The 20-somethings who changed the face of broadcasting in Britain

Each generation something monumental happens in the media to break old habits. Social Media, Multimedia, in the 60s cinema verite, and in the 1950s the birth of broadcast TV.

But in the 90s with the onset of Cable, something radical happened. Can you guess?

In what was the UK Channel 4’s former offices, just off Soho, thirty 20-somethings, backed by some of the most innovative journalists from the UK and US (Rosenblum) entered a 3 month training programme to disrupt the UK’s media.

The idea was bold, and audacious, and had never been executed to scale. Would it work? Because if it did other broadcasters e.g. BBC, ITV, CNN had no choice but to follow. If it didn’t work it would be £50 million down the toilet.

The idea was the journalists would research, produce, shoot, interview, direct and some edit their own stories. A team of editors and producers ensured the process could work.

If you’re rolling on the floor bellyache laughing, you’re entitled to. It’s so common place now. Yet in the 90s it was unheard off, both as a culture and the official word of unions. Today the equivalent would be a 20-something taking over the editor’s chair of any of the broadcast news companies e.g. BBC News.

It’s been thirty years since that experiment, one that did change the media as we know it. That’s why today in the UK and elswhere one person can be tasked with doing all without criticism that shooting pictures meant you couldn’t focus on interviews. Yep and and many other excuses.

Thirty years on since the group assembled, a reunion is planned. Somewhat older, and perhaps wiser, what’s the message for today. I incorporated a study of the group into a wider social-philosophical narrative of communications.

This week I’ll post some stories of the group, but here’s some thought on the obvious. In that line-up you see, diversity representation is writ large. Remember this is 1994. This was Channel One and the dawn of videojournalism.

See you during the week.

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