Background

The Open University works in partnership with the BBC to commission both fully-funded and co-funded programmes from in-house and independent suppliers, totalling around 25 projects a year, across all BBC TV channels and radio stations.

The OU's priority subjects are listed below. Information on the commissioning team, and the processes involved in working with the OU are also added.

Subject Areas 2009-2011

The OU is currently looking for proposals which fall within the following five subject strands, representing the breadth of the OU curriculum:

• Science, Technology and Nature
• Business and Management
• Society
• Arts and History
• Health and Education

The OU is interested in supporting proposals which:

• develop ideas and formats that stand a strong chance of being re-commissioned over several series.
• build long-term relationships with existing brands, e.g. The Money Programme or Timewatch
• appeal to 18-25 year olds, those who are under-represented in Higher Education, and those in the city/business sector
• provide the stimulus for Openings, short courses or Level 1 further study at The Open University (see http://www.open2.net)
• are intellectually challenging and focus on priority subject areas, and key research areas.
• explore new ways of delivering content and interactivity for the audience - via mobile phones, broadband, red button interactive, online and on demand services.
• stimulate 'local' audiences and provide outreach in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and/or English Regions - e.g. Coast and British Isles: A Natural History.
• reach a 'global' audience / within current International priority areas and subjects.
• connect back to the OU's teaching and provide material for courses.

Your Feedback

Your feedback about these development priorities is welcome here

Projects suitable for Open University funding should be submitted to the Commisioning Executives in The Open University & Partnership Unit, Catherine McCarthy and Emma De'Ath.

Room 3530
BBC White City
201 Wood Lane
London
W12 7TS
Telephone: (020) 8752 7628
Email: emma.de'ath@bbc.co.uk and catherine.mccarthy@bbc.co.uk

We prefer to receive proposals by email.

Proposals are initially considered by the Commissioning Executives and then by members of OU academic staff with expertise in the relevant area.

Decisions on whether the OU wishes to support a proposal are taken at a monthly OU pitch meeting. For OU fully-funded commissions, the project is then pitched through the relevant BBC genre commissioner to the channel.

Timeline

We aim to respond to proposals quickly.

Types of Project

OU funded programmes

OU funded (programmes) are usually fully-funded but may attract third party or BBC co-funding. They will generally be a series rather than a single programme, with the exception of special events. OU commissioned series should be high impact and have definite tie-ins with further learning activity.

All OU commissions must be relevant to at least one course. When the OU fully funds programmes they own all rights in all media.

Co-productions

The OU may also join BBC commissioned projects as a co-producer. Co-production provides the University with opportunities to be involved with landmark productions and other BBC campaigns. In these cases, ideas should come to the University after they have been commissioned by the BBC. The University invests funding and will provide the resource of an academic with expertise in the subject area of the programme, to work in partnership with the production team.

The OU will develop associated online and, if agreed, other printed materials, and invest in wrap-around learning activities in order to enhance the learning value of the programme to both parties. The OU will always wish to acquire, as a minimum, rights to use the programme in materials for its students registered in the UK and staff. It may also acquire additional sales rights.

We also commission short form content for The OU's website.

Terms of Trade

Please note that different terms of trade apply to Open University commissions.

Copyright in OU commissioned programmes is retained by the Open University. If you would like to know more about OU terms, please contact the Commissioning Executives (details above) who will put you in touch with the relevant OU contacts.

We work with both in-house and independent companies on a range of content.

OBU Project Process

After a series has been commissioned, the OU's Open Broadcasting Unit runs each collaboration with the BBC as a broadcasting project. A project meeting will be set up early in the collaboration to discuss all the activities involved in the project.

Academic Consultation

Once a programme has been commissioned, the BBC Commissioning Executives will oversee the collaboration for the BBC and provide advice on operating in the partnership and facilitate consultation throughout the production process.

Consultation with the Open University will be with the designated academic(s) for the series, through the OU's BLEs with a Broadcast Project Leader in the OU's Open Broadcasting Unit (who will be overseeing the project on behalf of the OU).

Advice is given at all significant stages along the production process. Usually the following points are used for consultation unless the team agree that a different approach would be more appropriate:

• Meeting the producer to discuss the approach before production begins
• Early brainstorming including suggestions of ideas, contacts and locations to the producer as appropriate
• Commenting on draft scripts before filming
• Viewing of the rough cut
• Sometime also view fine cut
• Final check including end credits and commentary script

The University has to be satisfied that it's appropriate for the University to be acknowledged as a co-producer in the programme.

Final editorial control of the programme rests with the BBC.

Recent Partnership Commissions

• Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life (OU Co-pro)
• Life in the Undergrowth (OU funded shorts)
• Silverville
• Olympic Dreams
• Lenny's Britain
• Child of our Time

• The Money Programme
• Jimmy Doherty in Darwin's Garden (OU Co-pro)
• Darwin's Dangerous Idea (OU Co-pro)
• History of Scotland (OU Co-pro)
• Can Gerry Robinson Fix the NHS? (Fully)
• Eyewitness (Fully)
• Berlin (Fully)
• Theo's Adventure Capitalists (Fully)

• Desperate Midwives

• African School
• India School
• Chinese School
• Syrian School
• Story of Maths (OU Co-pro)
• Sacred Music (OU Co-pro)
• Medieval Mind (OU Co-pro)

Daytime

• Ever Wondered About Food
• History Mysteries

BBC Learning

• Breathing Spaces
• Headroom Campaign
• BBC World and BBC World News
• The Bottom Line

Radio 1

• Personal Finance Campaign

Radio 2

Radio 3

• The Essay (OU Co-pro)

Radio 4

• More or Less
• Material World (OU Co-pro)
• Writing the Century
• Thinking Allowed

BBC World Service

• Digital Planet Special (OU funded)

Five Live

• Breaking Science (OU funded segment in up all night.