Film Number

7553

Title

CHANNEL 4 FORUM - GREG PHILO

Producer

WFA

Date

1983

Gauge

U-matic LB

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Running Time

62 mins 51 secs

Description

This was the 4th week of WFA's 1983 autumn film society programme entitled "Films as organisers." Guest speakers included Alan Fountain, Channel 4 commissioning editor for independent film, Greg Philo from Glasgow Media Group and a panel including Wowo Wauters, Theresa Wilkie (Chair) and Mohsin Zulfiqar from the Pakistani Workers' Association (PWA).
Continuation of a Greg Philo presentation about Glasgow Media Group, set up in 1974, and some of its research publications - 'Bad News', 'Really Bad News' and its TV programme, 'The Friday Alternative', a weekly media critique. He screens some clips from that programme covering issues like the image of women, religion, war - particularly the Falklands War. Discussion is opened to the floor and issues about avenues of redress are discussed - complaints to BBC and ITV and union action amongst others. Alan Fountain talks about his role as commissioning editor and gives examples of Channel 4's '11th Hour' and 'Black on Black', spaces where ideas and views can be put forward which may not be acceptable elsewhere. But they still generate controversy and cuts have been made. He screens a clip from 'The Cause of Ireland' to demonstrate his point. He talks about the impact these controversial programmes have on Channel 4.

[Catalogued as part of 'Revitalising the Regions' a Screen Heritage UK project, 2011]