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
