Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Financial shortfalls hit drama at BBC Radio, C4?

The MediaGuardian website reports Channel 4's drama output is abandoning ambitions to broadcast a major new drama every month during 2007 and 2008. Several projects are being axed or postponed as the drama budget is fixed at last year's level. Meanwhile Broadcast reports that independent radio drama producers fear cutbacks in commissioning from the BBC, following the lower than expected licence fee settlement by the Government. That creaking you could heard? It's the sound of belts being tightened. Thank goodness I'm not trying to launch a new career as a drama writer for radio and TV.

Oh. Bugger.

In happier news, the second annual Screenwriters' Festival in Cheltenham is now open for booking. The event runs from Tuesday July 3rd to Friday July 6th at cheltenham Film Studios. Various blogs reported a few teething troubles with the first festival last year, but it sounds like the organisers have listened to criticisms and responded with a tweaked programme of events. I've no idea whether I'll be going. Living in semi-rural Scotland has many advantages [gentler pace of life, peace and quiet for concentration] but it can make away fixtures like this hideously expensive. Plus I'll be in the throws of writing my final project on the MA Screenwriting course. I may give 2007 a miss, but make attending next year a resolution for 2008.

1 comment:

missread said...

Thanks for the good news, David! Just as well that I too had absolutely no intentions of writing for those mediums. Oh, wait, hang on...

That's put a little spanner in the happy plan works, but never mind, the superman video made me smile.

If the festival wasn't £200 and in the middle of our final project I would definitly consider it as well. Probably will be better to go to when I have more in my portfolio anyway, though!