COMMISSIONING BRIEF
Commissioning Editor - Bill Malone
Executive Producer - Michael Kealy
UPDATED: January 2013
ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING
In a time of digital diversification with hundreds of TV channels at our finger tips, RTÉ One remains at the core of Irish society as Ireland's most watched and most relevant channel. It continues to provide shared experiences for a nation on a regular basis, but this is being done in an increasingly challenging and competitive environment.
Fundamentally the challenge the channel faces is to continue to serve and provide engaging, relevant and entertaining content for our core audience who watch our output in such huge numbers, while looking to attract new, younger viewers, particularly in the 35 - 54 year old age groups.
Invariably, it is our mainstream programming that generates the most significant share of younger sub-demographic groups, such as 'The Late Late Show', 'Eurovision', and 'The Rose of Tralee', while the success of 'The Voice of Ireland' shows the appetite for big, bold, well produced event programming. The phenomenal success of 'Mrs Browns Boys' also demonstrates the strong appeal of warm scripted comedy, in a familiar setting.
We must also seek to surprise our audiences with new, fresh programming and we are also looking to create and develop indigenous formats and ideas. The success of the recent RTÉ TV Labs Format Pilot Scheme call for ideas shows the level of creative talent in this country.
In general, we need to provide event programming that can retain and build on the significant audience share that has been achieved by RTÉ One despite strong multi-channel competition. At the same time we want to provide other programming that challenges RTÉ One audiences' expectations and surprises viewers with innovative propositions.
Where possible and relevant, proposals should seek out ways of tapping into the increasing online consumption of content and the use of social media. We want to see TV and online complementing each other and driving audiences across both platforms.
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ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING
No. of Episodes/Duration: Varying duration and number
Transmission: RTÉ One Summer 2013
Budget: No set budget**
RTÉ One Entertainment has traditionally dominated the Summer TV schedules with ratings winners such as Saturday Night With Miriam and For One Night Only along with high impact Summer event series such as Fáilte Towers, Celebrities Go Wild, Charity ICA Bootcamp etc.
While the level of funding available has yet to be confirmed, RTÉ Entertainment are seeking proposals for a high impact Entertainment series for Summer 2013. This may present an opportunity to surprise our audiences with new, fresh and ambitious entertainment programming and to create and develop indigenous formats and ideas.
Proposals must be capable of attracting a broad audience in high volumes while seeking to attract new, younger viewers, particularly in the 35 - 54 year old age groups.
Proposals can vary in episode duration and number with budget proportionate.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DEADLINE IS NOW 11th JANUARY 2013
We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system:
https://e-commissioning.rte.ie/SWIFT.Web/skins/rte/login.aspx
under the programme category Entertainment - Summer Event -
**Please note budget ranges are indicative only, and proposals that can achieve lower costs per hour will be particularly attractive'.
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No. of Episodes/Duration: 6 x 25 minutes
Transmission: RTÉ ONE - Friday / Sunday 19:30 / 20:30
Budget: No set budget**
The focus for Friday / Sunday 19:30 / 20:30 is on family viewing. We are interested in proposals which can bring maintain strong heartlands audiences, but also bring an additional sparkle to early evening, which can grab floating viewers.
We seek proposals, either studio or EFP, for this highly competitive slot. We are interested in competitively budgeted programmes that offer fresh takes on broad family friendly entertainment.
Well made Irish scripted comedy such as Killinaskully, has played historically in this slot heretofore, and we will also consider new scripted comedy proposals for this slot. Appropriate budgetary allowance will be made for projects of this type. The BAI Sound & Vision Fund has supported a scripted comedy, and proposals that can attract additional funding of this type and from other sources, including co-production, will be favoured.
But we are also interested in more cost effective ways of serving this broad family audience, for example with block recordable studio programmes, quizzes, game shows and other options in this genre.
At this pre watershed time, proposals must be broadly based. Projects offering strong value for money will be favoured. Suggestions for presenter or presenters should be included in submissions.
We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system:
https://e-commissioning.rte.ie/SWIFT.Web/skins/rte/login.aspx
under the programme category Entertainment - Sunday 19.30/20.30
*Please note budget ranges are indicative only, and proposals that can achieve lower costs per hour will be particularly attractive'.
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ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING
No. of Episodes/Duration: Varying durations
Transmission: RTÉ ONE Thursdays, 22:10
Budget: Up to a maximum of €75,000 per hour **
In this slot we want to see the more youthful, surprising face of RTÉ One. We want to take the opportunity in this slot to bring greater variety and to try something different, to surprise and charm our audiences. There are large numbers of people watching at this time and we want to offer them a compelling but escapist programming as the working week draws to a close.
This slot gives scope to making a statement that changes preconceptions about RTÉ One.
Proposals ranging from formatted studio programmes, location factual entertainment, comedy or an entirely different format such as personality / presenter driven content will be given consideration, but the tone and sensibility of each idea should be warm, lively and youthful. Suggestions for presenter or presenters should be included in submissions.
Proposals can vary in episode duration from half hours to full hours, with budget proportionate to duration.
We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system:
https://e-commissioning.rte.ie/SWIFT.Web/skins/rte/login.aspx
under the programme category Entertainment Thursday 22.10
**Please note budget ranges are indicative only, and proposals that can achieve lower costs per hour will be particularly attractive'.
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ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING
No. of Episodes/Duration: 8 x 52 minutes
Transmission: RTÉ One Sundays, 18:30
Budget: No set budget**
Sundays pre-watershed is a high profile entertainment slot designed to appeal to a broad family audience. Celebrity Bainisteoir has had a very successful run in this slot and Entertainment are open to exploring new possibilities for entertaining, engaging, family viewing capable of attracting large audiences.
While Celebrity Bainisteoir has traditionally run over eight episodes RTÉ Entertainment are also open to proposals of bigger scale and a longer run of programme episodes.
The success of The Voice of Ireland shows the appetite among younger sub demographics and families for big and ambitious entertainment productions.
Proposals can vary in episode number from eight upwards with budget proportionate.
We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system:
https://e-commissioning.rte.ie/SWIFT.Web/skins/rte/login.aspx
under the programme category Entertainment Sunday 18.30
**Please note budget ranges are indicative only, and proposals that can achieve lower costs per hour will be particularly attractive'.
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Please note:
The discussion of, or initial interest in, a proposal does not represent a commitment to commission by RTÉ and should not be understood as such. Commissioning decisions will reflect the quality of proposals received and the scheduling priorities operating at the time. RTÉ's financial position will also be a factor.
Any proposals previously submitted to RTÉ in categories listed here, and which were rejected on a first reading in a previous Round, should not be re-submitted and will not be reconsidered.
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