Emma Swain, Head of Knowledge Commissioning

• Emma is responsible for ensuring that all Knowledge content - television and online - supports and delivers the BBC Knowledge strategy, from landmark television series to web products and online programme support.
• The Knowledge genre covers arts, history, science, natural history, business, religion, documentaries, factual features, consumer journalism and current affairs.
• Emma is also responsible for commissioning all Learning content, on television and online, including BBC Bitesize, Blast and all Learning campaigns.
• Emma is a member of the Television Board.

Salary: £219,680
Total remuneration: £227,480

Last updated July 2011

Emma Swain was appointed Controller, Knowledge Commissioning in June 2011, after four months acting in the role.

She is responsible for devising and leading the Knowledge strategy across the breadth of factual programming, including arts, music, history, natural history, business, science, religion, consumer journalism and contemporary factual.

From February 2009, Emma was the Head of Knowledge TV Commissioning, overseeing the eight-strong team that commissions 1,600 hours of factual TV content from Vision Productions and the independent sector, developing supply strategies for both, overseeing the operation of the WOCC and managing the Discovery Joint Venture. In her new role she will retain responsibility for leading the commissioning teams as well as taking a strategic overview of Knowledge commissioning across all four channels.

Prior to her role as Head of Knowledge TV Commissioning, Emma was the Head of In-House Knowledge Commissioning, which involved leading the in-house commissioning team. During this time she also commissioned Documentaries and Natural History.

Before that Emma was acting Controller of Daytime and Early Peak and before that she was Head of Multimedia Knowledge Commissioning, and Deputy Controller, Knowledge.

She also spent a brief period in 2007 as acting Controller, BBC Three.

Her TV career includes years spent as a freelance director before moving to the BBC Science department – initially on a two week development contract in 1996.

Shortly after joining the BBC she was appointed Deputy Commissioner and then Commissioner for Specialist Factual in 2002, commissioning Science, History, Business, Religion and Natural History for BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four from in-house and independent suppliers.

Over the years, Emma has been responsible for commissioning a range of highly successful programmes including Don't Tell The Bride; Kill It Cook It Eat It; Big Cat Live; Jimmy's Farming Heroes; Lost Land Of The Jaguar; Comic Relief Does Kilimanjaro; Life, the sequel to Planet Earth; and Wounded.

Expenses are costs incurred by BBC staff on behalf of the BBC and claimed through the BBC's expenses system (e-expenses). Central bookings are costs incurred on behalf of the BBC and booked through the BBC's central bookings system. Both expenses and central bookings are published every three months.

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• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q2 2012-13
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q2 2012-13 PDF (10KB)
• Emma Swain's e-expenses Q1 2012-13 PDF (14KB)
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q1 2012-13 PDF (13KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q4 2011-12
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q4 2011-12 PDF (23KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q3 2011-12
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q3 2011-12 PDF (23KB)
• Emma Swain's e-expenses Q2 2011-12 PDF  (68KB)
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q2 2011-12 PDF (20KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q1 2011-12
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q1 2011-12 PDF (38KB)
• Emma Swain's e-expenses Q4 2010-11 PDF (41KB)
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q4 2010-11 PDF (48KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q3 2010-11
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q3 2010-11 PDF (54KB)
• Emma Swain's e-expenses Q2 2010-11 PDF (53KB)
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q2 2010-11 PDF (29KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q1 2010-11
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q1 2010-11 PDF (29KB)
• Emma Swain's expenses Q4 2009-10 PDF (62KB)
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q4 2009-10 PDF (32KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q3 2009-10
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q3 2009-10 PDF (38KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q2 2009-10
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q2 2009-10 PDF (56KB)
• Emma Swain had no e-expenses paid in Q1 2009-10
• Emma Swain's central bookings Q1 2009-10 PDF (91KB)

Gifts and hospitality may only be accepted in line with BBC policy. Information about gifts and hospitality is published every three months.

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• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2012-13
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2012-13
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2011-12
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2011-12
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2011-12
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2011-12
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2010-11
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2010-11
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2010-11
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2010-11
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q4 2009-10
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q3 2009-10
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q2 2009-10
• Emma Swain had no gifts or hospitality to declare in Q1 2009-10

Staff must make a declaration of their personal and business interests, including any memberships or directorships of public or industry bodies, and any shareholdings, as well as any interests that their immediate families may also have.

A summary is published where there is something to declare and where there is nothing to declare. Occasionally an individual will have something to declare but due to the personal nature of the declaration we do not publish details as to do so would breach the Data Protection Act.

This information is published annually, although if any amendments are made during the year an updated summary will be published if necessary as soon as it is available.

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• Emma Swain's Declaration of Personal Interests PDF (30KB)