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TEN: People who criticised Pilot Week knocked back roles

Beverley McGarvey responds to criticism over Pilot Week gender debate.

TEN programmer Beverley McGarvey has responded to criticism of Pilot Week through TEN’s new online site, TenDaily.

Revealing she started the week very excited for Pilot Week, she admits to being disappointed by the reaction.

“Unfortunately, the response to our Pilot Week announcement was instead saddening, although I must admit Kitty Flanagan’s The Weekly sketch was very funny,” she writes.

“We had so many innovative and witty ideas we ended up commissioning eight pilots, as opposed to the five initially planned.

“In areas where women are under-represented, like narrative comedy, we actively spent time looking for female voices and, in fact, are fortunate to have found three amazing and clever concepts that are in active development. Narrative comedy, however, has a long lead time and those shows will not make it in time for Pilot Week in 2018. We did not mention this in the media release announcing our Pilot Week concept. It appears we probably should have.”

She also notes Publicity made an error in not revealing full casts, which would have highlighted women involved.

“We also should have provided some artwork to go with the shows that reveal their full casts, particularly for the ensemble shows. This is a mistake we will not make again,” she writes.

“It should also be noted that some of the people who have criticised the shows in Pilot Week were, in fact, offered roles on Pilot Week shows that they declined.”

You can read more here.

14 Responses

  1. I feel it this criticism is unfair to ten. They are the most supportive of womens equality out of all the commercial networks. Female newsreaders in every state. Studio 10 and the Project both have a very female focus with the many stories being anti men. Lisa Wilkinson is great but always Pro wonmen and as for Meshal Laurie who said on air “even good men are bad” well….ten are very supportive of women. The majority of Ten’s dramas are targeted to women. It is about time ten went a bit more Nutural with there target audience and and they might get more viewers.

  2. It’s nice to put a picture to the name . She’s pretty . I don’t even no what David looks like , that would b nice to lol ? I did try google once quickly ..

  3. Important to remember, especially in this current climate, that there’s always 2 sides to every story.

    The women that criticized Pilot Week that originally turned down roles on the shows should be ashamed of themselves.

    1. There’s also further questions like: are we talking leading roles, or bit parts which would have done nothing to actually counter the initial complaint?

  4. I think pilot week has of merits and to be honest love to see more shows on the list. People who criticise it should present programs that Ten can air. I say good onya Ten for having a go. Stuff the critic’s..

    1. I see it as the opposite. Why should the public be doing the commissioners jobs for them? They are supposed to know what their audience wants. In my opinion they are conceding that they don’t understand their audience, nor have the courage to create programming that resonates with their intended demographics. I see these stunts as a sign of weakness and incompetence.

      1. Totally disagree.. it’s a great idea by 10. At least the viewers have a say in what we want to see and not have all these reality TV shows, great to see something different for a change.

        Good on 10…….

  5. The plot thickens! Very classy response (she could have named and shamed but respect for not doing so) there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that isn’t (and can’t be) shared with everyone.

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