Film Number

7550

Title

MEETING WITH CHANNEL 4'S COMMISSIONING EDITOR, ALAN FOUNTAIN - 1

Producer

WFA

Date

1983

Gauge

U-matic LB

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Running Time

62 mins 22 secs

Description

A meeting at WFA with Alan Fountain, Channel 4 Commissioning editor, with a panel including Gus John, Fred Coker and Gareth Richards, and an audience of mixed ages, gender and ethnic groups to discuss the success and failures of the Channel 4 remit to address the concerns of the black community through such programmes as 'Black on Black' and 'Eastern Eye'. Gus John gives an introduction making the point that blacks have become more visible but in a marginal and crisis oriented way. The channel has allowed involvement by black people to some degree but not with decision making. The news is euro-centric and white and when not so, only addresses the concerns of major nations.
Excerpts of the programmes are viewed and intensive discussion takes place with participation from black activists such as Louise Da'Cocodia, Elouise Edwards, Bernie Butcher, and many others. Alan Fountain talks about the constraints Channel 4 faces, in particular the direction it may be forced to take in an arena where some want it to become more like commercial ITV, while others want to keep the original brief set down by the IBA (International Broadcasting Authority) to represent minority interests.

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