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Salmond: UK should fund a new Scots digital TV channel



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Published Date: 09 October 2008
ALEX Salmond, the First Minister, yesterday demanded that the UK government pay between £50 million and £75 million a year for a new digital channel for Scotland.
Mr Salmond made his call in a statement on the Scottish Broadcasting Commission's report into the future of television in the country. The report recommended a new Scottish public service broadcasting channel be set up, separate from the BBC.

Mr
Salmond said that, as broadcasting is a reserved issue, then the money for the new channel should come from Westminster, especially as £95 million a year is given to the Welsh language channel, S4C.

Mr Salmond also announced that the commission's recommendations would be taken up by Scottish Enterprise, a quango that his government had once wanted to abolish.

Then, after it is created, a new quango, Creative Scotland, will take on the overall remit for broadcasting in Scotland.

Mr Salmond reiterated calls for the BBC to increase the amount of work from Scotland to 8.6 per cent in four years.

He also said that Linda Fabiani, the culture minister, had written to Ofcom demanding a Scottish seat on the watchdog, in accordance with the commission's recommendations.

Ms Fabiani has also written to Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, asking for support for the new Scottish digital channel.





The full article contains 225 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 09 October 2008 9:26 AM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

The Federalist (the poster formerly know as NAUON),

09/10/2008 01:26:39
Momentous events in the world of economics and the FM is immersed in the highpowered politics of BBC Glasgow - what a load of parochialstic pash. It's not Londoncentric broadcasting that's the problem but Weegiecentristic broadcasting - do they know how to get beyond Cumbernauld?
2

Edward,

09/10/2008 01:46:25
#1
Get a life
First Minister was also taking part in an economics forum discussing the economic crisis and asking the UK government to do more on interest rates. Strangely but not surprisingly this paper has chosen to ignore that
3

Sierra Foothills Scot,

Diamond Springs 09/10/2008 03:03:48
#1 The Federalist (the poster formerly know as NAUON –

You are probably one of the people who were foaming at the mouth in the last few days because Alex was daring to involve himself in the Lloyds TSB-HBOS takeover attempt and in the present financial crash.

4

Lance Boyle,

Linlithgow 09/10/2008 06:35:00
Alex doesn't get it, does he? As the Americans say, "stick to the knitting".
5

Rufus T. Firefly,

09/10/2008 06:56:37
#3 Sierra, so Salmond was involving himself in the Lloyds/Tsb takeover?

Doing what exactly? Blowing hot air?

Have you seen the turmoil on the markets in the last few days?

Thankfully Salmond has no power to affect anything.
6

Rufus T. Firefly,

09/10/2008 07:15:23
Anyway back to the TV. Salmond has missed a trick here. We need more than 1 extra channel.

What we need are the following:

1)A new mainstream Gaelic channel available to everybody. Nobody will watch it but what does that matter?

2)A new Gaelic music channel. We could all watch back to back and continuous videos of Runrig, Ally Bain and Eddie Reader.

3)A new Gaelic sports channel showing live Shinty, Hurling (live from Glasgow on Friday and Saturday nights) and Tossing the Caber.

4) A new Norwegian channel so that all the Nats can come on here and quote statistics from it.

Salmond needs to set his sights higher.
7

Linda,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 08:33:51
THe deabae on Broadcasting was scheduled some weeks ago and it is right that UK government pay for this as they will receive billions from the selling off the new digital airways.
8

Mr. Lachie Todd,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 08:40:05
We now live in the digital broadcasting age. I predict
that, in another 5 to 10 years, more digital television channels will become commonplace throughout the whole of the UK!

The Japanese companies Sony and Panasonic, and the North Korean manufacturer Hyundai Electronics , are now designing the next generation of digital LCD and plasma televisions with inbuilt multi-receivers that can pick up television channels across great distances from ALL over the world. Its called technology.
9

Masterpiece,

09/10/2008 09:11:00
Just heard that at least two petitions are being circulated to go to the BBC regarding the new Gaelic channel being on Freeview. One on line and a second one which will be launched at the Mod in Falkirk.

It is very important that all those interested in this development in the UK Europe and North America become involved.
10

suchaparcelofrogues,

Scotland 09/10/2008 09:13:03
6

Completely disagree what we really need no crave is more London soaps Westenders Northenders Southenders innercityenders outercityenders Canarywharfenders homecountyenders diamondgeezerenders cockney sparraenders Londonbridgeenders Westminsterenders.

We just cannae get enough "English" culture up here.
11

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 09:50:52
So we need a "Scottish" channel do we?

Why? So they can show programs in a foreign language about bagpipes and haggis? Plus of course yet more stupid football.

Get real for christs sake. The Scottish arms of the BBC and ITV already show an adequate amount of topical programs of Scottish interest and always have done.
12

bill-alba,

fife 09/10/2008 09:55:17
#12 you say your from Edinburgh but what nationality are you if you think for a minute that the BBC and ITV show and adequate amount of topical programs...if you've being paying attention to the debate you would see that they everyone (apart from you brits) disagrees with your conclusion.
13

Edward,

09/10/2008 10:19:38
#12
There is no Scottish arm of ITV
We have BBC Scotland and STV
And no they dont show anywhere near what they should be doing as regards Scottish content or programming
14

Edward,

09/10/2008 10:20:26
#12
Somehow I doubt very much that your from or in Edinburgh
15

57vintage,

Keith 09/10/2008 11:09:26
#1 Spot on.

"We need a "Scottish Six"" demand the Nattoes.

Er...no.

I have the ability to switch on the regional news (North Tonight) at 6pm and then, if I want the Glasgow perspective on things and find out how Barry Ferguson's ingrowing toenail is progressing or inform myself of the latest tug on the gullible press's collective tadger by Strachan, I can watch Reporting Scotland. If I want an ITN perspective on wider issues, I can choose to leave it on 3 and get the day's UK and international news whilst imagining how nice it would be to slip an arm around Katie Derham's comely waist. The C4 does a good hour at 7, repeated on 4+1 at 8, all the while a click to 80 and BBC 24 is keeping me informed. I can even access Sky News if I want (not often, thanks). Michty, I have 4 local radio stations into which I can tune and thanks to DAB and Freeview (or Cooncil TV+ as it's know at Vintage Acres) I can listen to Clyde (er, nuh), Five and a birn of others.

A specific Scottish News programme at 6pm? It's there. And again 30 minutes later, and whenever you like via the internet-thingy. Perhaps someone needs to go to Holyrood or Westminster, or Strichen (how many jobs this week, Alex?) and re-tune the device for him.

I never listen to Radio Scotland, however - it's like listening to The Daily Record.
16

Shave,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 13:22:55
#13 & #15

That's right, you cannae disagree with Salmond if you're Scottish. How can a true Scot not want more curling on tv?
17

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 14:02:54
#15:

Think what you like mate.

As far as I am concerned there is enough Scottish-relevant programming on the TV in general. We don't need any more. For instance...

Scottish news -- Got it.
Scottish weather -- Got it.
Scottish documentaries -- Got them.
Coverage of Scottish sport -- Got it.
Programs in Gaelic -- Got them.
Scottish current affairs programs -- Got them.

What else do you want? Seriously?
18

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 14:35:04
#25:

OK, I'll bite and I'll assume that was directed at me.

A few points...

Firstly, Al-Jazeera is nothing more than an Arabic news agency. It is not subversive. It is not the mouthpiece of the Taliban and it is not the mouthpiece of Iraqi insurgents.

Secondly, the BBC (and ITV) goes out of it's way NOT to be biased to any particular political party. If they were, how come they allow the likes of Jeremy Paxman to rip into ministers the way he does? How come they allow the likes of Jeremy Clarkson to make a mockery of certain government policies and principles? If you want biased reporting, go to The Sun, The Record or The Mirror.

Lastly, World News is exactly that... World News. Why should you want to present it with any kind of perspective? What would you like to see? "Today, in Basrah, which is X miles away from Edinburgh on a bearing of Y as the crow flies..."

Let's face it people like you and Alex Salmond only want 2Scottish TV" so that they can boast that they have it and by doing that, it somehow makes Scotland just that little bit more "independant" from the rest of the world.

Well let me tell you something, world news comes from newsagencies all over the world, including Reuters, Bloomberg, Dow Jones, Al-Jazeera and many other sources who share information between them. There is no such thing as any particular country's news. What do you propose Scotland does? Set up our own news-agencies all over the world for the specific purpose of gathering news for Scotland?

These kinds of ideas are all very romantic and idyllic but please stop for a while to consider the new breed of looney-tune bam-pots that are being introduced into Scottish politics because of it. Scotland could certainly do without such morons as MacAskill and Robison.

To be honest, I am not particularly bothered about whether Scotland becomes independent or not, provided it is done for sound economic reasons and not because of pie-in-the-sky romanticism. Token gestures l
19

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 14:35:46
(cont)

Token gestures like this "Scottish TV" are prime examples of this kind of thinking.
20

Rufus T. Firefly,

09/10/2008 14:50:34
Lady Boy alert at 19/20/23 & 25.
21

Edward,

09/10/2008 14:53:08
#21 sm753
BBC Alba is not suscription its 'free to air'
Ive still to see any legitimate arguement against Scotland having its own TV channel
Every other country has one, even Wales, actually it has two S4C and S4C2, and S4C is fully paid for by the UK treasury.
As said other countries have there own TV channel, why not Scotland
22

Alternative (High-Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 16:50:48
Fed Up...

Like I say, I couldn't really care less if Scotland is "independant" or not. All I'm after is common sense. If common sense dictated that Scotland become independant then I would support it, conversely I would support the union if that made sense too.

To be brutally frank, I am far more concerned about real-life, day-to-day issues than to involve myself in the Nationalist/Unionist argument.

The stupid labour government has done untold damage to the UK. Freedoms have been removed, we have been lied to, taxes have increased to a ridiculous level, the economy has been mis-managed and we are being increasingly treated like idiots.

If the SNP had come to power promising (and carrying out) common sense, a return to old values, a ditching of stupid labour policies and practices and giving the individual freedom of choice and responsibility for their own actions, I would have been right behind the movement for independance.

Instead, they came to power, instantly reneged on a key election pledge (ditching the trams) and pushed forward with a pointless scrapping of an insignificant toll on the Forth Road Bridge. Now we have to contend with MacAskill and his crazy ideas about drink and Robison and her fascist stand on smoking, plus her backing of MacAskill.

If independance means I do not have the freedom to make my own choices and future generations of innocent people are discriminated against and marginalised then you can keep it, thank you very much.

It is sad in a way, because the SNP had a fantastic chance to sweep away all the years of stupid labour madness at a stroke and start on a new direction for a free Scotland. Instead, they chose to carry on with the same old rubbish and incompetence, plus allowing two of their senior ministers to talk the kind of rubbish that I wouldn't even expect from a group of psychiatric patients.
23

European Scot,

09/10/2008 17:11:49
39 sm753

" We already subsidise local / regional / minority stuff. Anyone wanting more can set it up privately."

Really ? A little correction needed here. The Scots already fund around 9% of the BBC through the licence fee, and get how much Scottish coverage ?
The idea is that countries tend to have their own State Television channels, which concern themselves, amongst other things, with that country's own affairs, and its position in relation to other countries of the World.
The question that you, and other Unionists have to answer, but always avoid, is why Broadcasting is a 'reserved' to Westminster matter ?
Those of us who support the Independence of Scotland are well aware of the real answer to this one. It's you Unionists who refuse to even look at it.
Reserved ? Broadcasting ? In this day and age ?
Do you live in the digital age of the 21st century ?
If so, why do you seem to support such 18th century, colonialist mentality ? !
24

European Scot,

09/10/2008 17:11:55
39 sm753

" We already subsidise local / regional / minority stuff. Anyone wanting more can set it up privately."

Really ? A little correction needed here. The Scots already fund around 9% of the BBC through the licence fee, and get how much Scottish coverage ?
The idea is that countries tend to have their own State Television channels, which concern themselves, amongst other things, with that country's own affairs, and its position in relation to other countries of the World.
The question that you, and other Unionists have to answer, but always avoid, is why Broadcasting is a 'reserved' to Westminster matter ?
Those of us who support the Independence of Scotland are well aware of the real answer to this one. It's you Unionists who refuse to even look at it.
Reserved ? Broadcasting ? In this day and age ?
Do you live in the digital age of the 21st century ?
If so, why do you seem to support such 18th century, colonialist mentality ? !
25

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 17:13:28
As long as I don't have to pay for it, Channel 87 is fine by me.....
26

European Scot,

09/10/2008 17:13:53
Apologies for the repeat, getting to be like the BBC !
27

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 17:17:50
....At least it would take the prime-time gaelic drivel off the BBC.
28

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 17:25:31
#42 Euro Scot

We already get Scottish news, Scottish Newsnight, Gaelic trash-o-vision, and that tedious series ('Something of the Glen'?). Oh, and Rab C Nesbit. Ect...

You can even watch the Scottish parliament debate EU potatoe nomentlature, if you want.

What more do you expect, out of interest?
29

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 17:28:06
#46

Hoots mon!

Which Scots dialect are you refering to? I would say that only Doric could even begin to be classed as a language, rather than a dialect.
30

European Scot,

09/10/2008 18:01:39
48 The Tin Man

" What more do you expect, out of interest?"

A genuinely Independent, modern Scottish Television Station run by the best talent available, encompassing not just Scottish News, but also European and World events, and wherever possible viewed from a Scottish perspective.
Also the purchase of programming from a Worldwide pool, which might better suit Scottish tastes, there is so much out there that we never get to see.
The BBC has become more and more a tool of the British State, and as a result has become far more inward looking. It promotes all things 'British', constantly referring to the Nation. (which one ?! )
It also tends to look at things from a purely British perspective, not English, Scottish, Welsh etc.
As for Scotland, I do not expect to see the continuation of a second rate Scottish service run by the BBC, with such poor coverage of all things Scottish, and that is quite deliberate, it makes the South East coverage look so much better.
Let's be honest the British State Broadcaster isn't about to make a 'Scottish' Television Service look good.
It's up to a fully Independent, Scottish, BBC- free station, to do that.
31

European Scot,

09/10/2008 19:09:24
53 sm753

" Bolleaux."

"E.g. when last I looked, there were clearly separate "national" pages at http://news.bbc.co.uk/."

Ah yes 'national' pages, courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Classic !

You have the effrontery to use the single word above for me, it would seem your own Unionist naivety is far better qualified.
32

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 19:09:46
#51 Euro Scot

Yawn.... That's a pathetic posting. You want world events viewed through tartan sunglasses - how do you do that?
33

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 19:12:44
#52 Fed up

Honestly, who cares if 'Scots' (whatever that is - Rabbie Burns? Glasgow? Edinburgh? Doric?) is recognised as a regional, or national language. People want to watch Coronation Street, not Hairsplitting 101.
34

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 19:15:48
#52 Fed up
"Scots should have official recognition as a national language because that's what it is - it is the language that the majority of people in the Scottish nation speak."

What a complete fallacy and insult to say that all Scots speak the same language.
35

European Scot,

09/10/2008 19:44:14
55 Tin Man

" Yawn.... That's a pathetic posting. You want world events viewed through tartan sunglasses - how do you do that?"

Well thank you for your carefully considered, almost two liner !
Sorry you are so easily bored, however I will resist the temptation to make a similar type of comment about your own post, however justified it might have been.
Who mentioned tartan sunglasses ?
The point was made about looking at programming, and at news, wherever possible from a Scottish perspective. Now I'm sorry if you find that boring, but I dare say many Scottish viewers would yawn at the South East of England, London centric news which is constantly fed to them on a daily basis.
Anothert point, why is Broadcasting 'reserved' to Westminster ?
Why are Unionists so shy of answering this question ?
I have asked it several times on different threads, but it has never been answered.
Would that be too boring for you to contemplate giving, in between yawns, a reasonable answer ?
36

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 20:07:07
#61 Fed up

Sorry, but I was annoyed by your cultural Hitlerism, when you stated that everyone in Scotland speaks the 'Scots' language. That is an insulting homoginisation. As you hint at in your post, there has not been, and there is not, such a thing as a generalised 'Scots' language. I believe you are refering to Lowland Scots, and the people of your Central Belt would understand very little Doric.


37

European Scot,

09/10/2008 20:08:22
60 sm753

" Why don't *you* go to www.parliament.gov.uk, look up the relevant papers and debates, and find out yourself?"

Well that kind of 'answer' could be applied to many questions raised on these forums, but we normally tend to make comments, to give opinions, as well as showing points of reference.
This is after all a comments section, and yet once again, here we have a Unionist poster not prepared to give reasons, as to why Broadcasting is a 'reserved' matter.
The poster just gives a reference to look up.
That is some comment, some argument, some discussion.
Some avoidance !
38

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 20:09:03
#61 Fed up

By the way, if you intend to insult a poster, please have the decency to read their posts. For example, I never mentioned kilts. That's careless...
39

The Tin Man,

09/10/2008 20:21:25
#59 Euro Scot

Ok, let's have an example of a unique Scottish perspective on world events.

I hope it is not 'bus plunges off mountain in Bolivia - one Scot dies'... because I'm not paying for that.
40

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 09/10/2008 20:40:15
61 Fed Up
How do you define the difference between two languages and the difference between two dialects of the same language.
41

57vintage,

Keith 09/10/2008 21:29:51
Now now #61, you should really do some research. You'll find that Lallans was at one time known as 'synthetic Scots' since it was devised by a number of the Edinburgh literati for the purposes of writing something that resembled what they thought the Scots spoke. As a spoken language, it has never really existed, being an amalgalm of various strands of Scottish English (arguably a separate language and NOT a dialect with differnt roots from the Saxon English which has evolved into modern English) phoneticised to allow it to be written in some standard form.

It was extremely hypocritical of Maureen Watt (SNP list MSP and an Education spear-carrier) to take her oath of allegiance in Doric. The Watt family, when I attended school with them in the 60s and 70s spoke with an affected English accent in the classroom and were rarely heard to lapse into the vernacular.

As I and many others have said, we get plenty Scottish output on the various existing channels and the bleating by 10 jobs Salmond is merely another parochial wha's like us ego trip and another excuse to drive a wedge between those of us north of the Tweed and our comrades in England.

42

European Scot,

09/10/2008 21:36:13
65 Tin Man

As far as programming is concerned I would leave that to experts in scheduling and programme acquisition, but I suppose one could consider any programme that showed similarities with life styles, with music, with countries of similar geography, dare I mention possible angles on Scottish history, connections with the past, etc.
The actual 'Scottish' side of subject matter is not the main issue, it's the kind of programming that can be gathered from around the World, which would be better suited to a Scottish audience, and that would appeal to Scottish tastes.
What suits viewers in the South East of England doesn't necessarily go down well with an audience in Scotland, and vice versa.
I do believe it would be better to have a less London/ UK centric angle on what news is covered, and to have a much broader sweep, covering more in Europe for example.
Here in Spain I view News via a French satellite, which delivers many different channels not just from France, but from, Spain, Germany, Italy, Greece, the Middle East, as well as Euronews, CNN, and BBC World.
It is a completely different menu, and because you are not being spoon fed from a BBC / ITV network, you tend to select different news sources, quite often comparing one stations coverage with another.
Now I'm well aware that you can do exactly the same in Scotland, but on a day to day basis you probably tend to be fed with your news from a 'British' source.
It just seems to me that viewing from a distance, and not being locked in to the 'British' network results in a much wider, less parochial view of the World, so different to the 'UK' obsessed world of British Television, particularly the BBC.
That is what I would like to see Scotland have, a real choice, including the BBC channels, but alongside having its own wholly Scottish, non British Broadcaster.
So, not exactly disconnected with the 'British' network let's get back to the question, 'Tin Man', why is it that Broadcasting 'is reserved'
43

European Scot,

09/10/2008 21:42:35
69 sm753

" If you're that bothered, go look it up yourself."

"Having said that, for my own personal interest I have tried. And it's a pain, because devolution seems to have fractured the records of the old Scottish Office and the current Scottish Gov/Exec and Scotland Office."

It is all about your opinion, your comments, on why you think Broadcasting is a 'reserved' matter.
I'm not handing out prizes for research, just asking for your opinion !
44

European Scot,

09/10/2008 22:24:43
sm753

Well thank you for your reply, for your opinion.
It does seem to have a somewhat legalistic slant, and appears to be rather concerned with the 'difficulties' of undoing it, as it were.
I was actually far more concerned with the very idea of Broadcasting being 'reserved' in the first instance.
Also of concern, is why the Blair government changed its mind about it becoming a devolved, rather than a 'reserved' matter
Any difficulties involving the BBC would not exactly have been insurmountable.
What would have been far more difficult was Westminster losing the control over Broadcasting in Scotland.
That seems to have been something that New Labour was not prepared to relinquish.

 

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