World Screen Factual Trendsetter Awards

World Screen, in partnership with Reed MIDEM, is presenting the second-annual Factual Trendsetter Awards to honor four individuals who have made significant contributions to the television business.

Some of today’s great TV dramas draw a lot of attention and generate considerable buzz, but all programmers know of the ongoing appeal of factual programming. No doubt, the quality and scope of many nonfiction specials and limited series rival the high-end production values seen in dramas.

In today’s world where so many real-life events are infinitely more captivating than the best fictional stories, factual programs and documentaries do more than illustrate or explain current events; they transport us to the farthest reaches of the universe or exotic locales on planet Earth. They motivate us through stories of individual courage, resilience and stamina. They inspire us when showcasing scientific breakthroughs. They bring history to life and shed light on crimes. They entertain us with personal makeovers and home improvement.

Executives in charge of commissioning and sourcing nonfiction programming need to blend factual accuracy with entertaining elements to inspire, inform and even spark a sense of wonder among viewers.

In acknowledgment of this vital segment of the television industry, World Screen, in partnership with Reed MIDEM, is presenting the second-annual Factual Trendsetter Awards to honor four individuals who have made significant contributions to the television business.

The honorees represent services that offer the best in factual programming: Hamish Mykura of National Geographic, Hannah Barnes of Foxtel in Australia, Andrew Solomon of ORF in Austria and Isabelle Antraygue of Canal+ Group in France.

These four programming executives will take part in the panel View from the Top: What Do Buyers and Commissioners Want? at MIPDoc on Saturday, April 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., in the Grand Theatre of the JW Marriott Cannes. World Screen’s group editorial director, Anna Carugati, will moderate a lively discussion that will focus on identifying ideas for shows that will satisfy viewers’ curiosity about the world around them.

Hamish Mykura
Executive VP of Programming & Development
National Geographic

National Geographic is dedicated to bringing premium science, adventure and exploration content to audiences across the globe on a variety of platforms, including the channels National Geographic, Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo People. Its on-air and off-air extensions reach 440 million households in 171 countries. Last year, management dropped “Channel” from National Geographic’s name, while investing in ambitious projects that harness the power of storytelling to help change the world. As executive VP of programming and development, Hamish Mykura heads up content development and production for the channels outside the U.S. and commissions series and events that will air in the U.S. and around the world. He also develops and supplies programming for the channels and oversees regional production strategies in key territories.

Hannah Barnes
General Manager
Lifestyle Group, Foxtel, Australia

Foxtel is Australia’s leading pay-TV platform, and among the dozens of channels it offers subscribers is the Lifestyle Group, which includes Lifestyle, Lifestyle FOOD, Lifestyle YOU, Lifestyle HOME and the website lifestyle.com.au. This portfolio, delivering more than 4,000 hours of new shows a year, is a favorite destination among viewers 25 and older, especially women. Hannah Barnes, the general manager of the Lifestyle Group, oversaw the group’s rebranding in September 2016, which gave each channel its own unique character while unifying them all under one brand. Barnes’s strategy for the group is to mix expert Australian lifestyle talent with the best programming and formats from overseas. And 80 percent of the Lifestyle Group’s prime-time schedule consists of programming exclusive to the channels.

Andrew Solomon
Head of Natural History & History
ORF, Austria

As Austria’s public broadcaster, ORF is mandated to serve all segments of the audience and reaches them with TV channels, radio stations and websites. While the main channel, ORF eins, targets younger, more urban viewers with entertainment, films, series, sports and news, ORF 2 is programmed for a more mature audience. Its schedule is rich in current affairs, documentaries, culture and science, and features two popular strands, Universum and Universum History. Andrew Solomon, ORF’s head of natural history and history, is responsible for both. Universum, a one-hour prime-time slot dedicated to wildlife programming, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Universum History offers programs about world history, great anniversaries and history films with a strong Austrian connection.

Isabelle Antraygue
Head of Acquisitions & International Co-Productions
Planete+ Channels, Canal+ Group, France

Since the founding of Canal+ in 1984, documentaries have played an important role in the offering of France’s pay-TV company. In 1988, Canal+ launched Planete, a channel dedicated to factual programming along with a suite of sister channels, Planete Choc, Planete Thalassa and Ma Planete. Over the years, that portfolio has changed, and as of 2013, it consists of Planete+ and, thanks to a long-term partnership with A+E Networks, the channels and online destinations Planete+ Crime + Investigation and Planete+ A&E Aventure Experience. Planete+ aims to offer viewers programs they cannot get on any other channel or service. Isabelle Antraygue is responsible for acquisitions and international co-productions at the Planete+ channels.