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Matt Born
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Matt Born shared a link from www.theguardian.com

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Created 1 month ago · Last updated 1 month ago ·
More evidence of regression in diversity in TV in terms of gender & ageism. Percentage of women creators of original TV shows down by 25% in just 2 years since... Read more
More evidence of regression in diversity in TV in terms of gender & ageism. Percentage of women creators of original TV shows down by 25% in just 2 years since Covid. Would be interested to know which producers Katja Meier tried pitching her script to. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jan/24/the-industry-is-broken-writer-wants-ageism-and-sexism-in-television-left-on-cutting-room-floor?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
4 comments
Siobhan Dowd
@MattBorn I heard a historian say recently that history teaches us that no societal progress is by any means secure and rights that have been won are often taken away again. Something frighteningly evident in recent times.
Sarah Lee
@SiobhanDowd Agreed and what is happening in terms of women’s rights in the US is unbelievably scary
Toral Dixit
@MattBorn you mention age and gender, I think you'll find that ethnicity has fallen significantly. Some small improvements were made ( at mid/ junior levels).. but these too has now been eroded... In a landscape that was already shocking.
Sarah Lee
@ToralDixit and what is even more depressing is we can see hits on our ‘diverse search’ tab are also down.

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DV Talent Matt Born
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Created 2 months ago · Last updated 2 months ago ·
Some interesting insights on the year ahead from Clare Thompson at K7 Media consultancy last week. In short: it's not all doom and gloom going forward, she... Read more
Some interesting insights on the year ahead from Clare Thompson at K7 Media consultancy last week. In short: it's not all doom and gloom going forward, she said. Although the US networks are belt tightening when it comes to scripted, the market for unscripted - especially entertainment / reality is growing. New formats are still the Holy Grail eg Traitors has gone from 11 adaptations in 2023 to 30 last year. There was also still strong demand for 'Mid-Budget' shows/ formats globally - even if it's getting more difficult with UK broadcasters. EG Sort Your Life Out was now the BBC's biggest selling show internationally. 1/2
2 comments
Matt Born @ DV Talent
@DV Talent 2/2 The industry is shifting she said, away from traditional broadcasters/ commissioning model. But producers have big opportunity going straight to consumers. IE self publishing & monetising their own content, nurturing their audience and building communities. Despite fragmentation of viewerships, audiences still want to be part of cultural moments & movements. There's still strong demand too for ad funded progs in usual fact ent/ lifestyle areas of food, health, travel, consumer.
Brigitte Scheffer
@DV Talent thank you for sharing.
Matt Born
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Created 4 months ago · Last updated 4 months ago ·
Not strictly UK TV related but for all those out there feeling as anxious as me about next Tuesday on the other side of the pond, this is worth a watch. Hats... Read more
Not strictly UK TV related but for all those out there feeling as anxious as me about next Tuesday on the other side of the pond, this is worth a watch. Hats off to Jimmy Kimmel for using his platform to inform, educate and entertain.
4 comments
Matt Williams
@MattBorn Kimmel is the best. A montage of all the madness is very funny
but then reality hits—you realise this chaos is on-demand, 24/7, and yet... it’s hardly made a dent
Blake McGrow
@MattBorn
It's crazy how we now live in a post truth society where for many, 'alternative facts' & uneducated opinions Trump empirical & scientific evidence.

I can understand the resentment towards the political elite & the anger at corporate greed & corruption. But to believe Trump is the answer is both hilarious & utterly terrifying.
Matt Born
@BlakeMcGrow You can say that again. Almost worse than Trump is the army of enablers and cheerleaders - people who know what a fraud, crook and fascist he is but pander and promote him. The Carlsons, Lakes, Musks, Liz Trusses ... Still, the fact that the message - and the sheer untruths - seems to resonate with so many people (and/ or they don't care) shows how deep & profound the challenges are that we face. And not just in the US. It's an issue across the West especially.
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Matt Born @ DV Talent
@MattBorn in the meantime, deflating and defeating him with humour, humanity and insight - like Kimmel does here - is probably more effective than fighting back with anger.
Matt Born
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Matt Born shared a link from www.theguardian.com

MD

Created 4 months ago · Last updated 4 months ago ·
Delighted to see my big brother Max coming out ahead of Marlon Brando (and Carry on Cleo) in the Guardian's 'Best Films About Romans' list. Delighted and... Read more
Delighted to see my big brother Max coming out ahead of Marlon Brando (and Carry on Cleo) in the Guardian's 'Best Films About Romans' list. Delighted and somewhat surprised ... as anyone who has actually seen Satyricon will appreciate.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/17/are-you-not-entertained-the-xviii-best-films-about-the-romans-ranked?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Matt Born
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Created 6 months ago · Last updated 5 months ago ·
Hearing Donald Trump, JD Vance et al spouting baseless, racist claims about Haitian immigrants stealing and eating pet cats and dogs, reminded me that this is... Read more
Hearing Donald Trump, JD Vance et al spouting baseless, racist claims about Haitian immigrants stealing and eating pet cats and dogs, reminded me that this is a recurring fabrication of the right and far right. Back in my Fleet Street days, I remember covering the Sun newspaper's equally incendiary - and equally untrue - story, 'Swan Bake'. That claimed that ''callous asylum seekers'' (because what other kind is there?) from Eastern Europe were poaching and barbecuing swans from the Royal Parks. It followed up the next day with ''Now they're after our fish'', based on another unsubstantiated - and false - rumour, devoid of fact ... or fact checking. Then there was the ever-original Daily Star's story about ''asylum seekers ...'' [them again!] '' ... eating our donkeys'' which, surprise surprise, was also complete cobblers.

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2 comments
Kieron Townend
@MattBorn If we tolerate this, then our cobblers will be next.
Toral Dixit
I remember a quote from Labour MP John McDonald when approached by a reporter..

Reporter : Hello John, I'm a reporter from The Sun"

John Mcdonald: "You can be a reporter or you can be from the Sun... You can't be both."

😂