People

Rosie Nieder, Operational Production Engineer at the BBC, has been named the winner of the RTS Young Technologist of the Year Award 2026, recognizing emerging talent and innovation in television technology. The annual award, presented by the Royal Television Society (RTS) in memory of A.M. Beresford-Cooke, celebrates excellence in the science, technology and creative development of television and related media fields. As winner, Nieder will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to IBC 2026.

Nieder joined the BBC through a post-graduate apprenticeship in broadcast engineering, where she trained within the broadcaster’s Location Operations department and gained experience working on Outside Broadcast productions before moving into her current role. She said: "I'm thrilled to be named the RTS Young Technologist of the Year for 2026. Receiving this award is a huge honour, and I'm incredibly grateful to the RTS and the judging panel for this recognition. I’d like to thank the incredible team at the BBC, who have supported me throughout my postgraduate apprenticeship, and continue to help me develop in my current role. I'd also like to thank my partner, family and friends for their unwavering support, encouragement, and belief in me throughout this journey. I am excited to continue building my career in this ever-evolving industry, and I hope to use the opportunity this award provides to help inspire the next generation of broadcast engineers and support more young people as they begin their own journeys in our industry."

On another note, Michael Grace, Platform Support Engineer at Red Bee Media, was named runner-up and received the Coffey Award for Excellence in Technology 2026. Grace began his career in student radio before joining Red Bee Media as a Broadcast Engineer supporting playout operations for BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Alongside his engineering responsibilities, he developed and reviewed technical diagrams and guides for ITV’s transition to an IP-based playout platform.
He is currently focused on resolving complex operational challenges, implementing new wiring, processing cards and routing solutions to maintain reliable delivery of high-profile channels for audiences.

RTS Young Technologist of the Year Award Jury Chair Terry Marsh said: “The standard of this year's finalists was exceptionally high, making the judges' decision a challenging one. Rosie stood out through her combination of technical excellence, innovation and clear potential to make a significant contribution to the future of our industry.”
Established by the RTS with funding from the family of A.M. Beresford-Cooke, the Young Technologist Award honors the legacy of the British broadcasting engineer whose work contributed significantly to the development of VHF and UHF transmission technology.