13 September 2018
We are pleased to announce an increase to the minimum rates for radio writers and minimum terms for new-make podcasts in a series of amendments made to the Radio Drama Agreement further to collective negotiations between the BBC, the Society of Authors, the Personal Managers’ Association and the Writers’ Guild sitting as the Radio Forum.
Writers commissioned for radio broadcast will see an uplift of 2% to the current minimum rates effective from 28 August 2018 and a further rise of 2% from 1st November 2018. Writers are free to negotiate additional increases on a case-by-case basis. The new public service fee, covering broadcasts on 4Extra as well as simulcast and podcast for a five year term, has increased by 2.5% to 15%.
We have also agreed a framework for the commission of new-make podcasts by the BBC. Writers will be remunerated according to the category appropriate to the length of the script in return for a 5 year licence term (and further remuneration for commercial exploitation), with all terms subject to regular review.
Category 1 (1-6 mins): £300
Category 2 (7-9 mins): £550
Category 3 (10-19 mins): £1,000
Category 4 (20-29 mins): £1,500
Category 5 (30-40 mins): £2,200
For more information please contact Theo Jones, co-secretary to the Scriptwriters Group, at tjones@societyofauthors.org