BBC’s new director general.
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ITV Studios has taken over as international distributor of BBC police drama Line of Duty season 6, after the collapse of Kew Media Distribution. Quiver Entertainment current handles the global sales for the first five seasons.
For God’s sake… this is getting out of hand. If it was such an issue prior to all this black lives movement why wasnt it removed before ?
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I guess it’s a case of having received complaints about it before but not acted on it. The issue being in the forefront before but there was no action. Chris Lilley also copped criticism for his blackface and brownface characters. His shows could be next.
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They should have been removed on the grounds of good taste long ago
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Agreed. Even without Blackface or Black Lives Matter movements (and the likes) his shows were absolutely cringeworthy and just awful.
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With ITV Studios taking over Global Sales, I’m kind of curious. if it will affect the deal here. Because normally it goes to Foxtel and Netflix, but. Seven has had an output deal with ITV Studios too, so could it potentially move from ABC to Seven as a result?
I guess they would try to fulfil existing contracts.
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Because shows distributed by ITV are shown on the ABC too, e.g. Doc Martin.
Yep that’s why I was asking. Some go to ABC, some have gone to Seven. like JBar said, I’m assuming it will stay with ABC but wouldn’t be shocked if 7 got it.
This is turning into self censorship, surely?
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At this rate we’ll have the testcard as our primary source of entertainment.
Don’t get me wrong I support action and movements against racism but surely it doesn’t mean that every show with an element of multiculturalism in it should be axed because some perceive it as racist?
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Mullticulturalism isn’t racist. It’s the opposite of racism.
The episode of Fawlty Towers shows Basil clearly being racist and insensitive but at the same time he is shown to be an idiot for doing so. It could also be argued that Basil is also quite culturally insensitive and fairly racist to his waiter Manuel in most episodes.
But it’s a portrayal of people from a certain era. Did people behave that way in that era? Yes. Are they less likely to be like that today? Yes. Would they make a show like that today? No
I think a lot of these episodes and shows will return but maybe with a message at the start of the episode.
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I’m just astonished that shows like Fawlty Towers would be pulled indefinitely when it only represents what people were back in the day and those who were portrayed as being racist is also being portrayed as idiotic, as you implied. If anything, those shows should be a reminder of the flaws of society back in the day and that we should be above that today. Instead it’s now being perceived as offensive even though what that show is about isn’t even relevant today.
The lengths that some have gone to call for cancellation of certain shows are extraordinary. I mean, they’re even targeting Paw Patrol which as far as I know, isn’t offensive at all and yet people want that show axed.
But it’s not the first time shows have stopped screening due to obvious racist content or having racist overtones. Years ago, the BBC chose to stop screening Love Thy Neighbour because it was deemed racist.
Here’s a story about the BritBox streaming service which stated certain shows would not be seen. In particular Till Death Us Do Part, Love Thy Neighbour and It Ain’t Half Hot Mum. It also mentions that individual episodes of some beloved shows like Only Fools and Horses and Fawlty Towers could be deemed inappropriate for modern viewing.
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John Cleese has said what I was saying about Basil Fawlty.
That episode will probably be replaced with the 2013 BBC edit which had the blessing of Cleese at the time. A non-issue.