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The Open University Factual Genre Factual Features & Formats Specialist Factual Arts, Perf & Religion Current Affairs & Inv Documentaries Daytime Factual Strands Specialist Factual Current Affairs Documentaries Arts & Religion Contact Details for Independents e-Commissioning Member of the public with ideas can get information here Writers Room Link Durations - don't make your programme too long for your slot - check programme and credit durations here Interactive TV ideas are submitted to the normal genre teams
Contact Details for Independents
e-Commissioning
Member of the public with ideas can get information here
Writers Room Link
Durations - don't make your programme too long for your slot - check programme and credit durations here
Interactive TV ideas are submitted to the normal genre teams
Open University
The Open University works in partnership with the BBC to commission both fully-funded and co-funded programmes from in-house and independent suppliers, totalling around 25 projects a year, across all BBC TV channels and radio stations.
The OU's priority subjects are listed below. Information on the commissioning team, and the processes involved in working with the OU are also added.
Life in the Undergrowth
Life in the Undergrowth was co-funded by the OU as it supported their courses in natural sciences.
Coast
Programmes like Coast stimulate local audiences around the UK and beyond.
Timewatch
Desperate Midwives
The OU is currently looking for proposals which fall within the following five subject strands, representing the breadth of the OU curriculum:
The OU is interested in supporting proposals which:
Your feedback about these development priorities is welcome here
Commissioning Team and Timeline
Commissioning Team
Multiplatform Commissioning Executives
Emma De Ath Emma De'Ath Responsible for: Business and Management; Society and Development; Health and Education
Catherine McCarthy Catherine McCarthy Responsible for: Science, Technology and Nature; Arts and History.
Commissioning Process
Projects suitable for Open University funding should be submitted to the Commisioning Executives in The Open University & Partnership Unit, Catherine McCarthy and Emma De'Ath.
Room 3530 BBC White City 201 Wood Lane London W12 7TS Telephone: (020) 8752 7628 Email: emma.de'ath@bbc.co.uk and catherine.mccarthy@bbc.co.uk
We prefer to receive proposals by email.
Proposals are initially considered by the Commissioning Executives and then by members of OU academic staff with expertise in the relevant area.
Decisions on whether the OU wishes to support a proposal are taken at a monthly OU pitch meeting. For OU fully-funded commissions, the project is then pitched through the relevant BBC genre commissioner to the channel.
Timeline of Factual Commissioning Process
We aim to respond to proposals quickly.
OU funded (programmes) are usually fully-funded but may attract third party or BBC co-funding. They will generally be a series rather than a single programme, with the exception of special events. OU commissioned series should be high impact and have definite tie-ins with further learning activity.
All OU commissions must be relevant to at least one course. When the OU fully funds programmes they own all rights in all media.
The OU may also join BBC commissioned projects as a co-producer. Co-production provides the University with opportunities to be involved with landmark productions and other BBC campaigns. In these cases, ideas should come to the University after they have been commissioned by the BBC. The University invests funding and will provide the resource of an academic with expertise in the subject area of the programme, to work in partnership with the production team.
The OU will develop associated online and, if agreed, other printed materials, and invest in wrap-around learning activities in order to enhance the learning value of the programme to both parties. The OU will always wish to acquire, as a minimum, rights to use the programme in materials for its students registered in the UK and staff. It may also acquire additional sales rights.
We also commission short form content for The OU's website.
Terms of Trade
Please note that different terms of trade apply to Open University commissions.
Copyright in OU commissioned programmes is retained by the Open University. If you would like to know more about OU terms, please contact the Commissioning Executives (details above) who will put you in touch with the relevant OU contacts.
We work with both in-house and independent companies on a range of content.
After a series has been commissioned, the OU's Open Broadcasting Unit runs each collaboration with the BBC as a broadcasting project. A project meeting will be set up early in the collaboration to discuss all the activities involved in the project.
Once a programme has been commissioned, the BBC Commissioning Executives will oversee the collaboration for the BBC and provide advice on operating in the partnership and facilitate consultation throughout the production process.
Consultation with the Open University will be with the designated academic(s) for the series, through the OU's BLEs with a Broadcast Project Leader in the OU's Open Broadcasting Unit (who will be overseeing the project on behalf of the OU).
Advice is given at all significant stages along the production process. Usually the following points are used for consultation unless the team agree that a different approach would be more appropriate:
The University has to be satisfied that it's appropriate for the University to be acknowledged as a co-producer in the programme.
Final editorial control of the programme rests with the BBC.
Climate Change
BBC ONE
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