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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Plan for commissioning a television programme 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
12610  Plan for commissioning a television programme 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Audio-visual Media Production 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 
2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-06-30   2029-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
People credited with this standard will be able to:
  • Evaluate the success of a programmes past performance
  • Determine scheduling needs
  • Manage annual programme budget
  • Draw up and distribute briefs 

  • LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credit value is based on the assumption that people starting to learn towards this unit standard are already competent in:
  • Reading and writing at NQF level 5
  • Computer literate at NQF level 4
  • The production processes 

  • UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    This unit standard will be useful to people who work in the audio-visual production industry and are responsible for commissioning programmes for a television channel.

    Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Evaluate the success of a programmes past performance. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Information from the research department is collected and interpreted in terms of the success of the programme's past performance. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    All Media and Producers Survey, Audience Ratings, Appreciation Index and focus groups
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Profitability report on the programme is studied and interpreted in terms of the advertising revenue vs. the cost for the given time slot. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. The programme's performance is evaluated, the future of the project is considered and discussed with channel management based on budget availability and overall programme performance. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Determine scheduling needs. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Past time slots, financially viable slots and target audience are identified accurately. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. International and national trends are considered when deciding new needs. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. New trends are identified and needs prioritised. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Projects are identified for possible consideration. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. Mandate and policies are adhered to in order to comply with legislation when determining scheduling needs. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. Schedules of competitors are taken into account to maximise impact. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    7. Pilot programmes and qualitative research is requested where there is uncertainty about a programme's possible success in terms of where new ideas will appeal to the target audience and channel, if the time slot is appropriate to the target audience, If the programme will attract sponsorships, if the preferred language is suited for the audience, if the presenter's age, language and gender fits the profile of the programme and channel, the suitability of the content, format and duration and if the level of content is appropriate to the target audience. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Manage annual programme budget. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. All relevant financial data is collected from business analyst and management. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. The budget is prioritised according to needs and cost efficiency. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. The budget allocated to different projects equals the production values. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. The budget is allocated accurately for each genre/range as determined by the schedule. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Genre/range are New projects, Repeats, Rights, Script development, Evaluators, Sub-titling/dubbing
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    5. First and repeat broadcasts are agreed with the scheduling department. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    6. Unsolicited projects are planned for and money allocated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    7. The necessity for co-productions and licensing agreements are determined and planned for in the budget. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8 
    8. Repeat broadcasts are determined in terms of cost, the suitability of the programmes to the target market and given timeslot on the schedule. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Draw up and distribute briefs. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    1. Briefs are drawn up according to broadcast schedule needs. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    2. Briefs are drawn up with all relevant information available. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    3. Delivery dates are accurate and allow sufficient time for all phases. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Commissioning, development and production
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    4. Briefs are distributed widely. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Accreditation Options:
    Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the MAPPP-SETA's ETQA.

    Moderation Option:
    The moderation requirements of MAPPP-SETA's ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the candidate's performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard.

    The following embedded knowledge is addressed in an integrated way in the unit standard:
  • Understanding programme research results
  • Commissioning, co-productions and licensing agreements
  • Scheduling for a specific time slot and channel's mandate
  • Budgeting for a programme 


  • Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve budgetary problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking to find solutions. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others (clients and colleagues) as a member of a team, group, organisation to achieve the production requirements. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively to complete work operations within deadlines. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information on the performance of programmes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively (with clients and colleagues), using visual and / or language skills in the modes of oral and / or written presentations. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology (software programmes) effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment (venue) and health of others (client and colleagues). 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding that commissioning is a set of related systems and that problem-solving do not exist in isolation. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 

  • REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  58394   National Certificate: Film and Television Production  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered" 
    2023-06-30  MICTS 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. BLC Entertainment 
    2. Epitome Villa (Pty)Ltd 
    3. EYETHU NATIONAL COMPUTER COLLEGE PTY LTD 
    4. FILM Mentorship & Training SA 
    5. Frayintermedia Cc 
    6. MBOWA COLLEGE PTY LTD 
    7. Media Village Training 
    8. OL Afrika Media 
    9. OPELONG BUSINESS INSTITUTE (PT 
    10. Peo Entle HIV Wellness Management and Youth Skills Development NPO 
    11. PRX SCHOOL TEST 
    12. Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology Pty Ltd 
    13. SOUTH AFRICAN CORPORATE TRAINING ASSOCIATION (PTY) LTD 
    14. VUTHLARI MARKETING CONSULTING 
    15. ZA WIT (PTY) LTD 



    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.