Our development priorities are updated for every commissioning round (last updated July 2009). We also include information on the commissioning team and process.

Drama now commissions all video content on all platforms including bbc.co.uk, mobiles and interactive 'red button' services as well as for television.

Background

Popular, entertaining and inspiring drama is at the heart of BBC Television. Drama should be lively, colourful and relevant to our contemporary lives.

We want to find the strongest and most original stories. Across all four channels, we want to make ambitious drama that matters and pushes boundaries - both in form and in subject matter.

Development Priorities July 2009 - October 2009

Full details of our specific Development Priorities are available here.

• Returning series (6-13 episodes) across 3 time-slots:
  • Weekdays 2100 (the current priority) e.g. Survivors, Spooks
  • Saturday 1900 e.g. Dr Who, Merlin
  • Sunday 2000 e.g Lark Rise to Candleford

• Serials at 2100: could range from 2 × 90' to 6 × 60' and be either period e.g. Small Island or contemporary e.g. Occupation
• Single films: A broad variety from holiday events e.g. 39 Steps and Jonathan Creek to contemporary authored pieces e.g. Fiona's Story and A Short Stay in Switzerland

• Serials: Could range from 2 x 90' to 6 x 60' (post watershed)
• Single films: 1 x 90' (post watershed)

• Returnable series of 6–8 episodes

• Single films, two-parters or short-run (3 or 4 eps) serials to play out across the year

Multiplatform

• Programme Enhancements for BBC ONE
• Programme Enhancements and 360 Formats for BBC THREE
• Stand-Alone Web Dramas
• Drama Products

What's been working well?

Being Human is set to return this winter with its insightful look at the friendship between three extraordinary outsiders.

Merlin, a proven hit with family audiences, is set to return later this year.

Stripping Torchwood across five nights added momentum to the storyline and created a real 'drama event'.

Freefall explored the human impact of the global financial crisis.

The Audience

BBC ONE attracts a broad audience who are looking for powerful drama that can build a sense of togetherness in the household. Our prospective audience is real drama and film lovers of all ages looking for shared experiences that the whole family and the nation can enjoy together.

BBC TWO should attract a broad audience of both the young and the old. They enjoy looking at the world in provocative and imaginative ways and appreciate drama that has intelligent, innovative subject matter at its heart.

Drama on BBC THREE needs to have the quality, authenticity and distinctiveness to be able to attract and hold our 16-34 year old audience's attention, despite the growing number of alternative sources of narrative open to them. They are demanding, independently minded and like to be surprised and challenged by the world around them. They love narrative and are looking for something really engaging to talk about with their friends.

BBC FOUR drama attracts those looking to find out more about the world we live in and our past. They are looking for dramas that will make them feel their time in front of the TV is time well spent. They enjoy indulging their interests and appreciate TV which engages their curiosity. Always looking for stimulation, pieces which explore passions and opinions will help to engage and inspire them.

Tariffs

Please read the full details regarding drama genre tariffs for independents

Your Feedback

Your feedback about these development priorities is welcome here

As from April 2007, all proposals must now be submitted via our e-Commissioning system. This enables both in-house and independent producers to track their submissions online. Proposals are not accepted via email.

There are 4 drama commissioning teams:

• England (Polly Hill, Sarah Brandist, Juliette Howell - Covering maternity leave for Lucy Richer)
• Scotland (Anne Mensah)
• Northern Ireland (Patrick Spence)
• Wales (Piers Wenger)

Timeline

• All proposals are registered on a confidential database. Independent suppliers receive an acknowledgement of their proposal within one week of receipt.

• There are three potential responses to a drama proposal: the project may be put into paid development; it may be put into unpaid development and it may be rejected.

• Independent suppliers will be notified within four weeks of receipt of proposal. Where there is an expression of interest, the negotiation for paid development must commence within six weeks of interest being expressed.

• The timetable to commission will then be subject to negotiation and contract between the supplier and the BBC and will be specific to the characteristics of the proposal - i.e. writer and talent timetables. Independent suppliers will be notified two weeks to deadlines becoming due.

• Projects may be held over in exceptional circumstances but only with the formal agreement of the supplier.

Queries

• At any point in the development period, an external supplier may write to the development executive asking for a progress report and be guaranteed a response within 10 working days of receipt.

Page last updated 7 August 2009