BBC Content Innovation Fund

Overview 

The second round of the BBC Content Innovation Fund is for Wales-based production companies to research and develop projects with a focus on innovative approaches to climate content. The fund offers dedicated time and resource for indies to explore innovative ways of engaging audiences with the climate crisis across Wales and beyond.   

Funded companies will develop an ambitious idea for climate content aimed at a mainstream audience, with innovation at its core, and with broad appeal for BBC One Wales or network.   

Ideas can relate to genres such as drama, entertainment and comedy, as well as in traditional factual formats. 

Process

Up to five Wales-based companies will be chosen to develop ideas for climate content, each receiving up to £20,000.  

Successful applicants will carry out a three-month R&D sprint (taking place between February and April 2025) to research and develop a new idea and deliver a pitch deck and sample sequence. They will also attend an Insight Day (29 January 2025) to engage with the BBC’s Climate Creatives strategy, and to discuss scientific perspectives on climate change and insights into how diverse audiences engage with climate content. 

Funded projects may result in the BBC commissioning a programme idea.  

Key Dates  

• 2 October 2024: Applications open  
• 8 November 2024: Applications close at noon (applications will not be accepted after this time) 
• 6 December 2024: Applicants notified  
• 29 January 2025: Insight Day (BBC, Central Square, Cardiff)  
• 3 February 2025: R&D projects begin 
• 30 April 2025: R&D projects end   
• May – June 2025: possibility of BBC commissioning an idea  

Eligibility  

To be eligible to apply: 

• You must have an idea for an innovative R&D project focused on climate content that is aligned with the BBC’s Climate Creatives Strategy. 
• Your project must be aimed at mainstream audiences, with broad appeal for BBC One Wales or network. 
• Your company must be based in Wales and must qualify as a ‘Regional Production’ from Wales in accordance with the regional production criteria in Ofcom’s Guidance for public service broadcasters.
• Your company must have at least one television credit in the last six years.  
• You are able to dedicate time and effort to complete a R&D project between February and April 2025.   
• We will only accept and fund one application per individual/company/organisation as a project lead.    

Media Cymru Pillars   

We are keen to support projects that address some, or all, of Media Cymru’s strategic pillars:  

• Green – reducing the negative environmental impact of the sector 
• Fair – creating a fair, equal and diverse sector 
• Global – increasing international collaborations   
• Growth – driving growth and productivity through R&D

Media Cymru’s definition of Research and Development (R&D)

R&D activities are defined as creative and systematic work undertaken to address challenges and to create new or improved products, services, processes or experiences. 

In a media context, this could mean exploring, experimenting with or testing new technology such as extended reality, artificial intelligence or virtual production. It could also mean exploring radical, fairer and more planet-friendly ways of working. It could involve testing new methods of producing, distributing and experiencing content, or new ways of reaching audiences and being more sensitive to their needs and demands.

The kind of R&D projects we are looking for are:

• Novel: they will be based on original concepts and hypotheses, not obvious ones.
• Creative: they will take experimental approaches and generate new findings.
• Uncertain: they will begin with a degree of uncertainty about the final outcomes.
• Systematic: they will be based on a planned and budgeted approach.
• Transferable: they will generate results that can be reproduced to gain wider benefits.

Accessibility   

If you have any specific requirements that would make the application more accessible to you (such as advice, scribing or reading support) or would like to discuss this application in an alternative format (video or audio formats, audio narration, large font, plain text, or alternative language) please email media.cymru@cardiff.ac.uk or phone 02922 511 434.  

Apply 

Please read the guidance notes before applying – they include more information, application details and eligibility criteria. 

If you wish to prepare your answers offline prior to submitting an application, the key application questions can be found in the guidance notes.

All application must be completed and submitted online via our website. We cannot accept applications in other formats.