BBC ALBA Festive / Spring Schedule Commissioning Round 2022/23

BBC ALBA is a contemporary, forward-looking channel with Gaelic at its heart: our people, our culture, our voice. Our outlook is broad, and our ambitions are big. We have a unique perspective and want to tell stories that resonate with audiences across Scotland and the world.

BBC ALBA is proud of the creative partnerships we have developed over the years. We look forward to building more of these, continuing to create popular and critical impact with award-winning, world-class content.

It’s important to us that the stories we tell and the people who bring them to the screen reflect the lives of our audiences in all their diversity.

We want to harness your creative energy and technical innovation to offer compelling, authentic contemporary Gaelic content for our audiences.  Proposals which have other funding attached or have the potential to attract other funding are welcome.

This round deals specifically with ideas which can be realised and delivered by the end of March 2023 at the latest.

• Deadline for ideas – Friday 12 August 2022, 1pm
• Deadline for MG ALBA/BBC partnership decisions – Friday 26 August 2022, 1pm

Final submissions and any questions on anything contained in this Commissioning Round should be addressed to Jennifer MacKenzie: jennifer.mackenzie@bbc.co.uk

As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, and as further new challenges face people in their day to day to lives, we recognise that very little is as it was.  However, it is safe to say that the audience appetite for bold, entertaining and inspiring content remain undiminished.

Audiences want ideas and inspiration to help them navigate this new landscape but also want distraction, escape and entertainment.

We want to see ideas which bring strong, compelling stories to the screen, and speak to audiences in Scotland and beyond.

BBC ALBA is eager to see proposals which have the potential to create substantial impact and win awards,  and we  will work hard with you to deliver on that ambition.

Consider:

Stories which speak to Scottish life now perhaps  with reference to the past, perhaps being absolutely of the moment.  Stories which can inspire and inform and which would be enhanced by being told in documentary or feature length formats.

Stories which entertain and enlighten, reflecting our lives and recognising the breadth of the Gaelic experience having particular appeal to the Gaelic-speaking community, as well as popular, cross-generational appeal.  We want to see proposals which can bring people together through shared experience and which expand our horizons.   We’re interested in ideas for series and strong single programme proposals.

It might be helpful to consider the following when preparing your submission:

• What is your ambition for this project?
• Who is it for?
• How will you tell this story in the new production environment?
• How will it play in the schedule 6 or 12 months from now?
• Does this proposal reflect real, lived experience? Does it feel authentic and relatable?
• Does it reflect the diversity of our communities?
• Is it innovative? What’s new about it whether in terms of the story, style, format, content, talent or use of technology?
• Is it a compelling story? Will it engage people’s emotions, provoke discussion and is there enough substance in it to sustain a whole programme?
• Will it take the audience to places and situations which they might not otherwise encounter?
• How will the story work on other digital platforms as well as television?
• Is the proposed duration, talent and format the best fit for the target audience and the story?
• How will it enhance the BBC ALBA offer?
• Does it have co-financing potential either in the UK or internationally and have you explored these?

• Include a brief creative summary, details of key talent behind and in front of camera, programme price and also detail digital media opportunities including how, if appropriate, different forms could be used for different digital platforms. They should not exceed one A4 page per programme.
• Show that you have thought about how the programme can be promoted, be that through the press, social-media or other broadcast outlets.
• We’re happy to receive programme tasters but they are not essential. The opportunity to develop your submitted proposal through an interview may be given.
• Priority will be given to ideas that take into consideration further funding such as, but not limited to:
  • Creative Scotland’s Broadcast Content Fund
  • Tax reliefs (via BFI tax credits certification)

Co-production ideas seeking lead funding from the MG ALBA/BBC partnership should apply for funding through these seasonal commissioning rounds.

• Deadline for ideas – Friday 12 August 2022, 1pm
• Deadline for MG ALBA/BBC partnership decisions – Friday 26 August 2022, 1pm

Final submissions and any questions on anything contained in this Commissioning Round should be addressed to Jennifer MacKenzie: jennifer.mackenzie@bbc.co.uk