| Date |
Event |
 |
|
|
| 1993 |
David Frank, former BBC business reporter, launches RDF with funding from two business angels
RDF wins its first broadcast commission, a report on insider dealing for the BBC’s Money Programme |
| |
|
| 1996 |
RDF International (now RDF Rights) established to distribute RDF’s programmes internationally |
| |
|
| 1998 |
RDF’s first returning series, Scrapheap Challenge, commissioned by Channel 4
Stephen Lambert, former BBC executive producer, joins as RDF’s first Director of Programmes |
| |
|
| 1999 |
RDF’s first BBC1 series, Royal Wedding Bells, commissioned |
| 2000 |
Faking It, RDF’s first primetime returning hit, commissioned by Channel 4
Shipwrecked, one of the UK’s first reality series, commissioned by Channel 4
RDF’s wins first American commission from US cable company, TLC. RDF’s Los Angeles office established. |
| |
|
| 2001 |
RDF listed in the ‘Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track Top 100’ for the first time |
| |
|
| 2002 |
RDF wins Broadcast magazine’s best independent production company of the year award for the first time
RDF wins its first BAFTA award for Faking It
RDF Management established to represent on-screen talent and writers
Grant Mansfield joins from Granada Productions as RDF’s first Creative Director |
| |
|
| 2003 |
Wife Swap airs on Channel 4 to hit ratings and critical acclaim
Holiday Showdown, RDF’s first primetime ITV1 returning series, commissioned and wins 31% audience share
RDF wins its first commission for a US broadcast network, a US version of Wife Swap for the ABC network |
| |
|
| 2004 |
Wife Swap airs on ABC to ratings of 12m
A consumer products division launches within RDF Rights |
| |
|
| 2005 |
RDF floats on the AIM market with a market cap of £48m
RDF acquires Touchpaper Television, an independent production company specialising in drama
RDF acquires Scotland’s largest independent production company, IWC Media
RDF acquires independent production company Radar |
| |
|
| 2006 |
Former ITV Network Centre Director of Programmes, Nigel Pickard, joins RDF as Director of Family & Children’s Television
Chris Coelen, a former partner of Hollywood’s United
Talent Agency, joins RDF as CEO of RDF USA and Pangea Management
RDF acquires Presentable, one of the largest production companies in Wales with an expertise in poker programming.
RDF acquires The Foundation, one of the UK’s leading children’s production companies
RDF acquires The Comedy Unit, a Scottish production company with an expertise in comedy programming
RDF Rights tops Broadcast magazine’s Distributors Survey Peer Poll for the first time – voted number one alongside industry giant BBC Worldwide |
| |
|
| 2007 |
RDF Rights wins Broadcast's Distributor Peer Poll
RDF Digital established to focus on the creation of video content for distribution over the internet
Charles Tremayne, former Executive Vice President of Granada America, joins RDF USA as Creative Director |
