Dr Who boost sought for Northern Ireland TV Drama

The North needs a Dr Who-style success if it is to become a world class hub for television drama and the creative arts, Peter Hain insisted today.

At the opening of a conference involving television executives in Belfast's W5 complex, the Northern Ireland Secretary revealed he had held meetings recently with senior representatives of all the major UK broadcasters to raise the level of television drama being produced in Northern Ireland.

"I have seen the electrifying impact on Wales of the production of the excellent Dr Who series," he said.

"I want something similar for Northern Ireland. I want today's conference to be the beginning of a process to reach for the skies and broaden our horizons.

"This is a great opportunity to establish where we are now, where we would like to be and what we all need to do to get there."

Last month the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission announced the expansion of its product development fund to cover TV drama.

Mr Hain said with 33,500 jobs in The North's creative industries in 2003, he firmly believed they had a crucial role to play in economic and social regeneration.

The minister said the level of television drama produced in the North needed to be increased.