RADIO COMMISSIONING FRAMEWORK
Commissioning Brief
Commissioning Brief No: 107001
Production of BBC Radio 5 Live’s new ‘Sport Entertainment’ podcast for BBC Sounds
CONTENTS SECTION A: EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITY...... 3
SECTION B: THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS ...... 8 1. TIMETABLE ...... 8 2. THE FIVE STAGES ...... 9 3. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ...... 11
SECTION C: FULL PROPOSALS ...... 12 1. WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU ...... 12 2. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM US ...... 13 3. IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE ...... 14
SECTION D: KEY CONTRACT TERMS…………………………………………………………………………15
2 of 15 SECTION A: EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITY
Commissioning Brief 107001 Sports Entertainment Podcast Commission contact Richard Maddock
Duration Average 30-60 minutes per episode
Number of programmes available Minimum initial run of 15 eps with option to extend.
Transmission period Starting early 2020
Guide price per episode £2k - £5k per
Commissioning Year 2019/2020
Commissioning Round Sports Entertainment Podcast
All proposals must be submitted via Proteus. Please make your short proposal is no more than 250 words.
Important Notes: Short Proposals must be submitted via Proteus before the deadline at noon on Tuesday Dec 31st. The answer to Part 1 should be no longer than 250 words per question. All answers should be entered into the ‘Add/Edit Notes Here’ section in Proteus. Note - the question in this brief may differ from those used in other 5 Live commissioning briefs. The suppliers that perform best in the short proposal stage (by best demonstrating their experience in podcast production and revealing their creative plan) will then have their Full Proposal assessed. This should be no longer than 3 sides of A4. It should be entered into the ‘full synopsis’ section of the Proteus submission form.
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.
3 of 15 BBC Sounds
BBC Sounds is the new digital platform from the BBC that has something for everyone: brand new music mixes – curated by some of the biggest names in the industry – new and exclusive podcasts, live and on-demand radio, plus endless hours from the archive.
The BBC Sounds app makes recommendations based on your listening habits, so the more you listen the more you’ll discover. You’ll find collections of funny things, suspenseful stories, and curiosities, alongside music mixes to soundtrack your day.
You can subscribe to shows to build your own feed in My Sounds, and you can download your favourites to listen offline and on the go. BBC Sounds is available for free from Apple, Google Play, Amazon and online at bbc.co.uk/sounds.
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the home of news, conversation and the best live sport. On 5 Live we deliver informed, topical national debate to around 5 and a half million listeners every week. The station aims to set the national agenda on big news stories through the ownership of key issues and we put the audience at the heart of everything we do.
Broadcasting from our base outside London, we take our commitment to reflect how the whole of the UK really thinks and feels very seriously. Almost every week we are on location telling more stories from more places than any other broadcaster, capturing the widest range of voices and views. We also travel the world to give our listeners insight into life beyond our borders. A truly interactive station, we aim to pioneer innovative new ways of bringing our content to audiences, particularly those under the age of 45, in both linear and digital ways.
Sister station 5 Live Sports Extra is the BBC’s home of live sport. The station transmits on digital platforms only and broadcasts live sport commentary on an ad hoc basis. The station is well-known for its coverage of cricket (Test Match Special); Rugby League; Women’s Football and Formula 1, amongst many other sports.
Across both stations, our world-class sports coverage and commentary brings nation-uniting moments to life across many different sports. We can cover up to 50 different sports during the year but our priority is football. We broadcast over 100 commentaries from the Premier League each season in addition to commentaries from The Champions League and international games.
Podcast Strategy
5 Live has become one of the country’s leading production houses in the last few years. Our podcast strategy has seen download figures treble from around 30 million downloads a couple of years ago, to almost 100 million downloads of 5 Live titles in the last 12 months.
Our production slate stretches across several genres, from successful news titles like the award winning Brexitcast; smash hit sports titles like ‘That Peter Crouch
4 of 15 Podcast’, ‘Tailenders’ and ‘5 Live Football Daily’ and entertainment titles like ‘Elis James and John Robins’ and ‘Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review’. We have also seen success in the fields of investigation journalism and dramatic story telling.
Our podcast strategy is focussed on attracting under 35 year olds to become daily visitors to BBC Sounds, and is built around fulfilling 3 core needs:
Unwind: Young people are feeling the stress and pressure of the world and their lives and want content that will help them let off steam, pick them up or provide them with good company.
Stimulation & inspiration: Audiences are turning to on-demand speech to feel inspired, go deeper into their passions and understand themselves, their world and their place in it
Feel lost in a story: An escapist need to be engrossed in something: shutting off from the world and being lost in the drama of a story
5 Live podcasts offer an opportunity to attract new audiences to BBC Sounds or deepen the connection with existing listeners. Most titles are broadcast on linear 5 Live but are commissioned as ‘podcast first’ projects.
Tonally they should be raw, honest and personal and create a one-to-one connection with the listener. They should be authentic and relatable and designed to spark a conversation.
Podcasts are a platform to introduce new talent to the BBC but can also reveal previously unseen sides of big name celebrities. They offer the chance for presenters to delve into areas of personal interest and create new communities around shared passions. The central pillars of all great podcasts are a great story, and a great storyteller.
The Opportunity
Around 7 million people listen to podcasts each week with 3 million of them saying they listen to the ‘Sport’ based titles. To these listeners Sport is more than just a game. It has broader cultural relevance for younger audiences in particular. Sport is celebrity, fashion, social capital. Sport is empowering and can be a force for good and identity forming.
But Sport is not just for the die-hard season ticket holder. It plays a role in everyone’s life from fair-weather fans to early morning joggers. It is much more than a game. Sport teaches us about how the world does and doesn’t work; it makes us laugh, cry, sit on the edge of our seat or relax and it defines who we are or provides a distraction from everyday life.
We are looking to commission a new podcast series that fits within our ‘Sports Entertainment’ genre. Previous 5 Live titles within this field that have been very successfully include the likes of Flintoff, Savage & The Ping Pong Guy; Tailenders and That Peter Crouch Podcast (that currently does around 500k downloads per episode).
5 of 15 Sport Entertainment podcasts offer more than just sporting debate and discussion. They take the listener behind the scenes, into the dressing room, on to the team bus etc. These podcasts are generally talent-led and reflect the ‘Unwind’ need state mentioned above. They are entertaining in their nature with a large degree of humour, but can also be brutally honest and emotional.
We are looking for next smash hit series to add to BBC’s Sounds’ already impressive slate in this genre. The commission will initially be for a shorter series (approx. 15 episodes) but maybe extended to more episodes depending on early signs of success.
We’re particularly interested in hearing ideas led by recognisable talent who maybe aren’t currently visible within the existing podcast market. It might be a big name sports personality at the heart of it, or alternatively a big name from the world of entertainment. We’re looking for a format or approach that will be entertaining, edgy and create a real habit-forming relationship with the listener. The proposal should provide an element of escapism for the audience, make them feel like they are being invited behind the scenes and involved in conversations that feel very personal and authentic.
The range in guide price (£2k - £5k per ep) reflects the variation in number of hosts, level of talent, production requirement and the scale and ambition of the idea. This is a guide price only with some flexibility; however, value for money will also be a consideration. Funding for a pilot will be considered and it is expected that the podcast will be played out on linear 5 Live.
Your proposal should address the following topics:
Detailed knowledge of podcast production: You’ll need to demonstrate a track record in delivering podcasts with particular emphasis on entertainment and/or comedy. Your creative plan for the podcast: You’ll be expected to demonstrate how your proposal fits within the BBC Sounds podcast strategy and how it will meet the needs of the target audience (under 35s). How will your idea stand out in over-crowded market and what makes the format/structure different to other sports entertainment podcasts. Talent: Your talent suggestion should be ambitious, but also genuine and not just speculative. There should have been some level of discussion with the proposed talent and an expression of interest from them prior to any submission. Please do not just suggest a name without any proof of interest. Also, how will you develop and manage the talent? Digital plan: You should explain your plan to engage with the target audience via social media and interactive content. Value for money – What is your estimated price per episode and how does your budget breakdown. BBC Standards and values – You’ll need to demonstrate an understanding of our expectations at the BBC – including a thorough understanding of the BBC editorial guidelines and health & safety procedures.
6 of 15 Deliverables
A series of podcasts between 30-60 mins. Release schedule will be discussed with successful producer, but options may include a box-set release or a weekly release depending on format. Social media assets and audio/visual clips as per the Network’s strategy, as and when required.
Applications should be submitted into the “Sports Entertainment” brief in commissioning year 2019/2010 for the 5 Live Podcast network in Proteus.
THE EVALUATION TEAM The following people will be involved in the evaluation of your proposal at various stages: Commissioning Editor: Richard Maddock Digital Editor: Will Cooper Digital Producers: Natasha Johansson & Alex Entwistle Business Affairs Manager: Simon Ashwood
Subject matter experts (e.g. production experts, network management, finance, etc.) may also be consulted. See Section B for information on the commissioning process, timetable and assessment criteria.
Additional information / delivery requirements: The ‘Guide Price’ must cover all aspects of the production including presenter fees. The contract will be offered as a “fixed price” deal and the BBC will assume that any elements included in proposals can be successfully delivered within the guide price given. Production teams will be expected to adhere to all relevant editorial and copyright guidelines in place; and deliver all necessary production related paperwork in a timely fashion – e.g. Compliance Forms, Music Reporting Forms etc. The podcast will be broadcast on 5 Live.
7 of 15 SECTION B: THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS
1. TIMETABLE The commissioning process consists of five stages, as set out in the timetable below:
Stage Timings (all midday) Activities Launch Wednesday Dec Publication of commissioning brief documentation 4th 2019 and round opens in Proteus.
1. Eligibility, Tuesday Dec 31st Deadline for submission, via Proteus, of Short Short Proposal 2019 Proposal and Eligibility Questionnaire responses and initial shortlisting Wednesday 8th Producers shortlisted notified of outcomes and Jan 2020 asked to prepare a Full Proposal.
2. Full Proposal Thur Jan 9th – Fri Opportunity to discuss programme brief with Jan 31st 2020 Commissioning Editor prior to submitting Full Proposal. .
Wed 5th Feb 2020 Deadline for Full Proposal to be submitted via Proteus. Evaluation team shortlists Full Proposals.
Wed 12th Feb 2020 Successful producers invited for interview/pitch.
3. Interview/ Pitch w/c Feb 24th 2020 Interview/ Face to face pitches with shortlisted producers.
th 4. Conditional Fri Feb 28 2020 Commission award decision made, commissioning Commission specification completed and contract issued. offered nd w/c March 2 Agreement of all programme related deliverables 2020 and technical specifications (for further information on 5 live requirements, please see the BBC’s commissioning website). Full contract signed.
th 5. Feedback Fri March 13 Deadline by which shortlisted producers may 2020 request feedback.
We will assess your proposal according to this timetable. Late submissions cannot be accepted.
If you have any questions about this commissioning brief that need answering before you submit your Short Proposal, please ensure you email them to [email protected] by Tue Dec 31st at the latest.
1. THE FIVE STAGES
STAGE 1: SHORT PROPOSAL AND INITIAL SHORTLISTING
Your Short Proposal should be no more than 250 words 1 and summarise your specific ideas for this programme according to the topics on page 5. It should demonstrate your ability to produce the podcast, set out your editorial ambitions and address the requirements set out in Section A of this brief.
You will be notified of the outcome of Stage 1. Shortlisted suppliers will be asked to make a Full Proposal. No feedback will be provided for unsuccessful proposals at this stage.
STAGE 2: FULL PROPOSAL
Step 1 Producers proceeding to this stage will be invited to provide a Full Proposal, via Proteus, responding to this commissioning brief, which includes all the elements outlined in Section C paragraph 1 (“Full Proposal”). For guidance, your Full Proposal should not exceed four sides of A4 when printed using Arial font, size 11.
Step 2 Producers will be offered the opportunity to discuss the programme brief with the commissioning editor prior to submitting their full proposal.
STAGE 3: INTERVIEW / PITCH
Step 1 You may be invited to an interview/pitch meeting with the evaluation team. We will notify you which members of the evaluation team will be attending this meeting and you should expect to be asked to discuss and elaborate on your proposal, and answer questions about it. It is also possible we may ask you to bring additional relevant material to this meeting – for example, a sample feature.
Step 2 Following the interview/pitch, the evaluation team will re-evaluate your Full Proposal against the assessment criteria in Section B3, taking into account the responses given during the pitch, and any additional material requested. The evaluation team may then decide to award the contract to the producer(s) which best meets the assessment criteria; Note: At any stage of the process, we may need to come back to you to seek clarification. Your answers will be factored into the evaluation process as appropriate.
Step 3 Or we may decide to hold second interviews, for example, in the event where we need more information to be able to differentiate between proposals.
1 Please note, only the first 250 words of your Short Proposal will be read.
9 of 15 STAGE 4: CONTRACT SIGNED
STAGE 5: FEEDBACK If you’re unsuccessful after attending an interview / pitch meeting, you may request feedback. Once notified you have two weeks to request feedback. Requests for feedback should be made to Richard Maddock. Feedback will be provided within two weeks of receiving the request.
10 of 15 2. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA We will assess your Full Proposal and pitch according to the main criteria below. More details on how we will make our assessment will be given to all those shortlisted at the same time as they are invited to submit a Full Proposal.
Assessment Criteria Weighting
Detailed knowledge of podcast production 15% To include indicative elements such as: Knowledge of producing podcasts Knowledge of producing entertainment / comedy / sport programmes .
Your creative plan for the podcast 60% To include indicative elements such as: Creative vision for the podcast Originality of format/structure Talent suggestion / feasibility / management Target audience appeal
Digital plan 15% To include indicative elements such as: Social media elements Digital interactivity
Value for Money 10% To include indicative elements such as: Price per episode Financial plan
11 of 15 SECTION C: FULL PROPOSALS
1. WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU Your Full Proposal must be entered into the main ‘Synopsis’ section in Proteus by noon on Wednesday Feb 5th 2020 - late submissions cannot be accepted. It should adopt the structure below and, should not in total exceed four sides of A4 when printed using Arial font, size 11.
Part 1 – Your detailed Full Proposal, showing your response to the BBC’s requirements outlined in Section A of this commissioning brief.
Part 2 – A section containing the following information: (i) The name and contact details of your nominated representative (a single point of contact within your organisation who will be responsible for all communication related to the commissioning brief). (ii) The planned location for the production team who will produce the podcast should you be successful. (iii) Evidence that you have the skills to deliver, or the ability to acquire the skills to deliver, the production of the podcast in line with this commissioning brief. (iv) Details of third party suppliers. You may want to work in partnership with third parties to deliver the brief. If so, you should include: o responses on behalf of each partner o details of the responsibilities of each partner o an outline of the main personnel who will be responsible for the production and delivery of the programme o an explanation of how working in partnership would be successfully achieved, including a proposed legal structure (e.g. one lead contractor and sub-contractors). (v) Details of your proposed total episode cost, broken down by price to BBC Public Service and any other funding sources. As part of our strategic priorities the BBC is making a commitment to the real living wage (as described by the Living Wage Foundation – see livingwage.org.uk). The per episode cost of the podcast should be budgeted to account for the real living wage and the Full Proposal should include details of how compliance with the real living wage will be achieved.
Appendix A – Confirmation of acceptance of the BBC’s key contract terms (see Section D).
Appendix B – Risk management. You should identify specific risks e.g. production risk, business continuity etc.; and the processes or systems that will be put in place to manage these. If applicable, you should also include a detailed transition plan and an explanation of how you will manage the transition from the current production of the programme, with minimum disruption.
12 of 15 Please note, the contract will be offered as a “fixed price” deal, with you being responsible for any overspend and entitled to keep any underspend. Whilst you are welcome to include proposals to deliver levels of content over and above that set out as required in Section A, this will need to be funded from within the published guide price. If you have any questions regarding the submission of your Full Proposal, please ensure you email them to Richard Maddock by Friday Jan 31st 2020 at the latest.
2. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM US
NOMINATED REPRESENTATIVE The BBC’s nominated representative for this commissioning brief is Richard Maddock. No individual other than the BBC’s nominated representative (or his delegates as advised by the BBC) is authorised to discuss the contents or the substance of this commissioning brief with you. We’ll let you know of any change or addition to the BBC’s nominated representatives.
RESPONSES TO YOUR QUESTIONS In the interest of fair competition, where we feel it’s appropriate, anonymised questions and responses will be circulated to all producers.
COPYRIGHT The BBC is a signatory to, and will abide by the principles of the APC Code.
CONFIDENTIALITY Subject to Section 2, paragraph 5 (Freedom of Information Act), the BBC will keep confidential all commercially sensitive information included in responses to this commissioning brief and will only use this information for the purposes of evaluating the Full Proposal, provided that you have identified the confidential nature of any such information in your response documents.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT As a public authority, the BBC is required to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”), which came into force on 1 January 2005. The FOIA is intended to deliver greater accountability for decisions and spending across the whole of the public sector. It requires public authorities to strike a balance between achieving transparency and protecting genuinely confidential or commercially sensitive information. You should be aware that, under an FOIA request, the BBC may be required to disclose information contained within the Full Proposal or future contractual information. Following a request, the BBC may take the views of organisations submitting proposals into account when deciding what information will be disclosed. For more information on the Freedom of Information Act see bbc.co.uk/foi.
13 of 15 COSTS As outlined in Section D, paragraph 6 below, you submit responses to this commissioning brief and take part in this process at your own cost.
A FIXED PRICE DEAL The contract will be offered as a “fixed price” deal; with you being responsible for any overspend and entitled to keep any underspend.
CONTRACT DURATION
The contract will be for an agreed number of initial episodes. We may extend the number of episodes subject to agreement although the budget may be adjusted to reflect the station’s priorities. We reserve the right to vary the start date of the contract as may be required to take into account the successful producer’s transition plan and any related issues identified. In assessing the proposed transition plan, the BBC’s relationship with the audience will be paramount.
3. IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the following instructions.
Proposals not complying with these instructions may be rejected by the Commissioner whose decision in this matter will be final.
All Full Proposals should be submitted using Proteus by noon on Wed Feb 5th 2020 2019. It should not in total exceed four sides of A4 when printed using Arial font, size 11. We strongly advise you to submit your final responses in good time to avoid the possibility of difficulties caused by unforeseen network or transmission problems. No late submissions will be accepted. If additional supporting material is requested prior to the pitching meeting, we will notify you of how and when to submit this in good time ahead of that meeting. This commissioning brief is not a contract. However, the information contained in this commissioning brief, together with your responses, will form the basis of the final contract between you and the BBC. The BBC reserves the right to exclude any producer that is found to either: a) have provided information which is untrue, or b) be in breach of any of the terms of the non-disclosure agreement.
IMPORTANT: Producers wishing to submit a proposal under this brief are not permitted to contact BBC production staff, seeking information about the programme, during the commissioning period without prior consent from the commissioner.
14 of 15 Producers are not permitted to contact on-air talent or their producers, unless shortlisted, and with prior approval of the commissioner. Any producer found to be in breach of this clause will be excluded from the commissioning process. The BBC may modify the commissioning brief (including the timetable as outlined in Section B.1) at any time prior to the submission deadline. Any such amendment will be notified in writing to all prospective producers. To allow time for such amendment to be taken into account, the BBC may, at its discretion, extend the deadline for receipt of submissions. 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. By submitting your proposal, you confirm acceptance of the key contract terms.
SECTION D: KEY CONTRACT TERMS
Unless based on a pre-existing BBC brand, the BBC’s approach to contracting podcasts commissioned against this brief is that the Supplier retains ownership over any new IP created. In the case of independent producers, The BBC requires an exclusive 10 year worldwide licence to make the content available in all media in connection with all BBC Public Services but excluding BBC television channels with the exclusive option to either recommission further series, transfer the content/format to BBC television channels (for an agreed fee) or commission derivate works based on the content. On confirmation of a commission, you will be contacted by a member of the Commercial, Rights & Business Affairs team to further liaise on the contract. Please only submit a proposal if you are happy with these contracting principles.
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