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Â鶹ԼÅÄ Trust launches third review of the Window of Creative Competition for Television

Date: 20.09.2012     Last updated: 23.09.2014 at 09.50
Category: Television

The Â鶹ԼÅÄ Trust has today begun the third of its biennial reviews looking at how well the arrangements for the Window of Creative Competition (WoCC) for television are working.

The WoCC accounts for around 25 per cent of all Â鶹ԼÅÄ network television hours, for which both the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s in-house teams and independent television producers can compete on equal terms. Of the remainder, 50 per cent is produced in-house and 25 per cent by independent producers.

The review will examine the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s operation of the WoCC to ensure it is working in line with the requirements set out in the Agreement which accompanies the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s Charter. A public consultation has been launched today to seek views from programme makers and interested members of the public.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Trustee Anthony Fry, Chairman of the Trust Finance Committee, which is overseeing the review, said:

“The WoCC has played a big part in ensuring that the Â鶹ԼÅÄ is able to harness the talents of the independent sector in delivering a diverse range of high quality programming, from Sherlock to Masterchef. Recent figures show the independent sector has continued to win a high proportion of the available work.

“The last review in 2010 found that the core principle of competition that forms the basis of the WoCC had become well established, with commissioners focused on selecting the best programme ideas, wherever they come from.

“This time we’ll look to ensure these arrangements have continued to work well and that the recommendations we made have been followed through. If necessary, we’ll make further recommendations on how commissioning under the WoCC might be improved.â€

The review will not examine issues such as the existence of the WoCC or the proportion of television hours currently allocated to Â鶹ԼÅÄ in-house producers, the independent sector and the WoCC.

The public consultation on the WoCC will run until 7 November and .

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The WoCC has existed since 2007 and is the part of Â鶹ԼÅÄ network television commissioning for which in-house and independent producers can compete on equal terms. Of the total network television hours available, 25 per cent is set aside for the independent sector (the indie guarantee) and 50 per cent is reserved for Â鶹ԼÅÄ in-house production (the in-house guarantee). The WoCC accounts for the remaining proportion of network television hours.

2. Under the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Agreement, the Trust is required to review the WoCC at least every two years.

3. More information about the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Trust and its work can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust

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