In a speech at the Radio Festival in Salford today, Jez Nelson, CEO of Somethin’ Else and board member of the Radio Independents Group, set out RIG’s position on BBC Radio and how it could grow the Corporation’s relationship with audio‐led indie production companies.

Nelson praised Tony Hall’s landmark ‘compete or compare’ strategy outlined last year, saying that: “it recognises that although there are of course big differences between these platforms and sectors there are also many similarities and a great deal of crossover.”

Nelson said current radio commissioning was too low at a maximum of 20% of hours, but also the hours measurement mean that indies are ending up with a disproportionate of low‐value commissions: “although the BBC has opened up new areas of the schedule for competition ‐ looking to commission the best ideas regardless of source ‐ it has done this in a way that legislates that the smallest number of people are exposed to those winning ideas. That can’t make sense.”

He then detailed the reasons why the arguments put against increasing commissioning from indies did not stand up to scrutiny. He said: “Really it comes down to this: we believe competition is in the best interests of the audience who are paying for the service ‐ limiting that competition is wrong.”

Nelson stressed that RIG supported the BBC and the continuation of the Licence Fee. He pointed out the importance of BBC Radio services, and called for protection of the Radio Budget, saying

“In our view BBC Radio has suffered disproportionately from DQF because of its relatively low funding compared to TV. We believe the BBC Radio budget should be ring‐fenced and not simply cut in accordance with any uniform cuts implemented in the future”.

Speaking after the speech, Nelson said: “As a growing creative industry, doing business with commercial radio and others in the UK and overseas, as well as the BBC, we were keen to place on record some of the other factors we think point towards the need for the BBC to be just as radical in radio as they’re being in TV – in a world where there is increasing crossover between different types of content, radio shouldn’t be left behind while TV heads into a new era.”

*** For press enquiries please contact Tim Wilson, RIG media and policy adviser, on 07909 560 374 or tim at twcentral.co.uk

Notes 

1 The Radio Independents Group (RIG) is the trade body representing the UK independent radio production sector. The sector is made up of approximately 150 creative companies, spread around the whole of the UK. RIG members represent around 95% of industry turnover. These creative companies make radio content for commercial networks as well as BBC networks. They also are engaged in producing a variety of other audio‐led content for corporate clients, as well as overseas networks and companies. Audiobooks, podcasts, museum audio‐guides, audio games and other multimedia formats. It is estimated the sector employs well over 1,000 people, mostly in skilled production roles.

2. Quota and WoCC

  1. Currently there is a requirement in the BBC Agreement with DCMS for the BBC to commission a ‘suitable proportion ‘ of its radio programming from indie producers, which the BBC has set at 10%
  2. In 2010 the BBC Trust also required as part of its radio network supply review for the BBC to introduce a 10% Window of Creative Competition (WoCC) where indies would compete directly with BBC in‐house producers for commissions. In 2012‐13 indies won 80% of WoCC hours, in 2013‐14 they won 75% of hours
  3. For BBC TV commissioning, there is currently a statutory 25% indie TV quota, and a 25% WoCC
  4. The BBC Trust has published Terms of Reference for a full‐scale review of BBC content supply across TV, Radio and Online, to commence this autumn: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/services/programme_supply/content_supply.html 

 

3. In July this year BBC SG Lord Hall made his ‘Compete or Compare’ speech: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/speeches/2014/dg‐city‐university