BBC - Commissioning TV - Nations and Regions

What We Want

Nations and Regions

External suppliers working in the Nations (Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) who wish to submit programme proposals to network television may either submit through the Heads of Department in the relevant BBC National Centres (for example, the Head of Factual in BBC Scotland for factual proposals, or the Head of Entertainment for entertainment proposals) - or they may submit their proposals directly to those commissioning executives in the commissioning management structure in London who have defined responsibilities for independents in the Nations and Regions. You can find out more about the Nations requirements and commissioning processes on the following websites:

BBC Northern Ireland

BBC Scotland

BBC Commissioning Cymru Wales

BBC Comisiynu Cymru Wales

BBC English Regions

Regional broadcasting in England is divided into twelve distinct areas, which are largely dictated by analogue transmitter boundaries.

The core of the broadcast offering in television produced by these BBC English Regions is in the area of news, politics and current affairs. Much investment has gone into the look and newsgathering firepower of our regional news programmes at 1830 on BBC ONE, and they're now the most watched news strand on the BBC. We have also added two new week-end bulletins and a full weather update at each breakfast bulletin.

In the last few years, our relationship with the independent sector has grown significantly. We commission 25% of our non-news programming from the Independent sector. Independent production companies now produce our flagship Politics Show for London, South East and East Midlands and the Super League Show in the North. For the third year running, three Independent Companies will produce three out of our seven Football League programmes Late Kick Off which will start again in January 2012 for a run of programmes until around the end of the football season.

Once again, this year we have also commissioned independents to produce local output to coincide with network BBC programmes or initiatives, increasing the impact of these programmes in the schedule. For 2011 we have worked with BBC Vision/BBC Learning to produce a series of programmes linked to the impressive Your Paintings website. BBC English Regions commissioned 11 half-hours across the country under the banner Hidden Paintings and six of these independently-made programmes are being repeated as a network series on BBC Four in the Autumn of 2011. (This follows on from a similar approach in 2010 with the A History of the World in 100 Objects project with BBC Radio Four.)

Finally, BBC English Regions is open to one-off ideas which may focus on strong journalism, original story-telling, and/or programmes which celebrate life within a particular region. For example, we commissioned a programme to mark the tenth anniversary of Damilola Taylor's tragic death in London (October Films); BBC North East also ran a programme to mark the end of the Corus steel works (Dene Films) …a programme which won Best Documentary at the 2011 US International Film and Video Festival Awards. Please contact your local Series Editor with ideas and details on our commissioning process. View the English Regions contacts.

If you have any further queries or concerns contact Head of Programmes Craig Henderson at craig.henderson@bbc.co.uk

BBC - Commissioning - Nations and Regions