecting on just how many young imaginations Postgate's creations have delighted over the years.

As BBC News reports, getting series greenlit used to be quite straightforward.

Describing the commissioning process, Mr Postgate said: "We would go to the BBC once a year, show them the films we'd made, and they would say, 'Yes, lovely, now what are you going to do next?'"

"We would tell them, and they would say, 'That sounds fine, we'll mark it in for 18 months from now', and we would be given praise and encouragement and some money in advance, and we'd just go away and do it."

Elsewhere on BBC News, there's a full obituary.

Their [Postagte and Peter Firmin, who did the artwork] work took on a decidedly surreal edge with the Clangers, pink creatures with pointed noses who lived on a blue moon with a friendly soup dragon, and spoke in whistles.

Postgate and another actor did their voices with Swanee whistles, after Postgate had painstakingly written out every word of the script.

The original dialogue was virtually indecipherable, which didn't stop Postgate getting into trouble when a BBC executive correctly divined that for one clanger he'd written the line: "Oh sod it, the bloody thing won't open".

Update (10.12.2008): In The Guardian there are numerous tributes to Postgate, including from writer Michael Rosen.

He was one of the great storytellers on television. It's actually very hard to tell stories well on television, for the rather obvious reason that the audience is not physically there. He was able to do that. What was also extraordinary was that he did it in very different ways, across very different formats.

Comedy Award for Renwick

Screenwriter David Renwick won the Ronnie Barker Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award at the British Comedy Awards on Saturday night. Renwick, whose credits include Jonathan Creek, One Foot In The Grave and Love Soup, paid tribute to several colleagues who have died in the past 12 months including his long-standing producer, Verity Lambert.

Other winners included Drop Dead Gorgeous (created by Carmel Morgan with episodes also written by Jan McVerry, Stephen Russell and Cheryl Taylor) for best Comedy Drama and Gavin And Stacey (written by Ruth Jones and James Corden) for best TV Comedy.

The Outstanding Contribution to Comedy award was given posthumously to producer Geoffrey Perkins who died in August.

Radio Times Christmas issue

In The Guardian, Radio Times editor Gill Hudson gives a glimpse behind-the-scenes of production of the Christmas issue of the listings magazine.

It is Friday November 28 and I have not yet seen a single editorial page of our 272-page "legendary Christmas issue" of the Radio Times. All the features go to press Tuesday; the listings Thursday. It takes five days to print 2.9 million copies across six regional editions, so deadlines are non-negotiable. I am calm; I am centred. I am lying.

Radio Times remains a firm favourite with TV and radio writers thanks to its policy of actually crediting them for their work.

What Guild members are getting up to

SIMON ASHDOWN wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Tuesday 9th December.

PERRIE BALTHAZAR wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Thursday 11th December.

SIMON BRETT and JEREMY FRONT wrote the episode of The Charles Paris Mystery: The Dead Side of the Mic going out on Radio 4 at 11:30am on Wednesday 10th December.

MARK CLOMPUS wrote the episode of Holby City “Sweet Bitter Love” going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Tuesday 9th December.

SIMON CROWTHER wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Wednesday 10th December.

MARTIN DAY wrote the episode of Doctors “Pink Ribbon” going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Monday 8th December.

ANDREW DAVIES’S dramatisation of Little Dorrit concludes this week on BBC1, going out at 8:00pm on Tuesday 10th and Thursday 12th December.

TIM DYNEVOR wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Tuesday 9th December.

CHRIS FEWTRELL wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Friday 12th December.

PETER FLANNERY wrote the last two episodes of The Devil’s Whore going out on C4 at 9:10pm on Saturday 6th and at 9:00pm on Wednesday 10th December.

LOL FLETCHER wrote the episode of Doctors “The Cuckold King” going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Friday 12th December.

JEREMY FRONT's latest Charles Paris comedy mystery series, The Dead Side of the Mic, begins Wednesday 10th December 11.30am on BBC Radio 4. The four part series adapted from Simon Brett's novel, stars Bill Nighy as the hapless, boozing actor-cum-sleuth.

ROB GITTINS wrote the episodes of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Thursday 11th and at 8:00pm on 12th December.

Congratulations to ALISON HUME who is the winner of this year’s Children’s BAFTA Best Writer for Summerhill, produced by Tiger Aspect and CBBC. Earlier this year she also received the Royal Television Society Yorkshire Writer of the Year for Summershill.

JULIE JONES wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 8:30pm on Friday 12th December.

PETER KERRY wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Wednesday 10th December.

ANDREW KIRK wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Thursday 11th December.

Playwright and director KATHLEEN MCCREERY has written a chapter for The Applied Theatre Reader, edited by Tim Prentki and Sheila Preston, published by Routledge. Twenty-six leading practitioners, artists and academics in the field of applied theatre were commissioned to share their experience and thoughts on the poetics and ethics of representation, participation, intervention, border crossing, transformation, and globalisation. Kathleen's contribution, Flight Paths: Challenging Racism in Sunderland and Newcastle describes her work on a theatre project commissioned by Sunderland Education.

DOMINIQUE MOLONEY wrote the episode of Doctors “Testing Times” going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Wednesday 10th December.

CHRIS MURRAY wrote the episode of The Bill “Forgotten Child” going out on ITV1 at 8:00pm on Wednesday 10th and the second part at 8:00pm on Thursday 12th December.

GILLIAN RICHMOND wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Monday 8th December.

PETE SINCLAIR co-wrote the episode of Lead Balloon “Spikey” going out on BBC2 at 10:00pm on Thursday 11th December.

SHELAGH STEPHENSON’S radio play The People’s Princess is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Thursday 11th December.

TIM STIMPSON wrote the episode of Doctors “Just Deserts” going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Thursday 11th December. He also wrote the episodes of The Archers going out on Radio 4 at 7:00pm from Sunday 7th till Friday 12th December, with each episode being repeated at 2:00pm the day following its original broadcast.

BILL TAYLOR wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Friday 12th December.

STEPHEN WYATT’s ‘The Iceman Returneth’ will be on BBC Radio 4 on Friday 12th December 2008, 3.30 – 3.45pm. It is performed by Bernard Cribbins and directed by Martin Jennings.

Guild's response to Ofcom's PSB review

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain has submitted a paper as part of the consultation on Ofcom’s Second Public Service Broadcasting Review - Phase 2: preparing for the digital future .

The paper supports the principle of Public Service Broadcasting and defends the licence fee as the best way to fund the BBC "for the foreseeable future".

Commercial broadcasters, the paper continues, "cannot be forced to continue as PSBs, but should be encouraged to do so by various means" (such as tax incentives and specific levies on equipment).

Arguments are also made for certain types of programming to be valued in particular for their public service benefits.

Drama and comedy

Any definition of PSB must extend to high-quality UK-originated drama and comedy programming. The dramatisation of classic literature has been a distinctive element of UK broadcasting since the earliest days and must be encouraged to continue. Likewise high-quality original drama. This is among the most expensive television to produce. It is vital that the BBC is adequately funded to continue to produce this level of material, and it should be among the obligations of commercial PSBs.

There is also a strong tradition of excellent soap operas, police and hospital series, detective dramas, etc. These should and will continue because of their enormous popularity. They deliver large viewing figures to advertisers and value for money to licence fee payers.

While we are fortunate to have a strong and innovative independent production sector, it is important that the BBC and ITV retain the in-house ability and expertise to produce a large proportion of both these types of shows for themselves. This is where skills can be learnt and improved and is the obvious arena for job-based training that will benefit the entire broadcasting industry. Therefore there could be some relaxation of the present very high quota requirements for independent production in these areas.

Comedy programming – in particular family-appeal sitcoms – is another traditional bulwark of UK broadcasting, but has weakened in recent years because of the damaging consequences of making expensive shows that turn out not to be hits. This needs to be factored in to the obligations on PSBs.

Children’s programming

Most children spend a lot of time in front of the television, and we must be crazy if we do not want them to benefit from programmes that are original, entertaining, stimulating and educational. It is deplorable that the BBC is now the only broadcaster providing significant original UK-based children’s programming. We have already slipped too far and Ofcom must take responsibility for getting us back on the right track.

It must be a core function of the BBC to continue to provide children’s programming of the highest quality. It must once again be a key obligation of commercial PSBs. While it is reasonable to have controls on advertising, we should not be over-squeamish.

Specialised children’s channels have their place, but the main general channels of all PSBs should always have high-quality children’s programmes in the mix.

Radio

We would like to mention radio, as we believe it is a vital part of public service broadcasting. With the failure of private sector initiatives – the latest and saddest being Channel 4’s plans – from the Writers’ Guild’s perspective the only show in town is the BBC, specifically Radio 4, Radio 7 and Radio 3. It is tragic that the cuts panic at the BBC has been indiscriminately extended to all radio budgets, even though radio is produced extremely cheaply and efficiently, and the entire cost of BBC radio is a small fraction of the corporation’s overall budget. The cuts are deeply damaging and should be reversed immediately.

The Guild's paper then makes some specific proposals.

We do not agree with any suggestion of “top-slicing” – i.e. taking part of the licence fee income away from the BBC and giving it to commercial PSBs. Robbing Peter to pay Paul will not lead to any overall improvement in broadcasting services. We have a clear and transparent system in which the BBC is funded by the licence fee and the commercial PSBs are funded by advertising. Everybody understands this and most people accept it. We should not muddy the waters. The BBC is already under pressure because the real value of the licence fee is being eroded and huge property development and relocation proposals are too far advanced to be cut back. Programme making is subject to damaging cuts and this situation must not be made worse.

We see no merit in taking away part or all of BBC Worldwide from the BBC. The profits of BBCW are reinvested in programmes, and the need for this has incentivised BBCW to great successes in maximising the income derived from BBC programmes, particularly through overseas sales.

There is little or no advantage to PSB in slicing the cake slightly differently when what we obviously need is a bigger cake...

The paper concludes with a strongly-worded defence of the BBC.

We have a choice now whether to support the BBC and allow it to develop into the digital age, or to let it decline from a combination of financial starvation and hypercriticism until it is past recovery. Once we have lost our BBC the very voices that are now loudest in demanding its destruction will cry out in the audiovisual desert that is left behind.

Download the full document (pdf).

Project Kangaroo 'will restrict competition'

The Competition Commission (CC) has reached the provisional conclusion (pdf) that the proposed video-on-demand (VOD) joint-venture between BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4, known as UKVOD or Project Kangaroo, "will restrict competition in the supply of VOD services in the UK."

Peter Freeman, CC Chairman and Chairman of the inquiry group, said:

Video on Demand is a relatively new and rapidly expanding medium and UKVOD clearly has much to offer. However, we are concerned that a loss of rivalry between BBCW, ITV and C4C, who are normally regarded as close competitors, could restrict existing and future competition for VOD. Whatever benefits viewers would gain from this rivalry would clearly be lost.

Of course there are already several other well-established providers of various types of VOD services. However, the evidence that we have seen tells us that domestic content is key to being able to offer strong competition to UKVOD’s proposed service. The parties control most of that content, putting them in a powerful position in relation to competitors and viewers. We think that it would be difficult to obtain content from third parties to match UKVOD’s offer in scale or attractiveness.

In this situation, UKVOD would have the ability and incentive to impose unfavourable terms when licensing domestic content to rival VOD providers. At the extreme, UKVOD might withhold content from its rivals altogether. Any reduction in access to content would be likely to impact unfavourably on viewers.
We now seek comments on how to address the loss of competition and its adverse effects for viewers.

The Competition Commission has published a list of possible remedies (pdf) and invited feedback from interested parties.

Update (04.12.2008): In Broadcast, Emily Booth argues that, despite some negative headlines, the outlook for Project Kangaroo is, in fact, quite healthy.

Although the commission has ruled that the plans amount to a substantial lessening of competition and that remedies must be found before the service can be greenlit, the implication is that it will ultimately be given the go-ahead. The commission was at pains to point out this week that blocking Kangaroo would be a last resort. To date the commission has a track record of raising competition concerns which are subsequently sorted out.

The Psychiatrist and the Screenplay

For the Writers Guild of America West, Denis Faye talks to Dr. Glen Gabbard, author of Psychology Of The Sopranos and Psychiatry And The Cinema.

What’s the biggest mistake screenwriters make when representing psychiatric disorders?

I’m hesitant to call it a mistake because they have a different set of values than I do as a psychiatrist, but I think it’s to sensationalize the disorder in such a way that showbiz counts more than accuracy. Now, I can empathize with their point of view. I’ve had many conversations with screenwriters and directors about this. They’re trying to entertain people, and they have no obligation to portray any profession or any disorder accurately. That’s the comeback that I’ve heard, but my retort would be that the stigma of mental illness is only exacerbated by media portrayals that associate mental illness with being a “homicidal maniacs” or a “psychotic killer.”

Similarly, the psychiatrist is often portrayed as a buffoon or an evil cannibal, like Hannibal Lecter. So it’s not just the disorders that are mis-portrayed, but also the treaters of those disorders.

The Alfred Bradley Bursary Award

From BBC Writersroom:

BBC Radio Drama is looking for talented writers based in the North of England with compelling stories to tell. You could win a bursary of up to £5,000, have your work produced on BBC Radio 4, secure a six month mentorship with a Radio Drama Producer and have the opportunity to develop future commissions.

Full details.

The BBC Writersroom blog has some additional guidance from Jeremy Howe, Commissioning Editor for Drama on Radio 4.

Laura Lamson obituary

Laura Lamson, an American born screenwriter who lived most of her life in Britain and was a long-standing Guild member, died in October at the age of 60. She was probably best known for adapting Ann Oakley’s novel The Men’s Room for the BBC.

There's an obituary in The Guardian today by Amanda Schiff.

Laura was a technically accomplished writer, in full command of all the tools of her craft, who brought a clear-sighted and nuanced understanding of storytelling through character to all her work. She passed on her wisdom and experience to a new generation of screenwriters, teaching on the MA Screenwriting course at Leeds Metropolitan University and, more recently, at Birkbeck College, University of London, on its MA Creative Writing course.

Other People's Rejection Letters

Bill Shapiro, editor of Other People's Love Letters, is looking for contributions for a new book, Other People's Rejection Letters.

Other People's Rejection Letters will feature reproductions of all kinds of rejection letters. Whether typed form letters or handwritten in a fit of rage, whether sent by text message, email, or scrawled in crayon, any kind of rejection is fair game: You didn't get the job or the loan or the membership; you're not the right fit for our dentistry school; you're my son but I never want to see you again; your restaurant failed its health inspection; your parole has been denied; we had a good time together but you cheated on me so this is goodbye.

Link courtesy of Galley Cat, which, for some reason, seems to think this might interest writers.

So, do you keep your old rejection letters?

Elaine Bedell moves to ITV

By Leigh Holmwood for Media Guardian:

Elaine Bedell is leaving the BBC to become director of entertainment and comedy at ITV.

Bedell's appointment comes as Michael Jermey, the director of ITV's regional broadcasting operation, is promoted to director of news, regional news and current affairs.

Bedell, the BBC controller of entertainment commissioning, will replace Paul Jackson, who is leaving ITV at the end of the year.

Children's BAFTA winners

The winners of the BAFTA Children's Awards 2008 were announced last night.

Among the winners were:

• Writer - Alison Hume (Summerhill)
  
• Drama - The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury (Jamie Rix, Nick Wood)
  
• Pre-school animation - Chalie and Lola (Claudia Lloyd, Kitty Taylor)
• Pre-school live-action - In The Night Garden (Andrew Davenport, Anne Wood, Dirk Campbell)
• Video game - Lego Batman (Jon Burton, James Cunliffe, Loz Doyle)

Summerhill trailer

Eamonn McCabe - Writers' Rooms

An exhibition of photographs of writers' rooms by Eamonn McCabe is currently showing at the Madison Contemporary Art Gallery in London.

On the BBC News website, he introduces the pictures.

Product placement poll results

As you can see (right), the results of our blog poll into product placement on terrestrial TV show that 58% of those voting thought that the government shouldn't lift the current ban.

Feel free to post any further comments. And to suggest subjects for future polls.

Online movie sales rise

From BBC News:

The number of people buying feature films via online download in the UK has jumped hugely in the past year, according to data from Screen Digest.

There will be a projected 412,000 transactions in 2008, a big jump from the 10,000 transactions seen in 2007.

At the same time, the rate of growth in sales of physical DVDs has fallen from 9.3% to 1.2%.