Independent radio producer, All Out Productions, has collected nine Sony Awards during its 13 years in business trading from first London and then Manchester for the past six years.
Although more of its current work - and likely future pipeline - is starting to come from music production, podcasting and ‘branded content’, managing director David Cook is adamant that “news will remain at our core – it’s in our DNA.”
 Cook
The programme ultimately ran for five years and initially, at least, it created waves with the then editor of the Daily Star remarking “What next, angling on the radio?” Unintentionally prophetic - Five Live did indeed commission such a series, Dirty Tackle, shortly after.
We wanted to deconstruct older styles The early days of Five Live suited the company said Cook. “We wanted to do hard-hitting news and documentaries. But we also wanted to deconstruct the style of these programmes, to bring the listeners along with the stories, with the journalists as the stories unfolded.”
The formula clearly worked as contract extensions were negotiated and Sony Awards were won. More work was commissioned by the BBC and by the late 90s, All Out was producing 20 investigations a year for Five Live plus programmes for Radios 1 and 2 and the World Service.
However, the company’s necessarily close relationship with the BBC carried with it inherent risk and three of the founders decided to take up BBC staff positions.
This potential turning point in the company’s development prompted Cook and his two remaining directors to take stock of where the company was going.
“We started exploring relocating out of London to somewhere busy but less expensive and Manchester made sense. We’d always liked the town and had plenty of friends here. Plus business wise, most of our competitors are in London and we felt it could be a USP to be based out of ‘town.’ Five Live hugely supportive Radio 5 was supportive of their intention and backed them up with a two year extension of the 5 Live Report.
Some of the London team decided however a move north was not for them and ultimately just two staffers moved north in 2001, Cook and Lyndon Saunders. Ironically Saunders too subsequently jumped ship to join the BBC.
“Initially it was a problem getting qualified staff” said Cook. “It took a while to settle down. These things take time and it’s only really now, five years or so later, that we’ve managed to get a really good team in place.”
The business gradually bedded into Manchester but was still overly reliant on BBC commissions, something which worried Cook at nights. So he decided to explore some of the bid approaches that the company was now attracting. The most attractive to Cook was the offer from Somethin’ Else, a ‘cross platform’ production company based in London. Somethin’ Else was a big radio producer and was also into TV production, interactive entertainment and owned a growing talent management agency.
The obvious attraction for Cook was that a combined Somethin’ Else/All Out would be the UK’s largest independent radio producer. “It was also a larger company with a strong London presence and had expertise in areas we didn’t and were keen to move into. Areas such as music production and branded content.”
Sponsored radio features that Somethin’ Else had produced included programmes for Audi, Nescafe, Sure (deodorant) and Disney.
All Out acquired In May 2005, Somethin’ Else acquired 80% of All Out.
The acquisition said Cook has been good for the business. Certainly collecting Sony Awards hasn’t dried up. This spring All Out picked up another Sony. Its Bronze award was in recognition of its programme “My streets - A Rudeboy’s Guide to Peckham”, a commission for 4Radio.
Admin and back office functions are now based in London leaving a core staff of eight in the office in the Northern Quarter: Cook plus seven producers.
Researchers, sound engineers, presenters and additional producers are brought in as required for specific projects.
Attracting staff these days is much less of a concern. “The Beeb today is quite different. There have been so many redundancies in London – with more to come – that’s there’s talent everywhere.”
And three other developments are exciting Cook.
Clearly the BBC relocation of 1500 London posts to Salford, including Five Live, will have an impact on his business, as additional opportunities will surely arise. But he is also greatly encouraged by developments at Channel 4 Radio and GMG Radio.
Channel 4 is investing substantially in its revamped radio and digital offerings while GMG Radio has recently announced it is to increase its investment in independent radio production by £1m.
“It’s a good start” said Cook. “We have always gone with our ideas to the Beeb and it’s great to see new sources of commissioning opening up – and in what appears to be a meaningful way.”
www.allout.co.uk
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