The Power List 2012


Elaine Bedell Director of entertainment and comedy, ITV


Elaine Bedell (above) is on the power list chiefly for heading up two of the biggest entertainment formats on UK television: The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. The Simon Cowell proper- ties remain potent brands and huge money-spinners for ITV. Beyond these tentpoles, Bedell has helped maintain the solid performance of shows including I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Dancing On Ice. She has also overseen the commission of Bafta- winning The Cube and dating hit Take Me Out. Bolstering ITV’s comedy output is a continuing priority and finding “the next big hit” is always on the agenda, while unearthing a suitable replacement for Harry Hill’s TV Burp could be a tenure-defining mission. And if she hasn’t got enough to do, away from ITV, Bedell is the executive chair of the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.


having been the first woman to lead BBC Science, receiving an OBE in 2000 for her work. As the BBC’s director of TV, and subsequently Vision, she took charge of the launch and expansion of digital channels BBC3, BBC4 and HD, and the growth of CBBC and CBeebies. But her influence spreads beyond the corporation, as a fellow of the Royal Television Society, a member of Bafta and a board member of UKTV and Comic Relief.


cross-media, incorporating radio and online as well as TV, for everything from news bulletins to flagship pro- grammes such as Today, Newsnight, Question Time and Panorama. Having joined the BBC in 1983, Boaden proved her skills as a reporter, picking up a number of awards along the way, including the coveted Sony Award for Best Current Affairs Programme for a report on Aids in Africa. She went on to become head of business pro- grammes and current affairs – the first woman to be given the latter title. As a board member of the BBC, she is known to be a passionate advocate of her patch – but that could expand, as she is a contender for the director general job when it is vacated by Mark Thompson.


Amanda Berry Chief executive, Bafta


Jana Bennett President, BBC Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer


For eight years, Jana Bennett (above) oversaw BBC commissioning across its entire output; now she represents it to the world. As president of BBC Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer, she is responsible for the com- mercial arm’s portfolio of channels in 100 countries, and has spearheaded the launch of its paid-for VoD plat- form into 16 territories and counting. Bennett is something of a pioneer,


4 | The Power List | March 2012


Even George Clooney agreed that this year’s Film Baftas were the biggest and most glamorous to date, and that’s thanks to Amanda Berry (above), who since taking over as chief execu- tive in 2000, has seen both the TV and Film Awards grow year on year, with tele vision audiences for both at a record high in 2011. Berry continues to come up with new ways to breathe life into the organisation, introducing a new award for Best Documentary and enabling members to view films, master classes and Q&As via Bafta’s own online viewing portal and iTunes, not to mention staging more than 200 public events around the UK in the past year. With speculation rife that the Oscars could move to early January, 2012 could be a big year for Berry as she decides whether to follow suit.


Helen Boaden Director of BBC News Group


Helen Boaden (right), the BBC’s director of news, has more than 8,000 staff reporting into her, creating content that reaches 241 million people around the world, including 80% of the UK. Her role is truly


Barbara Broccoli Producer, EON Productions


Meet the real-life ‘M’ – the commanding officer behind the scenes at Eon Pro- ductions, which is currently making the 23rd instalment in the James Bond franchise. Skyfall, directed by Oscar- winning director Sam Mendes, is due for release this autumn and will coin- cide with Bond’s 50th anniversary cele- brations. Carrying the mantle of a family business with her half-brother Michael G Wilson (her father Albert R Broccoli started the Bond film fran- chise), Barbara nonetheless had to work her way up through the produc- tion ranks until she earned her first full producer credit on GoldenEye (1995). She tends to shun the limelight (leaving family Bond cameos to her producer


brother) but is a supporter of women’s causes – pro- ducing a two-minute short to promote Inter national Women’s Day that was directed by artist Sam Taylor-Wood.


Executives Þ


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