'Inside the Commissioners' is a four part report published in 2003 on how the
UK broadcast commissioning system works. It offers a fascinating look at an
often misunderstood process, aided by neat soundbytes such as:
'Every time we see an indie, it's like a first date. Am I going to do the
equivalent of sleeping with you? Am I going to put my career on the line based
on your performance?'
'The indie won't be looking at things in the same way as I am. They are
looking at "How can we make this programme better?" I'm thinking "Is it right
for Five at the moment, in the slot it's in, our audience, our marketing?" Often
it's about picking the programme by its braces and making it more of a sellable
product."
'A commissioner aligns the suppliers with the channel's needs - and gets them
to think of new needs the channel hasn't yet thought of.'
Part 1 of the report examines the culture and context of the commissioners,
the range of activities they undertake, and their views on the key attributes
required for the job. The next section looks at the generation and selection of
programme ideas in detail, as it is this interface between indie and
commissioner that is of particular importance for the supply sector. Part 3
looks at the chain of command in the commissioning process, discussing the role
of the commissioner at each stage. Finally, there is a summary and a list of
recommandations to the independent sector. A few of the key recommandations
are:
1. Place the building of relationshsips with a handful of commissioners at
the forefront of company strategy and recognise the complexity of their role.
2. Ensure that the communication is clear between the company and the
channel. Encourage dialogue and 'shadowing' schemes.
3. Ensure that the programme proposals are closely targeted to channel slots,
audience demographics and channel brand, and undertake research on competitor
channels too.
4. Reduce numbers of unsolicited proposals- focus on getting regular meetings
with commissioners.
5. For nations and regions indies, establish regular presence in London to
enable informal discussions with commissioners to take place.
6. Encourage a flexible company mentality, including the possibility of being
involved in umbrella schemes and other types of affiliation.
For further information, please contact The Research Centre for Television
and Interactivity (www.researchcentre.co.uk).
