... BENEDICTUS QUITS TOP job David Benedictus, Channel 4's commissioning editor for dra ma series and serials during the last two years, is leaving the company at the end of the year. Benedictus, who has always said that writing is his first love, is leaving to undertake a major writing project. It is a complete series that will take almost a year to complete, but he hopes in time to take another ...

... Korean War documentary is saved by union agreement AN agreement between Thames and the technicians' union ACTT has ensured that shooting on Thames' six part documentary series The Korean War will go ahead. It will be shown on Channel 4 during 1988, to coincide with the Olympic Games being held in South Korea. The series will also be shown on PBS in the US and ABC in Australia. The total budget ...

... Bright lights EVER wondered where the world's best-lit television studio is? It's in one of the famous Hollywood studios, Paramount. The main TV stage. Number 29, has no less than three thousand Ianiro lights permanently rigged on raise and lower bars controlled by a Hoffend desk. The lights are handled by a Light Palette 2 and CD80 dimmers. The dimmers can operate without any air conditioning ...

... Race for the secret of life THE BBC starts filming on its drama- documentary The Double Helix this Monday, which stars Tim Pigott-Smith as the Cambridge scientist Francis Crick. His partner Jim Watson is played by the Hollywood star Jeff Goldblum. RSC actors Alan Howard and Juliet Stevenson portray the scientists Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin. The Double Helix recreates the race in ...

... Andy and Frankie's double tourde force By GILLIAN ROSE FRANCES DE LA TOUR is starring with her brother Andy in a 90-minute play called Clem for showing on Channel 4. Andy, who appears in the title role as a stand-up comic, has also written the script. The play will be recorded on video at locations in Bristol and Weston- super-Mare next month with Richard Standeven as director. Frances de la ...

... EMPIRE strikes BACK The Proms season maintains a language all its own, rather highbrow and 'people like us' By JANE GARNER TELEVISION is supposed to entertain and challenge an audience, although many programmes fail on one count or the other, usually the latter. This week's shows appeared, at first sight, to be rather a mismatch, ranging from comedy shows focusing on black and Asian talent and ...

... Birmingham gets largest franchise BIRMINGHAM Cable Ltd has won the cable franchise for Birm ingham and Solihull. The company was formed by the Cable Corpora tion Ltd which is the holding company for Windsor Television Ltd, the company providing cable television and telecommunications services in Slough, Maidenhead and Windsor. Birmingham and Solihull is the largest franchise so far to be ...

... Hurd's 'historic' ban BROADCASTERS are rallying against the Government ban on broadcasts that could be seen as supporting terrorists organisa tions, after it was revealed the new rules are more far reaching than was first thought. Home Secretary Douglas Hurd has already sought to reassure the industry that there is no censorship in the changes, but in a statement this week, Channel 4 ...

... Ulster ban 'an attack on freedom of speech' By LISA ROHUMAA THE CAMPAIGN for Press and Broadcasting Freedom has condemned the Government's decision to ban broadcast interviews with representa tives of paramilitary organisations in Ireland as a major attack on free speech. The ban will prevent TV journalists from reporting independently on the Irish situation, say the campaigners who are now ...

... Provincial producers get business back-up INDEPENDENT Programme Services, a new company, recently launched plans to help develop film production in the provinces. De signed to provide producers with a full range of financial, commercial and contractual services, it includes budgeting, rights acquisition and programme sale and distribution. The Birmingham based company, set up by Gerald Harris, ...

... YTV office shuts LEEDS-BASED ITV contractor Yorkshire Television is to close its London casting office as part of the company's drive to cut costs. I ne closure of the depart ment's London offices will result in two redundancies. YTV will retain a tasting operation in Leeds, staffed by three people. Filip Cieslik, Yorkshire's head of casting and contracts, told The Stage and Television Today ...

... Look back in bewilderment BY MOIRA PETTY WE WERE spared the viewers' home video clips this week; but the television industry rather gloatingly patted itself on the back with reruns of past glories. No matter that you may not much have liked several of these offerings first time round: you got them again. With the golden oldie pro grammes, like Television's Greatest Hits (BBC 1, Monday), the ...