Newstalk is now accepting pitches from producers seeking broadcaster support for the latest round of Sound and Vision funding, Round 61.

The details of the next funding round are available here with Relevant Guides and Application Forms to be published on the Coimisiún na Meán website on the opening date of the round, alongside further details on a webinar for prospective applicants on Thursday 11th June at midday. 

This round seeks high-quality content that reflects Irish culture, heritage,  language and diversity, including programming in the Irish language. 

We want to work with creative and innovative programme-makers, who can tell great stories, bring new perspectives, and amplify a wide range of voices through documentaries and drama.

While Newstalk will accept pitches in any area related to the above, we are particularly interested in pitches that focus on areas we believe are of interest to the Newstalk audience and capture contemporary Irish life. 

We are especially interested in Irish language proposals in the upcoming funding cycle.

• Music, Television, and the Arts
• Business & Economics
• Climate Change
• Sport
• Specific date or occasion-related programming (anniversaries, etc)
• Diversity
• Recent History / Nostalgia
• All of the above as Gaeilge.

About our audience

Newstalk targets a core audience of 35–55-year-olds and has 846,000 listeners weekly. The audience is predominantly urban-based and leading busy lives with a wide range of interests and a curiosity to the world around them. 

The audience are big consumers of media and social media and very likely to listen online or through podcasts.

Please submit your pitch as a maximum two-page document – this must include:

• A clear synopsis and the structure of your programme idea
• Why you feel it is timely
• An outline of the production timeline post funding approval
• Any issues that could delay the proposal
• Topline estimate of costs and budget
• A sample script if a drama
• Details and experience of the production team and programme subjects & contributors

Note to Producers 

Our documentaries and drama programme slots are 45 minutes total maximum in duration, and broadcast in two parts. 

If your project does not or will not fit into these times or formats, we will consider on a case-by-case basis.

We replay documentaries and dramas on the station so please be aware of this when you apply; by submitting to us you consent to same. No additional fee is provided for this. The exclusive broadcast period for all documentaries and dramas is 12 months.

Should your programme be accepted to be broadcast on Newstalk and supported by Coimisiún na Meán, the broadcaster will provide you with a further outline of specific requirements to meet before you commence making the documentary or drama. 

Upon completion, we will need you to submit the final version of audio as you intend it to be broadcast, although this will be subject to our feedback before it goes to air.

We also encourage you to attend the Coimisiún na Meán Applicant Webinar (date to be announced by them) if you have any queries you’d like to check with the Coimisiún na Meán team, particularly with regard to budget queries. If you are self-funded, we will also consider those applications on a case-by-case basis.

Timelines

Newstalk is now accepting pitches for Round 61 via email to documentaries@newstalk.com up to & including Monday 15th June.

If successful, Newstalk will confirm approval in principle, with broadcaster support letters issued by latest Thursday 2nd July.

The closing date for applications to Coimisiún na Meán is 12 noon sharp on Thursday 16th July.

Main image: A woman on the radio. Picture by: Alamy.com.