BBCNI TELEVISION COMMISSIONING SPRING 2014downloads.bbc.co.uk/.../tv_commissioning_briefing_feb14.pdf · 2014-02-20 · Observational Documentaries: our big challenge • Too many

BBCNI TELEVISION COMMISSIONING

SPRING 2014

PART 1: WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

PART II: FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

SUSTAINING CITIZENSHIP AND CIVIL SOCIETY

The BBC provides high-quality news, current affairs and factual programming to engage its viewers, listeners and users in important current and political issues

PROMOTING EDUCATION AND LEARNING

The support of formal education in schools and colleges and informal knowledge and skills building.

STIMULATING CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL EXCELLENCE

Encouraging interest, engagement and participation in cultural, creative and sporting activities across the UK.

REPRESENTING THE UK, ITS NATIONS, REGIONS AND COMMUNITIES

BBC viewers, listeners and users can rely on the BBC to reflect the many communities that exist in the UK.

BRINGING THE UK TO THE WORLD AND THE WORLD TO THE UK

The BBC will build a global understanding of international issues and broaden UK audiences' experience of different cultures.

DELIVERING TO THE PUBLIC THE BENEFIT OF EMERGING COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES & SERVICES

Assisting UK residents to get the best out of emerging media technologies now and in the future.

Priorities: The BBC’s 6 Public Purposes

Commissioning PrioritiesUnderstanding Our Past Finding a Wide Range of Stories about

Contemporary NI

Showcasing and Celebrating Creativity Supporting and Creating Events that bring NI together

Finding Ways of Developing and Using the Best Creative Talent

Delivering a Diversity and Range of Output – with an emphasis on Underserved Audiences

What are we looking for?

True NorthObservational DocumentariesLandmark/Seasons/Clusters

7.30pm Series IdeasTalent-led Ideas

Comedy/EntertainmentUlster-Scots related content

True North/Documentaries:a great start since our launch

• 18 slots for 2015/16• 3 series of 6 x 30• Now commissioning for: Spring 2015 tx• Next round for: Autumn 2015 tx• Bringing new audiences to docs• Pushing the boundaries• Creating a brand that is loved

Indicative Tariff is: £45k

"We want to commission programmes that are about this place: who we are, where

we've come from and where we're going. We are looking for stories to thrill us, to make us laugh, to make us weep, and to

make us think."

True North/Documentaries:what works?

• Honest: a slot for film-makers• Compelling other worlds• Needs a strong narrative to support 1 x 30• Of Us/Of Here• Unheard voices• Present-tense narrative

The Miraculous Tales of Mickey McGuiganThe WallTaxi TalesLove and Death at City HallSummer on Rathlin

True North – how a series works

• We look for themes and a build across a series

• Plus film-making skills/a unique take or style

• Plus an understanding of the audience we are setting out to target

• Plus Something Extra

True North - themes

• Impact – like The Miraculous Tales…• Gritty – like The Wall• Character-led – like Minding Our Manors• Super-local – like Summer on Rathlin• Unusual/hyper-unusual – like Run, Grandad,

Run• Joyful/Uplifting – like The Joy of Sets

The True North Audience

True North-Build of Reach 000s

Slide 18

% of programme reach unique within the strand

19% of the population

Core aged 45+. Latent aged 25-44, Younger aged 15-24

The Miraculous Tales of Mickey McGuigan

Core ABC1

Latent ABC1

Adults

19


The Wall


A Summer on Rathlin


Scoop





Observational Documentaries:harder to land & highly competitive

• Fewer slots: 2 series 6 x 30• Or 3 series 4 x 30 Ob Doc series each year• In-house and indie• No returning series• Now commissioning for: late spring or autumn

2015 tx• Next round we will brief for: winter 2015 tx

Indicative tariff is: £40k per ½ hour for 6 x 30 hours

Observational Documentaries:our big challenge

Observational Documentaries:our big challenge

• Too many pitched that are access and not story led

• These can seem easiest to land but are in fact the most difficult

• Fixed rig – not currently an option• Because of the time and money involved,

these need to have a landmark feel – too many simply come and go

• These take time, money and commitment -not for the faint-hearted





What we are looking for

• Big issues, new treatments and highly relevant stories

• Big ambitions and a high talk-ability factor eg. Dead Fat, 14 Days, The Disappeared, Paisley: From Genesis to Revelation

• All 1x60 films are aimed at 9pm

What we are looking for • Character or story-led; big-hitters eg. Paisley• Linked to a BBC or wider season with multi-

platform ambition eg. WW1• Social Issues eg. The Big C• Troubles/Legacy eg. Ceasefire• For 2015 we are particularly interested in

character/story-led docs eg. The Turbulent Priest

• We have approx 8 x 60 slots for 2014/15 across in-house and indie

The Disappeared had a UK and Republic of Ireland audience of around 1 million.

• BBC One NI – 162,000• BBC Four – 476,000 (46,000 watched in NI)• RTE One – 350,000• Overall AI was 91 • 100,000 iPlayer downloads across the UK

Screen grab/five fables





Series Ideas for 7.30pm

• 22 eps for 2015/16• 3 long or 6 short series• In-house and indie • Fact Ent series should be pitched with network

transfer in mind• Now commissioning for: May/June 2015 tx• Wide range already on offer• Next round we will brief for: Nov 2015 tx

What works at 7.30pm?

• Content that is easily digestible, flavoursome and matches the mood. Off the back of The One Show – build on that inheritance.

• There is massive competition from ITV/UTV with Coronation Street etc so in this slot

What works at 7.30pm?

• Something genuinely distinctive for soap-dodgers

• Possible male skew can work• A format that we can help to pilot for

network – this will be one series only with a network exec involved

• Genuine local flavour• Demographics: appeal to 35+/Core C2DE

Tariff at 7.30pm

• Tariff is especially important in this slot• Lower tariff shows do well when well

constructed• Co-productions are especially cost effective• We are using the slot to try things for a wider

audience – network or other audiences• Tariff drives whether a series is returnable • The tariff is: 40k/30k/20k





Story of a Lifetime

This programme attracted one of the biggest audiences of the year…

We like our stories to reflect our lives

Working with talent? Extend the brand…

Extending The Arts Show Brand worked well: since it began in September 2012 the series (including In

Conversation) has had a reach of 240,000. Across the two strands, the average AI is 87.

In Conversation strand has added 82,000 audience reach.

Arts Show only

In Conversationonly

Shared audience

Talent tape here

New talent slide(to follow)




Ulster-Scots related contentComedy/Entertainment

Ulster Scots-related content – we are looking for

• 3 x 60 landmark ulster scots ideas• history, identity, politics, culture,

counterfactual • 4 x 30 biography for ground-breakers series 2• 8 x 30 magazine – commissioned• 4 x 30 one-offs or mini-series – we will brief

for this at a later stage • Timing to be co-ordinated with USBF

Ulster Scots-related content – what’s worked

• Content that cuts through• High production values, creativity and

editorial ambition• Solid underpinning academic or new research• Specialist interest as well as programmes for

the generalist• Biography enhanced with creative treatments

or top flight presentation talent

Groundbreakers – a strand that cut throughBuild of Reach 000s

Slide 55

% of programme reach unique within the strand

8% of the population

Ulster-Scots Content Considerations

Interested in new academic research, with a particular focus on treatments that link personal stories with social and cultural themes

Portfolio programming which mixes different styles/approaches and subject matter, and which is characterised by high production values, creativity and editorial ambition

Opportunities around language – including links with Scots and exploring the work of different organisations and individuals and the variety of work that is on-going in this area

Programming which explores the development of Ulster-Scots identities, through references to literature, music and the arts and which explains (and contextualises) the re-kindling of interest in Ulster-Scots heritage

Ulster-Scots Content Considerations

Accessible content which respects the potential of its subject matter and which engages audiences with specialist knowledge or a more general interest in Ulster-Scots

Need for thorough underpinning research and for Ulster-Scots themes to be a developed and credible feature of commissioning proposals

There is flexibility on % investment – the USBF Committee recognises that Ulster-Scots themes may sometimes be best approached within the context of larger/wider programme proposals

Online or multi-media content is commissionable as an accompaniment to landmark programmes or series – where it adds depth and value

Irish Language

Irish Language – recent commissionsDocumentaries/Factual Landmark Factual

What? How?

Drama

Taisce Shean Uladh/Treasures of Ancient Ulster (4 x 30’), Doubleband

Cónaí I gCarn (2 x 30’), Indee Productions

Ar Bhealach na Gaeltachta (4 x 30’), Imagine Media

Gaeilgeoirí An Chogaidh Mhóir (1 x 60’), Big Mountain Productions

Aistear Na nGael (1 x 60’), Imagine Media

Bronntanas Na Beatha (1 x 60’), Below the Radar

Imirce (1 x 60’), Clean Slate

Enigma De Blaghd (1 x 60’), Scunscan Productions/Imagine Media – co-commission with TG4

Oíche Na Gaoithe Móire (1 x 60’), Lagan Media – co-commission with RTE

Hunting the Hound of Ulster (1 x 60’), Below the Radar

Scúp, series 2 (6 x 25’), Stirling Productions – co-commission with TG4




Ulster-Scots related contentComedy/Entertainment

TV series

Radio series

Call for Comedy

We enhanced our Comedy

slate by £450k in 13/14

For 14/15 we will continue to enhance investment

We will also work closely with Radio Ulster

to gain best value

TV series

Radio series

Call for Comedy

TV series

Radio series

Call for Comedy

Call for Comedy results• 25 proposals• 6 shortlisted• 3 x funded scripts• 2 x radio pilots• 1 x funded read-through• 1 x radio series: Number 2’s

• 2014/15 – further investment• Comedy Showcase in May• Further call for comedy Sept 2014

NI Screen/BBCNI Joint Initiatives

Our Aims• To combine resources where there is strategic

alignment around particular projects• To stimulate creativity and the creative sector• To shape part of the local portfolio for

greater UK and worldwide impact and value• BBC – to make best use of the licence fee• NI Screen – to support projects with other

sources of funding outside NI – matching UK and Ireland money

Landmark Documentary Scheme• We are looking for either a 1 x 90 or 1 x 60 • We want documentaries that foreground the

Northern Ireland talent for storytelling and that use the raw material of real life

• We want stories that explore issues relevant to an international audience but that are rooted in and exemplified by characters from Northern Ireland

• We want docs that have the potential to create a wider cultural/creative dividend

• We want to create projects that warrant inclusion in NI’s film archive

Landmark Documentary Scheme

• We support diversity, of form, of style, subject-matter and talent

• We need evidence of talent attached and an NI talent dividend

• We expect films to showcase at Festivals• We will prioritise universal themes, global

interest/resonance and projects that offer the widest creative dividend

• Projects must have international finance to qualify

Landmark Documentary Scheme

vCharacter-led, non-Troubles, NI-related 1 x 60 docvLooking for: universal themes: Stories We Tell,

Sarah PolleyvExceptional stories: Waveriders; Road; Werner

Herzog & Grizzly ManvGlobal interest/resonance: My Brother, The

Islamicist, Bowling for Columbine, Man on WirevFestival potential & wider creative dividends: The

Disappeared

A different way of commissioning

• For high-end projects, the editorial can be driven in a variety of ways eg. Dig WW2

• Local funding does not always mean hyper-local programmes eg. Titanic with Len Goodman

• Joint editorial influences can be accommodated eg. The Galways

• Applies to a small % of the overall local slate

Animation• We want to build storytelling skills in NI’s

animation sector• We intend to link short animated content to

existing BBC priorities or content in one of the following:

– Radio archive– Documentary– Narrative history– Real peoples’ stories

• 10 shorts – 3 potential new talent slots • On The Air/Five Fables/Wonderland: The Trouble

with Love and Sex

Commissioning now for BBC 1 tx slots April-Aug 2015

Month April May June July AugWeek 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Monday 12th

July

Sunday

Monday 19.30

Mon - Fri 21:00 LF F

actu

al

LF F

actu

al

Monday 22.35 True

N 1

True

N 2

True

N 3

True

N 4

True

N 5

True

N 6

Tuesday 22.35

Wednesday 22:35

Thursday 10.30

Friday Peak EVEN

T 1

EVEN

T 2

The View 12 x 30'

Comedy Series 1

Spotlight 6 VT & 1 Live Disc

Nolan 6 x 60min

Ob Doc Series 1

Politics ShowPolitics show

Month Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb MarWeek 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Monday

Sunday

Monday 19.30

Mon - Fri 21:00 LF F

actu

al

LF F

actu

al

LF F

actu

al

LF F

actu

al

LF F

actu

al

LF F

actu

al

Monday 22.35 True

N 7

True

N 8

True

N 9

True

N 1

0

True

N 1

1

True

N 1

2

True

N 1

3

True

N 1

4

True

N 1

5

True

N 1

6

True

N 1

7

True

N 1

8

Tuesday 22.35

Wednesday 22:35

Thursday 10.30

Friday Peak CIN

Xmas

Eve

nt

Prom

s

EVEN

T 3

The View 12 x 30' The View 12 x 30'

Comedy Series 2 Sit-Com x 6



Nolan 6 x 60min Nolan 6 x 60min

Fact Ent Series 1 Fact Ent Series 2 Fact Ent Series 3 Archive series

Ob Doc Series 2

Politics show Politics show

Commissioning later for BBC 1 tx slots Sept-March 2015/16

Overview – some recent commissionsFactual Landmark/Seasons/Clusters

Comedy, Entertainment,

Drama

True North:I Love LarneThe Last MinyanRun, Grandad, RunChildren’s Hospice DiscriminationThe Joy of SetsBuses on the Frontline5 Get Ready For Big SchoolThe Longest Night

Ob Docs:Belfast City: Mud, Sweat and 400 YearsBarristersArmagh: City of FaithMinding Our ManorsBeing James GalwayUndercover NI

Factual Series:The Nolan ShowThe Arts ShowStory of a Lifetime

Watch Over MeDead OldThe Man Who Shot the Great WarIreland’s Great WarRoadPaisley: From Genesis to RevelationCease Fire: Victims of PeaceCeasefire: The Fight for PeaceFind Me A FamilyGreat Irish Landscapes

The History of an IdeaHomelandsAfter BraveheartIn Search of Richard HaywardBrave New WorldThen Sings My Soul

MonumentalThe Blame GameThank You Very Much Mr EastwoodNumber 2s on Radio UlsterOn The Air Season 3

Ulster-Scots related

Coming Up …

True North – continuedThe Big CJigs and WigsMichael Smiley: Something to Ride Home AboutIreland and The Iron LadyGiro d’ItaliaNW200Ulster Rugby - continued

Financial Overview

200 hours of Opt Content - 80 hours are commissionable

A Mixed Genre Portfolio:

• Sport makes up 33% of the total Genre Slate & accounts for 49% of in-house production

• Current Affairs and Politics makes up 14% accounts for 21% of in-house production

• 80 hours commissionable content across all genre• 80 hours = approx 130 programmes or slots• Ulster-Scots related – up to10 hours• Irish Language – 20 hours min

Genre breakdown 2015/16 – by hours

Genre breakdown 2015/16

• 2014/15 £10.8m delivering 195 of content

• £5m indie slate focuses on factual, factual sub-genre and comedy

• £5m in-house slate more traditional in-house genre: sport, current affairs, live, events and some factual

The mixed genre portfolio

• We require a mixed-genre portfolio therefore a range of suppliers

• A wide range of potential subject-matter and topics required

• Sustainability of sub genre is a factor

There has been a steady decline in commissioning funds over the past decade

Licence Fee Settlement and Savings have had an impact on all output, including Nations

Opts:

• 2014/15 - £10.8M• a reduction of 20+ hours from 2010 • a reduction of almost £4M in 8 years

And in the TV solar system…

…we are on Mercury

BBCNI funding for the independent sector can bring in other partners

BBC NI indie funding £5m

Other Funds £3m

ILBF £1.6mUSBF £0.76mTG4 £0.22mRTE £0.12mBBC Net £0.2mOther £0.1m

Pre-Proteus: 500+ ideasProteus: 346 Ideas submitted

48 Companies 52 Ideas commissioned

27 Companies successful

Commissioning Activity – 2012/13

Pre-Proteus: 500+ ideasOn Proteus: 346 Ideas submitted

48 Companies 52 Ideas commissioned

27 Companies successful

There is limited competition from other broadcasters in Northern

Ireland with a few notable exceptions.

e.g. ‘4thought’ strand from Channel 4 and HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’.

A key area of growth will be supply to BBC network. Producers in NI now compete with producers across the UK. As few companies in NI have a

significant track record with the network it will take time for business

to grow.

The NI sector has a significant number of smaller companies who are infrequent suppliers to BBC NI

In BBC NI’s experience, smaller companies can lose editorial focus as they concentrate on the concerns of running a small company. Infrequent

suppliers often do not have the business expertise to deliver without

assistance or risk.

The sector is still expanding with at least five new entrants to the BBC NI slate over the past four

years.

BBC NI’s aim is to work with fewer ad hoc suppliers to

encourage consistency of supply, value for money, editorial

excellence and indie sector robustness and sustainability

BBCNI and a changing marketplace

Future Commissioning

New TalentWe want to encourage talent and so we will recommend new directors and new talent to our regular suppliers and await pitches via that route.

New CompaniesIf you are a new company, we may ask you to co-produce with one of our existing suppliers.

Small CompaniesIf you are a small company (turnover under £1 million and/or a sole trader) who has delivered to us before, we may ask you to co-produce with a larger company rather than commission you direct.

Our Audience

The top things people most value from the BBC

Slide 89• Ipsos MORI, June 2013

Rank All UK

1 No advertising

2 BBC One

3 News

4 Drama

5SoapsSerious factualComedy

8 Sport

9 Entertainment

10 iPlayer

11 High quality

Rank Northern Ireland1 No advertising

2 BBC One

3 Soaps

4 News

5 Sport

6 Comedy

7 Local news / local programmes

8EntertainmentRadio 1More of what I want

11 Make me / my householdthink and learn new things

Slide 90• Accountability and Reputational Tracker

Slide 91• Accountability and Reputational Tracker

6Degrees

Bright Brand New day

Groundbreakers: Amy Carmichael

Groundbreakers: The Man Who Shrank The World

Groundbreakers: Ulster's Forgotten Radical

Maiden City Voyage

Music City

Nolan and Hector Break for the Border

Other Voices

Seamus Heaney: A Tribute

Spotlight

The Blame Game

The Disappeared

Grounbreakers: The Extraordinary Life of Castlereagh

The Far side of Revenge

The Farm Fixer

The Legenderrys

The Nolan Show

The Travelling Picture Show

Those Were The Days

True North: Mickey McGuigan

True North: A Summer on Rathlin

True North: Scoop

True North: The Wall

No opts skewing under age 45

Recent BBCNI Opts Reach Age Profile

Programmes skew 45+

Slide 92

Recent BBCNI Opts Reach – Gender

The portfolio is evenly balanced

Slide 93

6Degrees




Maiden City Voyage

Music City


Other Voices


Spotlight

The Blame GameThe Disappeared


The Farm Fixer

The Legenderrys

The Nolan Show


Those Were The Days



True North: Scoop


Recent BBCNI Opts Reach Socio-demographics

ABC1s are twice as likely to watch

Slide 94

% BBC ‘Underserved’ Audiences

With the exception of black, Asian and minority ethnic audiences, Northern Ireland has higher proportions of underserved audiences than the UK average. Almost one third of the NI audience is classified in socio-economic group DE compared to just over one quarter in rest of the UK.

Source: BARB 2012 Individuals 4+

More ‘Underserved’ in NI

Correlation of DE socio-economic proportion in the population versus BBC TV Portfolio Share

Co-efficient of 0.84

Source: BARB 2012 Individuals 4+

Northern Ireland performing lower level than expected given DE population proportion

Slide 97

iPlayer – BBC One and Two opts total downloads (millions) Jan to Oct

2010 to 2013

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%



The Nolan Show

The Legenderrys

Maiden City Voyage

The Farm Fixer

The Far side of Revenge




Music City

Linear 'As Live' Time-Shifted iPlayer

Linear versus time-shifted viewing of recent opts

Slide 98

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

6Degrees


The Disappeared



The Blame Game


Groundbreakers: Ulster's Forgotten Radical

True North: Scoop


Linear 'As Live' Time-Shifted iPlayer

Linear versus time-shifted viewing of recent opts

Slide 99

Nations-to-Network Initiatives

The Disappeared Danny Boy

The Undertones

Music City/Take the Stage (CBBC)

Heaney –Tribute Night

The Return of Colmcille

Being James Galway

Shame of the Catholic Church

History• Dig WW2 NI, with Dan Snow• Dive WW2: Our Secret History• The Man Who Shrank the World: Lord Kelvin

Fact Ent• The Farm Fixer

Factual Doc• Love & Death at City Hall• Dan Cruickshank’s Written in Stone• How the North West Was Won• The Estate• Shankill Butchers

Documents

BBCNI TELEVISION COMMISSIONING SPRING 2014downloads.bbc.co.uk/.../tv_commissioning_briefing_feb14.pdf · 2014-02-20 · Observational Documentaries: our big challenge • Too many