After five years covering the documentary scene, I've had enough.

If you want to see an industry that's had the crap kicked out of it, look no further than the doc world. Production times hammered, licensing deals shrunk beyond recognition, average TV budgets plummeting to near the $100K an hour mark. (How much was the last :30 you worked on worth?) Then there's been the slow encroachment of shows on which self-important bastards vote other self-important bastards off islands...

So here I am, and by comparison the commercial production industry looks relatively healthy - maybe a little beaten and bruised, but still kicking. Granted, the last year has taken its toll and many out there are considering careers in documentary, but things look grudgingly more promising. My arrival on Boards is heralded by a near 15% rise in the US upfront market and the signs of a global economy that's beginning to look like it might have life in it after all. As Churchill said: If you're going through hell, keep going.

Consumerism is a pillar of the Western world and nothing will keep us from our appointed rounds. While things appear uncertain now - with concerns about TiVo and the interactivity of a digital world playing hell with sleep patterns - adversity has a way of making things better in the end. Maybe we're seeing the beginnings of a new creative age in the ad industry, where the 85/15 split gets eroded and opportunity for long-form digital productions gives rise to freer expression? (Maybe a lack of sleep is making me uncharacteristically optimistic... Who can say?)

In the months ahead, we'll be making a few changes to the magazine, adding more opportunities to use this mag as a sounding board for the industry. We want to include your voice as often as possible, so please don't hesitate to drop us a line and tell us what you like, what you hate and if there's anything you think we're missing. We're all about gestalt publishing here at Boards...

Brendan Christie

Editor