On Eve Of Her First Convention, Royal Television Society Boss Sophie Jones Wants To Shout Louder About The “Powerhouse” UK Industry

EXCLUSIVE: The new boss of the UK’s influential Royal Television Society (RTS) thinks the charity should shout louder about the nation’s “powerhouse” TV industry to those who matter.

Sophie Jones said “there is a space for the RTS to ensure that the value of television as as whole is heard and understood by people who influence it.”

“That includes politicians, as well as people in the media who help shape the debate around the major decisions affecting the industry,” she said. “There is more we can do to champion television’s value as both a cultural and economic powerhouse in the UK.”

She stressed that the RTS “cannot – and will not – be a campaigning organization,” but there are still levers it can pull.

Jones took over from Theresa Wise three weeks ago and was speaking exclusively to Deadline as she prepares to host her first RTS Convention, which takes place at London’s King’s Place on Tuesday and is this year chaired by Amazon. The convention takes place every year and switches venue between London and Cambridge.

The former Channel 4 corporate chief said the charity will “not have a view” on thorny issues like Israel-Palestine but “its role is to convene these conversations,” and if they sometimes prompt “controversial viewpoints, we have to deal with them as clearly as possible.” She was addressing the messy controversy the society became embroiled in last year after scrapping a special award for journalists in Gaza before subsequently U-turning after facing pressure from all corners of the industry. “We will never take sides but we will continue to do the important work we do” while being clear about the correct “procedures and frameworks,” explained Jones.

The RTS Convention continues to nurture a repuation as one of the buzziest UK industry events and this year is no different, with talks from Jeremy Clarkson, Graham Norton and Steven Knight, along with top brass at the BBC and Channel 4, Matt Brittin and Priya Dogra, both of whom may feel they have to address the hundreds of layoffs being enacted at their respective institutions.

The theme of the Convention is “United in Change.” Jones used the example of the mammoth M&A deals struck this year such as Banijay-All3Media and Sky-ITV (both Sky and ITV chiefs will speak next week) along with the circa-£300M ($400M) Channel 4-5 ads deal as examples of where the industry is meeting the extreme demands of 2026 , all of which will be up for discussion on Tuesday at King’s Place.

“It’s hard to think of a time where the industry wasn’t changing but this does feel like a moment of unprecedented change,” added Jones. “Everyone in the conversation next week is grappling with how to make sure we’re getting the best content to the right audiences wherever they are. Collaboration will be the hallmark of the industry for years to come.”

Bringing a “global perspective” will be Amazon, with Prime Video international boss Kelly Day and Amazon MGM Studios international originals chief Nicole Clemens set to speak after UK and Northern Europe originals lead Tara Erer, who is this year’s official chair.

We won’t “shy away from” controversy

Clarkson, who hosts one of Prime Video’s most successful UK shows, Clarkson’s Farm, will speak later in conversation with his daughter Emily Clarkson. Jeremy Clarkson hosts a show that spotlights progressive issues like sustainability but he is no stranger to controversy. Most recently, his Meghan Markle Sun column was ruled “pejorative and prejudicial” by the press regulator.

Jones said the RTS shouldn’t “shy away from” controversy.

“I do not think we should be afraid of putting interesting thinkers and much-loved people on stage,” added Jones. “If there is a controversy surrounding one of our panels, we are a place for intelligent debate. We will hear interesting perspectives in several sessions from people we typically associate with being on-screen personalities.”

There will also be plenty of “fun” next week with one panel spotlighting Amazon’s hit comedy Last One Laughing UK, Jones said.

Another touchstone Jones wants to tackle head-on is AI, the hot button topic of the day. She is of the nuanced view that the technology needs to be managed but can do good.

“I think there is a danger in being completely for or completely against it,” she added. “We know that economic pressures are placing traditional broadcasters and production processes under strain. If technology can help address some of those problems, there may be genuinely interesting opportunities.”

She has learned from the music industry, where she spent the past six years running the British Phonographic Industry trade body, which organizes the Brit and Mercury Prize awards.

“Music creates a much more immediate relationship between an individual artist and the consumer while television generally has more infrastructure in between,” she added. “However, there are lessons the television industry can learn from music’s risk areas.”

More broadly, the two are facing similar challenges including “the tension between long-form and short-form content, direct-to-audience and direct-to-fan relationships, and how to build communities and fandom.”

All of this, Jones hopes, will be a spark for debate come Tuesday.

“I have always admired the RTS as a place where the industry is not afraid to debate and disagree, while working through issues in a mature way,” she added. “That is critical.”