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US cable giants head for Edinburgh

Some of the biggest hitters in US cable television will attend the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival in August as the event marks its 40th anniversary with a renewed global focus.

David Nevins

David Nevins of Showtime

Running from August 26-28 in the Scottish capital, the festival will see figures from the US cable industry reveal what’s next for their businesses and for the global TV landscape in a new US Gamechangers strand.

Guests will include Showtime’s David Nevins, FX’s John Landgraf, Discovery’s Rich Ross and HBO’s Michael Ellenberg. They will be interviewed by some of their key counterparts in UK television including Channel 4 (C4) chief creative officer Jay Hunt and Sky1 chief Stuart Murphy.

John Landgraf

FX’s John Landgraf

For the first time in the event’s history, the controllers of the main UK broadcasters will be questioned at the same time in a leaders’ debate-style format. Danny Cohen (BBC), C4’s Hunt, Ben Frow (Channel 5), Peter Fincham (ITV) and Sky’s Murphy will all face questions from the audience submitted in advance via the festival app.

Fincham, Hunt and Frow will also appear in the traditional Controller Sessions alongside BBC1’s Charlotte Moore, BBC2’s Kim Shillinglaw and BBC4’s Cassian Harrison. UKTV’s Emma Tennant, Sky1’s Adam MacDonald, ITV Digital’s Angela Jain, BBC3’s Damian Kavanagh and Discovery Networks International’s Phil Craig will also give interviews.

Rich Ross from Discovery

Rich Ross from Discovery

There will also be a wide range of sessions debating industry topics including the impact of soaps, the dark art of scheduling, delivering diversity, rebooting past formats and accessing the ever-elusive 16-34 demographic.

Google and Amazon’s overarching strategies, as well as creative and business opportunities, will be outlined in keynote interviews with Matt Brittin, Google UK VP, and Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios. Amazon will also treat delegates to the UK premiere screening of Hand of God.

Channel 4's Jay Hunt

Channel 4’s Jay Hunt

The Edinburgh TV Awards will return, with Sherlock exec producer and Hartswood Films founder Beryl Vertue set to receive the lifetime achievement prize.

Festival director Lisa Campbell said: “The TV festival offers so much more than just the sessions, and our intention is to create an environment for sharing creativity and inspiring people.”

Sky's Stuart Murphy

Sky’s Stuart Murphy

Networking opportunities have been scheduled immediately after some sessions, giving the independent production community access to the creative teams of each of the major channels.

There will also be a new speed-meetings area where delegates will get the chance to have one-on-one meetings with commissioners, talent managers and distributors.

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