COMMISSIONING BRIEF
Commissioning Editor: Eddie Doyle
Assistant Commissioning Editor: Tonyia Dowling
UPDATED: Tuesday 24th April 2012
RTÉ TWO is the channel of modern and energetic Irish life; passionate and positive ,irreverent, self effacing and fun.
At its core, the channel's brand essence is summarised in three key words - 'bold', 'playful' and 'sound'.
In the coming phase of RTÉ TWO's development we will be amplifying these concepts, with domestic programming that works together with the other key content providers for the channel - Sport, News and the best international acquisitions. Across the board, RTE TWO should look and feel different and distinct from RTE ONE, and should feel like a more coherent single proposition, with more seamless transitions between programmes.
Authenticity, faces and audience connection are also key concepts for RTE TWO.
At its strongest content on RTE TWO should be about real Irish people, their stories, and voices - in particular, the unearthing of faces, narratives and trends that audiences instinctively are familiar with and respond to - but which they have not seen on television anywhere else.
Historically, output like Naked Camera, Paths to Freedom, Hardy Bucks and The Savage Eye share an engagement at a street level with real life Irish characters, that resonates deeply with audiences.
We have seen the success of programming like The Republic of Telly, Savage Eye & Hardy Bucks in growing share amongst younger, 15-24 year old viewers, and this remains a target audience for the channel. We are interested in new breakthrough talent and programme ideas that will appeal to this audience.
We are also now particularly interested in new offerings targeted at the 25-44 year old age group.
Programmes like The ICA Bootcamp and Don't Tell the Bride have demonstrated the clear appeal of hour-long formats that bring real people on a light-hearted emotional journey, with a clear pay-off at the conclusion. There may be other types of programming which this audience identify with, in particular in narrative driven factual entertainment - following the international trend in taking lifestyle subject matter, such as food, relationships, parenting, finance - and converting them into entertaining and engaging stories.
We are also interested in popular documentary and other 'real life'output which engages this same demographic group, with compelling real life stories and issues - again with a preference for hour long programmes.
Aside from the real life characters who populate some of our formatted and comedy output, we are interested in focusing on a small number of key front of camera personalities, who reflect the central ethos of the channel (primarily existing RTE talent). And in terms of audience connection, our commissioning strategies for RTE TWO will factor in on-line and social media at the point of origination.
The recent appointment of a dedicated Commissioning Editor for RTÉ TWO will lead to the formulation of targeted strategies in particular slots, and this briefing note will be updated to reflect this.
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PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DEADLINE FOR THIS HAS NOW PASSED AND WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
FORMATS IN THE AREA OF FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT, LIFESTYLE AND ENTERTAINMENT
RTE is seeking ideas for new formats, to play as a series of four or more one-off broadcast pilots for both 25 min and 52 min. slots.
The intent is to find new home-grown ideas with export potential that can challenge the best of international formats - Masterchef, Secret Millionaire, Don't Tell the Bride.
RTÉ will part-finance the series for up to €25,000 per pilot depending on duration and nature of production.
To participate in this series, we are asking producers to bring the balance of finance to the table, including a letter of interest from an international distribution company. Projects which do not have a distribution partner in place at application stage will be taken into consideration but will be at a disadvantage.
Budgets should reflect the needs of the production and take into consideration the finance available. In the case of studio programmes, if necessary and desirable, RTÉ could consider augmenting or offsetting part of the budget with the provision of RTÉ facilities.
This series of pilots will be broadcast on RTÉ TWO this autumn in a peak-time slot. An online vote will be held to gauge the public level of support for each transmitted programme
The series of programmes would be run under the banner "TV Labs", which is a European Public Service Broadcaster scheme - and as part of this, the pilots could be available for broadcast in other European countries, who participate in the scheme. Details of same to be further discussed with the producer and international distributor on a case by case basis so as not to conflict with the international commercial exploitation of the programme.
Projects must be submitted through the standard Ecommissioning system, and ideas that do not come through this system will not be considered. While the pilots will be broadcast initially on RTÉ TWO, we are looking for ideas that have the potential to play in a variety of time-slots on RTÉ ONE and TWO, should they go to full series commission. Proposals from companies with a strong track record in the production of high quality formatted television will be prioritised."
The ideas submitted can range in terms of genre, tone and target audience - from mainstream entertainment shows, to edgier or more challenging programming, from, family orientated studio entertainment programmes such as quizzes, to contemporary lifestyle formats, and more sassy late night programmes.
Ideas will be assessed by a cross-genre Formats Commissioning group, with representatives from Lifestyle, RTÉ TWO and Entertainment.
A briefing session for independent producers will be held where this group will more fully outline the commissioning processes and the ambition for this series on Tuesday 27th March in the AR4 Room, in the main TV building, RTÉ, Donnybrook at 10am.
Deadline for submissions: 20th April 2012
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 RTÉ Formats "Formats" The deadline for receipt of submission is close of business on Friday 20th April.
Please post or email letters of interest from distributors to Gareth Williams in the IPU office (Gareth.williams@rte.ie) clearly marking them with the relevant e-commissioning number of the submitted proposal by the same deadline.
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ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMES
RTÉ Two Formatted Factual Entertainment Series
No of Episodes/Duration: 8-12 x 52 minutes
Budget: Up to a maximum of €95,000 per hour
We are interested in new proposals for formatted factual entertainment programming for RTÉ TWO. We are interested in other new formats which lend themselves towards strong narratives and development of a cast of characters across a series, combining light-hearted escapism, authentic jeopardy and moments of real emotion and drama. Viewers should see characters that they can identify with, genuinely striving to overcome the challenges that they are faced with.
We are looking for - and will help develop - original new Irish formats which have broad mainstream appeal, particularly amongst female audiences in their 20s and 30s. Strong international formats which meet the channel ethos and slot requirements will also be considered.
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ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMES
Comedy and Entertainment
No of Episodes: 6 x 30 series for comedy proposals
Transmission: RTÉ TWO - Mondays and Tuesdays various durations
Budget: €45,000 - €60,000 per episode for comedy proposals
No of Episodes:1 x 52 popular documentaries
Transmission: RTÉ TWO - Mondays and Tuesdays various durations
Budget: Up to a maximum of €70,000 per hour for popular documentaries
We are looking for a range of bold new proposals, from scripted comedy to comic reality and observational factual entertainment ideas.
Some proposals for this slot should be broad accessible comedy or reality based comic entertainment (including candid camera type programmes, personality driven or theme driven popular documentaries), which are designed to provide an engagingly watchable form of escapism for younger audiences.
In particular we are interested in the next iteration of hidden camera comedy programming, and in personality or theme driven hour long high-impact one-off (or short series) popular documentaries. Proposals of this nature need to focus on driving significant audiences, with younger female audiences being of particular interest.
In some other slots we are happy to look at more challenging or innovative comedy or factual entertainment formats, featuring new talent or quirky ideas, where the benefits for the channel's schedule and brand are primarily the medium to long term.
Fresh faces and new talent will be prioritised, and development phases are likely to be the norm.
We are interested in programming that the comedic edge and mainstream appeal of 'Naked Camera', The Des Bishop Work Experience' and 'Anonymous' .
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ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMES
Late Night Music Programming
No of Episodes/Duration: 12 x 52 minutes
Transmission: RTÉ TWO, Wednesdays at 23:30
Budget: €15,000 - €20,000 per hour
We will also be looking for highly cost effective late night RTÉ TWO youth-skewing music proposals. Co-financing solutions, perhaps involving sponsorship, will be considered.
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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.
