BBC Scotland lead pack with 2009 indie commissions

LAST year, BBC Scotland screened work by 24 different Scottish independent television production companies, with Channel 4 pitching in with six and BBC ALBA with 19.

Across both BBC One Scotland and BBC Two Scotland, among the big providers were Tern, The Comedy Unit and Triple Echo.

By ‘Scottish’, the definition operated by broadcasting regulators, Ofcom, that requires two of the following three conditions to be met:

* The producing company has a ‘substantive’ base in Scotland;

* 70 per cent of the programme’s budge is spent in Scotland; and

* 50 per cent of the programme’s crew are based in Scotland.

At Channel 4, IWC Media was a big provider. At Gaelic-language digital channel, BBC ALBA, the main providers included MNE TV, BeesNees and Sorbier Productions.

In a survey conducted by allmediascotland.com, the figures also for STV, ITV and Five were two, zero, and two, respectively.

Missing from the figures are programmes made by Scottish indies that were broadcast across the UK on the BBC. The compilation of this network programmes information will not begin – says a spokesperson – until next month.

And among the BBC ALBA programmes screened, three were commissioned from STV – Murtairean Gun Ainm, Turas a’ Bhradain and Ian Brady – which is not, technically, an independent.

Also, Sunset + Vine – listed below – while not operating an office in Scotland qualify as, technically, a 25th ‘Scottish’ indie by virtue of satisfying the 70 and 50 per cent prerequisites, as above.

Said a BBC Scotland spokesperson: “Getting a wide range of programmes from a wide range of production companies – allied to our in-house productions – is aimed at ensuring that all our audiences in Scotland feel they get something of interest to them. Taken along with our increased output for UK audiences, this shows the strength of our creative industries in Scotland especially at a time of difficult economic circumstances.”

Added a Channel 4 spokesperson: “In addition to these shows, we have two films in development in Scotland and have had a really strong year in terms of our digital commissions – KNTV Sex, by Tern TV, won a Bafta Scotland award, as did Blipfoto.com, who we’re running a global photography competition with.

“We launched arts platform Central Station (www.thisiscentralstation.com), an app that tracks alcohol consumption and its impact on the body (You Booze, You Lose, by Digital Goldfish), and FestBuzz to aggregate festival reviews (by Affect Labs).”

The programmes on BBC One Scotland and BBC Two Scotland were as follows:

Resolutions

Jan 1 BBC One Scotland

Hunter Productions

Sportscene, incl Scottish Cup Final

Jan 10 – Sept 9 BBC One Scotland and BBC Two Scotland

Sunset + Vine

Limmy’s Show

Feb 18 BBC Two Scotland

The Comedy Unit Limited

The Adventure Show

Feb 22 – Nov 29 BBC Two Scotland

Triple Echo

Curling

Feb 24 and 25, BBC Two Scotland

Sunset + Vine

Burnistoun

Feb 25 BBC Two Scotland

The Comedy Unit Limited

One Star

Mar 4 BBC Two Scotland

Tern TV

Various poltical conferences (SNP, Scottish Labour, etc)

Mar 7 – Oct 18 BBC Two Scotland

Tern TV

Zig Zag Love

Mar 16 BBC One Scotland

Machine Productions Limited

The Beechgrove Garden

Apr 1 – Sept 28 BBC One Scotland and BBC Two Scotland

Tern TV

Rugby: The Melrose Sevens

Apr 11 BBC Two Scotland

Sunset + Vine

Here Come the Tattie Howkers

Apr 20 BBC Two Scotland

Lichen Films

Teen Detox

Apr 28 – May 12 BBC Two Scotland

Tern TV

General Assembly

May 24 and 28 BBC Two Scotland

Tern TV

Karen’s Ultimate Challenge

May 25 BBC Two Scotland

Triple Echo

Raising Kane: Fashion’s New Star

May 29 BBC Two Scotland

Angel Eye Media

Various Scottish Rallying

June 14, Oct 25 and Dec 6 BBC Two Scotland

Demus Productions

Scotland’s Brand New Bank

July 7 BBC One Scotland

1A Productions Limited

Wild Walks

July 26 – Dec 20 BBC Two Scotland

Triple Echo

Dave Kidney: Superstar

July 28 BBC One Scotland

Rolling Pictures

Various shinty, incl the Camanachd Cup

Aug 22 – Oct 31 BBC Two Scotland

Sunset + Vine

Scottish Seniors Golf

Aug 27 BBC Two Scotland

European Tour Productions

Cricket: Scotland v Australia

Aug 28 BBC Two Scotland

Sunset + Vine

Falkirk Cup Athletics

Aug 30 BBC Two Scotland

Filmnova Productions

Happy Hollidays

Sept 4 – Oct 9 BBC One Scotland

Effingee Productions Ltd

Walking Wounded

Sept 6 BBC Two Scotland

Clarity Productions

Transatlantic Sessions

Sept 18 and 25, BBC Two Scotland

Pelicula Productions

Scotland’s Clans

Sept 28 – Nov 2 BBC Two Scotland

Mentorn Scotland

Brian Cox’s Jute Journey

Oct 5 BBC Two Scotland

Hopscotch Films Limited

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Concert

Oct 8 BBC Two Scotland

Tern TV

Troubled Young Minds

Oct 19 BBC Two Scotland

Hand Pict

The Scots Who Made the Modern World

Oct 20 – Nov 3 BBC Two Scotland

IWC Media

Shetland Lone Star

Oct 24 BBC Two Scotland

Hopscotch Films Limited

International Bowls

Nov 9 – 14 BBC Two Scotland

Sunset + Vine

Gary Tank Commander

Nov 16 – Dec 21 BBC Two Scotland

The Comedy Unit Limited

Bridging the Gap

Nov 25 – Dec 16 BBC Two Scotland

SDI Productions

Scotland’s Conspiracy Files

Dec 2 BBC Two Scotland

Keo North Limited

Curling: The European Championship Men’s Final

Dec 12 BBC Two Scotland

World Curling TV

Eileen’s Boys

Dec 22 BBC Two Scotland

Solus Productions Limited

Christmas Celebration

Dec 24 BBC One Scotland

Hunter Productions

The Skye Trail

Dec 27 BBC Two Scotland

Triple Echo

Only an Excuse?

Dec 31 BBC Two Scotland

The Comedy Unit Limited

Auld Lang Syne

Dec 31 BBC Two Scotland

Skyline

On Channel 4 and More4…..

Relocation Relocation (series five)

Jan 7 – Mar 25 Channel 4

IWC Media

Shrink Rap

Jan 15, Mar 21, Aug 14 More4

Finestripe

The Princess and the Gangster

Feb 9 Channel 4

Matchlight

Kirstie’s Homemade Home (series one)

Apr 16 – May 14 Channel 4

IWC Media

Faslane – news report

Apr 27 Channel 4

Firecrest Films

The Estate (Three Minute Wonders)

July 13 – Aug 6 Channel 4

Clarity Productions

The Exhumer

July 19 Channel 4

Matchlight

Location Location Location (series 10)

Aug 5 – Oct 8 Channel 4

IWC Media

The Genius of Charles Darwin

Sept 27 – Oct 11 Channel 4

IWC Media

Lead poisoning – news report

Nov 5 Channel 4

Firecrest Films

Relocation Relocation: It’s Never Too Late

Nov 24 Channel 4

IWC Media

Kirstie’s Homemade Christmas

Dec 8, 9, 10 Channel 4

IWC Media

The First Movie

Dec 19 More4

Mark Cousins

On STV…..

The Scots Who Fought Franco

Aug 13 and 20

Move On Up

Scotland Goes To War

Sept 3

Caledonia TV

On Five…..

Extreme Fishing 2

Mar 2 – Apr 27

IWC Media

Michaela’s Zoo Babies

May 30

IWC Media

On BBC ALBA…..

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