BBC Introducing
Encyclopedia
BBC Introducing is the brand for new music programmes across the BBC
radio stations, showcasing unsigned, self signed and other emerging musical talent primarily from the UK. Launched in 2007 the Introducing brand brings programming from across the BBC under a unified brand with each show retaining its own identity. Introducing has also been extended to the BBC
's stages at major festivals such as Glastonbury
. Introducing shows can now be found on most BBC Radio
stations from national to local. In 2010 BBC Introducing was awarded the best new platform to discover music at the BT Digital Music Awards. In May 2011, BBC Introducing won the Gold award for Best Use of Multiplatform at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.
although this was deemed unsuitable for many of the local shows. 'Introducing' was ultimately selected as a brand that could be added to existing show names, or used as a signpost for features within programming.
By 2007 many BBC local radio stations had launched a weekly local music show to share and champion local bands. As shows such as The Box Office on BBC Three Counties Radio
, The Download
on BBC Radio Oxford
, The Friday Session on BBC Hereford and Worcester
, Raw Talent on BBC Radio Humberside
and The Weekender on BBC Radio Nottingham
proved popular there was interest in developing a more coherent structure and brand for new music on the BBC.
In September 2010 all BBC local radio shows that had not re-named themselves as part of the 'Introducing' were re-branded.
, F-Block
, The Good Natured
, Sharks Took the Rest
, Vessels and Shammi Pithia, amongst others.
stations now featuring an Introducing show, the music team at BBC Radio 1
are seeking to make use of the local knowledge available across the corporation. In essence the national station has access to local experts across the country who are able to act as a filter and recommend artists for national attention. For big events, such as the BBC Introducing stage at the Glastonbury festival
, local show producers submit acts for consideration to a central panel.
, BBC 6 Music
, BBC Radio 1Xtra
or BBC Asian Network
.
All material submitted to the BBC Introducing brand via the upload tool is classified by the BBC as User Generated Content (UGC), and they encourage users to read the Corporation's Terms of Use in relation to UGC before uploading material.
The upload tool was the subject of a complaint to the BBC Trust
from a commercial organisation Amazing Tunes that had launched a similar service in 2005. Amazing Tunes provides the musical content for a UK national digital radio station, Amazing Radio
. The complaint described the BBC upload mechanism as "to all intents and purposes a direct copy of our privately funded concept". The BBC disputed this description, but advised artists to "explore all the avenues open to them."
credit 'BBC Introducing' for bringing them to the attention of the UK public through its TV coverage of Glastonbury Festival
in 2007. BBC Introducing has also assisted acts such as Florence and the Machine
, The Temper Trap
, Chipmunk
, Marina and the Diamonds and Stornoway
reach a larger market.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio stations, showcasing unsigned, self signed and other emerging musical talent primarily from the UK. Launched in 2007 the Introducing brand brings programming from across the BBC under a unified brand with each show retaining its own identity. Introducing has also been extended to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's stages at major festivals such as Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
. Introducing shows can now be found on most BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
stations from national to local. In 2010 BBC Introducing was awarded the best new platform to discover music at the BT Digital Music Awards. In May 2011, BBC Introducing won the Gold award for Best Use of Multiplatform at the Sony Radio Academy Awards.
History
The initial idea was to use the In New Music We Trust brand from BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
although this was deemed unsuitable for many of the local shows. 'Introducing' was ultimately selected as a brand that could be added to existing show names, or used as a signpost for features within programming.
By 2007 many BBC local radio stations had launched a weekly local music show to share and champion local bands. As shows such as The Box Office on BBC Three Counties Radio
BBC Three Counties Radio
BBC Three Counties Radio is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire...
, The Download
BBC Oxford Introducing
BBC Oxford Introducing is a local music show in Oxfordshire, and part of the main BBC Introducing brand. The show is broadcast between 9 and 10pm on Sunday nights on BBC Oxford and is presented by Dave Gilyeat and Sam King.- History :...
on BBC Radio Oxford
BBC Radio Oxford
BBC Radio Oxford is the BBC Local Radio station for the English county of Oxfordshire, broadcasting on 95.2 FM via the Oxford transmitter and online. The station broadcasts live from the BBC's Summertown studios in Oxford between 5am and 7pm each weekday, for over 13 hours on Saturdays & 19 hours...
, The Friday Session on BBC Hereford and Worcester
BBC Hereford and Worcester
BBC Hereford and Worcester is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It broadcasts from its studios in both Worcester and Hereford on 104 , 104.4 104.6 and 94.7 FM; as well as 738 and 1584 MW on AM...
, Raw Talent on BBC Radio Humberside
BBC Radio Humberside
BBC Radio Humberside is a BBC Local Radio service covering the area of the former English county of Humberside, which was returned to North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire the East Riding of Yorkshire and the City of Kingston upon Hull on 1 April 1996....
and The Weekender on BBC Radio Nottingham
BBC Radio Nottingham
BBC Radio Nottingham is a BBC Local Radio station serving the English county of Nottinghamshire. It broadcasts on FM, AM, and digital DAB radio from studios located on London Road in Nottingham city centre.-Transmission frequences:...
proved popular there was interest in developing a more coherent structure and brand for new music on the BBC.
In September 2010 all BBC local radio shows that had not re-named themselves as part of the 'Introducing' were re-branded.
Glastonbury Showcase
BBC Introducing has hosted a stage at Glastonbury every year since 2007. The 2011 incarnation featured Ed SheeranEd Sheeran
Edward Christopher "Ed" Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter who is currently signed to Asylum / Atlantic Records. Sheeran broke through commercially in June 2011, when his debut single "The A Team" debuted at number 3 on the UK chart.-Early life:Sheeran was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire to...
, F-Block
F-block
The f-block of the periodic table of the elements consists of those elements whose atoms or ions have valence electrons in f-orbitals. Actual electronic configurations may be slightly different from what is predicted by the Aufbau principle...
, The Good Natured
The Good Natured
The Good Natured are an English electropop band, consisting of Sarah McIntosh on vocals and keyboards, her brother Hamish McIntosh on bass and George Hinton on drums....
, Sharks Took the Rest
Sharks Took The Rest
Sharks Took the Rest are a British alternative pop band brought together by Beccy Owen and Adam Kent. The band are based in the North East of England and write original songs that incorporate influences from many different genres, including pop, Alternative Rock, Jazz, Ambient music, Electronic...
, Vessels and Shammi Pithia, amongst others.
A national network
With most BBC Local RadioBBC Local Radio
BBC Local Radio is the BBC's regional radio service for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of 40 stations. They cover a variety of areas with some serving a city and surrounding areas, for example BBC Radio Manchester; a county, for example BBC Radio Norfolk; an administrative region for...
stations now featuring an Introducing show, the music team at BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
are seeking to make use of the local knowledge available across the corporation. In essence the national station has access to local experts across the country who are able to act as a filter and recommend artists for national attention. For big events, such as the BBC Introducing stage at the Glastonbury festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
, local show producers submit acts for consideration to a central panel.
Upload tool
During February 2009, an upload tool was launched on the BBC Introducing website to allow users to upload their music direct to BBC Introducing producers and presenters. Artists/bands enter their postcode at the point of registering and notifications about any songs they upload are sent to BBC staff working on their nearest Introducing radio show, as well as their choice of national show on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
, BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
, BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...
or BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
.
All material submitted to the BBC Introducing brand via the upload tool is classified by the BBC as User Generated Content (UGC), and they encourage users to read the Corporation's Terms of Use in relation to UGC before uploading material.
The upload tool was the subject of a complaint to the BBC Trust
BBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
from a commercial organisation Amazing Tunes that had launched a similar service in 2005. Amazing Tunes provides the musical content for a UK national digital radio station, Amazing Radio
Amazing Radio
Amazing Radio is a national radio station broadcasting on digital radio in the United Kingdom. The station plays new music from a number of music genres including pop, rock, indie, hip hop, electronica and jazz...
. The complaint described the BBC upload mechanism as "to all intents and purposes a direct copy of our privately funded concept". The BBC disputed this description, but advised artists to "explore all the avenues open to them."
Successes
The Ting TingsThe Ting Tings
The Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford...
credit 'BBC Introducing' for bringing them to the attention of the UK public through its TV coverage of Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 2007. BBC Introducing has also assisted acts such as Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
, The Temper Trap
The Temper Trap
The Temper Trap is an Australian indie rock band which formed in 2005. The core members are Jonathon Aherne on bass guitar and vocals, Toby Dundas on drums and programming, Dougy Mandagi on vocals and guitar, and Lorenzo Sillitto on guitar, keyboards and vocals. They are supplemented on tours with...
, Chipmunk
Chipmunk (rapper)
Jahmaal Noel Fyffe known by his stage name Chipmunk, is a British hip hop rapper and songwriter from Tottenham, London....
, Marina and the Diamonds and Stornoway
Stornoway (band)
Stornoway is a British alternative indie folk band from the Cowley area of Oxford. It consists of singer and guitarist Brian Briggs; multi-instrumentalists Jon Ouin and Oli Steadman, and the latter's brother Rob on drums. The band is usually joined by trumpeter Adam Briggs and violinist Rahul Satija...
reach a larger market.