Richard Paterson

Freelance Workers and Contract Uncertainty: The Effects of Contractual Changes in the Television Industry

Changes in the competitive and regulative conditions of British television over the 1980s and 1990s make for an environment of increased uncertainty for those who work in television. Broadcasting legislation, increased competition and technological advances have changed the working practices of the UKs 28,000 production workforce. The introduction of a 25 per cent quota of independent productions on all terrestrial channels, the implementation of Producer Choice in the BBC and the creation of a Network Centre in ITV, leading to a new commissioning process along with merger rationalisation and increasing competition have all contributed to constructing a workforce in which over 50 per cent are freelance and face much uncertainty. This paper focuses on some of the ways workers have experienced and responded to these changes by analysing the postal questionnaire and diary-data collected in an eight-wave panel study of 436 creative production workers in British television 1994-97, collected by the British Film Institute. This paper considers whether uncertainty is a problem and finds that it is for the majority of these workers. The question of what makes uncertainty a problem is also considered. Individuals were found to cope with uncertainty by diversifying the income sources, by collecting information, building informal networks and by thinking of leaving work in television.

Public Policy and Independent Television Production In the U.K.

Abstract The structure and performance of the independent televisionproduction sector in the UK have been strongly affected by public policy interventions. Such interventions have introduced more competition andhave generally sought to strengthen the position of ‘indies’ by, forexample, raising levels of demand for their output amongst domesticvertically integrated broadcasters. However, the efficacy of such policies in terms of developing a thriving and economically successful independent television production sector is open to question. This article provides an analysis of the effects of recent policy initiatives on the creative work environments and on the business circumstances and behaviors of UK independent program-makers.

The contingencies of creative work in television

Research suggests that overweight/obese people face stigma. A measure of weight-related stigma was developed, adapted from the HIV stigma measure (Berger, Ferrans, & Lashley, 2001). A CFA confirmed the measures internal consistency. Using privacy management theory as a framework, participants (N = 199) completed a self-report survey that included a hypothetical conversational partner profile. Regression analysis and independent sample t-tests helped answer hypotheses about the ways weight-related stigma affect disclosure as well as how weight affects self- disclosure and attraction. Attraction to partner and weight-related stigma significantly predicted overall self-disclosure ratings. Implications for obesity research, privacy management, and stigma are discussed.

Die Produktion unabhängigen Fernsehens in Großbritannien. Öffentliche Politik, Kreativität und Wachstum

Obwohl Grosbritannien, wie auch andere europaische Staaten, jedes Jahr immer grosere internationale Handelsdefizite vorweist, ist die Produktion von Unterhaltungssendungen und -formaten ein relativ erfolgreicher, kreativer Wirtschaftssektor.

Partnerships with a Purpose: Creating Cultural and Commercial Value in the UK Film Sector

This chapter provides an overview of how the British Film Institute (BFI) the leading body for film in the UK, is seeking to work with a wide range of partners, including universities, to engage at a strategic level with the potential cultural and commercial benefits that a strong film sector will provide. It explores some areas where partnerships with a range of organisations and particularly higher education could have a significant impact in the development of this key sector within the creative industries as technological change continues to affect companies across its value chain.

Policy Implications of Economic and Cultural Value Chains

As the age of digital reproduction emerges a new analytical framework is needed to understand the commercial and cultural changes which are underway. Digitisation of information and its availability through telecommunications networks brings with it as yet unknown and unforeseen consequences. Opportunities for innovative economic activity will emerge alongside new cultural values. It may become an age of empowerment in which access to information and the ability to create knowledge develops new levels of creativity. Enhanced cultural value may match the additional economic value deriving from new services provided in the information society. However, it is equally possible that the divide between the information rich and information poor will become unsustainable. It is of concern to all that a society of knowledge, properly regulated, should be established which offers new entrepreneurial and employment opportunities across a range of industries by acting as a driver of new economic activity. Economic activity is becoming ever more dependent on the knowledge and the skills of the workforce. However, an examination of where economic value will be added needs to take account of the cultural, social and political consequences of these changes. It is necessary to consider whether the virtual dimension of the new digital information world will have an impact on the understandings, identities and characteristics of individuals in society as well as offering better marketing tools for companies to utilise.