| Edinburgh International Television Festival | |
| Country: | Scotland, UK |
| Years Active: | 1976–present |
| Founded: | 1976 |
| Dates: | 2023: 22–25 August (exact dates vary each year) |
| Website: | thetvfestival.com |
The Edinburgh International Television Festival is an annual media event held in the United Kingdom each August which brings together delegates from the television and digital world to debate the major issues facing the industry.
The Festival draws over 2,200 delegates from across the global TV industry. Although the festival is held in Edinburgh, its headquarters are in London.[1]
Over the years, the Festival has attracted industry figures including Rupert Murdoch, Ted Turner, Vince Gilligan, Ted Sarandos, Elisabeth Murdoch, Louis Theroux, Michaela Coel, David Attenborough, Charlie Brooker, David Olusoga and Steve Coogan as well as people distinguished in their fields such as Al Gore and Eric Schmidt.
Established in 1976, the Festival takes place every August in the week leading up to the bank holiday at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre at the same time as the Edinburgh Fringe, and similar events, in the city. The Edinburgh International Television Festival is programmed by and for the television industry, by a rotating advisory committee headed by a new chair every year. The Festival is wholly owned by a not-for-profit charity, known publicly as The TV Foundation and is governed by its own board of directors.
The TV Foundation runs a suite of free-to-access creative development initiatives: "The Network" (formerly known as TVYP) which gives new entrants a first step into the TV industry, while "Ones to Watch" (formerly known as Fast Track) supports those at mid-career. Both benefit from fully funded places at the Festival, which include tailored workshops, masterclasses and networking. Year-round mentoring, training and events are also offered.
The Festival runs other events throughout the year. Launched in 2018 these include AHTV and The New Voice Awards which support emerging talent and self-starting creatives in TV and digital.
The Festival is best known for its keynote address: the James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture. The lecture features speeches from leading media figures connected with British and international television over more than 40 years.[2]
| Year | Speaker | Job title* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Dramatist and director, founder of 7:84 Theatre Company | ||
| 1977 | French/US documentary film maker (The Sorrow and the Pity/Le Chagrin et la Pitié) | ||
| 1978 | American television producer and scriptwriter | ||
| 1979 | former Director of Programmes for Thames Television (later Chief Executive, Channel 4) | ||
| 1980 | Screenwriter and dramatist | ||
| 1981 | Peter Jay | Economist and broadcaster, Chairman of TV-am | |
| 1982 | American television executive, founder of CNN | ||
| 1983 | Stage and television director/producer and broadcaster | ||
| 1984 | Chairman, Granada Television | ||
| 1985 | Film and television director | ||
| 1986 | Television dramatist | ||
| 1987 | Television documentary producer | ||
| 1988 | Belgian/French journalist and broadcaster | ||
| 1989 | Australian/American Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, News Corporation | ||
| 1990 | Independent film and television producer | ||
| 1991 | Director of programmes, Thames Television | ||
| 1992 | Chief executive, Channel 4 | ||
| 1993 | Television dramatist and screenwriter | ||
| 1994 | Chief executive of LWT, Chairman of ITV Council and GMTV | ||
| 1995 | Broadcaster and journalist | ||
| 1996 | Director general, BBC | ||
| 1997 | Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran | Television comedy scriptwriters and programme creators | |
| 1998 | Managing director, Bazal | ||
| 1999 | Chief executive, ITV Network | ||
| 2000 | Director general, BBC | ||
| 2001 | Director of channels, ITV Network | ||
| 2002 | Chief executive, Channel 4 | ||
| 2003 | Chief executive, BSkyB | ||
| 2004 | Broadcaster and journalist | ||
| 2005 | Former director general, BBC | ||
| 2006 | Chief executive, ITV | ||
| 2007 | Broadcaster and presenter of Newsnight (BBC) | ||
| 2008 | Director of Television, ITV | ||
| 2009 | Chairman and chief executive, Europe and Asia, News Corporation | ||
| 2010 | Director general, BBC | ||
| 2011 | US citizen, executive chairman, Google | ||
| 2012 | Chairman, Shine Group | ||
| 2013 | American actor, director and producer | ||
| 2014 | Chief executive, Channel 4 | ||
| 2015 | Broadcaster, writer, director and producer | ||
| 2016 | Canadian journalist and chief executive of Vice Media[3] | ||
| 2017 | Journalist and broadcaster[4] | ||
| 2018 | Actress and writer | ||
| 2019 | Dorothy Byrne | Head of News and Current Affairs, Channel 4 | |
| 2020 | David Olusoga | Historian and broadcaster | |
| 2021 | Jack Thorne | Screenwriter and playwright[5] | |
| 2022 | Emily Maitlis | Journalist and broadcaster[6] | |
| 2023 | Louis Theroux | Journalist, broadcaster and author[7] |