Radio 2 and 6 Music commit to independent radio companies

BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music today announce that there will be an increase in independent production opportunities across Radio 2 and 6 Music with a number of productions being put out to tender.

In line with the BBC Trust’s review of independent production to deliver the best ideas to listeners, Radio 2 and 6 Music are using forthcoming schedule developments as an opportunity to increase further the number of independent productions on the network through a window of creative competition (WoCC) – the opportunity for independent production companies to compete with in-house to make BBC programmes.

This will contribute to BBC Audio & Music’s target of having a 10% independent production quota and 10% WoCC across the whole of Audio & Music by 2012/13.

The WoCC tender process is currently underway for the newly announced 6 Music Radcliffe And Maconie Show (weekdays, 1-4pm), The Nemone Weekend Breakfast Show (Saturday and Sunday, 7-10am), the 6 Music Interactive Show, a new Radio 2 Mark Radcliffe Show (Tuesdays 11pm-12), and also for several shows already on the 6 Music – Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone (encompassing the Freakier Zone), The 6 Mix, and Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul Show.

In the summer, Radio 2 will be introducing a new weekly strand of specialist music short series featuring musical genres not already covered on the network, at least 50% of which will be put to tender though the WoCC.

Also, in the summer the WoCC will be opened up for Radio 2’s midnight to 5am shows – Janice Long (Mondays to Fridays, midnight to 2am) and Alex Lester (Mondays to Fridays, 2-5am) – which will be put out to tender, as will the ever-popular Sounds Of The 60s with Brian Matthew (Saturdays, 8-10am).

Bob Shennan, Controller, Radio 2 and 6 Music, comments: "Independent production companies contribute hugely to our creativity at Radio 2 and 6 Music. Their ideas and passion are an essential part of the mix which keeps the networks vibrant and relevant.

“With these new commissions Radio 2 and 6 Music will continue to build on our strong relationships with the independent sector and provide our audiences with the range and quality of programming they can expect from us.”

These shows are currently independent productions.

Radio 2
Pick of the Pops (Unique Productions)
Mike Harding, Radio 2 Folk Show (Smooth Operations)
Richard Allinson (Somethin’ Else)
Dermot O’Leary (Ora et Labora TV)
Going Out With Alan Carr (Open Mike Productions)
Paul Gambaccini (Howlett Media Productions)
Johnnie Walker (Wise Buddah)
Russell Davies (Wise Buddah)
Jamie Cullum, Radio 2 Jazz Show (Folded Wing Productions)
Desmond Carrington’s Music Goes Round (Foldback Media)
Trevor Nelson’s Soul Show (Somethin Else)
Pause For Thought on Vanessa Feltz Early Breakfast (TBI).

6 Music
Huey Morgan (Wise Buddah)
6Mix (Somethin’ Else)
Craig Charles (Demus Productions)
Dave Pearce (Somethin Else).
Notes to Editors

The WoCC is the window of creative competition where both in-house and independent producers can compete to win BBC commissions to ensure that the best creative ideas reach our listeners.