Former Channel 4 commissioning editor Liz Warner to deliver BAFTA Television Lecture
BAFTA-nominated television producer and executive, Liz Warner is to deliver the prestigious BAFTA Television Lecture 2016 on Thursday 7th July.
“Liz Warner is one of the UK television industry’s most successful and highly-esteemed leaders. Her creative brilliance helped take betty from a small start-up to a major production company which consistently delivers high-quality programmes for its audiences. Through the Television Lecture, BAFTA aims to drive the debate around creativity in broadcasting and we look forward to hearing Liz’s views on the future of creative excellence in television – where it is at its strongest and what the industry can do to foster it.” – Krishnendu Majumdar, Chair of the BAFTA Television Committee
The BAFTA Television Lecture is the highlight of BAFTA’s programme of television industry events, and is also open to the public. Each year, BAFTA invites one of television’s foremost figures to give their personal view on creative excellence in television and their vision for the future. Previous speakers include Stephen Fry, Paul Abbott, Lorraine Heggessey, Kevin Lygo, Alan Yentob, Peter Bennett-Jones, Armando Iannucci, Lenny Henry and Tim Hincks.
Liz Warner as commissioning editor at Channel 4 oversaw the first UK series of Big Brother, Grand Designs, River Cottage, Nigella Bites and Location, Location, Location.
After leaving the broadcaster she founded independent production company betty in 2001, and was responsible for its growth into one of the UK’s top indies before leaving her position as CEO in 2015. Her work includes The Undateables, which was BAFTA-nominated in the Reality and Constructed Factual category in both 2014 and 2015, as well as other programmes which were RTS, Emmy and Edinburgh innovation award winners. Since leaving her role at betty Liz has been working on a new digital venture and has mentored and helped a number of startups including a young digital company and two television indies. She has acted as content consultant to Stylist magazine’s digital director and also invested in and sits on the board of two other media companies.
During the lecture, Liz Warner will share her views on the broader creative landscape with a particular focus on the impact of digital. She will question if, in the Internet era, a less maverick, less flamboyant television industry can be attractive and relevant to the younger generation of creatives. She sounds an alarm bell for the future creative economy.
The lecture will be followed by a discussion chaired by journalist Sathnam Sanghera.