Senior moves in factual TV reflect genre tensions

Two senior ex-ABC factual executives now face off as managing directors of independent companies, both pushing further into local market.
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Image: factual entertainment at its chirpiest – Snake Sheila by Wildbear. 

The death of the word documentary and the rise of the term factual symbolises tricky choices for non-fiction creators. When does a broad audience become dumbing down? Simplicity become silly? Emotional engagement become hysteria? Or, for that matter, class become pomposity, and academic accuracy tedious?

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David Tiley was the Editor of Screenhub from 2005 until he became Content Lead for Film in 2021 with a special interest in policy. He is a writer in screen media with a long career in educational programs, documentary, and government funding, with a side order in script editing. He values curiosity, humour and objectivity in support of Australian visions and the art of storytelling.