UK broadcaster Five is to be the title sponsor of the 2003 Women in Film and Television (WFTV) Awards.

The annual awards ceremony, which celebrates the achievements of women in all aspects of the British film and television industry, will take place this year on Dec 5 at the Hilton Hotel in London.

Now in its 13th year, these awards pay tribute to women working at all levels within film and television and are a key event in the industry.

Last year's winners included Capitol Films' Sharon Harel and Jane Barclay, Meera Syal, Eileen Gallagher and ITV Entertainment Controller, Claudia Rosencrantz.

Five chief executive, Jane Lighting, said: "Sponsoring this event is a sincere indication of how highly we value the work WFTV does and the deserved recognition these awards bring to the recipients.'

Jane Cussons, chief executive of Women in Film and Television said: 'The WFTV awards are still relevant in today's industry. Women still face a range of issues including the 'celluloid ceiling' that has resulted in a lack of women on the boards of leading media companies as well as a huge increase in the number of women freelancers. This trend is particularly worrying for basic employment rights such as sick leave, holidays and maternity leave.'