Tayyaba
The MacTaggart Lecture is an annual event at the Edinburgh TV Festival (which will be conducted through 22 to 25 August this year). It is named after James MacTaggart, the former controller of BBC Two, and this year it will be delivered by a renowned British documentarian, Louis Theroux. Theroux joins a prestigious lineup of former MacTaggart lecturers, including Armando Iannucci, Emily Maitlis, Jack Thorne, Michaela Coel, Ted Turner, Armando Iannucci and many more.
What will Louis Theroux’s MacTaggart Lecture be about?
Louis Theroux’s MacTaggart Lecture will be about the difficulties faced by broadcasters in the 21st century, as well as his own thoughts on the future of television, how he managed “longevity and relevance in broadcasting after 25 plus years” and fear plus optimism. In addition to the challenges facing broadcasters in this day and age, Theroux is also likely to discuss the role of social media in shaping public discourse, the impact of artificial intelligence on the way we consume news and entertainment, the challenges of maintaining journalistic integrity in the age of “fake news,” and the future of documentary filmmaking in a world where anyone can create and share content online.
“I am beyond thrilled to be asked to deliver this year’s MacTaggart lecture. The old Chinese curse runs, ‘May you live in interesting times.’ But I also believe interesting times – to those of us whose job it is to report on them and reflect them, while also providing an occasional distraction from them – can be a blessing. The many years I’ve spent reporting on the fringes have been an ample education on the nature of human psychology and the strange place the world now finds itself in. I look forward to sharing some insight into what I think I’ve learned.”
Louis Theroux
More insight into the world of Louis Theroux:
Theroux is a British documentary filmmaker and presenter who is known for his unflinching and empathetic approach to his subjects. He is best known in the United States for his 2015 documentary feature My Scientology Movie, but he has been a cult figure and beloved interviewer in the United Kingdom since the late 1990s. Theroux’s early work on BBC Two series such as Weird Weekends and When Louis Met… saw him explore off-beat human experiences as well as hard-hitting subject matters. He has interviewed a wide range of people, from p*rn stars and survivalists to Westboro Baptist Church members and Jimmy Savile. Louis’ trademark style is to be both curious and respectful of his subjects, even those who hold views that are considered controversial or extreme. He is able to build rapport with people from all walks of life, and his documentaries offer a unique insight into the human condition. His MacTaggart lecture is sure to be one of the most interesting and enlightening ones yet.