True to its original 1968 franchise application, LWT has led
the way on serious arts programming for ITV. Aquarius was a brave attempt at a weekly arts magazine programme in the early 70s.
The South Bank Show, which
continues
to this day, usually focuses in-depth on one subject each week. Presented
by Melvyn Bragg, it has won a stack of awards.
Over
on Channel Four, LWT produced Book Four and the annual Arts Review
of the Year throughout the 1980s.
LWT CURRENT AFFAIRS, DOCOS &
FEATURES
Famous
LWT current affairs programme that ran through the 1970s and 1980s, originally
presented by Peter Jay and then for a long time by Brian Walden. Weekend
World often set the news agenda, and attracted to its interview chair
the leading politicians of the day.
Weekend
World was axed in the late 80s in favour of a series of weekly interviews
hosted by Brian Walden. Jonathan Dimbleby took over the role for the 1990s.
LWT's
biography of the life and times of Russian leader Josef Stalin, called Stalin,
won critical acclaim in the mid-1970s when it was screened in most regions
in the Sunday afternoon educational slot.
Beverley
Anderson was the host of Black on Black, produced by LWT for Channel
Four. Over on ITV, LWT cameras camped out at Luton Airport for a fly-on-the-wall
look at the operations of EasyJet in Airline.