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World in Action 1963-98
World in Action was a current affairs series with a reputation for taking risks. Broadcast across the ITV network at 8pm on Monday nights, the series gained a reputation for unorthodox and campaigning journalism. At its height, it drew audiences in Britain of up to 23 million.
The standard format was as a voice-over documentary without a regular reporter, although a handful of WIA journalists did appear in front of camera. Perhaps its most celebrated guest presenter was the distinguished American anchorman Walter Cronkite, who came out of retirement to cover the 1983 British General Election for the series.
- Broadcast details
- ITV, Mondays 8pm (30 minutes)
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs series
- Editor
- Various
- Credits
- Created by Tim Hewatt
- Notes
- See Peter Goddard, John Corner and Kay Richardson Public Issue Television: World in Action 1963-98 Manchester University Press 2007
Listed for the 'No Such' project are programmes which dealt with the NHS, Health and relevant social and political issues between 1979-1990
Margaret Thatcher
Interview with the Leader of the Opposition
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 30 January 1978
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- David Kemp
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- The origin of Thatcher's words 'People are really rather afraid that this country might be rather swamped by people with a different culture'. See Goddard et al p. 79 and 101
The Steel Papers
On the strike in the nationalised steel industry
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 4 February 1980
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- John Blake
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- World In Action acquired sensitive documents. A court case followed see Goddard et al pp85-6
Kevin at the Crossroads
A Thalidomide survivor World in Action has been following since he was 10 in 1972
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 22 June 1981
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Producer
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Director
- Brian Blake
- Notes
- The second in a series of observational programmes with Kevin Donellon. The next programmes are in 1987 and 1995.
See also Goddard, P., Corner, J & Richardson, K., 2008. Public Issue Television. Manchester: MUP p73.
Too Cold to Live
An investigation into whether elderly deaths from hypothermia were a consequence of government policy
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 17 January 1983
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- Stephen Segaller
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- See also Goddard, P., Corner, J. & Richardson, K., 2008. Public Issue Television. Manchester: MUP p.144
For the Benefit of Mr Parris
Conservative MP Matthew Parris lives on unemployment benefits
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 23 January 1984
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- Stuart Prebble
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- In a sequel, an unemployed man from Parris's constituency takes on the MP's duties for a week. See The honorable member for the unemployed. 6 January 1986. See also Goddard et al p.97
Drilling for Gold
On dentists' abuse of NHS payments system
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 25 June 1984
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- Stuart Prebble
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- The programme was followed by litigation. See Goddard et al p.90
The Honourable Member for the Unemployed
Following For the Benefit of Mr Parris 23 Jan 1984 an unemployed man from Matthew Parris's constituency takes over his parliamentary duties for a week.
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 6 January 1986
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- Stuart Prebble
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- See also Goddard, P., Corner, J. & Richardson, K., 2008. Public Issue Television. Manchester: MUP p. 97
Born Survivors
Revisiting Thalidomine survivor Kevin Donellon, whom the series had followed since he was 10 in 1972
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 20 July 1987
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- Chris Bryer
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- World In Action programmes also visited Kevin Donellon in 1972, 1982 and 1995
Mandy is Missing
The first of two programmes; reconstructing the search for a runaway teenager
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 27 February 1989
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- Charles Tremayne
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- The second programme the following week: 6 March 1989 A Home for Mandy
A Home for Mandy
The second of two programmes about the search for a runaway teenager
- Broadcast details
- ITV, 6 March 1989
- Production company
- Granada Television
- Medium
- TV
- Genre
- current affairs
- Director
- Charles Tremayne
- Editor
- Ray Fitzwalter
- Notes
- Prog 1 Mandy is Missing was on the previous week, 27 February 1989