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ITV exec Kevin Lygo on Vice's Shane Smith: 'I'm trying not to use the word odious'
ITV director of television Kevin Lygo was withering in his verdict on of a speech made by Vice Media chief executive Shane Smith on Wednesday.
At the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Smith used the prestigious annual MacTaggart lecture to warn of a "bloodbath" of media consolidation.
He also called on TV executives to put young people in charge of creating content with a social purpose.
"Young people have to shoot it, they have to cut it, they have to post it. They have to do it all," Smith argued, suggesting that Vice is helping loosen the "babyboomers" stranglehold on the media.
But Lygo, who was taking part in a debate at the festival on Thursday with some of the most senior UK television controllers, was unimpressed.
"I'm trying not to use the word odious," he said, drawing a big laugh and a round of applause from the audience of TV executives.
He sarcastically added: "It was great, it was marvellous, and I wish him all the luck in the world."
Lygo also appeared to suggest that there was contradiction in Smith's ambition to empower young people and the fact that the clips he played in his speech all featured himself. This included Smith's interview with US president Barack Obama last year.
"I loved the fact that all of his clips, he was in," Lygo said.
Smith will have a chance to reply when he is interviewed about his speech at the TV festival on Thursday afternoon.
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