Edinburgh Television Festival reveals the first speakers at this year’s event

Edinburgh TV Festival has unveiled its first tranche of speakers for the August event, with journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan to take on the Alternative MacTaggart lecture.  

The University Challenge and Media Show host’s slot will be a combination of a keynote speech and an in-conversation interview, in keeping with the alternative MacTaggart’s ambition to debate the television industry from an alternative perspective.  

His speech will examine the role of journalism in a post-truth world and why now is the time to “jump into the great digital Narnia of the creator economy.”  

Elsewhere on Edinburgh TV Festival’s line up, Line of Duty and This is England actress Vicky McClure is joined in conversation with her partner, filmmaker and co-chief executive of All3Media-backed indie Build Your Own Films’ Jonny Owen.  

Both McClure and Owens are champions for working class representation and established BYO Films to support new voices from underrepresented backgrounds, with the discussion aiming to explore the social and economic barriers to television jobs.  

Adam Hawkins, this year’s festival advisory chair said that the event “lands at a pivotal time for the TV industry”. 

He added: “Never have there been more challenges and more opportunities. Amol and Vicky are unique and dynamic voices whose perspectives can help shape the future of TV in all its forms.”