New Trustees: Emily Bell and Jill Franklin

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The Grierson Trust welcomes two new members to its Board of Trustees: Guardian News and Media's Director of Digital Content, Emily Bell and Jill Franklin, Managing Director of Franklin Rae Communications.

Emily Bell has worked for the Observer and then the Guardian for the past eighteen years, setting up mediaguardian.co.uk in 2000 and becoming Editor-in-Chief of Guardian Unlimited in 2001. In September 2006, Emily was promoted to the new position of Director of Digital Content for Guardian News and Media. Guardian.co.uk, the Guardian and Observer's network of websites, has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Webby for Best Newspaper on the web in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009. Emily writes a regular column for the Guardian about media policy issues and also for Broadcast magazine. She has recently been appointed as a director at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, leading its new digital journalism centre.

Jill Franklin is Managing Director of Franklin Rae, one of the leading PR agencies working in the media industry. From Press & PR Manager at Railtrack and PR Manager at award-winning Ikon Gallery, Jill then worked for BBC Radio, first at BBC Radio 3 and then at BBC Radio 4 to work on the station's relaunch under James Boyle. A move to BBC Television saw her look after some of the BBC's most thought-provoking documentaries, including the iconic strand Storyville. In 2001 she went freelance to work with both PSB and commercial organisations on public-facing and corporate campaigns, becoming PR adviser to some of the UK's leading independent production companies. Her success was the catalyst for setting up Franklin Rae Communications in 2003, which now works with some of the most ambitious companies in the industry. In 2009 Franklin Rae was awarded the PR industry's ‘gold standard' – the CMS – by industry body the PRCA, an accolade held by only 5% of PR agencies in the country.

Welcoming the new members to the Board, Chairman Dawn Airey said: "As well as being a hugely respected media journalist and commentator Emily is one of the true pioneers of digital journalism. Her experience and expertise will bring a fresh perspective to the Trust at a time when factual film makers are increasingly embracing the opportunities the digital world offers, and Jill - from her time at the BBC, to the work she currently does with some of the UK's leading creative companies - has a great track record for innovation and excellence in everything she undertakes and will be a tremendous asset to the Trust."

A full list of Grierson Trustees can be found at about-grierson-trust/trustees.html.

Entries for this year's prestigious Grierson British Documentary Awards are now being accepted (closing date 1st June 2010). Entry forms are available from www.griersontrust.org.