Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society (commonly known in the television industry as the RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen regional and national centres in the UK, as well as branches in the Republic of Ireland, Canada and the United States.
History
The group was formed as The Television Society on 7 September 1927, a time when television was still very much in its experimental stage. Regular high-definition (then defined as at least 200 lines) broadcasts did not even begin for another nine years until the BBC began its transmissions from Alexandra Palace in 1936.
In addition to serving as a forum for scientists and engineers, the society published regular newsletters charting the development of the new medium. These documents now form important historical records of the early history of television broadcasting.
The society was granted its Royal title in 1966, and the current patron is HRH The Prince of Wales.[1]
Activities
The society regularly holds meetings and seminars, attended by members of the public and professionals from various areas of the television industry, and it also publishes the monthly magazine Television, covering a broad range of television topics.
The society's highest profile event is the biennial Cambridge Convention. Other prominent events include the annual Fleming, Shoenberg and Huw Wheldon Memorial Lectures, which are delivered by high-profile television figures.
The society also holds a substantial archive of printed, photographic and audio-visual material of value to television historians and scholars.
Awards
The Royal Television Society's annual awards are decided by balanced juries of media professionals, with separate juries for individual categories within each of the six groups of Awards:
- Programme Awards[2]
- Television Journalism Awards
- Craft & Design Awards[3]
- Innovation Awards
- Educational Television Awards[4]
Each group of Awards is presented at its own individual ceremony, usually in the first few months of the year.
Regional centres also hold their own award ceremonies.
Programme Awards Winners
2010
- Entertainment: The X Factor
- Scripted Comedy: Miranda
- Arts: Alan Bennett and the Habit of Art
- History: The Secret Life of the National Grid
- Science & Natural History: Wonders of the Solar System
- Single Documentary: Between Life and Death
- Documentary Series: Welcome to Lagos
- Features and Lifestyle Series: Pineapple Dance Studios
- Nations and Regions Programme: Breaking the Silence
- Children's Programme: Horrible Histories
- Children's Drama: The Sarah Jane Adventures
- International Award: True Stories: The Cove
- Daytime and Early-Peak Programme: The Indian Doctor
- Soap and Continuing Drama: EastEnders
- Presenter: Brian Cox (Wonders of the Solar System)
- Actor (male): Jim Broadbent (Any Human Heart)
- Actor (female): Vicky McClure (This Is England '86)
- Single Drama: The Road to Coronation Street
- Drama Series: Sherlock
- Drama Serial: Five Daughters
- Writer (Drama): Jack Thorne and Shane Meadows (This is England '86)
- Writer (Comedy): Jo Brand, Vicki Pepperdine and Joanna Scanlan (Getting On)
- Entertainment Performance: Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Britain's Got Talent)
- Comedy Performance: Miranda Hart (Miranda)
- Judges' Award: Steven Moffat
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Peter Bennett-Jones
2011
- Entertainment: Derren Brown – The Experiments
- Presenter: Gareth Malone (The Choir: Military Wives)
- Arts: Graffiti Wars
- Single Documentary: Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die
- Documentary Series: 24 Hours in A&E
- Nations and regions programme: The Scheme
- History: Dambusters: Building The Bouncing Bomb
- Science & Natural History: Mummifying Alan: Egypt's Last Secret
- Soap and continuing drama: Coronation Street
- Children's drama: Tracy Beaker
- Children's programme: Newsround – My Autism & Me
- International award: Modern Family
- Daytime programme: Deal or No Deal Live
- Popular factual and features: Hugh's Big Fish Fight
- Actor (male): Dominic West (Appropriate Adult)
- Actor (female): Emily Watson (Appropriate Adult)
- Single drama: Eric and Ernie
- Drama serial: Top Boy
- Drama series: Luther
- Writer (drama): Peter Bowker (Eric and Ernie)
- Writer (comedy): Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong (Fresh Meat)
- Entertainment performance: Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Red or Black?, Ant & Dec's Push the Button and Britain's Got Talent)
- Comedy performance: Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani (Him & Her)
- Scripted comedy: Fresh Meat
- Judges' award: Laura Mackie
- Lifetime achievement award: Beryl Vertue OBE
- Student Television Awards: For Elsie
RTS Futures
In 2009 RTS Futures was launched for young people in television.
References
- ↑ "What We Do | Royal Television Society". Rts.org.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ↑ "RTS Programme Awards | Royal Television Society". Rts.org.uk. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ↑ "RTS Craft & Design Awards | Royal Television Society". Rts.org.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ↑ "Student Television Awards | Royal Television Society". Rts.org.uk. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2014.