sou · GWB364 · 2009-01-01 00:00:00 — The BBC monitors its own per- formance in terms of response rates to proposals and this informa- tion is regularly assessed by BBC senior management. Timetables for the commissioning process vary between genres and so each is described separately below. Although in each case the general, most likely, process is described, the BBC also operates fast-track commissioning for topical and other urgent commissions. The Controller of oversees a number of Com- missioners who have devolved commissioning responsibility for areas of Factual output: for example, Arts and Culture, Current Affairs and Investigations, Documentaries and Contemporary Factual, Specialist and Lifeskills. These sub-genres of Fac- tual TV are all clearly described and detailed on the BBC commis- sioning website: . The Factual Commissioners are responsible for the commis- sioning of all output in their programme areas, whether supplied in-house or by external suppliers. In each case, the process and timetables are the same. In each Factual sub-genre there are named senior commissioning executives who have special responsibility for external suppliers. Factual network television programmes are commissioned on a rolling basis and proposals may be submitted at any time. Factual proposals sent in to the BBC by external suppliers will be regis- tered on the Factual proposals database by the proposals coordi- nator and then directed to the appropriate commissioning execu- tive. External suppliers will receive an initial acknowledgement of their proposal within two weeks from receipt, or sometimes a rejection. Four weeks after acknowledgement (six weeks after receipt) external suppliers will receive a further response from a commis- sioning executive about the content of their proposal. This will either be a rejection or an expression of interest in the idea. If the proposal is offered development funding, then the timetable to commission will be subject to negotiation between the Inde- pendent and the BBC and determined by the development con- tract. Proposals in play which have not received paid development will be taken forward for discussion with the relevant Channel Con- troller. This will occur no later than 20 weeks from receipt of the initial proposal. Projects may be held longer but only with formal agreement from the supplier. Proposals will then either be commis- sioned (subject to finalising business terms), rejected or offered further development. In-house proposals are subject to the same process and timetable. At any point an external supplier may write to the genre Com- missioner asking for a progress report and will receive a written response within 10 working days. External suppliers wishing to submit a proposal to an existing factual strand should do so through the strand editor. The commissioning of BBC network television entertainment pro- grammes is on a rolling basis and proposals may be submitted at any time. All external proposals are sent in to the Entertainment proposals co-ordinator, or direct to a commissioning executive. proposals are registered on the proposals database and external suppliers will receive an acknowledgement of their proposal within one week from receipt. Named individual commissioning executives have responsibili- ties for specific areas of the output (eg scripted comedy, light entertainment, formats). Contact names and specific roles and remits are described on the website: . Commis- sioning Executives will either reject or progress proposals within six weeks from receipt (five weeks from acknowledgement.) Pro- posals may be provided with funded development, in which case the timetable to commission will be subject to negotiation between the external supplier and the BBC and determined by the develop- ment contract. Where the external supplier chooses to fund their own development, the timetable will be mutually agreed. A successful proposal will be given approval by the genre Con- troller and will go forward for discussion with the relevant Channel Controller. This will take place no later than 20 weeks from receipt of the proposal. Projects may be held over in specific cases but only with the formal agreement of the supplier. The Channel Controller will then either commission the idea, reject it, or offer further development. In-house entertainment proposals are subject to the same timetable and process. At any point during this maximum 20 week period, an external supplier may write to the genre Controller asking for a progress report and be guaranteed a response within 10 working days. BBC drama programmes are commissioned on a rolling basis and external suppliers may submit a proposal at any point. There are commissioning executives in BBC Drama with special responsibil- ity for Independents and their contact details can be found on the commissioning website: /commissioning/genres/drama There are three po- tential responses to a drama proposal: the project may be put into paid development; it may be put into unpaid development or tracked; it may be rejected. In all cases, the supplier will be notified within four weeks from receipt of proposal. Where there is an expression of interest, the negotiation for paid development must commence within six weeks of interest being expressed. The timetable to commission will then be subject to negotiation and contract between the supplier and the BBC and will be specific to the characteristics of the proposal – i.e. writer and talent timetables. External suppliers will be notified two weeks to deadlines becoming due. At any point in the development period the external supplier may write to the Development Executive to ask for a progress report and be guaranteed a written response within ten working days. The Controller of Daytime oversees all daytime output and com- missioning, whether supplied in-house or by external suppliers. Daytime commissioning covers daytime drama, entertainment and factual entertainment and these genre controllers/commissioners work with the Daytime Controller to commission programmes for daytime. Detailed description of the process and structure, including a definition of daytime hours together with named indi- viduals and contacts, is available on the BBC website: /commissioning/channels/daytime Proposals from external suppliers will be acknowledged within seven working days, with an editorial response following no later than six weeks after that. Daytime operates a rolling commissioning process. BBC Nations and Regions External suppliers working in the Nations (, Northern and ) who wish to submit programme proposals to network television have a choice: they may either submit through the Heads of Department in the relevant (for example, for factual pro- posals, or the Head of Entertainment for entertainment proposals) – or they may submit their proposals directly to those commis- sioning executives in the commissioning management structure in who have defined responsibilities for independents in the Nations and Regions. These named individuals and their contacts can be found on the BBC genre commissioning sites, as are details and contacts for the Heads of department in each of the . CBBC is a self-commissioning, self-scheduling department and as such has a different structure to the Television division. The Con- troller of CBBC and CBeebies commissions all output and external suppliers can either offer projects directly to the Controller or via the heads of genre if they prefer. External proposals receive an acknowledgement within one week and a decision on the next stage (commission, rejection or further development) within the next four weeks after that. Projects may receive paid development in which case the timetable to commission will be subject to negotia- tion between the independent and the BBC and will form part of the development contract. sport output is dependent on the procurement of Sports rights. BBC Sport buys its own sports rights and then either produces the programming around those sports rights in-house, or through an external supplier. The output for individual sport rights (e.g. Snooker or Bowls) is usually looked at as a production package, often across several years. It is therefore necessary for Producers to build up expertise in individual sports production. It is also important that there is a strong relationship between , BBC Sport and the Rights Holder. The contracts offered to external suppliers are therefore signifi- cant – both in terms of hours and length of contract. Selection of an external supplier is dependent on the relevant skill base and ability to enhance the output both for the BBC and the Rights Holder. The commissioning of external suppliers is more often than not likely to be via limited tender. The tender process is managed by the Director, Rights and Finance for Sport and the Head of New Development. The vast majority of News programming does not qualify for external commissions as it is daily-news related. Current Affairs commissioning is handled through Television which is described under BBC Factual. The qualifying hours commissioned directly by News are made up of some built programmes for 24 and some long-form political output. As with Sport, external suppliers for these programmes usually require specialised skills, so when new commissions arise they are likely to be put out to limited tender. tender process is supervised by the Chief Operating Officer, . BBC Regional (opt-out) Commissioning The BBC is committed to commissioning a proportion of its regional opt-out programmes from external suppliers. In , external suppliers submit their proposals to the Commissioning Editor, Television who commissions programmes only (in-house proposals are sent via the Heads of genre.) Gaelic commissioning is commissioned by the Gaelic department. Commissioning is on a rolling basis. Contact details, and informa- tion about programme strategy are available on the website: . Proposals for existing strands should be sent direct to the strand editors. Proposals will be acknowledged within two weeks. In Northern , regional programmes from external suppliers are submitted online by means of the RAP database, which provides immediate acknowledgement. The first point of contact and manager of the process for Independent Producers is the Editor, Broadcasting, who has no direct in-house production responsibilities. All programmes are commissioned by the Head of Broadcast on a rolling basis. Evaluation, development and commis- sioning follow the same procedure as in-house proposals and responses to content are usually given within 3 weeks. In addition to the rolling process of commissioning, there are specific commis- sioning opportunities during the year which are outlined on the website and at regular briefing meetings with independent suppliers. In , external suppliers for opt-out programming submit their proposals to the Commissioning Editor, who commissions all programmes jointly with the Head of Programmes (in-house pro- grammes are submitted via Heads of Department.) The Commis- sioning Editor has no direct in-house production responsibilities. Contact details and programme information is available on the website: /wales/commissioning. Commissioning is on a rolling basis, with specific commissioning opportunities during the year which are outlined on the website and at regular briefing meetings with independent suppliers. External proposals receive an acknowledgement within seven working days. 3.Rights – Use and Commercial Exploitation 12.Equal Opportunities/Ethical Standards , Director of Rights and Business Affairs 0208 5760343 , Head of Affairs, Factual , Head of Affairs, Entertainment , Head of Affairs, Drama