RADIO COMMISSIONING FRAMEWORK Commissioning Brief Commissioning Brief No.: 99118 6 Music Weekday Late Afternoon Show (talent: Steve Lamacq) From Winter 2021 BBC Radio Popular Music Networks CONTENTS SECTION A: EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITY .................................................................................. 3 1. Network ...................................................................................................................................... 4 2. The Opportunity .......................................................................................................................... 4 3. Music Policy ................................................................................................................................ 5 4. Programme Content ................................................................................................................... 5 5. Diversity and Inclusion ................................................................................................................ 5 6. Measures of Success ................................................................................................................... 5 7. Additional Deliverables ............................................................................................................... 6 8. Risk Management ....................................................................................................................... 6 9. Additional Information / Requirements ..................................................................................... 6 SECTION B: PROCESS, ASSEMENT, EVALUATION .............................................................. 8 1. THE FIVE STAGES ................................................................................................................. 8 2. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA.................................................................................................... 10 3. THE EVALUATION TEAM .................................................................................................... 11 SECTION C: THE COMMISSIONING TIMETABLE .................................................................. 12 SECTION D: FULL PROPOSALS AND REFERENCE INFORMATION ......................... 13 APPENDIX 1: EXPERIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE ....................................................................... 16 APPENDIX 2: STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ....................................................................................... 18 2 of 18 6 Music Comms Brief: Weekday Late Afternoon v3 BBC Radio Popular Music Networks SECTION A: EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITY Commissioning Brief: 99118 – Weekday Late Afternoon Show Commissioning Owner Samantha Moy [email protected] Commissioning Contact Robert Gallacher [email protected] Commissioning Brief Title Weekday Late Afternoon Show Network 6 Music Guide Price £800 – ‘Guide Price’ does not include presenter fees, which will be paid directly by 6 Music. Genre Music Duration One year with two separate options for the BBC to renew for a further year on the same terms after both the first and second years (1+1+1) No. of Episodes 255 Transmission Period From Winter 2021 Slot Day Monday to Friday Slot Time 1600 - 1900 Production Location London All proposals must be submitted via Proteus and go through Production eligibility checks first. Please make your short proposal using no more than 250 words. Important Notes: • Short Proposals and your responses to the Production Questionnaire (see Appendix 1, page 15), must be submitted via Proteus before the deadline at noon on Thursday 15th July. • The incumbent does not need to complete either the Production Experience Questionnaire or the Short Proposal. They can go straight to preparing their Full Proposal. • During Stage 1 of the process we will first evaluate the responses given in the Production Questionnaire. We will then assess your Short Proposal. • Shortlisted suppliers will be asked to submit a Full Proposal. This should not exceed two sides of A4 when printed using Arial font, size 11. 3 of 18 6 Music Comms Brief: Weekday Late Afternoon v3 BBC Radio Popular Music Networks • These suppliers will also be invited to a Zoom pitch with the Commissioning Team, where they can use a power-point, but we request that they don’t play any video content. • Producers are not permitted to contact on-air talent, without prior approval of the commissioner. • Any producer found to be in breach of this will be excluded from the commissioning process. • The BBC reserves the right at any time prior to the award of a commission, and without incurring any liability to the affected suppliers, to accept or to reject any proposal, or to annul the commissioning process rejecting all Full Proposals. More information relating to all commissioning briefs and rounds, regardless of Networks can be found on the Pitching Ideas page of the Radio Commissioning Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4fC4NcVXqkZntJv8ZHpClD8/pitching- ideas We strongly advise you to submit your Proposals in good time to avoid the possibility of difficulties caused by unforeseen network or transmission problems. No late submissions will be accepted 1. Network About 6 Music: For music lovers – with a curious spirit BBC Radio 6 Music is a radio station for music lovers with a curious spirit. We shine a light, lend an ear and give platform to music beyond the mainstream. We are a highly distinctive network, playing and celebrating a breadth of artists and music across eras and genres. Network Strategy BBC Radio 6 Music is seeking to grow its audience, profile and reach of the network amongst 25-44 age group. We want to build an evolved and representative schedule defined by a curious spirit that connect us with new audiences. We aim to deepen and broaden the music we play and stories we tell on air and on demand in partnership with BBC Sounds. 2. The Opportunity STEVE LAMACQ (Monday-Friday 1600-1900, from London) Presented by Steve Lamacq, this show is a key part of the daytime schedule, traditionally known as ‘drivetime’. The programme is a gateway into 6 Music for curious music lovers of all ages and its presentation should be informative, upbeat, and inclusive. It should appeal to the core 6 Music listener while providing an entry point for younger audiences – in particular the Eclectic Enthusiast. It should be designed for both a live linear listening experience and on demand in BBC Sounds. 4 of 18 6 Music Comms Brief: Weekday Late Afternoon v3 BBC Radio Popular Music Networks For 2021 and beyond, 6 Music is seeking to capitalise on the mobility of the audience during this timeslot and the opportunity to appeal to an audience who are ‘on the move’. Production are encouraged to think about what the audience want when they finish their day at work and move to a different environment/mood state to listen: whether it be the ‘drive home’ or the ‘close of the laptop’ to relaxing at home. 3. Music Policy Programmed by the 6M Music team in partnership with the presenter and the production team, this multi-genre programme aims to share and contextualise new music alongside classic records to build a music show with flow and curation at its heart for a drivetime audience. 4. Programme Content Steve Lamacq’s programme should appeal to the musically curious as well as those who enjoy an easy, nostalgic listen – thereby reaching those opportunity audiences who may think 6M is not for them, as well as satisfying core listeners. We welcome new ideas for: • A music clock that reflects the mood state of a listener at 4pm, 5pm and 6pm which still feels authentically Steve Lamacq • A daily, interactive, sharedriving feature at 5pm with a 15m music sweep as its focus. It should appeal to opportunity audiences and fanbases. Production suppliers are encouraged to think about how this feature can appeal to a broad range of listeners to ensure 6 Music is the go-to platform that captures the ‘in car / compromise’ listen. • A refreshed Friday format to reflect that end of week feeling • A music/playlist format to make 6 Music and Steve Lamacq famous in Sounds. Ideally, this would form part of one of the daily shows, and be made into a separate episode for Sounds 5. Diversity and Inclusion 6 Music wants to reflect the diversity of the UK and the network are looking for new approaches to evolve listener engagement – which will broaden the appeal of the show to new audiences. We are interested to hear your inclusive content ideas and how they might be expressed across the music played, stories told and scenes explored. You may wish to consider how this show might contribute to the expanded 50:50 Diversity initiative (more details in Appendix 2). 6. Measures of Success Growing live listener numbers in that slot - as measured by RAJAR – and on-demand numbers in Sounds. 5 of 18 6 Music Comms Brief: Weekday Late Afternoon v3 BBC Radio Popular Music Networks The show is designed to appeal to a musically curious audience who are open and eclectic in their tastes. We welcome ideas that help to grow the show’s digital footprint. We are interested in hearing how features could be developed as stand-alone properties in BBC Sounds. In addition to this, the show should be navigable and promotable across the network, in Sounds and on socials, and contain moments that highlight appropriate content from other 6 Music shows. 7. Additional Deliverables We require the following for inclusion in BBC Sounds and for Network Digital Support (filming, photography, social assets): • Accurate