Latest news with #JonathanDimbleby
Irish Independent
25-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Ian Hyland: ‘When you take Windmill Lane to America, you have near instant name recognition'
The businessman has owned many media titles – but Windmill Lane Pictures could be his jewel in the crown Yesterday at 21:30 The recent news that businessman Ian Hyland had bought Windmill Lane Pictures felt – to me anyway – like a piece of the early 2000s come back to visit. It reminded me of other similar announcements of Hyland's growing stable of magazines, and of a time – much-missed – before the words 'traditional' and 'legacy' attached themselves to print media. Hyland made his money in publishing, acquiring the previously Smurfit-owned Business & Finance magazine in 2002, and then the Vincent Browne-founded Magill in 2004. He sold Magill back to Browne in 2017. Over two-plus decades, he developed what was originally a traditional magazine publishing business into something that was very event-focused, including the Dublin Tech Summit. (Established in 2017, DTS attracts 10,000 tech entrepreneurs to Dublin each year – and in fact gets underway on May 8-29.) In the US, he has Ireland INC, a business networking hub, which hosts a range of events, including Ireland Day at the New York Stock Exchange, an annual event established in 2011. The Windmill Lane acquisition comes not long after Hyland bought Quartet Books, an independent book publishing company based in London, set up in 1972 and with a back catalogue of some 2,000 books, including titles by Auberon Waugh, Brian Sewell and Isabella Blow. We're re-publishing The Palestinians by Jonathan Dimbleby So what exactly is it about these long-established brands that appeals to him? 'Most media formats have changed,' he says, over coffee in Dublin's Westin Hotel. 'But book publishing hasn't really. Quartet was quite bohemian, something that goes back to the original owner, Naim Atallah. 'He passed away during Covid in 2021, and then the business was in some trouble. I was contacted about it, I looked at it. What interested me about it was the scale and breadth of its legacy. With 2,000 titles, there's lots of different areas of potential.' Quartet, he says, will do two titles in the UK this year, two in Ireland, one in the US. 'We're looking at 10 titles in 2026, and on from there. Phase one, we're focused on non-fiction, because it was far easier to plan commercially. We're re-publishing The Palestinians by Jonathan Dimbleby, first published in 1979. Jonathan is updating that.' Hyland is all about the enhanced potential of what too often now gets called 'content', plus the potential of the bigger international markets – particularly the US, where he has been active for a long time, including as chair of Ireland INC. ADVERTISEMENT 'Quartet attracted a lot of attention from international production houses because of its titles. The possibilities there were obvious. "We weren't a producer, but we had an interest in doing this ourselves, in creating documentaries – in fact, we had already started one, around the history of Irish America – and then the opportunity of Windmill Lane Pictures came up. 'My recognition of it is as a stunning brand,' he says. 'When I hear Windmill Lane, I think of U2, Brian Eno, Salman Rushdie's contribution, the graffiti walls...' Hyland is chairman of Windmill Lane and has appointed business journalist and author John Walsh as head of content. Walsh recently co-produced The Irish Question, directed by Alan Gilsenan, and Gilsenan will edit Windmill Lane's first documentary – dealing with the future of the US-Ireland relationship. Hyland will now hire a team of full-time and freelance talent, with a particular focus on content commissioning, commercial/partnership and communications, and ultimately he will seek a CEO to steer Windmill Lane to its next chapter. During the early 1990s, the recording and visual sides of Windmill Lane split and went their separate ways. Windmill Lane Pictures moved more towards post-production – which meant that first Covid and then the Hollywood writers' strike had an impact. 'It came up, we contacted the folks, who were in liquidation, and we came to an agreement to buy,' says Hyland. 'The brand has an incredible legacy. When you take Windmill Lane to America, you have near instant name recognition. 'While respecting that, we need to take it to the next chapter. Modern-day production and distribution platforms have changed and expanded. There's the potential with short films, YouTube platforms... 'Some of that potential we will create ourselves, some of it will find us. We're not in the business where we rely on the phone ringing. We're creating.' On the back of Donald Trump's announcement of 100pc tariffs in the US on 'foreign films' and the 'Make America Film Again' plan proposed by California governor Gavin Newsom (that a $7.5bn federal incentive be aimed at US domestic film production), Hyland travelled to the US recently to engage with officials and potential partners in Washington, DC, New York and California. Asked about the impact of such tariffs and incentives, Hyland has a considered response. 'While there are many trading challenges faced by global business on the back of tariffs, it's vitally important for us to explore any opportunities by engaging with the US, given its importance to the film industry. In so doing we can build an agile and creative film production business.' Hyland also confirmed that, as a 'statement of its intent', Windmill Lane will incorporate in the United States. I wasn't good enough. So I went into newspapers So what did he want to be when he was growing up, I ask. 'Art was my first interest, I went to the college of art and design. After that, I was looking for an ad agency job – but it never happened. I was never offered one, I wasn't good enough. So I went into newspapers. 'I started at Irish Press, moved to the Sunday Press, and then went to London with them, which was wonderful. We were selling 475,000 copies a week at the time. I was very conscious of being Irish in London. It was a tricky time, even in the mid-1990s, but if you came with a media card in your hand, it made it a bit easier.' He gravitated towards 'the commercial side, the marketing side' – and when he left the Press, planned to move to the States. 'I took a job with the Smurfit-owned Business & Finance magazine, planning to stick around for a year while my visa came through. I stayed longer, but ended up leaving and coming back when they divested – and I bought that title in 2002. 'Then I bought Magill magazine – which I still wake up in a cold sweat thinking about. I bought it from Mike Hogan, who'd bought it from Vincent Browne. I had a vision of a stable of magazines – but we're Ireland, we're too small. Though we built a great convening business with Business & Finance. 'I spent most of the last years since the mid-2000s in the States, promoting Irish business and international businesses there.' What does he make of all the recent drama between the US and the rest of the world? 'The book publishing business is unaffected – tariffs aren't really relevant. But uncertainty shakes confidence.' Still, he adds, 'It's a catalyst that has presented itself to Europe to pull together. Ireland is a very good European. We have always been close to the United States. So where do we find our new role? Are we a convener, when it comes to Europe, for America? Are we a convener for Europe when it comes to the US? 'And, in fact I think filmmaking, the creative world – in a weird kind of way – can be stimulated by this kind of stuff. There are stories to tell, and there are people who want to hear them.' And what of the voices that say we should have nothing to do with America under its current administration? That we should hold ourselves aloof? 'It's the White House – and whoever the office is led by, we have to respect that, if they got there by election. 'America is very important to Ireland. And I like to think Ireland is important to America, in a number of ways. I'd be hopeful that we can all find a way forward. I think if you based your future on personalities, we'd all have problems. I think we need to work with each other. "I'm reminded of something I heard at John Reynolds' funeral – he was a good friend of mine. I remember his brother finished his eulogy by saying: 'We only have each other.' 'I think that goes for a lot of things. And it goes for what we're dealing with today.'
The Independent
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
RTS to present special honour for journalists in Gaza at its Programme Awards
Journalists covering the Gaza conflict will now be recognised at the Royal Television Society's Programme Awards, following an announcement that the presentation of the honour would be paused. 'The RTS will be making the Special Award for Journalists in Gaza at the Society's Programme Awards on March 25,' a spokesperson said on Tuesday. The award was due to be presented at the Television Journalism Awards on March 5, but 'it was felt strongly that there was potential at the ceremony on the night for the recent controversy around some Gaza coverage to overshadow the award', a spokesperson for the RTS said previously. Last week, current affairs veteran Jonathan Dimbleby, Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Sky News journalist Alex Crawford were among those who signed a letter expressing their 'shock and disgust' at RTS for not recognising the journalists of Gaza. It comes after the BBC apologised for and removed the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone from iPlayer, saying it had 'identified serious flaws' in the making of the programme. Channel 4 News admitted that the son of a Hamas official, who featured in the BBC Gaza programme, was briefly part of its daily coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. At the weekend, a spokesperson for RTS announced the society had met as part of a review process, following the decision to pause the presentation of the award, and added that the society would 'be making the special award' and 'discussing how this will take place'. The UK Screen Industry, which co-ordinated a letter signed by more than 300 media figures, said it welcomed the 'U-turn', but said the 'charity's statement does little to address or allay our concerns'. The BBC said it is 'seeking additional assurance' from production company Hoyo Films after it admitted 'they paid the boy's (Abdullah) mother, via his sister's bank account, a limited sum of money for the narration'. Other accusations have been made that parts of the documentary were mistranslated and more children who appeared in it were linked to proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has accused the BBC of failing to show enough urgency in its review of the documentary. However, presenters Gary Lineker and Anita Rani, and actors Riz Ahmed and Miriam Margolyes, were among more than 500 media figures who condemned the withdrawal from iPlayer.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
RTS Will Now Give Prize Recognizing Journalists In Gaza At Next Week's Programme Awards
Journalists covering the Gaza conflict will finally be recognized next week by the Royal Television Society (RTS), following a fortnight-long saga that has seen the RTS attract ire from all corners of the industry. A spokeswoman for the organization said in the past few minutes: 'The RTS will be making the Special Award for Journalists in Gaza at the Society's Programme Awards on March 25.' More from Deadline RTS U-Turns On Special Gaza Award & Is "Discussing How This Will Take Place" 'Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone' Gets Hundreds Of Complaints Amid BBC Investigation Into Hamas Links Leading UK Journalists Request Meeting With King Charles Over Scrapping Of RTS Gaza Award These awards recognize TV shows and will take place in a week's time. The special award was initially meant to be given at the RTS Journalism Awards earlier this month but was scrapped at the last minute, with the RTS saying it did not wish to 'add fuel to the fire' around Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, the BBC documentary that was pulled after it was revealed that the child narrator was the son of a Hamas minister. Hundreds of British media figures have since contacted the RTS via a letter and even requested a meeting with RTS Patron King Charles, with the RTS bowing to pressure last week, saying it would in fact go ahead with the gong. Big beasts like the BBC's Jonathan Dimbleby had branded the RTS 'cowards' for its initial decision to scrap the prize. Upon the U-turn last week, the group of letter signatories calling themselves the UK Screen Industry, which is working with Artists for Palestine UK, welcomed the RTS reversal but said it 'does little to allay our concerns.' The award will be given at a ceremony that traditionally recognizes mainstream TV shows. This year's noms include Ben Whishaw for Black Doves and Ambika Mod for One Day. The news comes on a tragic day for Gaza, with hundreds reported to have been killed overnight by Israeli airstrikes as the fragile ceasefire slips. Best of Deadline Epic Universe: The Latest Images Of The New Universal Orlando Theme Park Which Colleen Hoover Books Are Becoming Movies? 'Verity,' 'Reminders Of Him' & 'Regretting You' Will Join 'It Ends With Us' The 25 Highest-Grossing Animated Films Of All Time At The Box Office
Telegraph
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Royal Television Society to give Gaza award despite BBC controversy
The Royal Television Society (RTS) has U-turned on its decision to scrap the presentation of an award for Gaza journalists, after pressure from leading BBC presenters. The RTS had planned to dedicate a special trophy to 'journalists in Gaza' at its 2025 Television Journalism Awards ceremony on March 5 Earlier this month, however, it said it would not present the prize amid controversy over a BBC documentary, and the ceremony went ahead without the award. The BBC was forced to pull its programme Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone from iPlayer and open an investigation, after it emerged the teenage narrator was the son of a deputy agriculture minister in Gaza's Hamas government. It was also revealed that the boy's family were paid for his appearance in the programme. RTS executives had feared that presenting the prize would create further controversy, overshadowing the work carried out by other journalists in Gaza. The decision prompted a backlash from radio and television industry figures. Jonathan Dimbleby, Orla Guerin and Sangita Myska were among 400 signing a letter calling for the award to be handed out. On Friday, the RTS U-turned and announced that a special award to recognise the work of journalists in Gaza would be made in the near future, saying that discussions were taking place on the best way of doing this. A statement said: 'A decision was taken not to present the special award at the RTS Journalism Awards. At that time, it was felt strongly that there was potential at the ceremony on the night for the recent controversy around some Gaza coverage to overshadow the award. 'Following the decision to pause the presentation of the award, the RTS met this week as part of the society's previously announced review process. 'The society remains committed to recognising the work of journalists in Gaza and will be making the special award. It is discussing how this will take place.' The signatories of the original complaint letter welcomed the U-turn, but accused the RTS of attempting to 'reframe this shameful debacle' and demanded the prize be given on March 25, at the RTS Programme Awards. The UK Screen Industry group said: 'This mishandling has damaged not just the RTS's reputation but that of the British media as a whole, with widespread national and international coverage and condemnation of these events. 'Today's reversal is just the first step. The RTS must now undertake a full organisational review in consultation with the industry it claims to represent.' It is understood that the campaign group Artists for Palestine – which backs the complete isolation of Israel, including a cultural boycott – helped organise the original letter of protest. This was signed by Matt Frei, the Channel 4 News presenter; and BBC correspondent Fergal Keane. Others in the industry criticised the letter, saying BBC reporters and presenters in particular should not be seen to back particular campaign groups. Sarah Deech, a former BBC journalist, posted on social media: 'BBC Editorial Guidelines are clear: 'No off-air commitments… should undermine their on-air role or lead the public to question their integrity.' 'BBC journalists (and I was one for a long time) just don't cosy up to campaign groups – full stop. It goes against all the principles of editorial impartiality drummed into us. Especially if it's connected to the subject you report on.'
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
RTS U-turns on decision to pause special award for Gaza coverage
THE Royal Television Society (RTS) has U-turned on a decision to pause a special journalism award over 'recent controversy around some Gaza coverage'. Earlier this week, current affairs veteran Jonathan Dimbleby, Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Sky News journalist Alex Crawford and BBC journalists Fergal Keane and Orla Guerin were among those who signed a letter expressing their 'shock and disgust' at not recognising the journalists of Gaza. The RTS had been set to honour the 'journalists at the television journalism awards on March 5 2025, but subsequently reversed this decision on the day of the awards', the letter said. It comes after the BBC apologised for and removed the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone from iPlayer, saying it had 'identified serious flaws' in the making of the programme. READ MORE: BBC Gaza film 'had more public support than opposition', director-general says Channel 4 News admitted that the son of a Hamas official, who featured in the BBC Gaza programme, was briefly part of its daily coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. Following the broadcasters' letter being issued, a spokeswoman for the RTS said: 'A decision was taken not to present the special award at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards. 'At that time, it was felt strongly that there was potential at the ceremony on the night for the recent controversy around some Gaza coverage to overshadow the award. 'Following the decision to pause the presentation of the award, the RTS met this week as part of the society's previously announced review process. 'The society remains committed to recognising the work of journalists in Gaza and will be making the special award. It is discussing how this will take place.' READ MORE: Ex-BBC journalist speaks out on 'shocking' Gaza documentary removal The letter from broadcasters – also including Channel 4's chief correspondent Alex Thompson, executive producer and former editor of Channel 4 News Ben de Pear, Oscar-winning directors Kevin MacDonald and Asif Kapadia, and RTS and Emmy-winning director Ramita Navai – also said they were concerned by the RTS' 'lack of transparency'. They also copied in the King, the royal patron of the RTS, and requested to meet with him. 'Journalists in Gaza have indeed achieved this with exceptional coverage that, despite unimaginable challenges, has brought the realities of the war to a global audience,' the letter also said. 'Their work has made a profound impact, showcasing resourcefulness, creativity and enterprise under extreme conditions, which the RTS itself values in its awards criteria.' The letter was signed by more than 300 media figures. The UK Screen Industry, which coordinated the statement, said it welcomes the 'U-turn' but said the 'charity's statement does little to address or allay our concerns'. 'It is clear to all that this award must be presented at the RTS Programme Awards on March 25 with the full recognition and honour these journalists deserve,' the body said. 'Any further delay and prevarication would only serve to undermine the RTS's credibility further.' The statement added the 'reversal is just the first step', and called for an review. Channel 4 said it had 'thoroughly reviewed' how Abdullah al-Yazouri, the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture, came to appear in 'three short news segments for the programme', before taking the decision not to feature him again. It also denied he had featured in a documentary or any of its coverage which won awards. Last year, Channel 4 News was named news programme of the year by the RTS and also took home the title of news provider of the year at the 2024 British Journalism Awards. The BBC said it is 'seeking additional assurance' from production company Hoyo Films after it admitted 'they paid the boy's (Abdullah) mother, via his sister's bank account, a limited sum of money for the narration'. Other accusations have been made that parts of the documentary were mistranslated and more children who appeared in it were linked to proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has accused the BBC of failing to show enough urgency in its review of the documentary. However, presenters Gary Lineker and Anita Rani, and actors Riz Ahmed and Miriam Margolyes, are among more than 500 media figures who condemned the withdrawal from iPlayer.
