About
BBC ALBA is a contemporary, forward-looking channel with the Gaelic language and community at its heart. Run in a unique partnership between the BBC and MG ALBA, its ambition is to move, excite and inspire audiences across Scotland and beyond with distinctive Gaelic stories and perspectives. Please see Appendix Two for information on MG ALBA and its role in the funding and contracting of this content.
Content on BBC ALBA’s iPlayer platform and linear channel is commissioned in two different ways:
In a competitive media world of limitless choice across endless platforms, viewers need an active reason to choose BBC ALBA.
This means that every piece of content on BBC ALBA needs to be able to break through and deliver impact and quality.
In order to achieve this ambition, we are increasing the level of funding for content in our regular commissioning rounds including funding for co-production and co-funding.
The same relentless focus on creative distinctiveness means that we are consolidating the multi-annual production contracts in this commissioning round into five genres.
We would welcome submissions from production companies for the following genres. The successful commissions will form the basis of two-year contracts commencing July 2024. Subject to performance, the contract period will have the potential to be extended for one further year.
Music and Events
Target audience: Gaelic with national resonance |
This package is focused mainly on live multi-camera, OB-style coverage of popular events – Belladrum, Celtic Connections, Na Trads. (Please see Appendix One for detailed information).
These live / quick-turnaround ‘tent-pole’ moments are crucial to bringing significant audiences to our iPlayer platform and our linear channel. As with all the packages, a clearly worked-out digital first strategy will also be a crucial component of any successful proposal. Please note that this Music and Events package demands a level of technical production expertise as well as an ability to forge and maintain third party and stakeholder relationships. |
Factual
Target audience: Gaelic with national resonance |
We are looking for distinctive nature, landscape or environmental themes, or personal and community stories with a global hook.
These programmes should have a broad appeal with compelling stories that sustain over a mix of 45-60 minutes. We are specifically looking for short series in this package rather than single one-offs (unless there’s a topical scheduling priority). Ideas should be capable of supplying additional digital first short form content to engage non-linear audiences and drive engagement. Co-production and co-finance could apply to this content but consideration of meeting schedule publishing deadlines will be paramount. |
Factual Entertainment (Core Gaelic Audience)
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We are looking for popular Fact-Ent formats aimed squarely at the 8:30pm prime-time linear slot which inherits a strong Core Gaelic audience from BBC ALBA’s daily live news programme.
Talent should be front-and-centre with the ambition to reach the widest-possible audience. Longer brand-building runs of half-hour programmes are preferable. Ideas should be capable of supplying additional digital first short form content to engage non-linear audiences and drive engagement. |
Factual Entertainment (Younger Audience)
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The priority with this package is to deliver entertaining, engaging talent-centred formats in a fresh and appealing way.
The ambition is to attract a younger skewing audience (under 35). Think digital/iPlayer first and flexible durations. A detailed strategy for reaching digital audiences will be key. |
Factual Acquisitions
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We are placing greater emphasis on our factual acquisitions with the aim of high-impact, versioned series for the 9-10pm slot. (Commercial durations for a 60 minute slot length are acceptable).
An appetite for the very best of international factual formats, and an instinct for identifying narrative-led content that will be a good fit for our audience will be vital. Expertise in contracting acquisitions and handling the creative and technical challenges of versioning into Gaelic, will also be important. The contract value will include the cost of licensing from distributors/third parties. |
Submissions
Please include:
Other Considerations
Timeline
Assessment Criteria
Appendix One
Music and Events
First publication slot: Weekends, circa 9pm. (some may be weekday) Format: Live/iPlayer first/quick turnaround programmes, duration as appropriate to event. This content is envisaged as live/iPlayer first/quick turnaround from key events such as Celtic Connections (7 hours), Belladrum (20 hours), Na Trads (4 hours). The event mix could change to events of a similar nature over the course of the contract. Set out below are the precise details of the envisaged content. • Belladrum – live coverage with a minimum of 7+ 2 cameras across three nights of the festival, mix of main stage, garden stage and specially recorded acoustics and some festival colour for a minimum of 5.5 hours. Previously unseen music highlights as iPlayer first and/or quick turnaround for a minimum of 14.5 hours. Exclusive broadcast rights to the event are held or will be negotiated by MG ALBA. • Celtic Connections – 3 hours of content based on producer-curated performances with a minimum of 6 cameras and 4 hours with a minimum of 6 cameras based on iPlayer first and/or quick turnaround of pre-recorded Celtic Connections events for broadcast around the festival period. Exclusive broadcast rights will be negotiated by MG ALBA or via production company. • Na Trads – 2 minimum hours of live coverage from the awards event held at various venues in Scotland with a minimum of 7 +2 cameras from the annual celebration of Scottish Traditional Music with an additional 2 hours of unseen highlights content captured at the event. Exclusive broadcast rights are held or will be negotiated by MG ALBA.
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Appendix Two
About BBC ALBA
On 19 September 2008 MG ALBA and the BBC launched a dedicated Gaelic language TV channel, BBC ALBA. BBC ALBA is an unincorporated joint venture operated under a BBC licence and is funded and managed in partnership by the BBC and MG ALBA. MG ALBA contracts with producers to purchase programme rights which it then passes on to the BBC (as the service licence holder) to enable transmission on BBC ALBA. Due to the ongoing nature of MG ALBA’s multi-annual production contracts a non-standard contract model is employed.
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Contractual Relationship
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Useful Links
· MG ALBA website · MG ALBA’s Lèirsinn – A Route Map for Gaelic Media 2022-2027 https://mgalba.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Leirsinn-A-Route-Map-for-Gaelic-Media-2022-2027.pdf
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