AudioUK Annual General Meeting 2019
Members came together on 26 July in the Council Room at King’s College London, to ratify the new Board and to mark the passing on of the baton from Chair Phil Critchlow to the new Chair, 7digital’s Kellie While.
Assembled producers of podcasts, audiobooks and radio were updated on the progress of AudioUK, including from Treasurer Gregory Watson (Folder & Co). Gregory reported on AudioUK’s increasingly sound financial footing – partly thanks to the growth in membership since our rebrand in 2018.
AudioUK Treasurer Gregory Watson
David Prest (Whistledown), reported on the progress of our skills programme, Audiotrain, and urged members to offer their time to help with the programme and to develop new courses.
The members present approved the accounts plus Managing Director Will Jackson’s Annual Report.
The list of Board members for the coming year was then approved, including four new members: Chris Skinner (Somethin’ Else), Adam Uytman (Wisebuddah), Karen Pearson (Folded Wing) and Simon Crosse (Shooting Shark). Due to the number of candidates matching the number of Board places, there was no need for an election.
Also ratified was Kellie While (7digital) as the new Chair, following Phil Critchlow’s standing down after seven years in the role.
AudioUK Secretary Trevor Dann and former Chair Mike Hally both paid tribute to Phil’s hard work over the last ten years and more, during which the organisation agreed Terms of Trade with the BBC, achieved the opening up of BBC radio schedules to 60% minimum competition; rebranded to AudioUK, and persuaded the Government to provide the finance for the £3m Audio Content Fund for producers to work with commercial and community radio.
Former AudioUK Chair Mike Hally paid tribute to Phil Critchlow
Phil was presented with a bottle of champagne plus an original edition of the Christmas 1965 Radio Times.
Phil then spoke on how he’d worked with many other AudioUK Board members past and present to bring the organisation to where it is today, and thanked both those members and the organisation’s secretariat.
He then welcomed Kellie While to the post of Chair – Kellie offered her own thanks for Phil’s contribution before outlining some of the objectives for AudioUK looking forward. Top of the list was ensuring the organisation was inclusive – firstly in terms of having a diverse workforce, to which end AudioUK and her own company 7digital is backing the Multitrack Fellowship initiative, and looking to secure further funding to expand Audiotrain further. She also talked about the need to help the increasingly diverse range of companies making podcasts and audiobooks as well as radio to ensure they could negotiate with commissioners from all platforms with confidence. Kellie also said that AudioUK would be working to secure the long-term future of the Audio Content Fund, currently a three-year pilot scheme.
New AudioUK Chair Kellie While
Finally the AGM heard from the Audio Content Fund’s Sam Bailey, who talked members through the nine winning first-round bids. He was then joined by ACF Panel member and former indie producer Mukti Jain Campion to discuss the Panel’s decisions and provide insight into why certain bids were selected.
The meeting then closed.