Overview of the role
A development researcher is responsible for generating new programme ideas for young audiences, whether that is a new cooking show for pre school age children, a location based factual entertainment show for six to twelve-year-olds, a studio game show or an impactful observational documentary for a current affairs strand. They will have a good understanding of the TV market for children’s content across both broadcasters and streamers and know how to adhere to the relevant regulations around both working with children and making content for them, including safeguarding, GDPR/data protection, the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and broadcaster editorial guidelines.
Depending on the team set up, they may work with potential new on-screen contributors and audience focus groups to test ideas. They will assist in preparing, researching and fact-checking pitch documents and decks. They support the development assistant producer (AP), development producer and head of development (HoD). In teams with no development assistants, development researchers might take on additional administrative and organisational responsibilities.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the size of the team and the scale and budget of the production.
- Consume and analyse output made for children from a wide range of broadcasters and platforms. Monitor audience ratings and develop the ability to interrogate programmes and understand the attributes of successful shows.
- Understand the different target audiences of each channel, commissioner, and platform and what content might interest them. Review and interpret commissioning briefs and use these insights to inform new ideas.
- Keep abreast of new platform and programming trends and the opportunities they might offer. Read industry websites and publications for relevant industry insights and share these with the wider team.
- Understand the basics of child development, the specific age segment that ideas are aiming at and how this will determine shape, tone and content.
- Identify and explore new subject matters and topics appropriate to the audience segment.
- Identify who the target commissioners are for ideas and ensure the ideas align with their needs.
- Prepare and contribute to brainstorms with original thoughts and starting points.
- Spot new subjects or people that could make engaging TV for children.
- Pitch ideas in a succinct way to the internal development team.
- Good administration skills - produce clear notes on ideas and subject matter discussed during brainstorms, liaise with the HoD/producer in circulating these to development team members along with action points, organise ideas into folders, which are kept up-to-date.
- Understand how AI could be used to support content creation and ideas generation and ensure any tools and outputs accessed are fully disclosed to and approved by producers and employed in accordance with production company and broadcaster guidelines and EU and UK law.
- Identify the relevant experts with whom to consult on audience needs and preferences e.g. educational experts for the younger audiences, audience specialists.
- Explore a range of subject matters by researching facts and statistics and use these to support the development of ideas under the direction of the development AP or producer.
- For factual shows identify the correct organisations, individuals and sources to consult. Underpin development with relevant facts and statistics interrogating information for relevance and accuracy. Know how to check facts and statistics for veracity and determine the reliability of sources.
- Write clear, concise notes and keep records, tracking conversations and ideas and laying out research in an easy to digest way to share with the development AP and producer.
- Contribute ideas to the development of formats including the mechanics of competitions and contests.
- Identify new talent that will have a particular resonance with younger audiences through consuming a wide range of media and share new talent with the team.
- Suggest new and established talent for projects in development by finding links to relevant subject matters.
- Uncover surprising and appropriate interests of established and high-profile talent and use this to pitch inventive and unexpected ideas for children.
- Conduct background checks into potential grown up talent, escalating any areas of concern.
- Spot interesting new contributors and presenters to bring to existing projects or to inspire new ideas.
- Identify possible places and organisations (access) of interest.
- Understand and adhere to all of the working with children regulations and guidelines when it comes to casting, approaching and interviewing under 18s. (See casting researcher skills checklist for more details.)
- Edit any filmed or recorded conversations into casting assemblies.
- Carry out background research on commissioners and platforms including an overview of programming and high-rating shows and circulate briefing to the development team.
- Contribute research, facts and statistics to pitch materials.
- Write initial drafts of ideas.
- Assist in the design of pitch materials such as pitch decks and sizzles. Be able to work with simple design software to enhance pitch materials.
- Source images as well as user generated content (UGC) and found footage for pitch decks and sizzles (those with camera training may film original footage for taster tapes).
- Proof-read and format documents.
- Organise relevant documents for the team in advance of meetings including printing and ordering working to a clear deadline for the preparation of material.
- Attend commissioner meetings and support in pitches by contributing research, statistics and facts.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of development researcher in children's TV.
- Actively engage with the output of a range of children’s broadcasters and platforms and become familiar with the commissioning landscape for children’s content.
- Good working knowledge of the regulatory frameworks and guidelines that govern content production for children and working with children.
- Be passionate about children’s TV and able to generate new bold ideas.
- Be a confident writer able to condense large amounts of information into a clear brief.
- Be able to edit tasters and familiar with a range of software to support the team in the logging, development and design of ideas
- Organise and contribute to the design and production of pitch materials, decks and sizzles.
- Manage and prioritise a varied workload, juggling a range of projects at different stages of the development process with varying needs.
- Communication: communicate the requirements of the development team with a variety of internal and external organisations and individuals.
- Team-working: collaboration within own and with other departments and external organisations.
- Planning: assist with practical requirements for transport, refreshments, meetings and diary coordination.
- IT skills: familiarity with a range of software to support the team in the logging, development and design of ideas.
- Deliver under pressure: responding quickly to the needs of the team and urgent deadlines calmly and efficiently.
- Passionate about creating inspiring, inclusive and empowering content for children.
- Enthusiasm: an active interest in learning more about the children’s industry, including consuming content from a range of different broadcasters and platforms.
- Resilience: adapts positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met.
- Be proactive and explore new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the ideas.
- Productivity: organise work effectively and meet deadlines.
- Demonstrate the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations and escalate appropriately when necessary.
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all actions and interactions.
- Respectful and inclusive of others and meet the ethical requirements of profession.
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements with flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing environment.