Songs of Praise, Question of Sport, Holby City and Horizon are the first shows the BBC is putting out to tender to independent producers.
In a move which marks a new chapter in the corporation’s history, the four shows which are currently made by the BBC will be put up for grabs to external companies.
The BBC’s in-house arm BBC Studios is also able to bid to make the programmes but will have to compete on the same terms with commercial producers as part of director general Tony Hall’s new “compete or compare” strategy.
Under the terms of the BBC’s new draft charter, unveiled last week, all BBC shows will eventually be put out to tender over the next 11 years. In return BBC Studios will be allowed to become commercial next year and make shows for other broadcasters.
The strategy is part of a bid to help the BBC stem the tide of talent moving to the more lucrative commercial sector and instead encourage them to stay and come up with new hits for the corporation.
The BBC said the shows were chosen because they are approaching recommissioning decisions and their production schedules allow them to be put out to tender quickly.
BBC Television managing director and commercial director Bal Samra said: “It is a big, bold move, but I think what we’re doing in generating this competition – with a strong independent sector and the creation of BBC studios - could make our industry even stronger.”
“We are incredibly proud of all these titles and our decision to put them to tender in the first batch is a pragmatic one, so we can move quickly. These are BBC shows that will still be on BBC Channels and we will still own the rights.
“We have nurtured and cherished them over many years, our audiences love them and they are precious to us, but we hope the tendering process will offer an opportunity to test value for money and ensure we are delivering the very best programmes for viewers.”
Thought to be the longest-running religious television programme in the world, Songs of Praise is considered one of the cornerstones of the BBC schedule and the corporation’s decision to put such a key pubic service show in the first tranche of programmes going too to tender has raised some eyebrows.
It was first aired by the BBC in 1961, the same decade that Question of Sport began and BBC2 documentary series Horizon. The sports quiz is another BBC1 stalwart and, like Songs of Praise, is based in Salford in Greater Manchester.
Rather than taking on the full series commission for Horizon, independent producers will be able to tender for bundles of commissions, which the BBC said would increase the diversity of its science coverage.
The corporation said: “As part of increased competition, suppliers will also be invited to pitch ideas for Horizon – with bundles of commissions based on the strength of their proposals. This creates an opportunity to increase the range of ideas for our science offer on BBC Two and strengthen science specialism in the sector.”
One producer said the choice of shows was interesting: “Songs of Praise and Question of Sport are heritage brands and Horizon and Holby are closely linked in many people’s minds with the BBC.”
However, staff working on the programmes are still unclear what will happen to them if the programmes are transferred to independent companies. Many have worked on the shows for years.
Union Bectu general secretary Gerry Morrissey confirmed that the BBC has not yet revealed under what conditions they will transfer over on.
“There has been great uncertainty for weeks and months about this and we still don’t have pay, conditions or pension details – we don’t expect the BBC to pay lip service to these.”
The BBC is due to meet independent producers tomorrow to reveal more details about the tendering process.
Its relationship with the independent sector hit the headlines recently following Channel 4’s poaching of Great British Bake Off, which is made by Love Productions.
