posted on April 23rd, 2024
RTS NI Announce Seven New TV Awards for 2024
Yesterday, Monday 22nd April, the Royal Television Society in Northern Ireland (RTS NI) in partnership with BBC Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and Channel 4 launched its 2024 Awards for the local creative industries with seven new award categories this year.
The new categories for 2024 are; Actor (Male); Actor (Female); Writer; Breakthrough Award On-Screen and Breakthrough Award Off-Screen for newcomers to the industry and special recognition for those working behind the scenes with a new Post-Production category and a special Hidden Hero award.
The winners will be announced at the 9th RTS NI Awards Ceremony which will take place in the prestigious Titanic Belfast as part of the Belfast Media Festival on Thursday 14th November 2024.
Sarah McCaffrey, Chair of RTS NI, said: “I am delighted to announce seven new additions to this year’s RTS NI award categories to highlight the amazing work of our writers, actors, newcomers and those who work behind the scenes. After a tough year for the industry in 2023, it is great to see so many productions back in action in Northern Ireland, plus we have the opening of the amazing new £72m Studio Ulster virtual production complex to look forward to in November. It’s now more important than ever for the RTS to recognise the exceptional talent working in Northern Ireland’s screen industries.”
Adam Smyth, Director of BBC Northern Ireland, said: “We are committed to supporting the local creative sector and to showcasing the best in homegrown storytelling and talent to audiences here and throughout the UK. The RTS NI Awards recognise the excellence of television production in Northern Ireland and we’re pleased to support them again this year.”
Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said: “The Royal Television Society Awards for Northern Ireland celebrate the vibrant creativity and talent that define our local industry, and we are delighted to support the awards again this year. We welcome the introduction of the new categories that will recognise the emerging talent both on and off screen, honouring and celebrating the outstanding contributions of our industry’s brightest stars and unsung champions at this year’s ceremony.”
Georgia Parkinson, Chair of the RTS NI Awards 2024, said: “The RTS NI Awards are the most sought-after TV awards in Northern Ireland and we look forward to applauding the very best of the creative industries of the creative industries in Northern Ireland, at our awards ceremony in the Titanic Belfast. With 19 awards up for grabs this year, our aim is to recognise and promote high-quality content being made here by independent producers, broadcasters, streamers and freelancers based in Northern Ireland.”
The 2024 RTS NI Award categories are:
- Children’s/Animation
- Comedy
- Current Affairs
- Documentary
- Drama
- Entertainment
- Factual Entertainment Format
- Lifestyle and Features
- News Coverage
- Original Music Score
- Post-Production
- Specialist Factual
- Actor – Female
- Actor – Male
- Writer
- Breakthrough Award (off-screen)
- Breakthrough Award (on-screen)
- Hidden Hero
- Brian Waddell Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry
The RTS NI has once again partnered with BBC Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and Channel 4 for these prestigious awards. Judging in each category will be carried out independently by an experienced panel of judges with the finalists being announced in Autumn 2024 ahead of the Awards Ceremony in November 2024.
The deadline for all entries is Friday 5th July 2024 at 5pm. To qualify for entry, all content must have been aired on television or released online for the first time between 1st January 2023 and 31st May 2024 inclusive, except for the Brian Waddell and Hidden Hero awards. Full entry criteria can be viewed at rts.org.uk.
