The 13 competition categories: Live Event Show
We bring you the 13 categories featured in this year’s competition along with a precise definition, example videos and an interview with a prominent expert in the field.
11. Category: Live Event Show
Definition:
Variety shows or live events consisting of one or more episodes and live performances (eg music).
Between 1961 and 1992 the Rose d’Or Festival awarded three different prizes: the Golden Rose, the Silver Rose and the Bronze Rose. Programme categories were introduced in 1993 and in 1997 the Variety genre was recognised in a seperate category for the first time – a rorerunner to todays Live Event Show category. The first Rose-winning Variety show was National Parody from Gestmusic Zepp. Last year the Golden Rose for Variety & Live Event Show was awarded to La Bohème at the Tower Block from Schweizer Fernsehen.
The Live Event Show interview with Christoph Gebel
Foto: SRF/Oscar Alessio (Copyright)
Christoph Gebel is Head of Entertainment at Swiss Radio & Television SRF. Prior to that Gebel was Head of Programming at DRS1 and DRS Musikwelle from 2001 to 2010. DRS 1 was developed under his direction and now reaches 1.9 million listeners daily. Christoph Gebel was also responsible for the first major SRF project – the tri-media childrens programme Zambo. Before his work at Swiss Radio & Television SRF, Christoph Gebel was Director and General Manager of Gassmann Media AG, where he was responsible for the operation of the newspapers Bieler Tagblatt and Journal du Jura and built the Internet Service Provider Redmouse. Perfectly bilingual, Gebel was Director of Radio Canal 3 from 1996 to 1999 and built the bilingual local television show Telebielingue.
1. Can you give us a typical example of a Live Event Show?A typical example would be a show in which the TV audience chooses a winner. There are some successful examples in the SRF portfolio: Miss Switzerland, Swiss-Award – the Millions Gala (who will be Swiss of the Year?), Clash of the Choirs and The Great Swiss Talent. These are all shows with one thing in common: they all focus on a big event on location with a large audience, and the viewing public can actively participate in selecting a winner.
2. Is there a Live Events show you would have loved to have created yourself?
My favourite show like this is It’s A Knockout because it’s still one of the most ingenious formats.
3. In which direction is Live Events programming going?
The definition of the term “event-show” or “live event show” has in recent years, unfortunately, undergone an inflationary development – almost every local event is now sold as a great Live Event and audiences will soon tire of this. It is therefore really important to monitor carefully what has genuine potential to make a great Live Event Show and what doesn’t. The motto should be – less is more, big and glamourous is better!
4. Do you see emerging markets and sub-genres?
There is potential in the Charity area in particular. The experience of the national Every Penny Counts fundraising project has shown that audiences respond well to a large event that lasts about a week, precisely because it instilled a sense of stability and made people feel good.
5. Which television programme would you currently not miss for the world?
Aside from the Live Event Shows on SRF, the BBCs Top Gear is not to be missed!
Live Event Show example video: The Great Swiss Talent (with courtesy of SRF)
