Outgoing BBC director general, Tony Hall, will deliver the opening address at the Edinburgh TV Festival, in what will be one of his final public appearances in the position before he steps down in September.
Hall will address delegates in the first session of the festival on Aug. 24 about the role of public service broadcasters, the challenges they face, why they matter, and why producers, audiences and government need to be reminded of the part they play in the U.K. media landscape and in society.
He is also expected to look back his time at the BBC, including issues across his tenure such as diversity, the role of news in public service broadcasting, funding and how to stay relevant in an SVOD world. He is also expected to speak about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the U.K. TV industry in a post-pandemic scenario.
This year’s Edinburgh TV festival, sponsored by YouTube and Freeview, will be a digital event as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and will take place Aug. 24-27. The speakers include historian, presenter and producer David Olusoga, who will be delivering the MacTaggart Lecture, Emilia Clarke, John Landgraf, Russell T. Davies, Noel Clarke, Big Zuu, Grayson Perry, Jeniffer Kim, Howard Lee, and the teams behind “Gangs of London” and “Normal People.”