Funding > Current Commissioning Round

Winter Commissioning Round – 2011/12

Deadline for programme ideas – January 10, 2012 at 1pm.
Deadline for MG ALBA/BBC partnership decisions – February 17, 2012.
Programme delivery will generally be for August 2012 onwards but may be earlier.
Submissions for the re-commissioning of existing programmes or series will be accepted.
Budgets could include a co-funding element, ideally not from a competing broadcaster.

SCHEDULE OVERVIEW.
In general terms, BBC ALBA’s schedule has three key weekday slots:

8:30 pm – half hour programmes which attempt to cater especially for Gaelic-speaking communities and their interests
9:00 pm – hour-long programmes, both factual and entertainment aimed at a national audience (40 + demographic)
10:00 pm – half-hour programmes, mainly entertainment, aimed at a younger national audience
This commissioning round will mainly deal with programming for these three key slots but also welcomes submissions for children’s programming.


PROGRAMME IDEAS.
Submissions of programme ideas should state which programme they refer to in this round. They should include a brief creative summary, details of key talent behind and in front of camera and a budget. They should not exceed one A4 page per programme. The opportunity to develop these summaries may be given through interviews with applicants.

  1. The programme: Distinctive factual programmes or short factual series aiming to create substantial popular and/or critical impact with audiences throughout Scotland.
    First broadcast slot: Weekday, 9pm.
    Format: Single documentaries or short series of 58-59 minutes duration each.
    Audience: General, but especially women.

  2. The programme: Factual entertainment or lifestyle series appealing particularly to female audiences Scotland-wide.
    First broadcast slot: Various.
    Format: Series of 2 - 6 episodes of either 58-59 minutes or 29 minutes duration each.
    Audience: Female – various age demographics.

  3. The programme: Programmes of special interest and value for the Gaelic-speaking communities, including children and drama.
    First broadcast slot: Various
    Format: Single programmes or short series of either 58-59 minutes or 29 minutes duration each.
    Audience: Gaelic-speaking communities, including children.

 

Draft dates for further Commissioning Rounds.
The MG ALBA/BBC partnership envisages two further commissioning rounds during 2012.

Commissioning Round Summer – 2012.
Draft deadline for programme ideas – May 29, 2012 at 1pm.
Draft deadline for MG ALBA/BBC partnership decisions – July 6, 2012.

Commissioning Round Winter – 2012/13.
Draft deadline for programme ideas – January 15, 2013 at 1pm.
Draft deadline for MG ALBA/BBC partnership decisions – February 22, 2013.

Details of these commissioning rounds will be published closer to these draft dates.
The MG ALBA/BBC partnership will accept ‘time-perishable’ programme ideas at any time and endeavour to return commissioning decisions on them without undue delay.

Final submissions and any questions on anything contained in this commissioning round should be addressed to Fiona Mackenzie, at fiona.mackenzie@mgalba.com.