BBC Trust Radio Indies Review - The RIG Response

Posted 25th August 2010

'Trust review brings progress, but not enough'

 RIG Statement on BBC Trust review of radio independent supply

 

Statement prepared by RIG working group:

Simon Cole, CEO UBC Media
Jez Nelson, CEO Somethin’ Else
Mark Goodier, Managing Director Wise Buddah
Phil Critchlow, Managing Director TBI Media, Vice Chair RIG

 

“The Radio Independents Group (RIG) welcomes the fact that the BBC Trust has undertaken a review of independent audio supply to the BBC. We are encouraged that the Trust recognises that, although programme supply to the BBC has been successful creatively, BBC radio’s engagement with the indie sector has not been wholly satisfactory.

 

We are however very disappointed by the scale of change proposed. Allowing for the BBC’s exemption on outsourcing news and current affairs the report makes less than one fifth of BBC radio programming available to independents. This policy is both inconsistent with the BBC’s approach to creative companies in TV and Online, and shows a lack of ambition.

 

We regard the tone of the Trust’ss report to be generally positive for independent radio producers. It recognises the role we play and that this report is the first step in a journey that will see indie producers becoming increasingly important to all BBC Radio networks. We welcome the introduction of a WOCC (Window Of Creative Competition) of 10% across all networks and are confident that, provided the appropriate commissioning structures are in place and monitored effectively, RIG members will compete effectively and win the majority of open tenders.

 

We are however very disappointed by the scale of change. We had proposed an increase in the quota (currently around 8.4% in real terms) to a statutory 25% and the introduction of a 25% WOCC. This would have been consistent with TV commissioning which works well for the benefit of license fee payers. RIG has received support for this position from many policymakers and, alongside assisting the successful implementation of the BBC Trust’s recommendations; we will continue to campaign for an improved position.

 

The Trust states that radio audiences register high levels of appreciation and increasing the indie quota risks adversely affecting this. We believe this is short sighted, complacent and contradictory to some of the Trust’s own recent network reviews. To quote one example, the Trust’s recent review of BBC Radio 2 stated that there was a lack of innovation in daytime urging the network to ”…take more creative risks and be more distinctive”. Furthermore radio independents consistently punch above their weight in the number of Sony Awards they win each year – landing a disproportionately large percentage of the industry standard awards. We therefore refute the idea that an increase in indie production would put audience appreciation at risk.

 

We believe that maintaining the status quo offers a greater risk. Any organisation wishing to equip itself for future challenges would seek to move forward, rather than protect it’s current position – the licence fee payer would expect no less.

In terms of implementing the Trust’s recommendations key issues include defining the mix of programming open to independent production, the monetary value of those programmes in relation to in house productions and ensuring the WOCC operates in equal parts across all networks; and crucially how it is implemented, operated and monitored. Clearly we will look to the BBC Trust to offer regular reviews and input during the process of implementing their recommendations “

 

DOWNLOAD THE FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

 

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BBC Trust Radio Indies Review

Posted 25th August 2010

The BBC Trust published its "Review of Radio Independent Supply" this morning.  Headline is that they are requiring BBC Radio to extend the 10% "Window of Creative Competition" (currently Radio 4 only, and voluntary) across all networks, and they're critical of some aspects of the way the BBC manages its relationship with us.

You can see the major documents -- their recommendations, RIG's submission, BBC Radio's submission and the independent consultant's report -- on the BBC Trust website

You can see first news reports on the Broadcast  [subscribers] and Guardian websites.

Obviously this is well short of what we sought but it's a step in the right direction, we would have had nothing if we hadn't mounted a strong campaign, and we won't be letting up the pressure, on the Trust, the BBC or the politicians, in the months to come.

Many thanks to all in RIG who have contributed to this, particularly Phil Critchlow, Jez Nelson, Mark Goodier, Simon Cole and of course our consultant Tim Wilson.

 

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Diversity Event at the Radio Festival -- can you take part?

Posted 9th August 2010

As a RIG member you probably know about the Radio Industry Diversity Group [RIDG] and you may well have been at the very successful day in January last year when a lot of indies met up with over 100 black and minority ethnic professionals working in broadcasting, to exchange ideas and information and discuss opportunities in indie radio production.

 

Well the RIDG is planning two more events on the same lines.  One will be next spring in the London area, and we'll come back to you about that later this year.

 

The first one will take place during the Radio Festival in Salford on the afternoon of Wednesday October 20th.  So can you let us know as soon as possible if your company would like to take part in that session, and if so what can you realistically offer in terms of work placements or idea development or .... anything else that might help these talented professionals progress in radio?  You will not be meeting students or wannabes.  All those you meet will be either already working in the industry or well qualified to enter.

 

You don't need to be attending the whole Radio Festival, and there will be no charge simply to take part in this afternoon event.

 

There will be about 35 senior programme, sales, marketing and management executives there, including Tim Davie and a team from the BBC and chief executives from commercial radio -- plus about 6 or 7 indies.   So we expect competition for our half-dozen slots; and if they are over-subscribed preference will go to (a) companies based in the north of the UK and (b) companies that can offer tangible opportunities to the new talent, not just a friendly chat.

 

And once again, it may be the holiday season, but please let us know ASAP!

 

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RIG Quota Campaign Featured In National Press

Posted 10th July 2010

Mark Goodier, CEO of Wise Buddah, has got a piece in the Independent which you can see online here    It's in the context of the decision to reprieve 6Music and sets out our whole case for opening up much more of BBC Radio's output to indie production.

Similarly Simon Cole, CEO of UBC Media, has got a piece in Broadcast today (also online but only to subscribers).  It's the "In My View" column and it too sets out our case very convincingly.

Thanks to both and also to Tim Wilson, Phil Critchlow and Jez Nelson -- both articles have come about through the efforts of our Working Group that they comprise.

 

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RIG Members Win at Sandford St Martin Radio Awards

Posted 25th May 2010

The Radio independents Group congratulates its member companies Ladbroke Productions and Loftus Audio who both won at the 2010 Sandford St Martin Trust Awards for Religious Broadcasting. On 25th May the Rt Revd Nick Baines presented 5 awards at Lambeth Palace.  Rabbi Roderick Young, chair of the judging panel, announced the winners:

 

 

 

JOINT MERIT AWARD

Something Understood: Hospitality (Loftus Audio)
Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche Community for adults with learning disabilities, talks to Mark Tully about the spiritual meaning of hospitality.

 

 

PREMIER RADIO AWARD

Twin Sisters: Two Faiths (Ladbroke Productions)
Over a year Anna Scott-Brown explored the relationship and beliefs of twin sisters brought up in an agnostic home who both became Christians at school.  One rejected this belief but subsequently became a Muslim.  During the year their agnostic mother, who has terminal cancer, finds a faith in God despite having declared she considered death-bed conversions a ‘cop-out’.

 

Congratulations to all those who were nominated and all the winners.

 

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RIG puts case to BBC Trust on BBC Radio Commissioning

Posted 13th May 2010

The Radio independents Group today formally submitted its proposals to the BBC Trust’s current Review of Radio Network Supply. RIG’s submission lays out the case to the BBC Trust for sustaining and increasing the BBC’s already fruitful relationship with the independent radio and audio production sector.

RIG Chair Mike Hally said, “Programmes from ‘Fighting Talk’ through the ‘Radio 2 Folk Awards’ to ‘Gardener’s Question Time’ demonstrate how indie productions successfully fit into and boost the BBC‘s schedules. We would like the Trust to work with the BBC to ensure the licence fee payer has access to the full extent of creativity and talent available in our sector”.

 

You can read the full PRESS RELEASE by CLICKING HERE

 

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Radio Indies Success at 2010 Sony Radio Academy Awards

Posted 12th May 2010

Once again congratulations to all those indies who saw their nominations turned to gold, silver or bronze at this year's Sony Radio Academy Awards 2010.  Another fine showing and the successful companies (most of them RIG members) were:

Gold:
TBI Media with Absolute Radio, Absolute Blur - Best Live Event Coverage
White Pebble Media with Ten Alps Radio, Elvis By Bono - Best Music Special
Brook Lapping Productions, Archive on 4: Working for Margaret - Best Feature
Ora et Labora, Dermot O'Leary Show - Best Music Programme
Silver:
Document Productions, Angel of Harlem: The Billie Holiday Story - Best Music Special

Bronzes:
Smooth Operations [Productions], Radcliffe & Maconie Show - Best Music Programme
Wise Buddah Creative, Huey Morgan - Music Broadcaster of the Year
Ten Alps Radio, the Woodstock 40th Anniversary - Best Music Special
Loftus Audio, Now Wash Your Hands - Best Feature

Congratulations to all the winners, and everyone who was nominated.

 

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Liberal Democrats call for BBC to commission more indie production

Posted February 2010

The Radio Independents Group (RIG) has welcomed the publication of the Liberal Democrats’ new proposals for the arts and creative industries, which include measures designed to provide a boost to the independent radio production sector. 

‘The Power of Creativity’ published in February 2010, sets out the Liberal Democrat’s policies for ‘raising the status of arts and creativity’. Its many proposals include challenging the BBC to commission the best radio content from wherever it is available, by introducing a requirement for the BBC to introduce a Window of Creative Competition (WoCC) for radio network commissioning.  This would be underpinned by a substantial guaranteed indie radio production quota. 

So far the independent radio sector has been restricted by the small voluntary quota set by the BBC, which equates to around 10% of what the BBC terms are ‘qualifying’ network hours and significantly less in terms of spend. This is despite indie radio productions and producers winning around a third of eligible Sony Gold awards (the industry’s ‘Oscars’) over the last three years. 

The Liberal Democrat proposal would put BBC indie radio commissioning on a par with the current structure for television. The 25% TV WoCC allows producers to compete for commissions on a level playing field with in-house producers. In its first two years of operation around 75% of commissions were won by indies.

Mike Hally, RIG Chair, said: “RIG has been working hard to convince all political parties that the sector has both the capacity and the cost-effectiveness to play a much bigger part in producing BBC audio content.  We are extremely pleased that the Liberal Democrats have recognised this and been the first to propose such measures. We hope all other parties will follow to allow the sector to grow.”

He added: “Were this proposed policy to be introduced, we would see producers from a range of backgrounds starting up new companies, and greater opportunity for established indies.  That would be a great boost for an important UK creative sector, and provide the licence fee payer with still more innovative and high-quality audio content from around the UK.”