PHOTO GALLERY
 

General Information

Read Ben Bradshaw's keynote speech here

Click here for live Twitter updates from the conference

Draft Programme Link

Raymond Snoddy on the RTS Cambridge Convention
 

Speakers

Via satellite from New York: Eric Schmidt Chair and CEO, Google

Opening keynote: Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw MP Secretary of state, DCMS Click here to read the speech.

Confirmed speakers:

Dawn Airey Chair and CEO, Five

Tess Alps Chief executive, Thinkbox

Peter Bazalgette Digital investor

Emily Bell Director of digital content, Guardian News and Media

Tony Cohen Chief executive, FremantleMedia

Alex Connock Chief executive, Ten Alps

John Cresswell Chief operating offi cer, ITV

Mike Darcey COO, BSkyB

Mark Dodson CEO, Guardian Media Group Regional Media

Andy Duncan Chief executive, Channel 4

Stephanie Flanders Economics editor, BBC

John Hardie Chief executive, ITN

Andy Harries Managing director, Left Bank Pictures

Steve Hewlett Broadcaster and consultant

Jeremy Hunt MP Shadow secretary of state, CMS

Michael Grade CBE Executive Chairman ITV plc

Luke Johnson Chair, Channel 4

Martha Kearney Presenter, The World at One, BBC

Oona King Head of Diversity Channel 4 Television

Mark Lawson Author and broadcaster

Elaine Pyke Commissioning editor, drama, Sky One

Paul Reynolds Managing Director, Deutsche Bank

Ed Richards Chief executive, Ofcom

Ben Stephenson Controller of drama commissioning, BBC

Mark Thompson Director-general, BBC

Gerhard Zeiler Chief executive, RTL Group
 

Eric Schmidt and Ben Bradshaw headline RTS Cambridge Convention

Eric Schmidt, Google’s Chairman and Chief Executive and Ben Bradshaw, Secretary of State DCMS, will headline this year’s Royal Television Society Cambridge Convention.

The Convention, titled “RIDING OUT THE STORM” will take place at Kings College, Cambridge from 16 - 18 September. The programme is being planned by BBC Director General Mark Thompson, Chair of the Convention Advisory Committee. The Convention will offer two days of lively and thought provoking debate.

Explaining the theme, Mark Thompson said:

“New technologies, new delivery systems and new audience behaviours present opportunities and challenges for every established content player around the world. Combine that with a rapid and steep fall in advertising revenue and the hunt for a viable business model that will work in the digital era becomes all the more urgent.

In ‘Riding Out the Storm’, we'll explore how the British media industry can adapt to ensure itself a strong and vibrant future. Beyond short term survival strategies, how do you future proof and innovate to emerge stronger? What are the best ways of guaranteeing quality original content? From journalism to drama, where will the money come from and where are the new markets?"

Press Enquiries

Mary Jones
E: mary@franklinrae.com
T: 020 7317 5400

Principal Sponsors

RTS Cambridge Convention - Planning Committee

Mark Thompson BBC (chair), Dawn Airey - Five, Peter Bazalgette, Jim Beveridge - Microsoft, John Cresswell - ITV, Andy Duncan - Channel 4, Carolyn Fairbairn - ITV, Eileen Gallagher - Shed Poductions, Wayne Garvie - BBC Worldwide, John Hardie, Lorraine Heggessey - TalkbackThames, Janice Hughes - Spectrum Value Partners, David Kogan - Reel Enterprises, Nicholas Kroll -BBC, Paul Lee - Deloitte, David Lynn - MTV Network UK and Ireland, Graham McWilliam - BSkyB, Stewart Purvis - Ofcom, Sue Robertson - Five, Peter Salmon - BBC, Simon Shaps, Joanna Shields, Tim Suter - Perspective Associates, John Tate - BBC, Nick Toon - Channel 4, Ed Williams - BBC, Paul Zwillenberg - OC&C Strategy Consultants