91热爆 Radio: Who's Who
91热爆 Radio is the home of:
- 10 UK-wide radio stations
- 91热爆 Sounds
- 91热爆 Performing Groups
- 91热爆 Proms
- Speech, classical and pop music production across radio, television and online
The commissioning process
Each Network runs one or more commissioning round a year. Other commissioning opportunities may arise outside the rounds. These may use a direct approach in order to meet topical or other urgent or specialist programme/strand requirements. In this instance, commissioners will approach 3 or more suppliers and invite them to submit a proposal against the brief.
If suppliers have an idea they鈥檇 like to submit outside the main rounds, they can find the relevant contact details on the Network pages on the Radio Commissioning Site.
Each Network publishes guidelines for the commissioning round, setting out the brief for each genre of programme it wants to commission, as well as any subjects or areas (e.g. an important anniversary) in which it is specifically interested, guide prices, important dates in the process and other useful information.
Independent producers who would like to pitch an idea to a Network must first register using the .
Radio Commissioning Framework
91热爆 Radio believes in creativity, quality, and value for money, and serving the changing needs of its audiences. We want to work with strong and innovative content suppliers from both 91热爆 Audio and the independent sector.
The 91热爆 recognises that:
It is in the interest of the UK radio audience that there is a competitive and thriving production supply sector, both inside and outside the 91热爆
The 91热爆 has a role as the nation's principal public service broadcaster to help stimulate and support the development of the production sector across the UK
91热爆 Radio must reflect the diversity of the UK, and the perspectives and voices of the UK鈥檚 nations and regions.
Each network publishes guidelines for the commissioning round, setting out the brief for each genre of programme it wants to commission, as well as any subjects or areas (e.g. an important anniversary) in which it is specifically interested, guide prices, important dates in the process and other useful information.
Audio Commissioning Specification
The Commissioning Specification includes:
鈥� Editorial Specification
鈥� Production brief
鈥� Key approvals
鈥� Delivery and technical requirements
Download the template Audio Commissioning Specification
It is important to set out in the document the production detail, any assumptions as well as the editorial vision for the programme as accurately as possible as the specification will be included in the Programme production agreement and form part of the independent production company鈥檚 legal obligations to the 91热爆.
All boxes and sections of the document should be completed, however, it may be that some points cannot be agreed at the point of signature in which case "to be agreed" should be inserted and these details must be finalised with the 91热爆 as soon as possible within the agreed licence fee. Other points may not be relevant to the particular production as the Commissioning specification is designed to accommodate a wide variety of genres and types of productions. "Not applicable" should be added to such sections.
Please note that once agreed and signed by the production and the 91热爆 the Commissioning specification cannot be varied in any way without the independent producer or the 91热爆's written consent.
Key agreements will be indicated in the Key approvals section and prior approval of the terms of these agreements by the 91热爆 will be required.
The production must deliver the programme in accordance with the Commissioning specification on or before the agreed delivery date set out in the Commissioning specification. Failure to deliver the programme by this date will mean that the company is in breach of the Programme production agreement.
If there is any doubt over the ability to deliver a programme on time the 91热爆 should be alerted at the earliest opportunity. Any changes to the delivery date must be pre-agreed with the 91热爆 in writing.
Radio Tariffs
The 91热爆 has set tariff ranges for Speech-based and Music-based audio programming. These tariffs set out the price the 91热爆 expects to pay for programmes commissioned from across network radio, including on demand. Where each title falls within each tariff will depend on the amount of work required to make each title, which is largely driven by the editorial brief for the commission.
Tariffs for Speech-based programming can be viewed here:
Tariffs for Music-based programmes will follow soon.
Current commissioning opportunities
The principal commissioning process for Radio is run by each network through one or more commissioning rounds per year, details of which can be found below.
Some programmes/strands are commissioned outside these rounds - for more information, please visit individual network pages.
For details of commissioning for non-Network Radio stations, please see the Local Radio and Nations Radio pages.
Working with 91热爆 Radio
We want 91热爆 Radio to be a place where 91热爆 Audio and independent producers bring their best ideas. The Radio Commissioning Framework is designed to be fair, robust and transparent, it's a tool to help us reinvent and grow radio.
If you have any comments or complaints about your experience of the commissioning process, please contact the network controller (contact details can be found on the relevant station page) or contact Fergus Dudley, Head of Editorial Standards and Complaints 91热爆 Radio, so we can improve how we work.
We also ask for feedback through an annual survey.