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Streamers Absent from Edinburgh TV Fest Spotlight Sessions This Year
7 Aug
Summary
- Streamers like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Warner Bros. Discovery not hosting Spotlight sessions
- Spotlight sessions traditionally feature UK commissioners discussing upcoming content and strategy
- Streamers say Spotlights are on "temporary hiatus" and will return next year
As the annual Edinburgh TV Festival marks its 50th anniversary this year, the event's lineup is missing a key component - Spotlight sessions from major streaming platforms. According to the report, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Warner Bros. Discovery will not be hosting their traditional Spotlight sessions at the festival.
Spotlight sessions, previously known as Controller Sessions, have long been a staple of the Edinburgh TV Fest, providing a platform for UK commissioners to discuss upcoming content, strategy, and field questions from the audience of press and producers. In recent years, as streamers have burrowed deeper into the UK industry, they too had begun hosting their own Spotlight sessions.
However, this year the streamer Spotlights are on a "temporary hiatus," with the platforms stating they remain Edinburgh partners and are still involved in other festival events. For instance, Netflix, Amazon, and Disney are hosting masterclasses for hit shows like Adolescence, Last One Laughing UK, and Rivals, featuring senior commissioners and talent. Netflix's UK chief, Anne Mensah, will also host a closed-door Q&A session for young industry professionals.
Despite the absence of the high-profile Spotlight sessions, this year's Edinburgh TV Fest is still set to attract major star power, with talks from the likes of Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Charlie Brooker, and Shonda Rhimes, who is receiving the inaugural Edinburgh Fellowship Award.
