BBC Launches @North commissioning initiative

THE director of BBC North last night unveiled a new initiative to commission more digital content from across the region in a link up with its Children’s department, which will be moving to MediaCity in 2011.

Peter Salmon launched the @North initiative at The Manchester Media Festival last night.

It will support the development and delivery of interactive content for children, with up to four projects with a total budget of £500,000 available for commissions by CBBC and CBeebies.

Mr Salmon said the project represents a new model of engagement with independent companies and digital agencies across the North, and as such will rely on collaboration with creative development agencies such as North West Vision and Media.

The pilot project will be led by BBC Children’s but will involve collaboration with teams from other areas within the BBC, such as Future, Media and Technology.

Mr Salmon said: “This is an exciting new concept and there is real business up for grabs, with CBBC and CBeebies commissions to be won by creative organisations working on interactive media across the North of England.

“There is some great creative work going on in the digital sector across the North and we want to work in partnership to develop new and exciting multiplatform content for our young audiences.”

Independent companies and digital agencies should send expressions of interest in the @North project to Mario Dubois, project lead at mario.dubois@bbc.co.uk