BBC ALBA Summer / Autumn Schedule Commissioning Round 2023

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 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 tell them, reflect the lives of our audiences in all their diversity.

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.

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

We welcome proposals in all formats – half-hours, hour-long programmes, series or feature-length.

• This round is focused on the Summer, Autumn and Festive 2023 schedule.
• Deadline for ideas – Monday 9^th January 2023, 1pm.
• Deadline for MG ALBA/BBC partnership decisions – Friday 27^th January 2023, 5pm

 Final submissions and any questions on anything contained in this Commissioning Round should be addressed to Jennifer Mackenzie bbcalbacommissioning@bbc.co.uk 

We’re looking for impactful, prime-time content that will also stand out on iPlayer. Ideas need to be distinctive and eye-catching. Think about how they can cut-through the media noise. The story and the approach should be original. But just as importantly is the ability to instantly connect with viewers and hold their attention. ‘Entertainment’ is not a dirty word!

This call-out also extends to projects with a longer time-frame aimed at the festive schedule for 2023/24. What will audiences want to sit down to and enjoy across Christmas and New Year? Think about creating shared experiences that bring together viewers of all ages at this particular time of year.

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 theymight 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 – Monday 9^th January 2023, 1pm
• Deadline for MG ALBA/BBC partnership decisions – Friday 27^th January 2023, 1pm

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