BBC World Service; Network and programme Imaging Package 2018
The BBC World Service is opening a commissioning round for a new network and programme imaging package for introduction in 2018.
THE STATION
The BBC World Service is the world’s leading English language radio broadcaster, producing a variety of news, factual, cultural and sports programming, reaching 75m globally every week via direct distribution, digital and broadcast partners.
It has a world class reputation: offering a ‘rich mix’ of news, business, documentaries, arts, music and sport. Audio content is becoming more accessible than ever; and the BBC World Service needs a fresh, contemporary sound to reflect its broad range of output and to drive new audiences to our content.
Our enviable global audience of 75 million (including an important UK audience) all share a sense of curiosity about the world and a desire to connect with that world; our audience is everywhere. Our surveys show the biggest single audiences are in Africa and the United States, but listeners find us on short-wave, FM, online and mobile in just about every country. Our audience is both discerning and demanding. They are also making a choice to listen to us.
More than 50% of our audience comes via partner stations. In most markets there will be increasingly vibrant local media and access to other global media, so we have to be both appealing and relevant. The average age of our audience is 33. However, our audience is younger in Africa and older in the US and UK.
We have a growing online and social media presence (5.4 million fans on Facebook, where female engagement is 53% female and 46% male) and BBC World Service podcasts do very well - in July, nearly 23 million people downloaded our content.
Whilst the BBC World Service’s schedule can be flexible to adapt to breaking news – terrorist attacks, Turkey Coup attempt, or the death of significant individuals - we ensure there’s a broad range of topics and styles on the Network and, increasingly, we want to take people on a journey that offers much more in terms of a portrait of the world and how we live.
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BBC World Service core values are:
• Accuracy, independence and impartiality in delivering news and analysis
• World class storytelling
• Respect for all communities and viewpoints to create trust
• Global in attitude, reach and contributors
Current Positioning:
Currently there is a lack of clarity about our on-air sound. We’ve had branding music in place but, over time, this has slowly been removed or replaced. Some programmes have introduced their own branding often using library music. As more than 50% of our audience consumes us via partner stations, the BBC World Service is both a network and content provider and programmes can sit on an FM, mostly music, station in Africa and on a speech station in the US on Public Radio.
Our latest research shows that BBC World Service’s audiences seek to understand the world and make sense of international trends within their own personal context. The audience’s relationship with the news media is evolving and moving away from a relationship based on deferential trust and facts towards one that is based on narrative, participation, passion and opinion. Audiences are looking for relevance and a recognisably human connection with their news provider, which we are calling the ‘shared experience’ model of building trust. This is being done through the BBC World Service 2020 expansion of programming. We would like to tell stories that are more human and bold and create a space where stories, opinions, ideas and approaches can be shared and explored. Given the global nature of our audience, and that listeners may or may not have English as a first language, clarity is another important network quality.
BBC World Service clock
In order for our many Partner stations around the world to opt in and out, The BBC World Service follows a strict clock. There’s a full breakdown of the clock at the end of this document – you need to listen to the BBC World Service to get a feel for how it works.
Elements of the clock are:
1’ opening/point forward (billboard) 5’ News 23” programme or part one (if an hour long programme) 1’ promotion 30” opening/point forward (billboard) 26’30” programme or part two (if an hour long programme) 30” promotion 24” pre-top of the hour sequence (prelude)
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Brief:
The BBC World Service would like to commission a contemporary, distinctive, fresh and high quality network-wide imaging package that reflects the ‘rich mix’ of news, business, documentaries, arts, music and sport which form the schedule. This package will all be original with no elements from the existing package.
As more of our content will be consumed as podcasts, either on-demand or serendipitously, the relationship with the BBC World Service will become more personal.
We want an ambitious and attention-grabbing sound that can reflect the direction of the BBC World Service in 2018 and beyond, whether you are listening on Digital Radio in the UK, an FM partner in Kenya or on WNYC in the United States. We want a sound that reflects the diversity, the warmth and intelligent personality of our output. This isn’t about grand sweeping fanfares and long sigs, we want music to talk over, around and up to, however the station is consumed, whether online, download, FM or on shortwave.
The music should be distinctive given the growth of partner distribution and our lack of ability to control the branding and messaging on partner stations. Much of our branding is lost when we syndicate our content and this is an opportunity to introduce the BBC World Service brand into the overall sound.
Additionally, the station branding will need to link, organically, all of the programmes through a theme or motif to create an identity for the station. The music does not have to be the same across all programmes or genres of programming, but all suggestions are welcome.
We are looking for an instrumental (and real instruments) package only, not a sung logo.
The package will consist of:
Prelude – the run up to the top of the hour/pips Business Matters Newsday Business Daily World Update OS Weekend (Weekend Breakfast programme) Focus on Africa World Book Club 10 x idents Tech Tent Weekend Sportsworld 10 x 59” menu music
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Sonic logo
Whist for many radio stations – R2, 5Live, LBC and Classic FM – a strong sonic logo is essential and works; we are not necessary looking for one. We are open to ideas but not wedded to the concept. We have the GTS (pips) and, around the world, they are a sonic logo.
Prelude
The prelude is the most important part of this package - pre-top of the hour sequence. In remote parts of the world, people often make a conscious effort to listen to the news and the prelude runs under the GTS (Pips) so this needs to stand out be warm and welcoming.
Imaging required is as follows:
1 x 28” main prelude theme 1 x 28” neutral version – breaking news
Newsday
Newsday is the BBC World Service breakfast programme - Each weekday, the programme brings you comprehensive live news, business and sport from around the world – it’s conversational and less formal in tone. There are two editions (0200 – 0500 and 0500 – 0830 GMT). Both will use the same theme.
Imaging required for Newsday is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 2 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 2 x prefade/end of programme music. 1 x 29” billboard theme Various stings
Business Matters
Business Matters is a Tuesday to Saturday (0000 – 0100 GMT) programme offering global business news, with live guests and it brings together contributors from Asia and the USA.
Imaging required for Business Matters is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 2 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 2 x prefade/end of programme music. 1 x 29” billboard theme Various stings
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Business Daily
Business daily is a weekday take on the drama of money and work – it runs from 0830 – 0850 GMT Monday to Friday and gets behind the big business news headlines, it brings you the daily drama of money and work from across the BBC.
Imaging required for Business Daily is as follows:
1 x 29” billboard theme 1 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. Various stings
World Update
Running from 0900 – 1000 GMT Monday to Friday, World Update is an hour long news programme aimed at the East Coast of the USA offering a digest of news and features News and issues making the headlines
Imaging required for World Update is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 2 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. 1 x 29” billboard theme Various stings
Focus on Africa
Focus on Africa is a ‘drive-time’ programme covering the biggest African and international stories. There are thee editions per day (Monday to Friday) and one per day on Saturday and Sunday with reports and analysis of the day's political, economic and sports news from across Africa.
Imaging required for Focus on Africa is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 2 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. 1 x 29” billboard theme Various stings
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OS
OS runs from 1500 – 1700 GMT, Monday to Friday, offering a vibrant account of the day's events with explanation and reaction from those involved – all live from the floor of the New Broadcasting House newsroom.
Imaging required for OS is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 2 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. 1 x 29” billboard theme Various stings
Weekend
Weekend is the BBC World Service weekend breakfast programme which runs from 0600 - 0830 GMT. It has a different feel and sound to Newsday; offering a review of the week with the latest news. With two guests, from around the world, who are there for the entire programme.
Imaging required for Weekend is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 2 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. 1 x 29” billboard theme Various stings
Tech Tent
Is a weekly look at the latest stories in the tech world running from 1400 – 1430 GMT - from Google to gaming, every Friday, Rory Cellan-Jones brings together all the latest stories from the world of technology.
Imaging required for Tech Tent is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 1 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. Various stings
News specials
Throughout the year we mount special news programmes – such as the US Elections and UK Referendum –and we’d like music to use during these programmes.
Imaging required for News Specials is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 1 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. Various stings
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World Book Club
World Book Club is a monthly programme where the world's great authors discuss their best-known novel and take questions from the audience; the list of authors includes: John Grisham, Günter Grass, Michael Ondaatji, Annie Proulx, Robert Harris, DBC Pierre, Marian Keys, Maya Angelo and Lionel Shriver.
Imaging required for World Book Club is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 1 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music.
Sportsworld
Sportsworld runs for three hours every Saturday and Sunday live sport from around the world with news, interviews and analysis. During the football season, live football commentary from the EPL, FA Cup and Champions’ League Final.
Imaging required for Sportsworld is as follows:
1 x 59” billboard theme 2 x opening music and Resolving stings/tags 1 x prefade/end of programme music. Various stings
Menu music
Throughout the day, we run various menus informing the audience what they can hear and we want menu beds to enhance the output
Imaging required for menu music is as follows:
10 x 59” 10 x 54” cut down of 10 x 59”the above. 10 x 29” cut down of 10 x 59”the above.
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Cost and Rights
The imaging package will be purchased on an ‘all rights’ basis – allowing BBC World Service to fully own the package in perpetuity and exclusively. The composer will retain their composer rights and BBC Worldwide, on behalf of the BBC, will take its full available share of publishing rights (i.e. Rights split 50% to Composer: 50% to BBCW).
We see this as part of an on-going body of work and, as programmes develop, new ones get introduced, over the next 12 – 18 months; we would like an additional refresh.
There is no payment for demo delivery but all rights to demo material remain with you and no material will be used by the BBC unless commissioned. Please ensure your work doesn’t contain any samples and is all original composition.
How to Bid
To be considered for this project, please compile a demo on audio CD or mp3 of the following:
Prelude Newsday World Update
Please also provide any relevant information about your company, and examples of any previous commissions which you think will help in our selection.
Pointers
We really want you to listen to the BBC World Service to get a feel for station. The overall sound should reflect the ‘rich mix’ of the BBC World Service output. We are looking for a very a distinctive but familiar sound that reflects the diverse output.
Selection Criteria
We will make our decision based on the following:
The material submitted in the demo Your company’s ability to deliver the aims we are trying to achieve Your company’s ability to deliver high-quality music
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We are looking for:
Richly produced, quality audio that is contemporary but remains culturally neutral Your company’s track record in delivering the above and ability to provide updates as required Your company’s ability to deliver the audio in separate parts, as well as mixdowns Your company’s capacity to manage this contract logistically Your company’s ability to provide a cost-effective solution
Timetable
Pitch and demo deadline – 2 November 2017
It would be helpful if you could send notification of your intention to pitch in advance to paul.blythe@bbc.co.uk
Please send your demos to:
Paul Blythe
BBC World Service
Zone D NBH
London
W1A 1AA [email protected]
Conflicts of Interest
Your attention is drawn to the BBC’s Conflict of Interest Guidelines available to view online at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/page/guidelines-conflict-ofinterest- introduction
Particular attention is drawn to the fact that, in certain circumstances, where family or close personal contacts work for organisations with which the BBC conducts business, it is important that any such relationships are disclosed in advance so as to protect the BBC’s reputations for impartiality, integrity and objectivity in its commercial dealings. Please read those guidelines carefully and provide details of any personal contacts or family relationships you have within the BBC or BBC Worldwide Ltd.
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BBC World Service ‘Clocked Hour’
Time: 00:00 The standard hour starts with a 1 minute opening (we Item: Top Billboard call these billboard) which forward trails to what Slot Duration: 01’00” follows, on the network, after the 5 minute news Audio Duration: 00’59”
Time: 01:00 The news starts at 1 minute past and runs to 6 minutes Item: News Bulletin past. Slot Duration: 05’00”
Time: 06:00 From 06 - 29 past the hour is the programme (if it’s an Item: Programme Part 1 half hour long or part 1 if it’s an hour long). Slot Duration: 23’00” Audio Duration: 22’59”
Time: 29:00 There’s then a one minute promotion from 29 – 30 Item: Network Trail past. Slot Duration: 01’00” Audio Duration: 00’59”
Time: 30:00 That’s followed by a 29” billboard which either forward Item: Bottom Billboard promotes the next programme or part 2 (if it’s an hour Slot Duration: 00’30” long programme) Audio Duration: 00’29”
Time: 30:30 There’s then a 2 minute news summary Item: News Summary Slot Duration: 02’00”
Time: 32:30 At 32’32” programme or part two (if an hour long Item: Programme Part 2 programme) Slot Duration: 26’30” Audio Duration: 26’29”
Time: 59:00 The remaining minute of the hour is filled with a 29” Item: Network Trail promotion and Slot Duration: 00’30” Audio Duration: 00’29”
Time: 59:30 24” pre-top of the hour sequence (we call this the Item: Network Prelude prelude) the end tails under the GTS Slot Duration: 00’29” Audio Duration: 00’28”
+GTS at 59:55
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