Ten Years On… with FremantleMedia Enterprises VP of programming Mark Gray

At first glance, you might not think much has changed in the factual marketplace over the past 20 years. In 1985, the bbc launched Sir David Attenborough's landmark 12-part series, The Living Planet. Last year, one of the most significant new documentary series to appear was Attenborough's Planet Earth. And, of course, sharks, Egypt and dinosaurs are as popular now as they were back in the 20th Century. But these apparent similarities belie huge changes in the genre. And the differences between the two Attenborough series say it all. The ambitions of both are broadly similar - inform viewers about our planet in a highly entertaining fashion - but the storytelling techniques are very different. It isn't just the technological changes but the tone and the immediacy of the series, and the way Attenborough engages both with his subject and viewers.

October 1, 2007

At first glance, you might not think much has changed in the factual marketplace over the past 20 years. In 1985, the bbc launched Sir David Attenborough's landmark 12-part series, The Living Planet. Last year, one of the most significant new documentary series to appear was Attenborough's Planet Earth. And, of course, sharks, Egypt and dinosaurs are as popular now as they were back in the 20th Century. But these apparent similarities belie huge changes in the genre. And the differences between the two Attenborough series say it all. The ambitions of both are broadly similar - inform viewers about our planet in a highly entertaining fashion - but the storytelling techniques are very different. It isn't just the technological changes but the tone and the immediacy of the series, and the way Attenborough engages both with his subject and viewers.