Q&A with Jennifer Collins
In a piece that first appeared in Encore, ABC TV’s head of entertainment Jennifer Collins talks media.
Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
I’ve got to say Peppa Pig. Week on week Peppa the pig manages to maintain its position as the number one program on ABC iView. There’s power in capturing those loyal audiences early.
What one medium could you not live without?
I have to confess to having an ‘app’ addiction – and some of them are actually useful.
Your one guilty media pleasure?
Daytime pleasure would be reading a good book on Bondi beach, evening pleasure watching back-to-back episodes of Game of Thrones.
The next big industry trend is…
The innovations being developed around second-screen apps, where audiences can play along to games at home, engage with the show directly and have a shared discussion via social media. At the ABC we’re playing and experimenting in this space with play-along games on shows like Tractor Monkeys and developing new interactions for an upcoming live-to-air show hosted by Lawrence Mooney on ABC2.
If you weren’t doing this for a living what would you be doing?
Restoring and renovating old houses.
Your best piece of career advice…
Be brave. Just go do it. Get on with it. Get writing. Get filming. And whatever you do, don’t let it be bland.
If you could poach any one person, who would it be?
Tina Fey please.
Would you recommend working in this industry to your kids?
Sure, as long as they don’t follow my footsteps. They’d have to work in the commercial sector so they can earn the bucks to support their mum and dad in their retirement.
What is your favourite Aussie ad?
The multi-talented Jungleboys team who are currently making The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting produced this very funny ad. Babies and poo equals comedy gold.
Jennifer Collins is head of entertainment at ABC TV overseeing a slate of programs including new sketch show The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting, comedy panel show Tractor Monkeys, The Checkout, Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell and The Agony of Life.
This story first appeared in the weekly edition of Encore available for iPad and Android tablets. Visit encore.com.au for a preview of the app or click below to download.
