ABC execs defend the use of documentary hosts as a way to bring an audience to a topic. But are there new ones too?
Last week at the Australian International Documentary Conference, a question was posed to ABC’s top documentary execs about drawing upon the same pool of hosts.
Kelrick Martin, Head of Indigenous at ABC: “I mean, who doesn’t love Tony Armstrong? Come on!
“The ABC has to use whatever leverages and advantages it can to try and bring an audience. And as we said, you know, the audience challenge is there. We can’t deny that it’s not there. So there are absolutely people who audiences gravitate toward. I think if it’s the right fit, then it’s sometimes can be a match made in heaven. You have to get the right host with the right piece of content. For me, I think that it’s absolutely something that we shouldn’t deny. But I think we’re always open to new voices and new faces, and not necessarily just always gravitating toward the same people.
“Certainly in the First Nations Space, we’re always looking for new and emerging people to put in front of the camera. Always looking for well known people. Portrait Artist of the Year getting Miranda Tapsell on board as a presenter, I think was a fantastic idea. There’s always new people to discover, and I think that that’s something we’re absolutely open to.”
The panel was pressed on the pathway for new documentary hosts outside of comedy?
Kelrick Martin: “For us it’s social media. We’re absolutely attuned to the people that are out there having a huge impact in the social space. I think that we’re very mindful of how they’re connecting with people, and we’d like to see ways in which those connections can also be replicated through our broadcast content. Certainly from our team, we’re absolutely looking in that space.”
Jo Chichester, Commissioning Editor in the ABC’s Documentary & Specialist: “We did a documentary last year called Civic Duty with Annabel Crabb. It made absolute sense if we wanted to do a story about democracy and the robustness of Australia’s democracy in our electoral system, why wouldn’t you do that with Annabel Crabb? You know, that’s her wheelhouse. Also she’s very popular. I know not everyone loves Annabel, not everyone loves every presenter, but she is someone who will engage an audience, and an audience will come in just to watch Annabel translate that story.
“And also Annabel has incredible relationships and access to the kind of people we wanted to interview. A host does a range of things for the audience. It messages to the audience the type of experience that they’re going to have, which might encourage them to tune in.”
Kalita Corrigan Commissioning Editor in the ABC’s Documentary & Specialist added, “We’ve just done a three part series with Shaun (Micallef). Shaun just brings an intellect and a passion and an authenticity that you can’t capture. Not everybody has that.
“It shows the engagement that he has in the topic, and the passion and how he’s there for the audience.
“He’s bringing a different audience to a really difficult topic that if you were to do as a straight ObDoc, it would be a difficult watch. I think he helps make something that’s really polarising or depressing (entertaining).”