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All In A Day’s Work
If only the rest of television was as good as the children’s programmes, has been a sentiment frequently expressed over the years, unfair though it is in many cases. But why are the kids’ programmes so good and is it because of the people who make them? Yes, says Ron Allison, no doubt inspired by talking to Janie Grace, Managing Director of Nickelodeon UK.
JANIE GRACE’S
For Janie Grace it all began in local radio, at Radio Sheffield in fact. Mike Barton was the Station Manager, Janie an 18-year-old Station Assistant. Mike listened when Janie, identifying a gap in the out- put, suggested a weekly slot for kids. Hot Pot – the adventure playground of the air was the result and an outstanding career in children’s broadcasting was underway.
Television was soon to take notice and Janie found herself producing and directing Harry Fowler, Michael Hordern, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren in BBC’s matchless series Jackanory. She was 24, her position that of Production Assistant and, in at the deep end as she was, she might well have floundered or even gone under. Two factors prevented this – her own talent and Anna Home.
Anna, now Chief Executive of the Children’s Film And Television Foundation, was her producer and men- tor. “Quite simply,” says Janie, “Anna was enormously good to me.”
Marriage took Janie out of the busi- ness for a while but it was soon back to radio with the BBC and on camera as a presenter and newsreader on Channel Four. Later, in 1983, Anna and Janie worked together again for TVS at Maidstone and then, having left TVS, Janie helped draft Meridian’s success- ful bid for the ITV franchise in the South and South East. Her appoint- ment as Controller of Children’s Programmes there, and at Anglia, came as no surprise.
Anna Home, so she also reckons she was equally lucky to be a colleague of Roger Laughton at MAI. “He gave me the courage to be myself in terms of management.” This stood her in good stead when she was head-hunted to become MD of Nickelodeon UK. She loves it but “it is extremely hard work, involving as it does the management of 120 people, the commissioning of pro- grammes, leading the creative team and overseeing all the operations.”
She is understandably very proud of Nickelodeon’s output on its two channels, “Big Nick” and “Nick Jr” and of the suc- cess of its web-site with a million page hits a week. You can imagine her delight when Nick News won a BAFTA at last year’s Children’s Awards. It is also a mat- ter of pride that some 50 per cent of the
output is live action, with an emphasis on drama. Janie recognises and values the “generosity of spirit” among the makers of children’s programmes, “The genre is more important than it has ever been before – creatively, commercially and politically – and the programmes have a higher status than ever before.” BAFTA’s Children’s Awards have much to do with this.
Married to a musician with a 19-year- old son, Danny, and an older stepdaugh- ter, Wendy, Janie is clearly happy to be where she is... in the exciting, evolving, multi-channel business of making pro- grammes for kids of all ages.
Healthy, vibrant competition will keep excellence alive is her continuing and upbeat view of the future business of chil- dren’s programming. Janie fully intends to remain an integral part of it. ■
Most Inspirational Commissioner
Too invidious for a short list – indepen- dent producers need friends (you’re all marvellous, chaps). But Michael Jackson defined the slot and the subject for many of our company’s most successful formats. So, the winner is... Michael Jackson. ■
24 Just as Janie was fortunate to work with
PETER BAZALGETTE’S
SIX OF THE BEST
Industry personalities hand out their very own BAFTAs
SEVEN
BAFTA rules dictate I can’t nomi- nate my own stuff. This saves me admitting to my own disas- ters in the “Worst” section. And in time honoured fashion, I have put up short lists for each category. Where would the suspense be otherwise?
Best Television Programme
England Their England (BBC 2) – a near perfect dramatisation of A. G. McDonnell’s classic cricket tale. Made in 1973 with a delicious David Fanshawe score of dance band jazz.
League of Gentlemen (BBC 2) – the most original comedy idea I can remember. Pride and Prejudice (BBC 1) – no, I know I’m certainly not the first to observe this, but wasn’t it wonderful?
And the winner is... England Their England
Worst Television Programme
Bruce Forsyth’s Party (ITV) – was that what it was called? Anyway – it was excruciating television.
House Party (Southern TV) - I nominate this affectionately – batty old ladies pre- tending to swap crafty tips amidst the constant ringing of a two-tone, studio door bell.
EEC Documentary (BBC 1) - I shan’t reveal its presenter. But it ran at 9.30pm in primetime during 1983 - the last inno- cent year when ratings didn’t seem to matter. It bored for Britain.
And the winner is... Bruce Forsyth
Best Movie
The Producers - Mel Brooks’ stroke of genius in the late 60’s. Bad taste as an art form and the first blast of the trumpet against political correctness.
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Raised adventure/entertainment to an entirely new level and should have won an Oscar for Spielberg The Full Monty - Funny, touching and completely out of left field And the winner is... The Producers
Best Interviewer
John Pitman - The most skilled at getting people to reveal their inner selves. Jeremy Paxman - The interview as the- atre, better even than Sir Robin Day.
Ali G - Barbed anarchist.
And the winner is... John Pitman
Best TV Format
Stars in Their Eyes (Joop van Ende) - The best music format ever for television.
Going For a Song (the late John King) - the first leisure-based game show. Thank you.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
(Celador) - sensational produc- tion values, brilliant scheduling and, here’s the Holy Grail, a big hit on U.S. prime time.
And the winner is... Going For aSong
24
Photos from top: Peter Bazalgette; Harrison Ford in Raiders Of The Lost Ark; BBC’s famed Jeremy Paxman (Archive photo courtesy Kobal)