New Chair Appointed To RTS North West

A new Chair has been appointed to the Royal Television Society North West.

Cat Lewis is founder and CEO of Manchester based Nine Lives Media, the biggest factual independent producer in the North West. With a raft of award-winning programmes under her belt, Lewis is a vocal advocate for TV production outside of London and has long been a member and supporter of RTS North West.

Lewis succeeds out-going Chair, Alex Connock who will stay on as a committee member, having reached the six year term limit. Connock said of his time leading RTS North West: "RTS North West has grown fantastically in the range and attendance of its events on the back of a huge upturn in the scale of TV in the region following the opening of MediaCity in 2012 and the subsequent BBC move. I'm sure Cat is the right person to now do an incredible job of taking it to the next level again – along with our dedicated committee, an excellent team of which I will continue to be a proud member."

David Lowen, Honorary Secretary and Trustee of the Royal Television Society, added: "I congratulate Alex on a tremendous spell as Chair. His energy, enthusiasm, leadership and ideas have made the North West a highly successful regional centre serving all parts of the booming media industry in the North West."

Lewis takes up the post with immediate effect and said of her appointment: "Under Alex Connock's leadership the RTS North West has become increasing vibrant, with a schedule of must-see events. I’m honoured to be asked to take over as Chair and as a passionate advocate of the importance of television outside London, I will ensure the RTS continues to celebrate the amazing programmes being made here in the North West."

Colin McKeown, who runs the award winning independent LA Productions in Liverpool, which has just produced Jimmy McGovern’s latest series Broken, will become Vice Chair of the RTS North West.

www.rts.org.uk