A Creator’s Checklist to Pitch to Broadcasters and Platforms Simultaneously

Hook: Stop pitching twice — win broadcasters and platforms with one clean, legal-ready pitch

Pitching to the BBC and pitching to YouTube feel like different sports: broadcasters demand editorial signals, rights clarity and mezzanine files; platforms want thumbnails, retention hooks and fast turnarounds. The good news for creators in 2026: you can prepare a single, modular pitch that satisfies both — if you build it around rights, delivery specs and platform-specific KPIs from day one.

Why a cross-platform pitch matters in 2026

Late 2025 and early 2026 saw an unmistakable trend: legacy broadcasters moving upstream to platform partnerships (see the BBC–YouTube negotiations announced in January 2026) while platforms formalize content deals and advertising integrations. Audiences now form preferences across social, search and AI-driven discovery, not a single feed. That means brands and broadcasters want creators who can deliver measurable results across multiple endpoints.

“BBC in talks to produce content for YouTube” — Variety, Jan 16, 2026

Build a pitch that answers the three questions every buyer will have in 2026: Who sees this? What are the rights and timeline? How will you prove value?

What this checklist gives you (fast)

• Concrete, exportable checklists and a 12-week timeline template for cross-platform deals
• Rights language you can drop into contracts
• Delivery-spec cheat sheet for broadcasters (MXF/ProRes) and platforms (MP4/shorts)
• KPI matrix and reporting templates that satisfy both broadcast research and platform analytics
• Pricing calculator and sample numbers you can use to quote confidently

Top-line cross-platform pitch structure (1 page summary)

1. One-sentence hook — concept + audience fit
2. Why this creator — audience demographics & proof points
3. Rights ask — simple bullets (territory, term, exclusivity)
4. Deliverables & specs — one-line per item (broadcast/photo, YouTube, shorts, clips)
5. KPIs & reporting — platform-specific targets and cadence
6. Budget / commercial — high/low options + payment terms
7. Timeline — 12-week calendar view

Pitch pack checklist: exactly what to attach

• Showreel (1–3 minutes) and one example full-length asset
• Audience snapshot (age, location, device, watch time) — last 90 days
• Case study: 1–2 sponsor case studies with outcomes (CTR, conversion, RPM)
• Clear rights grid (see template below)
• Delivery spec sheet (platform-by-platform)
• Draft contract highlights and disclosure copy
• Timeline with milestones and approval windows

Rights management: the non-negotiable checklist

Buyers will ask about rights first. Present a clean, modular rights matrix so legal teams can approve quickly.

Essential rights fields (include in every pitch)

• Grant: Non-exclusive or exclusive (initial window)
• Territory: Worldwide vs specific markets
• Term: Initial window (e.g., 12 months) + archive/evergreen options
• Platforms: Broadcast, streaming, YouTube channel, social cutdowns
• Sublicensing: Whether buyer may license to partners
• Ancillary rights: Merch, format remake, adaptation rights
• Moral rights & credit: Credit line and approval process

Quick template clause (drop-in):

Grant: Creator grants Buyer a non-exclusive, worldwide license to distribute the Program across broadcast, streaming and digital platforms for an initial term of 12 months, with an optional renewal window subject to negotiation. Creator retains all underlying IP not expressly licensed here.

Delivery specs cheat sheet (broadcasters vs platforms)

Make two delivery tracks: Mezzanine (broadcast-grade) and Platform-ready (web & social). List both in your pitch.

Broadcast (typical broadcaster / BBC-friendly)

• File format: MXF OP1a or ProRes 422 HQ in MOV wrapper for deliverables
• Video: 1080p/25 or 50i (UK/EU) or 1080p/29.97 (US); supply native frame-rate mezzanine
• Color: Rec.709; include color-burn-in slate
• Audio: 4.0 or 5.1 mix + stereo stem; loudness: EBU R128 (-23 LUFS)
• Subtitles/CC: Broadcast subtitle files (TTML/EBU-TT) and burn-in if requested
• Metadata: EIDR/ISAN if assigned; title, synopsis, production credits, rights holder

YouTube & social

• File format: MP4 (H.264) or WebM with AAC audio
• Resolutions: 1080p for long-form; vertical/9:16 for Shorts; supply platform-specific thumbnails
• Audio loudness: -13 to -14 LUFS (YouTube-normalization target in 2026)
• Captions: VTT files and human-checked transcripts for SEO and AI discovery
• Metadata: optimized title, short and long descriptions, 3–8 tags, chapters timestamps

Handy delivery checklist (attach this to the pitch)

• Master mezzanine file (ProRes/MXF)
• Platform transcodes (MP4 H.264 for YouTube)
• VTT captions and burn-in subtitles for broadcast as needed
• Thumbnail (2560 x 1440 for YouTube, 1280 x 720 fallback)
• Shotlist & clearances document (music, locations, talent releases)

KPI matrix: what each buyer actually wants

Think in layers. Broadcasters want reach and scheduled audience metrics; platforms want engagement and conversion.

Broadcast KPIs (what to promise and measure)

• Average Audience / Reach (e.g., 100k peak, 30k average)
• Share (%) in target demo & linear schedule
• Repeat + catch-up views (iPlayer/OnDemand)
• Third-party measurement: BARB, Comscore or local equivalents

YouTube & platform KPIs

• Views & Impression CTR
• Average View Duration and Audience Retention (target >50% for long-form)
• Watch Time (hours)
• Subscriber growth attributed to the video
• Engagement rate (likes+comments+shares / views)
• Direct conversions (UTM+GA4, conversion pixels, view-through attribution)

Reporting cadence & evidence

• Weekly dashboards during campaign run
• Post-campaign report (30/60/90-day view) combining broadcast ratings + platform analytics
• Optional independent verification for reach/brand lift

Pricing calculator: a repeatable formula

Use this simple, auditable formula to generate quotes quickly. Customize platform factors based on your historical CPM/RPMs.

Formula

Base fee = Audience Value + Production Cost + Rights Fee + Exclusivity Premium

Where:

• Audience Value = (Average monthly viewers or followers / 1,000) × CPM_equiv × Platform Factor
• Production Cost = actual shoot + edit + graphics + music + clearance
• Rights Fee = percentage of Audience Value for extended use (archive, worldwide)
• Exclusivity Premium = flat % (e.g., 20–50%) depending on duration/market

Example calculation (sample numbers for 2026)

• Creator monthly viewers: 500,000
• CPM_equiv (industry avg mix 2026): $10
• Platform factor (YouTube long-form): 1.0; Broadcast prime-time factor: 1.8
• Audience Value (YouTube) = (500,000 / 1,000) × $10 × 1.0 = $5,000
• Production Cost = $6,000
• Rights Fee (12-month non-exclusive worldwide) = 20% of Audience Value = $1,000
• Exclusivity Premium (optional 4-week exclusive) = 30% of base = $1,800
• Base fee (rounded) = $5,000 + $6,000 + $1,000 + $1,800 = $13,800

Adjust CPM_equiv for broadcast negotiations. Broadcasters often expect lower per-view CPM but offer prestige, fixed licensing or production cost coverage.

Disclosure and compliance copy — quick templates

Regulators and audiences demand clear disclosure. Use these short lines depending on jurisdiction.

General verbal + on-screen (short)

“This episode is brought to you in partnership with [Brand].”

Social & platform text disclosure

• Mandatory short tag at top of description: #ad or Paid partnership with [Brand]
• Longer disclosure for platform description: “This content was produced in partnership with [Brand]. All opinions are my own.”

Broadcast-friendly slate language

“This program contains paid content produced in collaboration with [Brand]. Editorial control remains with the Creator.”

12-week timeline checklist: from pitch to on-air/online

Use this as a baseline. Shrink or expand depending on complexity and broadcaster lead times.

1. Week 0–1: Pitch & initial brief — Send one-page pitch, showreel, rights grid and ballpark budget. If you want a sample approach to pitching YouTube as if to a public broadcaster, see this guide: How to Pitch Your Channel to YouTube Like a Public Broadcaster.
2. Week 2: Contract terms & LOI — Agree on key terms: rights, fee, timeline; get signed LOI.
3. Week 3–4: Creative approval & scheduling — Finalize script and shoot schedule; confirm clearances and talent deals.
4. Week 5–6: Production — Shoot. Capture additional vertical/social assets during principal photography. Field reviews like the PocketCam Pro and budget vlogging kits show practical capture workflows.
5. Week 7: Offline & revisions — Deliver rough cut for editorial input; track feedback windows (48–72 hours).
6. Week 8: Final delivery prep — Create mezzanine, transcodes, captions, thumbnails and metadata packs.
7. Week 9: Quality control & delivery — Deliver broadcast files and platform-ready files; confirm receipt.
8. Week 10–12: Launch & reporting — Go-live; weekly reporting; post-campaign wrap-up at day 30 and day 90.

Pitch email template (one-paragraph opener)

Keep it short; attach the one-pager and delivery checklist.

Hi [Commissioner/Producer], I’m [Name], creator of [Show]. We reach [audience snapshot]. I’m proposing a 20-minute episode format that aligns with [broadcaster/editorial remit] and performs on YouTube with target retention >55%. I’ve attached a one-page pitch, rights grid and delivery specs. Happy to jump on a 20-minute call this week. Best — [Name] [Contact]

Negotiation tips specific to cross-platform deals

• Lead with a short exclusivity window for broadcasters (e.g., 2–4 weeks) then revert to non-exclusive digital — this preserves online monetization.
• Ask for data sharing: linear reach + catch-up and platform-level URL-level analytics.
• Negotiate production cost coverage if broadcaster wants exclusive editorial approvals.
• Include a performance bonus tied to agreed KPIs (e.g., $X per 100k additional views or per 10% lift in brand recall confirmed by survey). For examples of shared production models and how IP can be monetized across partners, see Transmedia Gold.

Measurement & audit: proving ROI across systems

Blend broadcaster-certified audience measures (e.g., BARB/Nielsen) with platform analytics and an independent brand-lift or incrementality study. For sponsor confidence, include:

• Uniques & reach by market
• Average view duration & retention curves
• Click-through & conversion (UTM + GA4 + first-party pixel)
• Brand lift (survey + control groups) when budget permits

Use modern tooling to reduce reporting friction — AI summarization workflows can speed audit prep and weekly dashboards (AI summarization for agent workflows), while guided analytics and learning tools help stakeholders interpret results (guided AI learning tools).

Real-world example (mini case study)

Creator: mid-size factual channel, 350k monthly viewers. Deal: 12-minute episode co-commissioned by regional broadcaster with YouTube exclusivity for first 4 weeks. Structure:

• Broadcaster covered 60% of production costs; creator retained platform ad revenue for YouTube after the 4-week exclusive window.
• KPI commitments: broadcaster wanted a 15% increase in catch-up views over baseline; brand wanted 30% higher CTR to sponsor link vs previous campaigns.
• Outcome: initial broadcast reach exceeded target; YouTube achieved 55% retention and +42% CTR vs baseline; creator secured a 10% performance bonus.

This shows the leverage of a combined offer: shared production risk, stronger reach, and clearer sponsor ROI.

Common objections and how to answer them

• “We can’t share data.” — Offer to aggregate anonymized metrics and propose a limited, audited data share clause for campaign KPIs.
• “We need exclusive rights.” — Counter with a short exclusivity window and a higher fee for longer exclusivity.
• “Your audio spec won’t fit broadcast loudness.” — Supply both mixes (EBU R128 for broadcast; -14 LUFS for YouTube) and note it in your delivery checklist.

Final practical takeaways

• Create one modular pitch packet that exposes platform-specific options rather than separate decks.
• Always attach a rights matrix and a delivery spec sheet to reduce back-and-forth.
• Include a KPI matrix and reporting cadence to show you think like a publisher and a marketer.
• Use the pricing formula to negotiate transparently and scale offers quickly.
• Build optional performance bonuses to align incentives with buyers in 2026’s data-driven landscape.

Downloadable templates & next steps

Use this article as a blueprint: plug your numbers into the pricing formula, attach the rights matrix, and follow the 12-week timeline. If you want ready-made assets, grab the editable checklist, contract snippets and disclosure templates from our creator toolkit.

Call to action

Ready to pitch smarter? Download the cross-platform pitch pack (one-pager, rights matrix, delivery spec sheet and pricing spreadsheet) and get a 15-minute audit of your pitch: submit your one-pager and we’ll return practical edits you can send next week. If you need capture hardware recommendations, see compact creator kits and field reviews like compact home studio kits and the PocketCam Pro field review.