Commissioning Details Commissioning Year 2017/2018 First...
Transcript of Commissioning Details Commissioning Year 2017/2018 First...
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Commissioning Details
Commissioning Year 2017/2018
First Round
~ Commissioning Briefs Available ~ Ad Hoc Documentaries & Music Features
Presenter Led Genre Series Ideas Welcome
Round Opens 20/07/16
Round Closes 08/09/16 @ noon Results Published 24/11/16
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CONTENTS
Section 1: Network Introduction and Overview Page 3
Section 2: Overview of Radio 2 Performance and Audience Page 5
Section 3: Ad Hoc Briefs and slots available for commission Page 7
• Documentaries & Music Features Page 7 • Presenter Led Genre Series Page 10 • Ideas Welcome Page 12
Section 4: Working with Radio 2 Page 16
Section 5: Press & Publicity Page 20
Section 6: Interactive Page 21
Section 7: Commissioning Contacts Page 22
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Section 1: Network Introduction & Overview
Welcome to Radio 2’s Main Ad-hoc Commissioning Round for 2017/2018.
It’s been another successful year for the network, still the biggest, and ‘most listened to’, radio station in
the UK. In the latest RAJAR figures, Radio 2’s weekly reach was the 2nd highest ever at just over 15 and a
half million, and very positively the average amount of listening per listener moved back above 12 hours
a week. All of this resulted in a record share for Radio 2 - an amazing 18.6%! Performance was particularly
strong among the older 55+ audience - hitting a record reach and share with that age group. The
average age of a Radio 2 listener is now 52 years, as is the average age of a listener to our Breakfast
Show. Ken Bruce & Jeremy Vine both posted record reach & share, there was record share for Breakfast
and Drive, and record reach for Dermot O’Leary.
We also saw good multiplatform performance statistics from our two DAB Pop Up services broadcast in
the Spring. ‘Radio 2 Country’ returned at the beginning of March, and a month later there was the
second service ‘Radio 2 50s’ which dove-tailed with the launch of a new landmark BBC TV series ‘The
Peoples History of Pop’. This became a platform for Radio 2’s extensive 50s archive, alongside 1950s
versions of some of our specialist output, a 1950s themed ‘Friday Night Is Music Night’, and the return of
our ‘Sounds Of The 50s’ series with Leo Green. Both DAB services delivered strong numbers of unique
browsers, and significant audio visual content requests.
Also in April we broadcast the Final of the ‘Radio 2 Young Brass Award’ live from the Royal Northern
College of Music, the Folk Awards live from the Albert Hall, and the return of Mark Kermode who fronted a
70s movie blockbuster-themed Friday Night Is Music Night, and presented a new movie music series,
Celluloid Jukebox, looking at pop music’s relationship with the silver screen.
In May we were in Sweden for Eurovision, Cheltenham for a raft of programmes & performances from the
Jazz Festival, and at the end of the month we broadcast live from London’s Globe Theatre, where in the
presence of The Duchess Of Cornwall, Chris Evans fronted the Final of our record breaking children’s short
story writing competition, 500 Words.
Also in May we launched a Season of special programming to raise awareness of Mental Health issues.
There were first hand stories of listeners broadcast in all our daily programmes, a week of features in The
Jeremy Vine Show, and a special documentary, Dennis Skinner Vs Dementia, where the Labour MP
explained how he used the power of song to help fend off the disease amongst the elderly in his
constituency.
In June we were off to New York as Elaine Page reported back from the Tony Awards, then back to the UK
for BBC Music Day, and closing the month with headline sets from Adele and Coldplay alongside special
shows and performances fronted by Chris Evans, Jo Whiley, Dermot O’Leary and Trevor Nelson, all live
from Glastonbury’s Worthy Farm.
Looking ahead to the next six months, you have worked with us on some really exciting programming – on
the 30th July Radio 2 celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1966 World Cup Final. As part of BBC Music’s
‘My Generation’ Season, we’ll tell the story of this legendary match, live from Wembley Arena, in real-
time, ‘minute by minute’, joined by a cast of actors, and with a musical soundtrack provided by the likes
of Squeeze, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Reef, Lemar, James, Chris Farlowe & The Troggs.
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August is Festival time – Mark Radcliffe’s Folk Show will report back from the Cambridge & Whitby Folk
celebrations, and Steve Wright’s Afternoon Show will be in Edinburgh for the Arts and Comedy Festival.
In September we’re off to Hyde Park for our annual weekend of music making – the ‘sold-out’ Sunday bill
features country from Leann Rimes, jazz from Gregory Porter, folk from Cara Dillon, and a headline set
from Sir Elton John.
Also in September on what would have been Buddy Holly’s 80th birthday we’ll be discovering how before
his death, he planned musical collaborations with the likes of Ray Charles and Mahalia Jackson in
defiance of the racist culture of the 1950s.
At the end of September we remember broadcasting legend Sir Terry Wogan. There’ll be live coverage
of his Memorial Service from Westminster Abbey, alongside a two part documentary tribute to one of
Radio 2’s most loved presenters.
Comedy is back on Radio 2 in the Autumn with five new sitcom showcases alongside a full series featuring
comic creation Barbara Nice – telling the story of a couple with very different ideas on how to spend their
retirement years.
Black History Month will be celebrated in October across the BBC – Radio 2 will broadcast two new music
series - there’ll be features across our daytime schedule - and we’ll also tell the story of West Indian
soldiers in the First World War.
In October well mark the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan Mining Disaster, and discover why the musical
tradition of a choir, set up in the wake of the tragedy, and so intrinsically connected with mining, has
survived long after the closure of the collieries. And early in 2017 the team behind the Radio 2 adaptation
of ‘War Horse’, will create another musical drama from the pen of Michael Morpurgo, ‘Alone On a Wide
Wide Sea’.
With continued pressures on budgets, as always we need to stick to our ambition of fewer, bigger, better
– fewer commissions, but with more ambitious programming that has a bigger and better cut-through,
impacting right across our schedule, and across different digital platforms. And looking ahead to the
period of this commissioning round – we have already commissioned programming Radio 2‘s 50th
birthday, but feel free to suggest other themes and Seasons, as well as one-off documentaries or series
that you think would work well on Radio 2. As you will be aware the BBC Trust have charged Radio 2 with
increasing its engagement with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic audiences – and this is an area of
programming that we would like to look at again in this Commissioning Round. As always I would
encourage you to talk to Robert Gallacher about your proposals before you formally submit them. These
Pre-Offers Meets will give you a steer on focus and content, and how your ideas might work within the
context of the schedule. And please contact Julian Grundy with any questions you may have regarding
the processes, commissioning or the schedule. And please feel free to feedback any ways in which we
could improve the way we work with you.
Thank you for your continued support.
Bob Shennan
Bob Shennan
Controller, BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music & BBC Asian Network
BBC Director of Music
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Section 2: Radio 2 Performance & Audience
• In the most recent quarter (Q1 2006), weekly reach to Radio 2 was a significant 15.51m. The station
has now had a reach of 15m or above for over 2 years. Over 1 in 4 (29%) of the UK adult population
currently listen to Radio 2 each week. The station has a very high share of listening at 18.6%. R2
continues to account for 1 in 3 of all hrs listened to BBC Radio.
• The average amount of listening per listener improved in the latest quarter and is now back above
12 hrs a week at 12:03. Radio 2 remains above Radio 4 (11:28) and remains the highest for a UK
wide station.
ContentsRAJAR Q1 2016 | BBC Radio 2 - 3 Month Weight
share
18.6%
reach
15.51
Radio 2 reach (m) and share (%) performance trend|
Q1 16
Adults 15+
15.5
%
15.9
%
16.5
%
17.2
%
15.9
%
15.6
%
16.2
%
16.0
%
14.9
%
15.9
%
16.3
%
16.8
%
16.1
%
15.6
% 17.6
%
17.7
%
17.2
%
16.9
%
17.6
%
17.9
%
17.7
%
17.0
%
17.8
%
18.1
%
17.6
%
17.6
%
17.7
%
18.6
%
Q2
09
Q3
09
Q4
09
Q1
10
Q2
10
Q3
10
Q4
10
Q1
11
Q2
11
Q3
11
Q4
11
Q1
12
Q2
12
Q3
12
Q4
12
Q1
13
Q2
13
Q3
13
Q4
13
Q1
14
Q2
14
Q3
14
Q4
14
Q1
15
Q2
15
Q3
15
Q4
15
Q1
16
Share (%) Reach (m)
13
.42
13
.62
13
.47
14
.57
13
.73
13
.68
13
.94
14
.54
13
.97
14
.31
14
.27
14
.56
14
.46
13
.90 15
.11
15
.27
15
.44
14
.94
15
.51
15
.57
15
.50
15
.01
15
.28
15
.09
15
.14
15
.38
15
.47
15
.51
We look at the ‘digital footprint’ for Radio 2 each quarter. The ‘live listen’ to the station is still
clearly the dominate way in which the audience connect with the brand, however, the
number of browsers coming into the Radio 2 online site each week is increasing, with weekly
peaks above the 1 million mark.
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Radio 2 Digital footprint, Q1 2016 (Avg. week)
246
Short form audio clip requests
872
363
Mobile UBs
182
207
207k Facebook engaged users
125k Facebook Referrals from a total reach of 2.0m
80k Twitter engaged users
On-demand audio programme requests
15+ Weekly Reach (Q1 2016)
15,514
Listen Share
WatchDevice
328
YouTube views
92k Facebook Views
185
311
Computer UBs
Tablet UBs
Short form video clip requests
Live audio programme requests
DRM Downloads
Total UBs
All figures in 000s and based on UK. RAJAR data relates to previous quarter (3mth weight). Radio Requests are under investigation from 9th February 2015 onwards - these figures are currently undercounted and should be treated with caution. Podcasts currently unavailable
from June 2015. Source: RAJAR / iStats AV / ComScore Digital Analytix (iStats) / Radio & Music Multiplatform / BBC Social Media Dashboard / TRP Research
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2,006
Red ButtonIncludes Weekly Average of: Week 5 - Sounds of the 80s
Week 6 - Sounds of the 80s
Week 11 - Sounds of the 80s
Week 12 - Sounds of the 80s and Radio 2 in Concert with aha (Weeks 12
and 13).
9k Twitter referrals from 4.5m impressions
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125
5Off schedule audio programme requests
Off schedule video programme requests4
Video programme requests9
80Podcasts
The network now has some key performance (KPIs) metrics. These metrics include live listening
reach but also average weekly UK Browsers to the Radio 2 site, 872K in Q1 16; the average
weekly number of on demand short form clip requests (audio & video), 143k weekly requests.
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The average number of weekly referrals from social media, 134k and finally the average weekly
number of views on RB (if we have content on the platform) and/or the average number of
weekly iplayer video programme requests, 328k viewers and 13K requests respectively in Q1 16.
Requests to Radio 2’s short form online content and referrals from Social Media are now
growing each quarter.
Quarterly KPIs for Radio 2
Slide 3
Weekly reach on
Red Button
(viewers)
iPlayer video prog.
requests (on & off schedule)
Weeklyon demand
Short form
clip requests
Audio/video clips
on bbc.co.uk
Weekly UK
UBs Unique
Browsers
Weekly
SM ReferralsFB linked clicks/Twitter URL clicks
872k(+19% on Q)
143k(+147% on Q)
134k(+113%on Q)
RB:
328k(-26% on Q)
2 3 4 5
iPlayer:
13k(-66% on Q)
LOOKSHARELOOK
LISTEN
15.5m(+0.3% pt
on Q)
1 Weekly
Live Radio
ReachListeners
Audience Profile
The gender profile of the audience to Radio 2 is slightly more male at 52% male vs 48% female.
Radio 2 continues to pull in an audience that is spread across the 35+ age groups. However, the age
profile is starting to move older. In Q1 16, Radio 2 had a record reach and share of listening among
the 55+ listener with 6.93m listeners and a high 22.7% share. The average age of listener has been very
consistent over a number of years and has remained above 50 years which is the target set for Radio
2. In the most recent quarter (Q1 16) the average age to Radio 2 edged up to 52 years.
The Social grade profile has remained steady with 62% of the audience in the ABC1 grades. ABs now
make up nearly 30% of the Radio 2 audience.
Radio 2 is behind other BBC networks in terms of reaching Black & Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME)
audiences. Reach among BAME audiences grew in Q1 16 to 650k, making up just 4.2% of all Radio 2
listeners. It is a priority for Radio 2 to grow reach among BAME audiences.
ContentsRAJAR Q1 2016 | BBC Radio 2 - 3 Month Weight
100.0% Total Weekly Reach 15.51
39.7% Any Digital 7.90
60.3% AM/FM 12.03
31.6% DAB 6.26
4.3% Digital TV 1.45
3.8% Internet 1.21
12h 03m187.07h
9.73Share
20.0%Reach
Radio 2 audience at a glance
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6.4% 10.0% 15.9% 23.0% 19.8% 24.9%
1.00 1.55 2.47 3.57 3.07 3.86
Age profile and reach Reach (m)
15.51
6.04 6.93
Adults 15+ Adults 35-54 Adults 55+
Reach by gender (m)
Share (%) and reach (m) for Breakfast
Hours (m)
Platform share (%) and reach (m)
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Profile (%)
15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Reach (m)
Share (%) Reach (m)
Average hours
per listener
Total hoursMen Women
7.508.02
48.3%51.7%
Digital listening to Radio 2 continues to grow
40% of all listening is now via a digital device. 7.9m/51% of R2 listeners now listen to Radio 2 at some
point across the week via a digital device.
Kim McNally-Luke: Senior Research Manager, BBC Music & Radio 2, 6 Music, Asian Network, Radio 3
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Section 3:
BBC Radio 2 Commissioning Briefs:
DOCUMENTARIES & MUSIC FEATURES
Tx Slot Round Brief No.
Dur’n Available Slots
Price Commissioning Category
Mon-Wed @ 22:03
1 20173 56’24” TBA
TBA (Once Network budgets have been reviewed and approved – prices will be
advised)
Universal
This brief is where Radio 2 continues to establish its credentials as a feature-maker of real merit and depth.
We are looking to commission distinctive documentaries that reflect both the UK and the world.
Celebrating the rich heritage of popular culture – music, entertainment and the arts – that the UK has
created, exported and embraced.
Currently, the slot is carrying an eclectic broad sweep of programming. From a two-part Here we Come –
The Monkees at 50… to Cerys Matthews’ Appalachian Journey - celebrating Old Time music, then and
now, honing in on the story of migrants leaving the old world for fortune in the new, taking the old songs
and sowing the seeds that would become Country music… to Chanson D’Armour a tribute to French
songs that became popular around the world - after they were re-recorded with English lyrics … to the life
story of Joan Collins - chronicling her life in her words in A Life In Lipstick…
You can see that from this snapshot of programmes, the scope is exceptionally broad. The strand
demands strong journalism, creative, imaginative production, engaging, credible and passionate
presenters and where possible, new interviews with key contributors. All of these elements make for
compelling listening, whether introducing the audience to a subject, personality or theme for the first time
or augmenting an existing knowledge or interest.
As ever, we are looking to add distinctiveness to our daytime output by placing interviews from our
documentary output into shows pre-7pm in order to provide a greater platform for your documentaries
and provide an opportunity to put our evening content into context across the whole of Radio 2.
Recent highlights have included…
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pet shop boys, documentary*
In March 1986, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe released their debut Pet Shops Boys album, Please. Over the
next 30 years, the duo would go on to sell more than 50 million records including 40 Top 20 singles and four
UK number ones.
This four-part documentary, introduced by Graham Norton, charted the career of the most successful
British music duo in history. In the opening episode, in a new and exclusive interview, Neil and Chris discuss
the origins of the band and their early influential albums released on the Parlophone record label. They
talk about their debut, Please; 1987’s Actually; Introspective, which was released the following year;
1990’s Behaviour; 1993’s Very; and Bilingual, which came out in 1996. Plus, they chose their favourite
album tracks from each release.
Future episodes explored how the twosome have contrasted their success in mainstream music with
acclaimed works for ballet, opera and musical theatre. What’s more, as the duo prepared to release their
new album, Super, the programmes asked how they’ve continued to walk a tightrope between pop and
art, and silliness and profundity.
Brits In Hollywood*
As the film world prepared for the start of awards season earlier this year, Michael Grade talked to the
cream of British talent about how they survived the cut-throat world of Hollywood to become successful in
movies.
In this three-part series, Michael heard tales of Oscar nights, strange auditions, brutal meetings and larger-
than-life characters as told by some of the finest names in film.
Episode one featured an all-women line-up of contributors including Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren,
British acting legend Dame Diana Rigg, and film and TV actress Jenny Agutter.
Other contributors across the series included Selma star David Oyelowo, screenwriter Julian Fellowes, and
film producers David Heyman and Lord Puttnam.
Continued…
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DOCUMENTARIES & MUSIC FEATURES continued
James Dean: The Last 10 Weeks*
Everyone grapples for a fresh angle on the life and death of Hollywood actor James Dean, and here we
had it in documents locked away for more than half a century.
Essays and hundreds of pictures by critically acclaimed photographer Sanford Roth came to light giving
us a new insight into the life of an icon. Hollywood actor Robert Wagner told the story of Roth's short but
intense friendship with Dean over that hot summer of 1955.
Roth (his words brought to life here by actor Michael Xavier) painted a unique picture of a young man
who, to many, has remained an enigma for decades. Roth - who had photographed all the greats of the
era, from Hollywood stars to Einstein, Picasso, Stravinsky and Cocteau, befriended the young Dean while
taking the stills pictures for his third and ultimately final film Giant.
To paint a full picture of the young Dean that summer 60 years ago, the programme also heard from his
young cousin Marcus Winslow Jnr, from his best friend Lew Bracker, from fellow racing enthusiast Bruce
Kessler and from his Giant co-stars Jane Withers and Carrol Baker. There were contributions from
Francesca Robinson Sanchez who was left Sanford Roth's Dean Collection and from British film producer
David Puttnam who was inspired by Dean.
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Section 3:
BBC Radio 2 Commissioning Briefs:
PRESENTER-LED GENRE SERIES
Tx Slot Round Brief No.
Duration Available Slots
Price Guide Commissioning Category
TBA 1 20180 55’44” 50 weeks Up to £2k per programme
Universal
This is an hour-long slot that is looking to carry musical genres or presenter-led critiques of genres or
elements of music making and their related expert musical exponents, that are not catered for directly,
across the rest of the Radio 2 schedule.
Genres across the strand could include reggae, rock’n’roll, latin, new wave, world, rock, gospel or
classical. Please do suggest other genres that you feel have a place on the network and would appeal to
our audience.
The presenter is key. They must be a credible, trusted guide through the series. Illuminating their subject
and contextualising in an informed, passionate manner.
Barry Humphries: Barry’s Forgotten Masterpieces*
In this new 3-part series, Barry Humphries presented a selection of his musical memories and aimed to
transport listeners to a bygone era with vintage recordings by artists, who made their names during the
age of the wireless. As a little boy growing up in far-off Melbourne during the 1930s and 40s, Barry was
captivated by the sounds and music emanating from his parents' wireless set.
During childhood illnesses, Barry's mother placed the radio set in his bedroom and little Barry was so
entranced by the music that he tried to make whooping cough, measles and mumps last as long as
possible. Barry's early musical memories include Fred Astaire, Flanagan and Allen, The Comedian
Harmonists, Joseph Schmidt, Harry Roy and Judy Garland among others.
Continued…
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PRESENTER-LED GENRE SERIES continued
Hooray for Bollywood with Shilpa Shetty*
Last year the BBC announced a major new season of programmes across television and radio dedicated
to one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world - India.
The season was a celebration of the richness of the landscape and people of the country as well as its
culture, art, business and politics.
On BBC Radio 2, Bollywood superstar Shilpa Shetty presented a four-part guide to the music and glamour
of the Indian film industry in Hooray For Bollywood, With Shilpa Shetty. Over the hour-long shows Shilpa
played her favourite tracks and told stories from behind-the-scenes with some of Bollywood's biggest stars.
Mark Kermode’s Celluloid Jukebox*
Mark Kermode conducts a very personal tour of the last 60 years of pop music in cinema
It could be said that modern pop music began in the mid 1950s with Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley
and The Comets. This iconic song was used for the opening credits of the teen high school drama
Blackboard Jungle in 1955 and then a year later the movie Rock Around The Clock came out featuring
Bill and The Comets in a highly fictionalized account of the birth of rock n roll.
2016 is the 60th anniversary of the release of Rock Around The Clock and the perfect time for Mark
Kermode to bring us a unique and highly personal tour of his very own Celluloid Jukebox.
In each programme we will hear music from the six decades that cinema and pop music have been
partners. The musical selection will be eclectic and free flowing – sometimes connected by theme or
genre, sometimes by year or artist and sometimes through Mark’s particular and highly personal
associations. He will tell anecdotes and give context to the choices and we will hear audio extracts from
he films alongside other contemporary archive. Each programme will feature extracts of dialogue from
some of the films featured as well as other audio archive.
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Section 3:
BBC Radio 2 Commissioning Briefs:
IDEAS WELCOME
Tx Slot Round Brief No.
Dur’n Available Slots
Price Guide Commissioning Category
TBA 1 20158 TBA TBA
TBA Universal
This is a brief designed to allow for ideas that carry an ambition that works beyond the traditional
commissioning brief format. Where ideas do not naturally fit into commissioning briefs, or where ideas are
outside of the traditional schedule, please propose them under this banner.
This category is designed to give more opportunity for innovative ideas, special events and seasons to
flourish. The seasons have worked extremely well, adding impact and range throughout the schedule,
encompassing slots across comedy, documentaries, weekday and weekend output.
Examples of ideas that have been offered and commissioned are;
Sinatra Season*
Programming included; Sinatra on Screen
Hollywood legend Angie Dickinson presented a star-studded retrospective of Frank Sinatra the actor.
Across two one hour programmes, Angie, who played Sinatra's wife Bea in the iconic 1960's heist picture
Ocean's 11, was joined by Shirley MacLaine and Kim Novak to reflect on Sinatra's prolific film career.
Over five decades Frank Sinatra acted in war thrillers, noir dramas, detective capers, comedies and
musicals. In a cinematic career just as colourful as his musical one, he played sailors, nightclub singers,
assassins, detectives, soldiers and heroin addicts.
Angie asked what made Sinatra such a great actor on screen and what was the relationship between his
screen and singing persona?
At the 1954 Academy Awards, he won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Private Angelo Maggio in From
Here To Eternity.
Angie revealed how Sinatra's Oscar win saw him rocket to the top of Hollywood and saved him from
obscurity.
Continued…
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IDEAS WELCOME continued
Kim Novak reflected on appearing with him in 1955's The Man With The Golden Arm, the film Sinatra called
his greatest achievement, and Shirley MacLaine recalled her time with Sinatra and Dean Martin on the set
of Some Came Running in 1958.
Programme Two opened at the peak of Sinatra's silver screen success with Angie's stories from the Las
Vegas while shooting Ocean's 11. We also revisited some of Sinatra's greatest roles in Hollywood musicals,
including Pal Joey with Kim Novak.
Debbie Reynolds shared her memories of starring opposite Sinatra in 1955's The Tender Trap and Shirley
MacLaine revisited her time on the set of Can-Can in 1960.
The journalist Gay Talese, who wrote the acclaimed Esquire feature 'Frank Sinatra Has A Cold' observed
Sinatra shooting 'Assault on a Queen', one of his critical flops of the mid-60s. While many of Sinatra's later
screen performances were deemed lazy, we'll hear of some of the exceptions, including his role in The
Manchurian Candidate and his underrated detectives and police officer films.
Other programme highlights from the season included…
Frank and the Golden Era of Radio
Paul Gambaccini explored Frank's career as a radio star during the golden age of radio in the US.
Produced in association with NBC Radio, who provided access to their archive of classic radio shows
featuring Sinatra as actor, comedian and presenter as well as his more familiar role of singer.
Sinatra in the UK
Leo Green told the little known story of Sinatra's 1953 tour of the UK. Smarting from his failed marriage to
Ava Gardner and his tax problems and worried about how his comeback movie 'From Here To Eternity'
would be received, Sinatra spent 2 months in England and Scotland often playing to small audiences.
People who saw the shows remember half empty houses but some brilliant live performances. The
programme featured archive 1953 recordings from BBC Radio's 'Show Band Show' and an unofficial tape
from the Blackpool Opera House.
Sinatra: The Comeback
Presented by Guy Barker. After a dramatic and near-fatal fall from popularity in the early 1950's taking him
from the Hollywood Bowl to the Opera House, Blackpool, Frank Sinatra won the Academy Award for 'Best
Supporting Actor' in the movie "From Here To Eternity" and his recording career blossomed all over again
when he was signed by Capitol Records in March 1953. "The Greatest Comeback Since Lazarus" was
underway! The late 1950's and 1960's were the high-rolling 'Ring-A-Ding-Ding' years for Frank Sinatra: His
friendship with JFK; The Rat Pack; The cool 'Jet Set' lifestyle . In 1960, Sinatra left Capitol and started his own
label, Reprise Records. Now he truly was 'The Chairman of The Board'!
Continued…
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IDEAS WELCOME continued
The Battle of Britain at 75*
On Friday 18th September 2015, Radio 2 commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain with a
day of live broadcasts from Biggin Hill, including a Friday Night Is Music Night special, broadcast live on
Red Button and cinemas around the UK.
The Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show was live from Biggin Hill Airport, the most iconic of Britain’s fighter stations.
The Jeremy Vine Show also broadcast live from Biggin Hill where Jeremy discussed the modern day Royal
Air Force and the role they play more than seven decades on from the Battle of Britain. Jeremy was
joined by current RAF personnel for a discussion about how today's RAF is ‘securing the skies’ in 2015.
The day culminated in a Friday Night Is Music Night special - ‘The Battle of Britain At 75’ told the epic story
of the greatest aerial conflict of the Second World War. Dermot O’Leary, Jeremy Vine and BBC News’
Sophie Raworth were joined by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Rare archive footage from the conflict,
modern day RAF personnel, guest singers and a cast of actors brought those stories to life as we
remembered the men and women who took part 75 years ago.
1950s Pop-Up DAB *
BBC Radio 2 50s was a four-day digital radio pop up service showcasing the best music and nostalgia
from the 1950’s.
The service complimented “My Generation”, a new BBC TV season on the history of popular music, where
music fans will share their most precious, personal and rarest music memorability from the 1950’s.
Highlights included…
My Buddy And I
In a one hour special, Chris Evans and his son Noah shared their love for the music of an artist that bridges
generations, the brilliant Buddy Holly. The father and son team are bringing the time they spend travelling
in the car together - accompanied by classic cassette tapes of the 50s star - to the Radio 2 listeners.
Continued…
15
IDEAS WELCOME continued
Mental Health Week*
Radio 2 highlighted mental health from Monday 9th to Tuesday 17th May 2016.
Through a series of reports Jeremy Vine explored conditions including anorexia, bipolar disorder,
depression and self-harm and looked at whether politicians do enough to support mental health services
within the NHS.
Alastair Campbell and his partner of 37 years, Fiona Millar, spoke to Jeremy about how depression has
affected their relationship whilst Dennis Skinner MP presented a special documentary programme
discussing fending off dementia.
The network also carried – and scheduled through daytime programming - a commissioned series of
intimate short form packages featuring people who are or have suffered from a range of conditions. The
packages were then archived on the Jeremy Vine web page.
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Section 4: Working with Radio 2 This section contains information on;
The Commissioning process
Delivery requirements
o Programme
o Interactive
o Technical
Overview
The broadcasting world is changing fast and our audiences want to find our programmes wherever they
appear. To help them, we need to make sure programmes are delivered on time, to length and with the
necessary associated information.
As well as the wider changes, Radio 2 is playing out parts of the schedule automatically, removing live
continuity announcements. This means the Radio 2 schedule needs to run exactly to time. To enable this,
the scheduling team will be responsible for building the schedule in exact, hour long chunks. The changes
required to help them do this are set out below
Another benefit of hitting programme junctions accurately is no more problems with iPlayer clipping the
ends of programmes.
Delivery requirements …
Pre-recorded programmes
Programmes to be delivered 4 weeks prior to transmission
Programmes to be delivered to exact durations – confirmed by Julian Grundy
Programme descriptions to be provided 5 weeks prior to transmission
Built trails to be exactly 40 seconds long
Live programmes
Programmes to be delivered to exact durations – confirmed by Julian Grundy
Programme descriptions to be provided 5 weeks prior to transmission
Built trails to be exactly 40 seconds long
The Output
Core Output of Radio 2
The majority of programmes - the core output - are long-running strands which are produced either by
Radio 2 producers or a small group of Independent companies. When the strands produced by
Independents come up for renewal they are put out for tender using the process described below.
Non - Core output of Radio 2
Commissioning rounds take place twice a year to complement the core output. It is within these rounds
that ideas are sought for a wide range of documentaries, specialist music, comedy, event and other
programming. Readings are commissioned alongside special events or seasons.
If you are an Independent Production Company, and want to enter offers to Radio 2 commissioning
rounds, please sign up to the BBC Audio & Music Independent Production Company database using this
link to the Pro-Forma.
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The Commissioning Process:
How will I know when to propose my idea?
The Audio and Music Database will be used to alert Indies who have expressed an interest to all
commissioning rounds using the BBC Radio Commissioning Website as well as email.
In House producers will be notified that commissioning rounds are open via email.
Submitting your proposal?
We would encourage you to talk to the network – Robert Gallacher – about your proposals before
you formally submit them. And, please contact Julian Grundy with any other questions you may
have.
Proposals are submitted using Proteus Commissioning – information can be found here (Pitching To
Radio).
Proposals should include a short synopsis followed by a more detailed explanation of the idea and
treatment being proposed together with a proposed price per episode. (More details on the site).
Additional Information for Independent producers:
To be considered for a commission, all Independent companies should ensure that their proposals
demonstrate evidence of relevant experience for all staff involved in music-radio production within
the briefs being tendered for.
It is advisable to look at the How We Do Business page of the BBC Radio Commissioning website
before submitting a proposal. Full information useful to prospective programme-makers (including
information on underlying Rights, contractual and legal aspects of commissioning, Health & Safety
requirements and the BBC's complaints procedure) are set out there.
A summary of the terms agreed with the radio independent production sector is set out in the
Terms of Trade. The programme production agreement that the BBC would expect to conclude
with an independent producer is made up of the General Terms and the Special Terms.
A guide to how you should deal with complaints from the public and how to direct your complaints
to the BBC is available via the BBC Complaints Procedures for Independent Producers.
What happens then?
After the closing date there will be a shortlisting period where producers may be asked to discuss
their idea further.
Proposals will either be ‘conditionally commissioned’ at a suggested price or ‘rejected’. This
information will be recorded in Proteus.
All ‘conditionally commissioned’ proposals will state a provisional tx date. Please work towards the
provisional tx date unless otherwise advised.
All documentary / series presenters must be approved by the network prior to you contracting
them, even if they have been discussed at a pitching meeting.
Budget
In-house budgets are agreed with Darren Bodek - BBC Finance Partner and the Radio 2
Commissioning Team - Robert Gallacher and Julian Grundy - and should be below or in line with
the guide price listed in the Commissioning Brief.
The budget Radio 2 is willing to pay for independent proposals is detailed at the time of
conditional commission. If that offer is deemed unacceptable then a detailed budget will be
required and negotiated with the Radio 2 Commissioning Team.
Continued…
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Formal Commission
In House; your programmes are only formally commissioned when a presenter and budget have
been agreed.
Independent productions; your programmes are only formally commissioned when a presenter
and budget have been agreed and a commissioning contract is signed and returned. Until this
point, all commissions are still regarded as ‘conditional’ rather than 'formal commissions'. Any work
you undertake prior to this is at your own risk.
Please liaise with the Radio 2 Commissioning Team to ensure these are agreed ASAP.
Compliance
You must consult Robert Gallacher or Julian Grundy over any Compliance issues you may have
regarding language, rights or material BEFORE you make the programme.
Compliance forms must also accurately reflect your programme content and conversations you
have had with us.
All programmes must comply with the relevant statutory and regulatory provisions. If you have a
programme compliance issue and are not sure if it falls in the realms of editorial policy, programme
legal advice, business affairs or elsewhere please contact Robert or Julian.
In line with the BBC Editorial Standards, compliance measures have been agreed and introduced
for commissions across the BBC, including provisions relating to training and those occasions when
on-air talent own or manage the company. Full details and guidance can be found on BBC -
Commissioning - Compliance.
All production staff working on commissions (producer & executive producer) must have
completed the BBC 'Safeguarding Trust' course. If this is not the case please contact the network to
organise the necessary training. Moving forward, there will be a list of mandatory courses that ALL
production staff – BBC or independent – must complete in order to fulfil the commission /
programme making requirements and criteria.
Delivery requirements – Programme
Delivery details will be available on all commissioning documentation and via the A&M commissioning
website and, if you are an Independent Production Company, they will be included in your programme
production agreement
Pre-recorded programmes must be delivered to us 4 weeks prior to tx. For independent productions this is a contractual obligation.
The network will designate some pre-recorded programmes as ‘Topical’ and the delivery date of
those programmes will be set at a time different from 4 weeks ahead of TX
Programmes which are normally live and have on occasions to be pre-recorded will agree their
delivery date at the time the Scheduling team is informed of the change.
Delivery 4 weeks out will allow us to better publicise your programmes, and enable us to meet the
detailed compliance requirements. This will also assist Station Sound campaign planning.
All programmes must be delivered to the exact durations as advised (see commissioning briefs).
These durations are not negotiable.
Once delivered the programme duration will be checked by the scheduling team at the earliest
opportunity - If the duration is incorrect, the producer of that programme will be informed by e-
mail the duration is not acceptable and asked to deliver a version of the correct length by the
following day.
Failure to deliver to the terms and conditions of your programme commission with respect to timetabled
dates and durations could affect our ability to broadcast your programme. Should you be aware that
you may have difficulty with any aspect of delivery you must inform the network – Julian Grundy -
immediately.
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Delivery requirements – Programme Descriptions
Programme descriptions must be provided 5 weeks prior to tx.
Both In house and Independent producers must enter these in Proteus.
This will provide our press and digital teams with the best possible opportunity to publicise your
programmes, in an increasingly crowded market-place. (See Press and Publicity section)
Delivery requirements - Technical
Format
Programmes must be delivered as a linear WAV, linear BWAV or FLAC file.
BBC Radio technical specification for wav files can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/radio/production/articles/technical-specifications.
For technical enquiries and expert advice email
Julian Markham, Technical Manager, Western House
o Technical Delivery process
Process for BWAV delivery – Independent Production Companies
You will need an FTP account to access the BBC's servers and you will need suitable FTP software. You
may also require (free) FLAC encoding software. For details contact Julian Markham
From your digital editor bounce down the programme to a single 16 bit, 48 kHz, stereo wav file.
The naming of this wav file is important. It should include the Network, Title and TX. It should not
include any punctuation or spaces - use underscore to make the name readable. E.G.
R2_A_Programme_120614.wav
If required you may data compress the file to the FLAC format.
Send the file to your company’s folder on the BBC’s FTP server.
Contact the Radio 2 Presentation team via email (Julian Grundy, Anna McMahon & Dan Collins) or
on 02 50655, 02 53112 or 02 53250 to advise delivery. THIS IS CRUCIAL. They listen to the In and Out
of the programme and check that the duration is correct. They also spot check the audio for
obvious technical faults. If there are no problems, and the programme has received the required
Proteus compliance sign-off, they will schedule it. The Presentation Office is staffed, Monday to
Friday 0930 -1830.
Failure to complete this step within 1 working day of delivering your programme can result in your programme being lost.
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Section 5: Press & Publicity
The Radio 2 Press and Publicity team generate publicity to inform new and existing audiences about what
Radio 2 has to offer via print press, radio, television and online activity. To give them the best chance of
promoting your programme.
• When you deliver your programme description 5 weeks before transmission make them stand out.
Great descriptions of the subject, location of interviews, pertinent quotes from contributors, and
explanation of why the presenter is fronting the show all pique the interest of journalists and make the
description searchable on the internet. Eve Pollard’s recent documentary on The Queen was a huge PR
success for the network, with daily newspaper coverage as well as online coverage.
• Ask your presenter whether they are willing to promote the programme on radio, TV, online or in
print. This could be an authored piece e.g. Gary Kemp on the Story of Glam Rock in The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jun/28/david-bowie-glam-rock-gary-kemp or the producer on
making the programme i.e. Peter Curran on the Spinal Tap mockumentary, or it could be an authored
piece for the BBC Radio blog: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/
• Behind the scenes pictures or stories are useful if there is a major talent involved, or if the subject of
the documentary is visually interesting i.e. Route 66 picture diary for the Radio Times. You might also be
able to get a quote from the presenter about their tie to the programme’s subject matter for publicity
material.
• The earlier you deliver a pre-recorded programme the better. Preview MP3s are uploaded to the
BBC Radio Previews site approximately 3 weeks prior to transmission. But if the network receives the
programme earlier, we can target media earlier for features. .
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Section 6: Interactive
The Radio 2 Interactive audience across the multiplatform space is growing rapidly and for the first time
there is a robust and dynamic mobile experience. Audiences are consuming programmes through the
website, via podcast and mobile in unprecedented numbers
Visualisation of our content will also become increasingly important especially as audiences migrate from
Radio 1. Unique users to the website are growing. The Radio 2 website is now part of the new Radio and Music Product which focuses around the promotion of audio and video as well as the live experience which will allow us to continue to grow.
The interactive team is now smaller and more reliant on programme teams updating pages and content.
Additionally we are making a strong push within social media, and we are looking for all programmes to
engage in this, updating the Radio 2 Facebook pages and running their own twitter accounts.
It is also important that everybody working for Radio 2 is aware of syndication opportunities for their
content, where their material can live outside of the BBC online and in third party spaces. We will be
looking for all programme makers to engage in this process, ensuring that their content has a life within
digital spaces and grows organically online.
In summary, all programme teams should be able to
Reversion their programme into a podcast and publish it
Be able to provide relevant metadata around their programming as requested
Be aware and communicate visualisation possibilities around their content.
Update their own social spaces as necessary
An awareness of music blogs and digital services and how they can be exploited
Ability and knowledge to segment content and make available online both inside and outside of
the BBC environment.
Knowledge of the online audience and their requirements.
To plan content across the multiplatform space in addition to the linear environ.
Ability to publish online, update blogs and content listings.
Take, edit and publish good quality photographs of guests/artists on their programme
Provide accurate music metadata (tracklistings for documentaries & short series) and – if possible – music genealogy in VCS for pre-recorded programmes
We do recognise however that none of the above is a requirement under the current Terms of Trade for
independent suppliers.
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Section 7: Contacts
The following list of contacts will be able to assist you at all points of the commissioning process…
Commissioning & Scheduling
Lewis Carnie Head of Programmes 020 7765 5219
Robert Gallacher Editor, Commissioning 020 7765 2415 [email protected]
Julian Grundy Manager, Commissioning & Scheduling
020 7765 3250 [email protected]
Anna McMahon Forward planning, Commissioning & Scheduling
020 7765 3112 [email protected]
Dan Collins Programme Descriptions, Commissioning & Scheduling
020 7765 2072 [email protected]
Music, Interactive and Press & Publicity
Jeff Smith Head of Music 020 7765 3433 [email protected]
Brett Spencer Editor, Digital 020 7765 4710 [email protected]
Sharon Hanley Head of Communications 020 7765 5712 [email protected]
Finance
Gabi Fattal Business Manager, BBC Radio Business Affairs
020 7765 3649 [email protected]
Darren Bodek Finance Partner, BBC Core Finance
020 7765 3897 [email protected]