RTS launches mini MBA to supercharge understanding of TV and streaming

The Royal Television Society (RTS) is launching a unique online course that will help to plug the TV skills gap and fast track careers.

Launching later this month (September), the RTS Mini MBA, a first in the industry, is aimed at media professionals who are focused on broadening their skillset and progressing their careers, as well as those in adjacent sectors who are seeking a thorough grounding in television and streaming media. The new initiative, that is CPD accredited, follows a DCMS report, ‘Creative Industries Sector Vision’, that highlighted a vital gap in professional training in the media sector. 

Made up of more than 80 hours of interactive learning and consisting of 24 carefully crafted modules with insights from over 100 industry leaders, the syllabus spans four main strands: Industry Context, Programme Making, Business Functions, and Future Outlook.   

Featuring exclusive filmed interviews with more than 70 experts, webinars, high-profile case studies and practical assessments, participants will be able to learn on demand and at their own pace to fit in with their busy working lives.  They will explore and analyse core topics ranging from: how a programme is developed, commissioned and made, to how money flows within the TV industry, and how the UK TV landscape is likely to change over the next 5 to 10 years. 

The wide-ranging course has been developed with contributions from inspirational industry leaders including Jane Turton, CEO, All3Media; Mike Fries, CEO, Liberty Global; Patrick Holland, Executive Chairman & CEO, Banijay UK; Sarah Rose, President of Channel 5 and UK Regional Lead, Paramount; Simon Pitts, Chief Executive Officer, STV Group; Zai Bennett, Chief Executive and Chief Creative Officer, BBC Studios; Amelia Brown, CEO, Fremantle UK; Stephen Lambert, CEO, Studio Lambert, All3Media; Ade Rawcliffe, Group Director of Diversity and Inclusion, ITV; Jon Thoday, Founder & MD, Avalon Entertainment Ltd; Evan Shapiro, Media Cartographer, Eshap; Dawn Airey, Chair, Barclay’s Women’s Super League & Women’s Championship; Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted, BBC; and Tim Hincks, Co-CEO, Expectation. Working in roles ranging from TV Strategy, Finance and Business Affairs to Technology, Production and Distribution, their combined expertise provides an unprecedented operational overview of the fast-paced television and streaming media sector.

Theresa Wise, CEO of the Royal Television Society, said: “Education is a core pillar at the RTS and, through our bursary programme, we have been able to provide support to hundreds of individuals over the past ten years, who are now thriving in all aspects of the industry. However, there’s currently a gap in the UK for an in-depth professional higher education course covering the business side of the television industry. Thank you so much to the industry leaders who have generously provided their insights and time to contribute to this course. We are proud to have developed an invaluable and unprecedented new Mini MBA, which we hope will provide the next generation of leaders with the tools to succeed.” 

Jane Turton, CEO of All3Media, said: “The business of television is fascinating. It is the intersection of commerce and creativity and has never been more important. It’s incredibly helpful to understand all facets of the industry, but in this fast-moving world it can be a challenge for people to gain a broad understanding while carrying out the day job.  Now, the next generation of leaders, from every background and corner of their business, can acquire valuable knowledge, expertise and practical skills, on the job to help fast track their careers, be more effective in their current roles, and ultimately benefit both themselves and the industry as a whole.”  

Registrations will open in 2025. Initially, the RTS Mini MBA will be available to company employees. Past and present RTS bursary scholars can sign up free of charge.  

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Please see below the full list of contributors to the course: 

Addie Orfila, Production Consultant & Trainer, Addie Orfila Training 

Ade Rawcliffe, Group Director of Diversity and Inclusion, ITV 

Alex Cameron, Media Industry Consultant, Parrot Analytics 

Amelia Brown, CEO, Fremantle UK  

Amy Dallmeyer, Director of Development, Entertainment, Expectation 

Andrea Scrosati, Group COO & CEO Continental Europe, Fremantle 

Andrew Georgiou, President and MD, Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland 

Angela Jain, Managing Director, ITV Studios Entertainment  

Angela McMullen, Chief Financial Officer, All3Media  

Anouk Berendsen, Head of Talent, All3Media 

Anthony Smith, Vice President, Production, Paramount  

Ben Webster, Director of Programme Publicity, ITV 

Carli Kerr, Executive Vice President Marketing, Sky 

Cecilie Olsen, SVP Global Content, Non-Scripted, ITV Studios 

Ceri Stoner, Partner, Wiggin 

Chachal Panwar, Director, FLB accountants LLP 

Chris Hammond, Partner, Wiggin 

Christine Healy, COO, Keshet UK 

Claire Enders CBE, Founder, Enders Analysis 

Clare Welch, Group Head of Resourcing, All3Media 

Dan Grabiner, CEO, Orchard Studios 

David Kogan, Chief Advisor and Rights Negotiator, Premier League 

David Swetman, SVP Content and Commercial Strategy, All3Media International 

David Wheeldon, MD Government Affairs and Public Policy, YouTube EMEA 

Dawn Airey, Chair, Barclay’s Women’s Super League & Women’s Championship 

Evan Shapiro, Media Cartographer, Eshap 

Gavin Mann, Global Broadcast Industry Lead, Accenture 

Gill Hind, COO and Director of TV, Enders Analysis 

Harry Hampson, Global Chair of Investment Banking, JP Morgan 

Harry Knott, Head of Development, Unscripted, Studio Lambert, All3Media 

Helen Scott, Freelance Executive Producer  

Jacqueline Moreton, General Council, Banijay UK 

Jane Turton, CEO, All3Media 

Joanne Gibbs, Partner, Wiggin 

John McVay, Chief Executive, PACT 

John Nolan, Managing Director, Apex Content Ventures 

Jon Thoday, Founder & MD, Avalon Entertainment Ltd 

Julian Bellamy , Managing Director, ITV Studios 

Justin Sampson, Chief Executive, Barb Audiences 

Kate Barnes, Director of Content Partnerships for Streaming, ITV Studios 

Kate Phillips, Director of Unscripted, BBC 

Kelly Williams, Managing Director, Commercial, ITV 

Khalid Hayat, Director of Strategy & Consumer Insight, Channel 4 

Lis Steele, TV Producer, Freelance 

Lisa Selway , COO, New Pictures, All3Media 

Lynn Barlow, Assistant Vice-Chancellor, Creative and Cultural Industries Engagement, UWE Bristol 

Maria Kyriacou, Former President of Broadcast & Studios for International Markets, Paramount 

Matthew Dando, Partner, Wiggin 

Mike Fries, CEO, Liberty Global 

Mike Green, Former Deputy Group Finance Director, ITV 

Mike Large, Group Director of Communications, All3Media 

Neil Mortensen, Director of ITV Insights Group, ITV 

Nicky Ivory-Chapman, Head of Talent Management, Channel 4 

Nicola Widdowson, Finance Director, Optomen, All3Media 

Nischal Randev, Head of Corporate Development, Banijay UK 

Patrick Holland, Executive Chairman & CEO, Banijay UK 

Phil Dolling, Freelance Executive Producer  

Philippa Childs, Deputy General Secretary, BECTU  

Rajiv Nathwani, Senior Director, UK Marketing, Netflix 

Richard Halton, Director UK Strategy, Roku 

Richard Watsham, Chief Creative Officer & Global Director of Acquisitions, UKTV 

Roma Khanna, Television Executive, Former NBC Universal 

Ryan Nelson, Senior Manager, Production Accounting, FLB Accountants 

Sam McMillon, COO, Quay Street Productions 

Sandra Smith, Director of Production, Banijay UK 

Sara Geater, COO, All3Media 

Sarah Rose, President of Channel 5 and UK Regional Lead, Paramount 

Simon Bucks, Chief Executive, BFBS 

Simon Nelson, CEO, QA Higher Education 

Simon Pitts, Chief Executive Officer, STV Group 

Sinead Rocks, Managing Director, Nations and Regions, Channel 4 

Stephen Lambert, CEO, Studio Lambert, All3Media 

Steven Brown, Group Director of Corporate Development, All3Media  

Stuart Green, Head Media & Entertainment UK & Ireland, Accenture 

Stuart Woodward, Managing Director, Content Consultancy Limited 

Tamara Howe, Director of Commercial and Operations, Former Naked Productions 

Theresa Wise, CEO, Royal Television Society 

Tim Hincks, Co-CEO, Expectation 

Tom Manwaring, Partner, Helion Partners 

Veronica Pottinen, Group Head of Insight, All3Media 

Vikki Cook, Director, Content Media Policy – Ofcom 

Zai Bennett, Chief Executive and Chief Creative Officer, BBC Studios 

Zoe Brown, Chief Commercial Officer, Scripted, Banijay UK 

Zoe Chatten, Commercial Director, Studio Lambert, All3Media 

Zoe Ellen Bryant, Music Supervisor, Carbon Logic