Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra 2017/18
Introduction ...... 2 Delivery ...... 2 Audio Delivery ...... 2 Internal suppliers...... 2 Indie suppliers ...... 2 Programme Durations ...... 3 Proteus ...... 3 Running Orders ...... 3 Programme Descriptions ...... 4 Compliance ...... 4 Compliance Form ...... 4 Referral ...... 5 Future Repeats ...... 5 Presentation & Promotions ...... 5 Press Information and On-Air Promotion: "Built" Trails ...... 5 Opening and Closing Announcements ...... 5 On-Air Credits ...... 6 Online Content...... 6 Contacts ...... 7
1 Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra v.6
Introduction The following information is provided to ensure that all programme makers are aware of our requirements. The document will be distributed as part of the transmission confirmation email for each conditionally commissioned programme.
- BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on DAB Radio, all Digital Television platforms and Online. - All our programmes are available through the BBC i-player. - Owing to shortage of space on the BBC National DAB multiplex we currently only broadcast in mono on DAB – however all programmes should be produced in stereo since all other platforms are stereo. - Our presentation links are pre-recorded, three weeks ahead of transmission. - Transmission playout is totally automated via the SCISYS system – there is no “continuity” which can intervene to “pull” a programme at short notice, or make special announcements. - Staff are not on duty at weekends or public holidays.
Delivery Due to the pre-recorded nature of the network, audio and all associated paperwork must be delivered 6 weeks ahead of TX.
Audio Delivery We will notify you of the required delivery date after confirmation of conditional commission and unless a change is mutually agreed and confirmed by us on email, this must be rigorously observed.
As BBC Radio 4 Extra is a pre-recorded network, programmes are delivered to dira! 6 weeks prior to transmission.
If you are unable to meet the delivery deadline please contact the Forward Planning Schedule Coordinator to arrange alternative dates. If your programme is of a topical nature, a late delivery deadline will be agreed at the point of scheduling.
Internal suppliers
Dira Highlander Until further notice the programmes should be delivered on WAV audio file direct to Highlander, into the ‘BBC7_normalise_in’ folder:
\\bbcmedrr006\VCS_Ingester$\BBC7\BBC7_normalise_in
Indie suppliers We only accept audio via MediaShuttle. You will need a MediaShuttle account to access the BBC's service. To request an account, please contact the Operations Schedule Manager (see Contacts), with the following details:
1. Company name 2. Key contact name 3. Key contact email address
2 Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra v.6
Once your account has been set up you will receive some e-mails from MediaShuttle with links by which you can choose your password and access the system. The MediaShuttle address is http://bbcradiodelivery.mediashuttle.com
MediaShuttle works in all web browsers but users of Chrome will need to install a plugin. There is an app for iOS. Programmes should be sent as wav or flac files. Notify Transmission Delivery (see contacts) that you have delivered the audio, otherwise it will be deleted automatically after 14 days.
The naming convention for WAV files is important. It should include the title, transmission date (ddmmyy) and Proteus programme number. It should not include any punctuation. Please refer to the following example:
A Programme 080917 PEA03004211.wav
Old style programme numbers (e.g. 16DA3524) can be entered into the core details of Proteus.
For Selections (3 hour commissions): Please send the programme in at least three sections of audio with natural breaks (these would normally occur after the back-anno of a programme within the commission). This will allow the Presentation team to insert idents and trails at the point of broadcast. There is no need for you to insert 4 Extra network idents in your audio. Please number each section chronologically.
Programme Durations Programmes should be delivered to the following durations, according to transmission slot. This should include all announcements and the natural fade-point of any closing sig. We do not encourage long periods of playout music, preferring to use spare airtime for station branding and promotion.
Slot Required Duration 15’ 14’ 00” 30’ 28’ 00” 45’ 43’ 00” 60’ 57’ 00” 180’ 177’00”
In the case of topical programmes where late delivery is specifically agreed, we will specify a precise, to-the-second delivered duration at the point of scheduling. Proteus It is the responsibility of production departments to ensure that their appropriate staff have access rights to Proteus and are trained to use it.
Running Orders We require that all details of new programmes commissioned for BBC Radio 4 Extra are entered into Proteus 6 weeks ahead of transmission, including: Contributors: e.g. actors, writers, interviewees Music reporting
Paperwork must be marked as complete and music must be reported in Proteus.
3 Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra v.6
For Selections (3 hour commissions): - As per commissioning guidelines, all programmes and clips contained within the Selection will need to have broadcast rights cleared and available for rebroadcast within 3 years of the first scheduled date on Radio 4 Extra. - For guidance on R4 Extra’s rights agreements and running orders, please contact R4 Extra Production Management. - Any programmes contained within the Selection must be entered before transmission, if not then there will be no record of the insert programme having been broadcast. - Running orders of programmes contained within the Selection must also be entered.
Programme Descriptions Short, medium and long descriptions must be entered in Proteus 6 weeks ahead of transmission. Ensure the descriptions are copied to the original template.
Please note, Radio 4 Extra does not have an automatic link to Ericsson. You must inform R4ExProgDets@bbc.co.uk of any amendments made to your programme descriptions. If you need to send an amendment, 3 weeks before transmission you must also email [email protected]
Radio 4 Extra is broadcast on multi-digital platforms and the station performs strongly on iPlayer Radio. In order to maximise information, please add your episode title into Proteus. The team at Radio 4 Extra will add brand and series titles and episode numbering. Compliance The compliance process is designed to ensure content that may pose a risk to the reputation of the BBC or that some listeners may find difficult or challenging is well-judged and broadcast in appropriate context and editorially justified. It upholds programme makers’ right to creative expression by ensuring it is exercised responsibly.
Your department must have the appropriate compliance permissions in Proteus. Supplier’s compliance forms should be signed off by both the Producer and Executive Producer/Editor.
Compliance Form Compliance forms should be completed with appropriate sign-off a minimum of 6 weeks prior to transmission. In the intervening period before transmission, please advise us if any content subsequently becomes unsuitable for broadcast due to topical events.
If your programme is repeated once within 24 hours of its origination, the narrative repeats must be approved in Proteus with a dual-sign off for each transmission slot. Therefore, completion and approval of compliance forms should be sensitive to time of day for each narrative repeat, taking account audience expectations for each slot; how they may be influenced by signposting such as an opening presentation announcement.
Compliance forms are intended to provide a record of editorial judgement – not an exhaustive, itemised list of content. E.g. for potentially offensive language, rather than a comprehensive listing of each and every word it is more useful that the form details the type and amount of language included, its context and editorial justification and a time code. However, it is helpful to have a complete list of all real people (apart from historic figures) who contribute to or are referenced in the programme.
4 Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra v.6
For Selections (3 hour commissions): Your compliance form must act as an umbrella to cover both presentation linking material and all embedded programmes.
Every compliance issue noted on the form must be prefaced as to whether it’s part of presentation or should state the name of the embedded programme alongside the issue in question.
Please add a time-code for each issue raised within the 3 hours – particularly real people and for sensitive/topical issues that could impact not just on the initial transmission but also on subsequent repeats. Think about the content in the programme that might become insensitive to repeat in the future if circumstances change (e.g. deaths of real people, tragic or other major news events).
Referral Any content concerns (e.g. strong language, portrayal, potentially humiliating or unduly cruel material, and imitative behaviour) should be discussed at the earliest opportunity, during the production process, with the Editor - Editorial Standards who will refer to the Controller as necessary.
Future Repeats All future repeats, beyond the initial narrative repeats, will be complied by Radio 4 Extra compliance producers. Presentation & Promotions
Press Information and On-Air Promotion: "Built" Trails Please contact Moy McGowan (Producer, Presentation) immediately prior to the programme being made, so that arrangements can be put in place for possible promotional material to be recorded.
Five weeks before transmission, programmes are selected as Press and On-Air Promotional Priorities for the whole network. If you have not submitted your programme and its descriptions in Proteus, it will not be selected for Radio 4 Extra trails or cross-trailing on Radio 4.
If your programme has been selected for on-air promotion, a member of the Radio 4 Extra Promotions Team will contact you. Please bear in mind that completed programmes with a complicated music mix under the speech are difficult to clip. In these circumstances, trails producers will often require an additional clean speech mix of your programme. As well as trailing your programme on BBC Radio 4 Extra, there may also be opportunities, where appropriate for promotion on:
- All BBC radio networks, particularly Radio 4 - Built or verbal TV slides on all BBC TV channels, including digital networks - Voiceovers over the TV credits where slides are not possible - bbc.co.uk home page - Relevant selected BBC websites where we can place banners (e.g. comedy / drama / entertainment sites) - Social media
Opening and Closing Announcements Please download and complete the presentation details template 6 weeks before transmission and forward it to [email protected] - if you need to send an amendment, 3 weeks before transmission you must also email [email protected]
5 Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra v.6
Announcements should be to the point – no longer than 20”, except when absolutely necessary (e.g., to include a serial recap) – and should act as a tease to the listener and not give away major plot points. BBC Radio 4 Extra Presenters will amend or cut back announcements if required. For further details, contact Moy McGowan.
On-Air Credits Contractual programme credits should be included within the recorded programme, so that no credits need to be voiced by BBC Radio 4 Extra presentation. Any pre-recorded announcements where possible should be mixed over music or sound effects, to ensure they sound like part of the programme, rather than BBC Radio 4 Extra continuity. Cast lists may be credited and must name character first and actor second. Credits for programmes within a series should include only actors appearing in that episode. Requests for any exceptions should go to Moy McGowan. Where original music has been used, the composer and performers may be credited. Authors, writers, adapters and dramatists should be credited.
For Selections (3 hour commissions): Your presenter effectively becomes the Continuity Announcer when introducing and back announcing the programmes. In the presenter’s intro they will obviously make clear the reason for the programme’s inclusion in the showcase and that will be part of the linking script. In order to avoid offence, archive programmes often require their original TX date to be supplied so that any outdated references or humour are given a context. If the credits of the individual programmes are not pre-recorded as part of the original programme, they should be given by the programme presenter
Online Content We strongly recommend that you provide cast photos or images to represent the programme. This will increase the likelihood of your programme being selected as a promotional priority on Radio 4 Extra’s homepage and newsletter.
Images must be copyright cleared for use by the BBC across all platforms in perpetuity. They should also be of high resolution and should work in both a landscape and square format (16:9 minimum size 1920x1080 pixels). Please send any suitable images 6 weeks ahead of TX to [email protected]
The digital team can also support you with image formatting (see Contacts).
6 Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra v.6
Contacts
Forward Planning Gavin Old – Schedule Coordinator [email protected] 0207 765 1547 (x51547)
Transmission Delivery Operations Schedule Manager – Christine Howard [email protected] 0207 765 2631 (x51584) Ben Spoor – Schedule Coordinator [email protected] 0207 765 1584 (x51584)
Proteus Support [email protected] 020 7765 5937 (x55937)
Compliance Forms Peter Reed – Producer Radio 4 Extra [email protected] 0207 765 5709 (x55709)
Editorial Standards Roger Mahony, Editor – Editorial Standards, R4 and R4Ex [email protected] 020 7765 5455 (x55455)
Presentation Moy McGowan – BBC Radio 4 and R4 Extra [email protected] 0207 765 0592 (x50952)
Planning and Scheduling Tony Pilgrim – Head of Planning and Scheduling [email protected]
Production Management Rachel Tappin – Business Manager, Radio 4 Extra [email protected]
Online [email protected]
7 Working with BBC Radio 4 Extra v.6