Media Parents

In the hope of empowering and emboldening the freelance community in the current TV climate, Media Parents hosted “In Development”,  Media Parents’ Amy Walker was joined by Miranda Peters and Meredith Chambers, both legendary creators who shared their development thoughts with attending freelancers. Meredith will be attending Media Parents Spring Drinks on May 1st, along with Amy Walker and companies including Soho Studios, Big Fish Little Fish, Mentorn, South Shore, Box to Box and more… To sign up for the last few places subscribe here or see the Media Parents watercooler for link.

Meredith Chambers, Amy Walker and Miranda Peters - Media Parents In Development Online

Miranda Peters – Surviving 9/11 Exec Miranda Peters is Head of UK Development at Candle Media True Stories, Reese Witherspoon’s factual indie. The label, which was launched in 2023 by former ABC News chief James Goldston, hired Miranda Peters from Top Hat Productions. Peters credit list also includes the BBC’s Exposed: The Church’s Darkest Secret, Paramount+’s  The Box, and Twitter: Breaking the Bird, currently on iPlayer.

Meredith Chambers is an executive producer whose credits include documentaries and formats including … Million Pound Menu (BBC2 and Netflix),Class of ‘92:  Out of Their League (BBC and Netflix) and Celebrity Cooking School (E4).  Meredith was Creative Director at Twenty Twenty where he created First Dates (C4), he was Executive Editor at BBC Wales where he exec’ed the BAFTA winning documentary ‘Between Life and Death’, and as Commissioning Editor for Documentaries at Channel 4, he commissioned and oversaw flag ship series including Hospital, Wife Swap, The Secret Millionaire and Cutting Edge.

He’s now working with independent producers as a consultant and exec on high end documentaries and formats. Meredith encouraged freelancers to be bold with the ideas they generate and pitch “anything in the middle won’t cut through”. Miranda echoed this “Beckham or Bust” sentiment. “Be strategic with what to pitch – crime pays at the moment – think of how to tell the story of a true crime in a different way.” And that thought goes for all ideas across genres.

"It's Beckham or bust for commissions at the moment" Miranda Peters

She added “Streamers just want hits – these can be surprise hits, but they want absolute buy-in and reassurance that the story is full of hooks, and twists and turns – this is most common in retrospective story telling. They don’t want observational docs (unless they are reality) – the BBC is the only broadcaster in the observational space it feels.”  The BBC has redeveloped its pitching portal Amy Walker added, you can access it here.

Both Meredith and Miranda talked about the “why” of your film. Amy  added -  ask yourself in any genre, “Why? Why now? and Why this producer/ production company?”. Someone investing in your idea will undoubtedly be thinking about who they’re investing in, from on-screen to production talent.

Miranda shared that her company Candle Media True Stories accepts pitches from independent producers. They can expect to get a deal of between 1 and 20% of the production fee depending on how developed the film is. And if it’s a streamer budget, that could be a healthy chunk. In the crime space story spots (from a newspaper etc) can work, with elements that touch you, a rich, layered story. “Streamers want a story not only with twists and turns but that can feel like a new story completely from one episode to another – turning itself on its head.” Development teams are combing every area for adaptable stories – books, articles, plays – “It doesn’t have to be a new story, it can be an old story, well told”. Likewise pegs like anniversaries can be a good springboard.

"You need something no-one else has got" Meredith Chambers

Meredith stressed the need for “something no-one else has got – talent relationships and access can secure a commission. Be bold with where you aim your sights at this point – the talent is looking for projects too, it’s not just production that is struggling for work at the moment. There are some big names available – even doing daytime!”

“Titles say it all” says Meredith, in the fact ent and features space. Broadcasters may have first look deals and want to suggest talent, get involved with casting and producing in detail from an early stage. Often it’s relationships that get the commission over the line – as Miranda illustrated with the relationships that secured her recent access for documentary “Twitter: breaking the bird, currently available on iPlayer.

Whether you try to go it alone, creating a pitch deck, sizzle (“It doesn’t have to be glossy” says Meredith – “it can be two sound bites that make me think I must hear more”) and pitching direct to broadcaster via one of the portals “SKY replied to me recently within a week” Amy observed.

Join us for Media Parents Spring Drinks on May 1st, Central London

Or, if you decide to link up with a production company in advance, three key pieces of encouragement surfaced here:

Firstly, from Miranda “It’s your idea, stick to your guns and negotiate, taking the idea to several production companies to get a better deal if you need to”. Secondly, from Meredith, ”Even if you warehouse it through a production company and don’t get the best deal – you’ve still got something away. Your name is on it somewhere, it’s on your CV to your credit. Go for it and go boldly!” Thirdly from Media Parents’ Amy Walker: “There are plenty of freelancers on Media Parents who pitch ideas either to indies to get jobs, or who get series away. Don’t block yourself and if you want another opinion on an idea, reach out to Media Parents, Meredith through his Media Parents profile, or pitch to Miranda via Candle True Media. You just never know…”

Contact Meredith Chambers by logging in, here.

Contact Miranda Peters here.

Contact Amy Walker at Media Parents here.

Our next event is in person drinks in Central London on May 1st, join here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8^th, there is a clarion call to creatives from several of this year’s longlisted BAFTA films, writes Media Parents’ Director Amy Walker. If you haven’t heard the call yet, it urges mid career (and later) creatives (women particularly, caregivers, creatives of all genders) not to give up on their creative calling, difficult though that may be. If you are feeling stuck reading this, rest assured you are in good company, and there are empathetic people cheering you on. You can read the Film + TV Charity’s recent Looking Glass Report (and get funding support) here. The secret of a sustained creative career isn’t always brilliance, it’s largely about not giving up, right?

Nightbitch is a dark, dark comedy starring Amy Adams, rising from the creative ashes of her lowest, lost moments of motherhood. You don’t have to be a mother or a middle aged woman to find yourself laughing out loud at this film that reflects most of our struggles at the moment. Adams’s character fights her situation, her husband, her heritage, her self – to rediscover self-expression. It’s not easy, it skirts insanity via magic realism, and – no spoilers here – it is a fight worth watching (and fighting)!

The Substance, if you haven’t already seen it, is a darker, Faustian dive into the extreme choices we may feel forced to make to maintain our later careers/ selves. And in The Last Showgirl, Pamela Anderson’s character Shelly grapples with society and her daughter’s condemnation for putting her now dying career in entertainment before motherhood. And for what? So interesting… Back in Europe (way, way back) Firebrand is about agency. Please watch it if you haven’t seen it, I imagine you will be cheering.

These powerful, funny, important films imprint on you. We need to sit exhausted and uncomfortable with the themes of resistance and persistence – if we can, we need to dig deep – and act.

If you can’t find work, create. You can create opportunities for work or meetings via our online Development Meet coming up on March 19th. If you are taking work outside TV to pay your bills, there is no shame in that. You can still say you work in TV even if you’re not right now, you have earned that through your previous experience. If you’re determined to get out or reinvent yourself, we have a great blog coming up that is going to inspire and empower you.

Even if you do none of the above, come for a drink at our London drinks on May 1^st. Inertia never helped anyone. Do whatever you need to pull yourself out of the hole. Creativity doesn’t have to be paid. If it makes you feel better to rest, rest. But if it makes you feel good to be creative, create.

If you would like to discuss anything related to TV work, you can log in and use the Media Parents watercooler (anonymously if you like) – request collabs, share inspiration, have a moan…

Our next event is on March 18th, see mailing list for more details. Scroll down the blog for more info www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. For free events for subscribers, join here:https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/signup/?t=freelancer

Tinopolis talent exec Katie McAfee won our hearts at Media Parents Autumn Drinks! First by being there and being fun, meeting people irl and via our zoom link up – and secondly by offering this brilliant December CV Surgery!

Katie McAfee zooms with remote Media Parents members at our Autumn Drinks. Get your CV in front of her this December

Twelve lucky Media Parents members will have the chance to send in their CVs to Katie via Media Parents by the end of November. Then on December 5th Katie will offer each person five minutes of tailored advice on zoom. If you would like to take up this amazing offer please join Media Parents and see the watercooler for event details. Sign up quick!

tinopolis

Katie McAfee the Talent Exec for Tinopolis Factual which includes the production companies Mentorn Media, Firecracker Films and Pioneer Productions – all making content across the factual spectrum for UK and US broadcasters. Some of our productions include:

Traffic Cops, Inside the Force, Question Time, Emma Willis Delivering Babies, Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, Open House the Great Sex Experiment, Mother Undercover, Gold: a journey with Idris Elba….

To find out more about the event and book in, see the watercooler at https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/

Our next event is on Dec 5th, scroll down the blog for more info www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. For free events for subscribers go here: https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk

Back to School comes with its added pressure of Back to Work for some of us, writes Media Parents Head of Talent Amy Walker. Media Parents is offering subscribers brilliant free coaching workshops, online and in person, to make sure your online applications hit the spot. Participants are a mix of freelancers looking to improve their applications and returners working on their application tactics for relaunch. It’s always a friendly and supportive group online and in person.

Join Media Parents for jobs, masterclasses and networking

Join us on Friday September 20th at 10:00 for a cracking overview session : Ace Your Applications – and get (back to) work. The 45 minute online / in person event will be led by Media Parents’ Amy Walker. The session will be followed at 11:00am by a second online / in person event focusing on TV CVs. This small interactive event has big ambitions to help you navigate best practice in TV CVs and gives us the chance to workshop. Led by Media Parents Head of Talent Amy Walker it is one in a series of events giving an overview of TV applications – cover letter, CV wins, Zoom presenting and interview tips – so you nail the opportunities that are out there.

Amy Walker leads Media Parents freelancers in an Ace Your Job Application Masterclass online

To find out more and sign up to sessions go here. All sessions are free to Media Parents subscribers – if you are not yet a subscriber go here to subscribe, or message us here for more information.

Friday Oct 11th Event

Click here for a ticket to Ace Your Applications General Event 10am Friday 11th Oct

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1014480196577

Click here for a ticket to Interviews and Networking Masterclass Friday 11th Oct 11am

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/interviews-and-networking-friday-11th-oct-ace-your-job-application-tickets-1014508651687 As this session is also about job interviews please bring a list of questions you anticipate at a job interview.

If you would like to join Amy Walker in person for this final training event, you can book a place at no extra cost in the gorgeous private room at renowned gastropub The Crown, Hastings. Taking a day out by the sea can be a great way to clear your mind and bring a fresh perspective to your career path. The food at The Crown is great so I highly recommend booking for lunch afterwards. Email for details.

Events are free to subscribers, informal and in a small group. You can join camera on or cam off and ask questions in the chat. If you are not a subscriber or you have questions in advance hit us up via the contact button on Media Parents website.

Keen beans can prep in advance for the event by reading and working with Media Parents CV blog with tips from loads of industry employers, and Amy Walker and TV friends’ cover letter tips.

If you’re looking for work at this point and some extra support would help see the links below for the Film + TV Charity’s FREE Counselling service. Having worked with and interviewed many returners I would urge you to talk through the barriers of getting back to work before your interviews, so these feelings have been aired and are not the focus of your interview conversation. This helpline from Film + TV Charity 0800 054 0000 is not The Samaritans – it’s for people who want to talk and offload the problems of TV, or not working in TV, yet. https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/get-support/get-help-now/

Media Parents Autumn Drinks in London Tuesday October 15th

www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. Join our latest event on Friday 11th October from 10am til midday.

A Storyteller’s Journey Through Uncharted Waters

Before the industry’s recent turbulence, I was no stranger to navigating uncertain waters, writes Producer Donna Harry. With a passion for adventure, I often found solace in travelling to exotic locales during short bouts of downtime. These experiences not only broadened my horizons but also instilled in me a resilience that proved invaluable during times of professional uncertainty. However, as the industry landscape shifted and I faced the reality of unemployment, I found myself grappling with basic needs rather than the pursuit of adventure. Without a partner or parents there is no safety net and it’s scary to think  my career could be over before I’ve really achieved my ambitions.

Donna Harry, 4th from left on ScreenSkills' Edit Producer for Future SPs Scheme

When the tides turned and industry prospects dimmed, I doubled down on my craft. Through ScreenSkills’ Edit Producer for Future SPs scheme led by Jo Woolf, I’ve secured a work shadowing placement on The Apprentice. Lecturing at the National Film and Television School fueled my passion for nurturing the next generation. These endeavours kept me positive and focused on the long game – because even in the darkest moments, I trust brighter days are ahead.

But let’s be real – even in the darkest moments, hope can feel like a distant beacon. So, I embraced a Plan B – a 3-month marketing bootcamp to potentially pivot if the landscape remains uncertain. After all, versatility is key, and these new skills will only add another string to my bow.  However, pursuing this pivot comes at an emotional cost – potentially sidelining a hard-fought career I’ve poured my soul into.

Nothing has come easy on my journey. As a woman of colour from working-class roots, the odds felt perpetually stacked. Yet I’ve consistently risen above setbacks through sheer grit and an unwavering vision, carving out a space to work on programmes I’m truly proud of. Walking away from that hard-won path to start anew is a daunting prospect. But I’ve never shied away from a challenge.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/4855/donna-harry

Amidst chaos, my passion for authentic storytelling remained constant. Grounded in 15+ years uplifting diverse narratives, I’ve embraced multifaceted roles – producer, casting producer, welfare producer, editor producer – whatever the project required to bring incredible human experiences to the forefront. Whether unearthing extraordinary tales for the BAFTA-winning McCullin, discovering imaginative artists on The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge, giving a voice to disparate realities on Rich House Poor House, or forward planning on brand new build format Stacey Solomon’s Renovation Rescue,  my mission has been uncovering the extraordinary in the ordinary.

As a welfare producer, creating an ethical space where people feel safe and empowered to share their truths is paramount. On the casting side, I have a knack for identifying singular talent and pitching them in a way that lets their authenticity shine through nuanced protocols and evocative tapes. Securing institutional access is also key.

As a producer my versatility spans a range of genres – from the high-wire logistics of Stacey’s renovation series to uplifting character-driven narratives like The Farmers’ Country Showdown through edit producing.

I’m ready to chart a course through these turbulent waters. Brighter days may be on the horizon, but until then, I’ll navigate with resilience and creativity, determined to leave my mark as an enduring storyteller.

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/4855/donna-harry

In an ideal world my dream scenario is for my TV career to keep evolving. Over the next few years, I’d love to really hone my storytelling skills by spending some dedicated time Edit producing. Bringing  character-driven narratives to life – that’s the kind of work that truly fulfils me. And  if I can avoid getting pigeonholed along the way, even better! Branching out into fresh formats like renovation shows, food programs, maybe even dipping into true crime…that freelancer versatility would be amazing for satisfying all my creative cravings.

But at the end of the day, what really drives me is that bigger picture goal of eventually levelling up to Series producing, nurturing the next generation of diverse filmmaking voices. Guiding them to craft their authentic perspectives and visions…that’s the dream.

Donna Harry is currently in work through Media Parents! Woohoo!

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/4855/donna-harry

www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media. We offer free CV advice for subscribers

Telemetry Media’s Matt Ralph in conversation with TV Switch Up about leaving TV for corporate work. Matt kindly got in touch to suggest sharing his experience with freelancers and to say thanks to Media Parents for helping him relaunch in TV when he returned to the UK from Australia. Our pleasure, thanks for paying it forward!

Matt Ralph from Telemetry Media

Matt’s creative career began in television production in the late 1990s. Since then, he has had the opportunity to develop, write, produce, shoot, direct and edit programmes and series, for international broadcasters, including the BBC and the Discovery Channel.

A founding member of the senior management team at the UK’s multi award-winning digital channel, BBC Three, Matt specialised in multi-platform content strategy working closely with social, marketing, production, development and channel scheduling teams to ensure maximum audience engagement.
Matt joined Anglo American in March 2020 from Brunswick Creative, where he worked on client accounts ranging from Nokia to HSBC. Matt lives in South-West London with his wife, two daughters and a Sprocker-poo called Monty, he is an Australian dual citizen and holds a First-class honours degree in Fine Art Sculpture.

How can I present my CV and skills? How can I get connected? Is it a one way street?

By TV Switch Up – A Telly Mums Group

www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs.

In order to maximise your opportunity in an online interview, make everything as easy as possible for a potentially tired, zoomed out, busy employer, writes Zoe Russell-Stretten, Head of Talent at Brinkworth. Ahead of Media Parents’ How to Ace a Job Interview Online workshop this Friday, Zoe has kindly shared some tips on online interviews.

Zoe Russell-Stretten from Brinkworth (left) at Media Parents CV Event in the days when we could all go out

We always interview people in pairs at Brinkworth, or even sometimes in threes. An interview with an AP or more junior will last approximately half an hour. Anyone more senior is typically an hour.

Tech:

Almost everyone uses either Zoom or Teams. If you don’t have a basic working knowledge of both, practise using the features before the interview. Always download the application prior to the interview, so you don’t waste the first ten minutes of precious time. It will work!

Maximise your broadband. There’s nothing more frustrating than a poor quality picture, one that is lagging, out of sync or other symptom of poor broadband. This is your first impression, and the interviewer should be able to both see and hear you in real time. Some people do genuinely suffer from poor broadband speeds, but often, this can be improved. Turn off the wifi on all of your other devices in the house; your mobile, other laptops, possibly your TV, an Alexa or Google hub. Beg or bribe other householders to withhold from using the internet for that one sacred hour. If an employer has to work extra hard to connect with you, it’s hard to make a good impression. Test this with a friend beforehand.

Audio. Again, do a test beforehand. Turn off radios. Shut windows. Explain to children, partners or housemates that there’s a lot of chocolate in this for them if they don’t make a noise for an hour. If your audio is unreliable, learn how to use the mute function. Mute yourself when you’re not speaking, to avoid the speaker getting feedback. To avoid most problems, it’s usually easier to use headphones.

Presentation:

Because we’re all at home now, you are technically inviting a prospective employer into your home. So take a look at what the employer can see. Laundry? Clutter all over the carpet? Questionable art on the wall? Something on the shelf (eg that BBC interview)? A lot of people have their home workstation set up in their bedroom. If all else fails, use a filter on your background but make it a professional looking one.

Even if your CV is brilliant, if your house presents as a mess, employers might be worried about entrusting a complex project to someone who can’t present a sense of order and calm. Unfortunately, first impressions really do count, and your home/environment says so much about you.

Also – unless absolutely necessary, avoid taking the call on your mobile. Wherever possible, use a static device. An hour of watching someone’s own shaky hand-cam is extremely draining (especially when you’re doing it hour after hour).

Lighting! We work in a visual industry. If you are anything above a researcher, you should be able to demonstrate that your mind considers things in a visual way. So make sure you’re not backlit, that your face can be seen clearly, and that again, the interviewer isn’t having to mentally work hard to piece together information about you because you’ve set up your interview poorly. It’s amazing the number of shooting PDs who interview for a job but fail to think about setting up the shot of their own face!

Framing. Test with a friend how your framing works. Set your monitor or laptop up so that it’s level with your face. So many people look down into their computer – and it gives the interviewer an excellent view up your nose.  Also, learn how far back you should be to your screen – another frustration is people who sit too close and you are left interviewing their forehead, or just the top half of their face. It’s just extra mental work for the interviewer, and in the TV industry, isn’t really a great first impression. Everyone should be able to frame a basic shot.

Our next event, How to Ace a Job Interview Online, is on Friday 3rd March, email via the contact button above for details

Personal Presentation:

Just because this is an interview taking place in your home, it doesn’t mean that you should dress like you’re at home. Think about how you personally present, and apply the same rules that you would if you were meeting in an office. Dress the part, secure your hair off your face, don’t wear dodgy slogan clothing or something that a child or pet has just been sick upon.

A note about make up – depending upon your camera – some more modern cameras allow a lot of detail. So it can mean a little less is more. One of the strange things about online interviews is you can literally see yourself and how you come across, and if you have any insecurities about your appearance, this can be really distracting. You want to be able to stay confident and focused on what you’re saying. Both Zoom and Teams have filters that allow you to optimise your image (not cat filters, just gentle improvements). If you’re feeling a bit less confident in your appearance (as so many of us do right now!), then these filters are well worth knowing about as they can give just a little boost of self-confidence and stop people from focusing too much on their own face.

Prep:

Now that we are all stuck at home, but with tools to access all of the information on the planet literally sitting in our pockets, there’s just no excuse for not preparing for an interview. Watch. The. Employer’s. Output. This isn’t the early naughties – everything is available on demand, and if it’s not, it will be somewhere on YouTube or Vimeo or similar. Familiarise yourself with the style of programmes. It will empower you so much more in an interview, and there may be opportunities to demonstrate that you’re so invested in getting the job, that you’ve taken time out of your day to do this kind of research. It really really impresses. Every time.

Also – come prepared with questions. Thoughtful, editorially focused questions. Try to make sure they don’t sound critical of the employer or previous output. Practical, logistical and rate-related questions relating to the job itself can be dealt with post interview with either the TM or PM, so don’t waste this opportunity by asking ‘how much will I get paid’ at this juncture. Ask about editorial steer, tone, use of music, access, casting, overall production schedule etc… anything that shows that you’re thinking the way you would if you were already in the job. This is just another way to show that you care about getting the job.

Etiquette:

There may be some people on the call that don’t do much speaking. The people that don’t speak are doing a lot of thinking… and almost definitely they are there because their opinions about you impact on your ability to get the job. So don’t forget to acknowledge them or include them in your greeting, farewell, and of course – if the opportunity arises to reference something they may have said or be involved in. If you’re really at a loss, just use your eyeline to make sure you’re looking at everyone at different stages in the call. Most often, they can see that you’re doing this and that you’re being inclusive.  Regardless of your level of seniority, this portrays you as a respectful team member, and everyone wants that!

Back in the good old days of offices, this same rule applied. People who failed to acknowledge others in the meeting performed poorly, and were less likely to get the job as it was an indication as to how they perceived a) their own status and b) how they would behave on a team.

Some Positives:

Online interviews, and homeworking, are brilliant for opening up more opportunities to work. As a Talent Exec, I can now hire people based purely on their skills, without having to take their geographical locations into consideration. I can hire people who are juggling childcare, or other caring responsibilities – where previously more exceptions would have needed to have been made, these issues are no longer something to be ‘solved’ or agreed upon. People can work far more flexibly.

The same goes for access in general – for those with other access to work challenges. The removal of a commute to an office instantly broadens the talent pool in a positive and exciting way. We have always tried to make jobs as accessible as possible, but we are able to do so with far more ease and success now.

And finally…

Just a general note for interviews in any situation. Please don’t tell me that you’re great. Just be great. The individuals that are at great pains to describe themselves using the adjectives on their personal statements on their CV come across as insincere – and I sometimes suspect they are doing it out of nervousness. Try not to let nerves get in the way, but if they’re there, it’s much more acceptable to acknowledge those by saying ‘ah… it doesn’t matter how many years I’ve been in this job, I still get nervous in interviews!’. That shows you care. Going hard the other way to cover up your fears is off putting and makes it very hard for the interviewer to see through the self-advertising which can come over as egotistical.

Join us for Media Parents events, jobs and training at www.mediaparents.co.uk. Our latest event is on Friday 5th March

Face any online interview fearlessly with Media Parents Director Amy Walker’s TV industry tips at Media Parents’ February event.

Get Prepared, Feel Confident. See the Media Parents watercooler for tickets. (Photo: Clare Lawrence http://www.loveseen.co.uk/)

Join us from 12 – 1pm on Friday 12th February 2021 for an interactive online workshop: How to Ace A Job Interview Online. Sign up for your ticket via the Media Parents watercooler or non-members click here to email us for details.

Join us for Media Parents events, jobs and training at www.mediaparents.co.uk

SOLD OUT: Join us for a spot of networking and to hear Channel 4’s Rowena Cordrey and Fiona McAllister deliver their hour long ‘Ultimate Legal & Compliance Masterclass’ for Media Parents on Tuesday 21st July. 4′s legal team will be helping you to navigate the tricky world of legal and compliance and giving you their dos and don’ts for staying on the right side of the law.

Join Media Parents for Channel 4's How Not to Get Sued session, see link below for zoom details

Rowena Cordrey

Ro is a Senior Lawyer in Channel 4’s Legal & Compliance team, which is renowned for its enabling advice as part of the Channel’s unique risk-taking remit.  She provides legal, compliance and ethical advice on all aspects of television programming – broadcast and online – before and after broadcast, including its promotion and marketing.

Ro trained and then qualified as a media law solicitor at Farrer & Co in 2009, principally advising tabloid newspaper clients as well as magazines and regional publishers.  She worked for the BBC in their Litigation team before first joining Channel 4 for just over 4 years.  Ro was Deputy Head of Compliance at ITN (which produces the news for Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5) working across news and on a number of high-profile undercover investigations, including the award-winning Cambridge Analytica (C4 News) and ‘Gay Conversion’ Therapy (ITV News) investigations.  Ro then worked at Viacom before returning to Channel 4 this year.

Fiona McAllister

Fiona is an experienced media lawyer currently advising production companies and Channel 4 both pre and post-publication on legal, regulatory compliance and ethical issues which arise in the making and broadcast of programmes, online content and marketing campaigns on all Channel 4 platforms. Fiona focuses on all content-related matters, including defamation, privacy, contempt and fairness issues.

Prior to joining Channel 4 she spent around 12 years in private practice – based at leading media firm, Simkins LLP, generally advising Claimants (individual and companies) on media related issues and acting against the media. Prior to that Fiona was with a Scottish firm, Burness Paull LLP where she advised BBC Scotland and regularly provided programme legal advice on all aspects of media law affecting BBC output. She is dual qualified and admitted to practise in England & Wales as well as Scotland.

Amy Walker

Amy will be hosting the Channel 4 session on behalf of Media Parenst. She champions diverse creative talent, and set up Media Parents ten years ago to facilitate that. She is a factual TV Series Producer and Talent Exec and has just completed a 2-year EMBA sponsored by Channel 4. Her most recent series for Channel 4 was BAFTA-nominated. She lives in Hastings. https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/

This event is now SOLD OUT. To support Media Parents and join our future events please join us here.

Join us for Media Parents events, jobs and training at www.mediaparents.co.uk