Since joining A+E from the BBC in 2015, Hill has made a vast impact on the business. Last year, she was involved in the launch of Lifetime as a free-to-air channel in Turkey, where it now is available to more than 19 million Turkish viewers nationwide without a paid TV subscription. She does feel that there is progress being made for women behind the lens. “Lifetime continues to hire more female showrunners, writers and directors, which results in some of our most successful shows,” Hill says.
What is one way the industry can continue to evolve in ridding itself of gender discrimination?
To show that it makes business sense. Through its Broad Focus initiative, Lifetime continues to hire more female showrunners, writers and directors, which results in some of our most successful shows. (In 2016, women made up 59% of writers, 55% of directors and 60% of producers on Lifetime). It can’t be seen as doing anyone a favor, but that it’s what is required to drive the business forward.
What famous woman, living or deceased, would you like to have dinner with?
My answer for this has a long list of names… right now it would be Lady Elizabeth Southerden Thompson, a famous British painter known for her painting “Roll Call” that hangs in Buckingham Palace. She was the first woman to have her picture hung in the main gallery at the Royal Academy and almost the first female member of the academy itself. Kind of like winning an Oscar for painting. I just listened to an amazing podcast about her and how history has seen us take many leaps forward for women, but also steps back at the same time. Almost as though we create role models to point to as a way of showing how far we’ve come—and, as a result, feel more able to take our foot off the pedal.