Once upon a time, in the dark pre-digital age, history on TV consisted of charismatic academics like AJP Taylor standing at a lectern and giving an hour long talk.
How times have changed.
Now presenters travel across the globe to bring back stories, sometimes reflecting the dress and even the food of the era. And the long running classic documentaries with archive and voiceover, have largely given way to a rich explosion of formats from lavish reconstructions and living history to compelling personal journeys.
In a crowded market, history has become one of the most innovative genres in television and aims to attract ever new audiences. But if history becomes entertainment rather than illustrated lecture does it trivialise its subject or create a fresh imaginative take on dry subjects that brings historical knowledge to new audiences?
As TV approaches its centenary, to what extent have the subjects and viewpoints reflected the values of their time?
A cutting edge panel will discuss this, backed up by clips from the different formats. On the panel are two high profile historian-presenters, the BBC's commissioning editor of Specialist Factual, and the MD of Wall to Wall, one of the biggest and original history programme makers .
Look to them for the future of the past.
