About the film
One Day in the Life of Television is a documentary broadcast on ITV on November 1, 1989. Produced and directed for television by Peter Kosminsky, it was filmed by more than fifty crews exactly one year earlier. The project presents a broad behind-the-scenes view of activities involved in producing, receiving, and marketing British television.
Richard Paterson and Janet Willis organised it at the British Film Institute, while the Markle Foundation funded the project. The entry lists 1989 as its year, Peter Kosminsky as director, and English as its language. Rather than focusing on one programme or production role, the documentary covers a wide range of television work and the ways television reaches audiences and is promoted.
Its scale comes from the many crews involved in recording the project, giving the film a wide production perspective.
Who it is for
A fit for viewers, teachers, and students interested in television production, broadcasting, marketing, and British television history. English-language documentary audiences may also appreciate its behind-the-scenes focus.
Worth knowing
- Covers production, reception, and marketing of British television
- Filmed by more than fifty crews
- Broadcast on ITV
- Produced and directed by Peter Kosminsky
- Funded by the Markle Foundation
Before you press play
- Released in 1989
- Focuses specifically on British television
- English-language documentary
The short of it
One Day in the Life of Television offers a wide-ranging look behind British television, from production through audience reception and marketing. Its many-crew approach and institutional organisation make it useful for viewers studying how television operated in that period.