The Stage

BBC’s Window of Creative Competition is a hit for independent TV producers

Published Tuesday 29 July 2008 at 18:20 by Matthew Hemley

Independent television producers beat the BBC’s in-house department to secure more commissions in the first year of the Corporation’s Window of Creative Competition system, a report has revealed.

The system, set up in April last year, allows both independent companies and in-house producers to pitch for 25% of the Corporation’s programme output.

Outside of this, 50% of programmes are reserved for in-house commissions, and the remaining 25% is reserved for the independent sector.

The BBC Trust has now completed its first review into WoCC, and has revealed the independent sector won three quarters of the available programmes under this system, while the BBC’s in-house team managed a quarter.

In its report, the trust said the independent sector had performed very strongly in entertainment and comedy.

Overall, the trust said the new system was working well but warned there needed to be “clearer information and guidance” about WoCC’s operation.

“There is a risk that this lack of understanding may undermine the reputation of the WoCC, leading some producers to conclude that a level playing field does not operate in practice,” it said.

The trust also looked for evidence of bias in terms of the “seniority of commissioning staff” that in-house producers and independents have access to.

It concluded: “No difference was noted between the access that in-house and the key suppliers (who tended to be larger independents or have existing relationships) get, but some other independents did get less access to commissioners.”

It suggested several reasons for this, including size, reputation and proximity of the independent companies.

The report also found there was a “reasonable spread in terms of independent production across genres and channels”, but said returning dramas tended to be made in-house because there would be “little point to switch their production to an external source”, as long as they “continue to justify their place in he schedules”.

The trust admitted that some stakeholders perceived this as allocating the “most prized” output to in-house production, which it said could be interpreted as either bias or as “sensible decision making”.

It added: “We would expect over time, as new opportunities open up, that independents will develop the necessary skills to compete effectively in every area of BBC commissioning”.

BBC trustee Rotha Johnston said: “The review found that commissioning decisions are being made on merit, with independent producers doing well in the WoCC’s first year. Meanwhile, the BBC’s in-house teams are responding positively to the challenge of increased commission.”