ANNUAL REPORT 2019 3 Dorset Rise, London EC4Y 8EN 020 7822 2810 – [email protected] www.rts.org.uk RtS PATRONS PRINCIPAL PATRONS BBC ITV Channel 4 Sky INTERNATIONAL PATRONS A+E Networks International Netflix Discovery Networks The Walt Disney Company Facebook Viacom International Media Networks Liberty Global WarnerMedia NBCUniversal International YouTube MAJOR PATRONS Accenture IMG Studios All3Media ITN Amazon Video KPMG Audio Network Motion Content Group Avid netgem.tv Boston Consulting Group NTT Data BT OC&C Channel 5 Pinewood TV Studios Deloitte S4C EndemolShine Sargent-Disc Enders Analysis Spencer Stuart Entertainment One STV Group Finecast The Trade Desk Freeview UKTV Fremantle Vice Gravity Media Virgin Media IBM YouView RTS PATRONS Autocue Lumina Search Digital Television Group Mission Bay Grass Valley PriceWaterhouseCoopers Isle of Media Raidió Teilifís Éireann 2 BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT TO MEMBERS Forewords by RTS Chair and CEO 4 I Achievements and performance 6 1 Education and skills 8 2 Engaging with the public 16 3 Promoting thought leadership 24 4 Awards and recognition 30 5 The nations and regions 36 6 Membership and volunteers 40 7 Financial support 42 8 Our people 44 9 Summary of national events 46 10 Centre reports 48 II Governance and finance 58 1 Structure, governance and management 59 2 Objectives and activities 60 3 Financial review 60 4 Plans for future periods 62 5 Administrative details 62 Independent auditor’s report 64 Financial statements 66 Notes to the financial statements 70 Who’s who at the RTS 84 Royal Television Society AGM 2020 In light of the restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 crisis, the Society is reviewing the timing and logistics involved in holding its 2020 AGM. To comply with Charity Law, AGMs must be held no more than 15 months apart. Notification of the Society’s 2020 AGM, together with its agenda and the minutes of the 2019 AGM, will be sent to members in due course. 3 FOREWORD BY THE CHAIR his is a uniquely for some time, but we should recognise the versatil- challenging ity, creativity and resilience of our industry during this time to be start- unprecedented period. Innovative ways to produce ing my term programming have been found to keep “lockdown” as Chair of the audiences entertained in record numbers and we will Society. I have have to continue to be creative and resourceful as we been an RTS Trustee since learn how to adapt to new ways of working. 2015T and I have witnessed Through its regional centres the RTS is very well rep- first-hand the many suc- resented around the country, and 2019 saw an impres- cesses we have had over the sive level of activity. Now, more than ever, I want to past few years. A broad range of popular and stimu- encourage our regional presence and to use that as a lating events throughout the country, a growing mem- way to support television around the UK. bership, and the delivery of a strong educational remit I would like to thank the RTS Patrons, who are at with the bursary scheme at its heart, are just some of the centre of our activities. Through their financial the marks of this successful organisation. assistance and other contributions in kind, they are However, at the time of writing this foreword, the the lifeblood of the Society. We are delighted to have Society and our industry are facing great uncertainty welcomed Netflix, Avid, All3Media, Gravity Media and and huge upheaval posed by the coronavirus crisis. Mission Bay to our Patron community this year. The repercussions of this dreadful pandemic will have Under Tom Mockridge’s Chairmanship, the Board of a profound effect on all our members and member Trustees agreed to intensify our educational, regional organisations, as well as upon the Society itself. We and membership building activities and we have com- will do everything we can to weather the financial mitted to continue to pursue these objectives. A big storm and ongoing disruption and are committed to thank you to Tom for his insight and support. I would continuing our support of the RTS bursary scheme. also like to welcome Jane Millichip, Sarah Rose and It feels more important than ever that the RTS does Anne Mensah to the Board of Trustees. everything in its power to help the sector recover fast I believe that our industry can recover and that the from the crisis through the support, promotion, and RTS, through its various activities, can play a part in celebration of the art and science of television. helping with that process. Things are unquestionably tough, and will remain so Jane Turton, Chair of the Board of Trustees 4 FOREWORD BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE oronavirus increased the total fund pledged to the scheme and has cast a long expanded the eligible courses so that five times as shadow over many students can now apply. During the year, we our industry, included students studying for Higher National Diplo- which Jane mas for the first time and, via a partnership with Bafta, Turton has the Society supported the transition into employment described in her foreword. Its of two apprentices at Framestore. socialC and economic reper- The RTS Student Masterclasses and annual RTS TV cussions became evident just Careers Fair are key components of the Society’s edu- as the Society was marking cational programme. A record 1,300 people attended the end of a memorable and joyous 2019. the national fair in Islington, London, in late January The year saw well-attended events in and outside and more than 900 flocked to the second RTS Mid- London, a significant expansion to the bursary scheme, lands careers fair at the Edgbaston stadium in Octo- continued growth in membership and a burgeoning ber. Seven hundred students attended the RTS Student digital presence. The RTS Cambridge Convention was Masterclasses in London over two days in November. one of the best ever. Sponsored by ITV and chaired by Although it is unlikely that we will be able to hold the broadcaster’s CEO, Carolyn McCall, the convention many such events during the current year, we aim to welcomed a stellar cast of speakers from around the restart the programme as soon as is feasible. world, including David Zaslav, Reed Hastings, Alex 2019 was a successful year for RTS centres. The Mahon, Tony Hall and Jeremy Darroch. Added celebrity vibrancy of our presence in the nations and regions was provided by Piers Morgan and Sir Lenny Henry. could be seen in the centres’ Programme Awards and Back in 2013, when I started as Chief Executive of Student Television Awards held across the UK and the the RTS, we launched our strategic plan for growth – Republic of Ireland, and in the range of events put on a series of key objectives to ensure that the Society by centres. Standout events included: a celebration of remained relevant and fit for the future. Good progress 60 years of the RTS in Wales, which featured: Gethin has been made in all areas. Jones in conversation with Russell T Davis; Sally Wain- The wide-ranging implications of coronavirus will wright discussing Gentleman Jack in Bristol; and Shirley have an impact on our ability to meet these objectives, Ballas’s Strictly Come Dancing masterclass in Birmingham. at least in the traditional way and in the short term. During 2020, the Society will aim to stay connected We are establishing a programme of online events both with and to publish the news from all our centres nationally and locally and will experiment with new through social media and our digital communications. formats. We continue to communicate with our stake- We continued to increase our membership – from holders through a digital edition of Television and our 1,400 in 2013 to a current current total of 5,030 mem- other digital and social media channels. bers, with a further 3,541 student members. Build- We are continuing some key activities, in particu- ing membership is important for our finances and lar, supporting our bursary students and graduates – increasing the pool of wonderful volunteers. To this the RTS’s most vulnerable constituency. And we will end we have introduced a “£30 for under-30s” mem- resume live events as soon as is practicably possible, bership scheme. but we will be seeking to convert some of our activities I would like to thank our volunteers, Trustees and to virtual gatherings. Patrons who, working together with our superb staff, The RTS bursary scheme provides financial support have made it possible to achieve so much. In particu- for less well-off young people studying television pro- lar, I must thank Tom Mockridge, Chair of the Board duction, digital journalism and engineering. We sup- of Trustees since 2016, whose wisdom and experience ported 20 students when we started the scheme in has been invaluable. 2014; currently, we have a total of 176 bursary recipi- It is my pleasure to welcome Jane Turton, who has ents, including 55 student graduates, of whom at least taken over from Tom, and who will play a crucial role 45 are working in the industry in helping us to chart our way through the difficult In 2019, we added 10 new bursaries, funded by STV, times ahead. for students studying in Scotland. We substantially Theresa Wise, Chief Executive 5 I Achievements and performance The Board of Trustees (who are also the builds on the achievements of the five-year directors of the Royal Television Society strategic plan for growth adopted in 2012. for the purposes of company law) pres- The main thrust of this plan is to strengthen ent their annual directors’ report and relationships with industry stakeholders consolidated accounts for the year ended to consolidate the Society’s considerable 31 December 2019, which are also prepared achievements over recent years in expand- to meet the requirements for a directors’ ing its educational work, membership and report and accounts for Companies House public engagement.