The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-07482, in the name of Jenni Minto, on 100 years of the BBC in Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament celebrates 100 years of public service broadcasting with the centenary of the BBC in Scotland in 2023; recognises what it sees as the vital contribution of the BBC to the creative economy of the nation; understands that, from the first live radio transmission in Glasgow on the evening of 6 March 1923, the BBC in Scotland has grown from its early days in radio to include the provision of extensive educational resources, Gaelic language content, current affairs, comedy, music and entertainment, reflecting the breadth and depth of Scotland’s culture on TV, radio and online; further understands that the BBC in Scotland directly employs over 1,200 people across 14 bases from Shetland to Dumfries, and supports many more roles via commissions to the independent production sector; notes what it considers the value of the BBC and public service broadcasting in Scotland, and the contribution that it has made, and continues to make, to the Scottish creative sector, and wishes the BBC a successful start to its second century of educating, entertaining and informing the nation.
17:41
I thank all my colleagues who supported the motion celebrating BBC Scotland’s 100th anniversary of public service broadcasting. I joined BBC Scotland 30 years ago, almost to the day, and in the 18 years that I worked there, I had the privilege of working with so many talented people in front of and behind the camera and microphone. As an accountant, I could not believe my luck. Here I was, supporting some of the most creative and talented people in Scotland and helping them to portray the stories, the people, the great times and the bad times of our country, along with the big events, whether they be cultural, political or tragic, the personal triumphs and losses, and everyday life—and all that was done in Gaelic and in English, for children, for older folk, and for everyone.
I will share some of my memories of being at BBC Scotland that show the value of public service broadcasting in Scotland and the contribution that it has made and continues to make to the Scottish creative sector.
The BBC Scottish symphony orchestra toured China with Nicola Benedetti in 2008. I had the privilege of being part of the management team—my role included ironing Nicola Benedetti’s dress at one point. The second concert was in Shanghai. Our flight from Beijing was delayed, the stage was smaller than expected and mobile phones went off during the entire performance. The members of the orchestra took it all in their stride and performed faultlessly. As an encore, they played “Purple Bamboo”, a Chinese folk tune, followed by a suite of Scottish reels and jigs. The audience were on their feet, cheering, clapping and smiling. We had 90 people showcasing Scottish talent across the world.
The creation of BBC Alba to preserve and encourage the Gaelic language is one of the cherries on the top of BBC Scotland’s cake. A channel creating drama, comedy, current affairs, factual children’s output, and a daily news programme, all with a tiny budget, is exactly what public service broadcasting is about. As a partnership between BBC Scotland and MG Alba and funded by the Scottish Government and the licence fee, with programming made by the BBC Scotland’s Gaelic department and independent production companies, it is a true collaboration.
“Gruth is Uachdar” or “Crowdie and Cream” was dramatised by the Gaelic department in 2002 and I spent one week on a very sunny Harris when it was being filmed. It was a joy to see the true life story of Findlay J McDonald, from growing up on Harris in the 1930s until he left the island after the second world war, come alive. It was described by The Herald as
“one of the most stunning, imaginative, and culturally significant experiences of the year”.
It was BBC Scotland at its best.
BBC Scotland also holds the most amazing archive of radio and television archives. They are living archives that are constantly being added to with footage being used in other output. On 25 January 2009, we marked 250 years since Scotland’s national bard Rabbie Burns was born. Radio Scotland, along with the online department, created a website that celebrates his life’s work in poetry and song, including recordings of 66 of Scotland’s biggest names performing 716 pieces of his work. I return to that archive regularly, especially when preparing for Burns suppers. It illustrates the importance of archives and high production values, and the wealth of Scottish culture that BBC Scotland curates.
As we celebrate the centenary of BBC Scotland, it is also important that we recognise the role that it plays economically as well as culturally. The BBC’s gross operating expenditure on TV production in Scotland in 2019 represented 74.8 per cent of all public sector broadcasting on television in Scotland and for every £1 of direct economic output generated by the BBC, £2.63 was generated in the economy as a whole—members can see that I cannot forget my accountancy background. There are 1,200 BBC staff in Scotland across 14 centres from Lerwick to Dumfries and Stornoway to Selkirk. BBC Scotland also works with around 60 independent production companies across TV, radio and online.
There is also partnership working with organisations such as Screen Scotland, Creative Scotland, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Those partnerships support apprentices learning the skills across production alongside on-screen or on-air talent.
Launched four years ago, the BBC Scotland channel has quickly become the highest reach digital channel in Scotland. It has focused exclusively on Scottish programming, with at least 90 per cent of its output being Scottish in origin. I thought that I would take a quick look at tonight’s schedule.
It starts with “Getting Hitched Asian Style”, which follows Saffron Events as it organises an east-meets-west wedding. Then there is “The Nine”, which covers national and international headlines from a Scottish perspective. “Scotland's Greatest Escape” is about finding the best adventure holiday in Scotland, and then programming closes with Scotland’s best-loved treasure, “Rab C. Nesbitt”. That illustrates how the new channel is ensuring that BBC Scotland continues to educate, entertain and inform.
However, there are also challenges and they are very real. The BBC has been required to take on more obligations with less income, there is increasing competition for audiences and high inflation presents further challenges. The BBC also continues to face the challenge of getting the balance right. A fine line marks the centre of what is political balance and this line does not lie on the same longitude in London as it does in Scotland.
The programme, “Tuned In: 100 Years of Scottish Broadcasting”, concluded by suggesting that the new BBC Scotland channel gives Scotland new hope, allows the exploration of Scotland beyond the central belt and reflects the issues facing our changing nation.
An element of and the first programme of David Attenborough’s “Wild Isles” series was recorded on Islay—I always get Argyll and Bute in. The dramatic, if emotional, footage of a white-tailed eagle grabbing a barnacle goose was filmed by award-winning Argyll and Bute-based wildlife cameraman John Aitchison. Although “Wild Isles” is not a BBC Scotland production, it is that level of skill and creativity that emphasises the need for strong public service broadcasting. I therefore wish BBC Scotland a successful start to its second century and, in a changing world, I hope that it puts Scotland, its people and their stories at the centre of its output.
17:48
I congratulate Jenny Minto on her speech and on securing support for the motion. The BBC is indeed a precious British institution that sets itself high standards. It often meets those standards, but not always, and that is to be expected given that the BBC’s output is so broad and varied, including the output of BBC Scotland.
The BBC is a gift that we share with the whole world, and the brand is sound: it stands for something. All over the world, people listen to and watch BBC broadcasts, including those originating in Scotland. People put a tremendous amount of trust in what the BBC says. They listen to podcasts of BBC productions on global streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The BBC is a British institution but it is also a global institution, and it promotes our Britishness and our Scottishness, not in an in-your-face way, but in a reassuring and steady way.
The BBC provides us with a window on the world, and also provides a window on Britain for the rest of the world—with all of our diversity and richness of tradition. The images of Scotland as our late queen was brought from Balmoral to Hollywood last September were broadcast all over the world, and they told their own story of Scotland’s beauty, her people’s generosity and Queen Elizabeth’s love of Scotland.
I absolutely believe in the concept of public sector broadcasting. I believe that the BBC has played, does play and will continue to play a central role in the life of our nation. However, I regularly question its leadership and their priorities. I cannot believe that the BBC bosses really think it is a bright idea to abolish the BBC Singers, all to save £1.5 million. I would say, “Come on, BBC. It’s not good enough.” Then, there was all that fuss about Gary Lineker’s tweets. Who cares about what Gary Lineker thinks? He is paid rather handsomely—roughly 15 times the salary of the cabinet secretary—to talk about football on the telly. That is it.
Regarding the business model, I understand that it might be tempting for those in the hierarchy to resist change—“If ain’t broke, why fix it?”, as the saying goes. However, that is complacent thinking. As the world and society change, the BBC must change with them. Yes, it can be guided by the past, but we should not be entrenched in the past. The idea of a tax on TV viewing seems to me to be something that does not quite belong in the 21st century and I do not believe that it will endure. Therefore, alternative funding models need to be explored. I am open to consideration of all the alternatives, with all the flexibilities that could come with those changes, including the BBC leveraging its global brand to secure its income and pre-eminence.
The BBC must be bold in embracing not only the future, but the present. Coming, therefore, to my main item—the big ticket, as it were—I really do not feel that BBC Scotland, as a public service broadcaster, is giving adequate coverage to the proceedings of this Parliament. I have said that before and I will say it again, because I genuinely believe it. Why does the BBC Scotland channel not broadcast the proceedings of this chamber live and uninterrupted? People should not have to navigate the internet to find the live broadcast of Scotland’s Parliament; they should just be able to switch on their telly. Between midnight and 7 pm, BBC Scotland broadcasts a message reading “This is BBC Scotland”. Why can BBC Scotland not take the live feed from the Parliament and distribute it as a public service? That would let more people engage with their Parliament; it would make it easier for people to tune in. That, I believe, is the responsibility of a national broadcaster or public service broadcaster, and I do not understand why that does not happen.
Over its 100 years in Scotland, the BBC has shown that it can and does produce high-quality programmes for TV, radio and podcasts. I want the BBC to prosper. I want its influence across the planet to be enhanced over the next 100 years, promoting the values of decency, democracy and individual liberty, and to have nation truly speak peace unto nation.
17:52
First, I thank Jenni Minto for her speech and for securing this fantastic debate. The fact that the BBC in Scotland is 100 years old is definitely worth celebrating. It is one of our most important institutions, it is part of who we are, it has kept us informed and entertained, and it has kept so many cultural artists and workers in employment over the years.
Is also really important to us, as a democracy. Over the years I have had occasional criticisms of the BBC’s coverage of politics in here, but that is to be expected. I suspect that, if we went round the whole chamber, we would all be able to cite an example of the coverage of something that we did not like. It is important, however, that our news is impartial and that it has to meet high standards.
We should be celebrating the BBC journalists who bring us that news, reflecting on those who live in challenging places across the world and providing us with brave, accurate coverage that we otherwise would not see. Where there is conflict or humanitarian disaster, BBC journalists do not just give us news; they give a voice to those who have been impacted. The BBC also provides news to other countries across the world, and in different languages. Again, the principle of impartiality is central to that, and I am personally very proud that we, as licence payers, contribute to the work of the World Service.
The BBC is facing challenges. There has rightly been huge coverage over the past few weeks about the need to ensure political fairness and impartiality, not just in coverage but in the management of the BBC. We must not just assume that the BBC will always be there; we need to ensure that there is adequate funding right across the nations and regions and across all the precious cultural choices that we all want to access, ensuring that the BBC is fit for purpose in a massively changing world. During the pandemic, it kept us informed and entertained, and it kept many people who were isolated—particularly our older population—connected. We must never forget that.
I take Stephen Kerr’s point. It is clear that there are challenges. There is also the point about the decision to close the BBC Singers, with the loss of 20 full-time-equivalent musicians and administrators’ jobs.
Last month, the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee had an evidence session in which concerns were raised about the rescheduling of classical, jazz and traditional Scottish music, the impact of the digital-first agenda, how we need to continue to support young and emerging talents, and the vital role of BBC Scotland in delivering that.
As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the BBC in Scotland, it is vital that we ensure that the investment that is needed is provided and the pipeline of investment is maintained so that the BBC in Scotland can continue to create and commission the fantastic range of programmes that are so important to us.
One area in which we need to see that investment is support for Gaelic broadcasting. I was really glad that Jenni Minto mentioned that in her speech. Gaelic is a national asset, but we need to see increased funding to continue the programmes that are needed and in order to enable Gaelic to secure its place in the digital world. With funding for Gaelic media remaining almost static since the inception of BBC Alba in 2008, it is clear that it is being held back from delivering for its audiences and wider communities. We know from research that every £1 spent on MG Alba generates a £1.34 return and that that money supports 160 jobs in the Western Isles and Skye. Those are really important jobs.
We are in a world of change, and we need to be able to ensure that everybody continues to be able to access the BBC, whatever their generation and whether that using their TV or radio or through BBC Sounds or the iPlayer. That means that continued investment is needed. It is therefore worrying that the licence fee is potentially going. The licence fee is £159, or 43p a day. That is incredible value, and it supports jobs throughout Scotland. However, the National Audit Office has warned that if the United Kingdom Government imposes funding cuts, the BBC could be forced to replace high-end drama and natural history programmes, as Jenni Minto suggested.
In Edinburgh, the BBC is absolutely key in supporting our international festival, our book festival and the fringe. It keeps Scotland on the world stage. That is something that is worth defending and something to be proud of. If anyone has not seen “The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland” yet, they should take a look at it on the BBC iPlayer. It is fantastic. The BBC needs money. Let us work together to support the BBC going forward.
I call James Dornan, who is joining us remotely.
17:57
I thank Jenni Minto for bringing to the chamber this debate recognising 100 years of the BBC in Scotland.
From that first broadcast “Hey, Johnnie Cope” on the bagpipes—ironically, a song that commemorates an uprising against the establishment—to today being very much part of the establishment, the BBC has brought much to Scotland. I congratulate it on that. Forgive me if I speak of the BBC as a whole, as many of its UK programmes brought enjoyment and insight to Scotland, too.
I am easily the oldest speaker in this debate, so I reckon that I have seen more BBC programmes than anybody else speaking in it. I was brought up with the BBC. Every important news item and almost all my children’s programmes came from that source, from “Andy Pandy” to “Muffin the Mule” and adventure programmes such as “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, “The Adventures of William Tell” and “Ivanhoe”. I can still remember the names of the stars to this day: Richard Greene, Conrad Phillips and Roger Moore—members might be wondering whatever had happened to him. There have been classic programmes such as “This Man Craig”, “The Tales of Para Handy”, “Auf Wiedersehen, Pet”, “House of Cards” and “I, Claudius” and more recent fantastic productions such as “Killing Eve”, “Happy Valley”, “Luther” and “Peaky Blinders”. There are also, of course, all the great period dramas that the BBC has rightly been feted for. I have not mentioned the wonderful nature programmes and documentaries that it has done and continues to do, particularly with the incomparable David Attenborough, and I would hate to forget to mention the hugely entertaining, informative and magnificent Fyfe Robertson from back in the day. Members should look him up on Google.
My most abiding memory of the BBC as I grew up is as a conduit for world events, first through our big radio, then through television, and later through colour TV. My first memory of that is Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man in space. The family sat round the radio at that time. After that, for every rocket launch, we would sit by the outlet—the radio or TV—and listen or watch with awe as we were shot to the stars.
The death of Pope John XXIII was a massive blow for Catholic families in Scotland, as was the death of JFK shortly after. All of that news was brought to us by the Beeb. However, for me, the strength of the BBC as I grew older was its investigative reporting. Time after time, “Panorama” uncovered secrets that those in power wished to hide. Strong plays with social issues at the forefront were a feature, with social issues being addressed through the medium of entertainment for the first time. It was priceless, and I will never forget the grounding that the Beeb, and my mum—who used to listen and watch those programmes alongside me, chuntering all the time and giving me her political views—gave me.
That happened here in Scotland. That is why it is with a great deal of genuine sorrow that I must comment on how far I feel that the Beeb has fallen: from the downgrading of socially contentious plays or shows to news output that, being generous, we can only accuse of falling over its feet not to be seen to upset the hierarchy of the day. That did not just start under the Johnson Government and continue through to today; there has been a long-standing practice to put pressure on the Beeb, which is still thought of as a neutral reporter by many, as Stephen Kerr quite rightly mentioned earlier on.
However, the appearance of collusion has never been so clear as it is now. The relationship between the Tory party today and the senior hierarchy is both insidious and politically and socially incestuous—same schools, universities, clubs and often political parties. Many of us in Scotland have not trusted the news output since the referendum in 2014, when many in the Beeb, including, I believe, someone at BBC Scotland, admitted to a duty to protect the union. When that happens, it goes from being a news outlet to a propaganda unit, and I truly long for the day when we can all trust the BBC news output as we did in the past. However, I do not see how that can happen until the links between the BBC and the party of Government, whichever it is, are broken and are seen to be broken.
In the meantime, I will do what I have been doing for some time—I will keep watching the still-admirable drama and sport output, the occasional documentary programme and comedy, while taking the news with a pinch of salt until I can get it verified by another source. It is not something that I take any pleasure in, but I would be a fool not to do it.
Happy 100th birthday, BBC Scotland, and thank you.
18:02
I hope to speak completely spontaneously. I congratulate Jenni Minto on her motion and thank her for the words of congratulation that she has expressed to the BBC.
November 1963 was, of course, a month of international world significance. The first episode of “Doctor Who” was broadcast, and this four-year-old was, at that time, completely entranced by it, along with—to compete with Mr Dornan—“The Woodentops” and “Blue Peter”. Thereafter, I was absolutely smitten with the BBC, but I was furious the following week when Kennedy’s assassination meant that it repeated the first episode of “Doctor Who” rather than showing the next one, which featured the Daleks, which determined my childhood thereafter.
At that point, I embraced a ritual that I have never broken—every Tuesday since 1963, I have read the Radio Times when it has been published. I bought it just yesterday. It remains an almanac of everything that the BBC does—its complete range of television, radio, the World Service and local radio stations. It has been the cultural tapestry of my life, but we have to recognise that the world has changed.
In 2016, when the Parliament had the BBC in to discuss how many hours of programming were going to be filmed in Scotland, we did not realise that the world was changing underneath our feet with the introduction of streaming. If members look at this week’s Radio Times, they will see that the 10 pages that used to be devoted to film reviews have been axed in favour of 10 pages covering streaming services such as Apple, Disney, Now, BritBox, Paramount, Netflix and Amazon Prime.
It is not about the principle of the licence fee—I support the principle of the licence fee—but the fact of the matter is that an increasing number of people under 35 are not paying it. They are not subscribing any longer because they are happy to watch streaming services instead. Therefore, as a funding model over the next 10 or 20 years, the licence fee will not be a reliable source of income for the BBC. If, as we expect, terrestrial, traditional broadcasting services are to be switched off and all broadcasting will be online, what is the funding model for that? With its brand recognition, the BBC could become one of the world’s most successful international streaming services and compete with every one of the services that I mentioned a moment ago.
However, that does not mean that there does not still need to be a role for public service broadcasting in that, and we must have an intelligent conversation about how, in due course, that will be funded. We want Gaelic television to be promoted but, if that was to be supported by a streaming service, frankly, the number of people watching would not be high enough to generate the income to fund a television channel. We want to know that there will be news reporting and that, having received Government funding to support it, the World Service will still have a role.
However, in an environment where the licence fee will be increasingly irrelevant to younger people—and that younger cohort, who use streaming services and get their media in different ways, will only grow—it is foolish simply to believe that the BBC can survive on a licence fee model alone.
If we look at the ratings for those programmes that I enjoyed, we see that in those days, 20 million people watched BBC programmes every week. I still look at the TV ratings, because I am an anorak for those things, and programmes on terrestrial television are now sometimes at the top of the top 10 with as few as 3.5 million viewers. People are getting their entertainment in different ways. Gone are the days when we would sit down simply to watch the schedule that one broadcaster had laid out for the night, and gone are the days when we would wait from one week to the next to see what would happen in a series. People want to watch the box set and binge on some shows, but stretch others out.
I congratulate the BBC, I am a fan of the BBC and I want the BBC to have a future, but we need to take some of the pejorative, partisan argument out of all of this, and sit down and discuss rationally how we ensure that the BBC is protected as an institution that can provide public service broadcasting on a sustainable funding model into the future. The licence fee might be part of the mix, but there will also have to be something beyond that, if we are to see the BBC prosper and survive.
18:07
I join other members in thanking Jenni Minto for bringing to the chamber this important debate, to celebrate and congratulate BBC Scotland on its first century of broadcasting.
As Jackson Carlaw has alluded to, things have changed since BBC Scotland’s first live radio transmission from Glasgow 100 years ago. People no longer have to tune in at a fixed time to hear the news or watch their favourite programme—we are able to watch or listen at a time of our choosing.
Members will not be surprised that I want to focus on the importance of BBC Scotland in the northern isles, particularly on our highly valued local radio stations, but I will speak more of BBC Radio Orkney and Radio Shetland later.
Before I do so, I will reflect a little on the 30-year post-second-world-war period, from the perspective of my late father. His war service included time in the far east as an Army film cameraman, and he came home to run the family-owned local newspaper. Along with his business partner, who was also the paper’s news editor, he was approached by the BBC in Glasgow, at a time when its news service in Scotland was being developed through freelancers, and the BBC wanted news from Shetland. Rather than the written word that they were used to, they were to provide a different kind of reporting for the BBC, by sending telephone voice reports. They also had a link with BBC Aberdeen for the “Town and Country” magazine programme, which was aimed at audiences in Caithness, Orkney and Shetland. The arrival of television meant a new form of local journalism, so they were provided with a 16mm camera and they changed and adapted as technology developed. All in all, they reckoned that they sent around 1,000 contributions.
Shetland was the last area in Britain to get television, when the transmitter on Bressay was finally turned on in 1964, which apparently coincided with grand national day. A news crew from the “Tonight” programme was sent up from London. The powers that be clearly thought that that historic moment was too important to leave the coverage to the local stringers.
My father delighted in telling the tale of how the small ferry boat, laden with the London TV crew and an enormous amount of equipment, crossed from Lerwick harbour to Bressay. The team headed up the hill to the transmitter for the big switch-on—only to discover they had left the camera behind.
I turn now to our local BBC radio stations, which began 46 years ago. Each weekday, from Radio Orkney in the morning and Radio Shetland in the evening, there is a half-hour programme broadcasting a mixture of local news and current affairs, updates on local events and the weather forecast, which is all important for the farming and fishing communities of our islands.
It is a space on air for our island news, events and shared culture, and our stations are well respected for their impartial coverage. Whether it is the livestock sales at the Orkney mart or fish landings at Lerwick, breaking news such as the scientific breakthrough and link to breast cancer in Orkney last week or major events, it will be on the radio. That includes events such as the intercounty games between Orkney and Shetland, which is an annual event with each island taking turns to host and they compete for sporting trophies. The teams at Radio Orkney and Radio Shetland do similarly in terms of reporting the action while honing their sports reporting skills.
Local radio is a lifeline, especially during power cuts or in extreme weather events, which might see ferries and flights cancelled or close the Churchill barriers. At the end of last year, Shetland was hit by both telecommunications and power cuts and those radio bulletins become important public service information.
Shetland has also featured in the popular television crime drama series of the same name along with wildlife films, most recently the amazing footage of orcas in the “Wild Isles” series narrated by Sir David Attenborough. That is proof that you can film and produce successful programmes in island areas and be well supported locally, as shown by the Shetland wildlife enthusiasts who helped the crew to spot orcas for filming. You can imagine, then, my disappointment at finding that the BBC iPlayer trailer for that series had completely missed Shetland off its graphic promoting the programme.
BBC Scotland has adapted across the century and I wish it and all its staff well for the future.
18:12
I thank Jenni Minto for bringing the debate to the chamber.
Today, we mark a significant milestone in the history of broadcasting in Scotland: the centenary of the BBC’s presence in our country. The BBC has been an integral part of Scottish life for the past century, providing news, entertainment and educational programming to millions of people across the country.
The BBC has grown from its humble beginnings as a radio station in Glasgow in 1923 to a multiplatform media organisation with a strong presence in Scotland, with 14 bases including Dumfries and Selkirk in my South Scotland region.
Over the past century, the BBC has played an important role in shaping Scotland's cultural identity and in promoting Scottish culture and creativity on a global scale. Public broadcasting has always been an important part of Scottish life, providing objective news on current affairs and a platform for diverse voices to be heard. It has been at the forefront of that effort, providing a platform for Gaelic and Scots and working to ensure that Scottish culture and identity are represented on the national and international stage.
The BBC’s contribution to the Scottish creative sector cannot be overstated. From comedy shows such as “Still Game” and “Two Doors Down” to dramas such as “Shetland” and “River City”, the BBC has provided a platform for Scottish talent to flourish over the years. The presence of the BBC in Scotland has also helped in the development of a thriving independent production sector, which is one of the key drivers of the Scottish economy.
As we celebrate the BBC’s centenary, we must acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead. The media landscape is rapidly changing, and the BBC must adapt to maintain high-quality programming that reflects the needs and interests of the Scottish people. The challenges of technological changes and political pressures and the demands of the digital age make it increasingly difficult for a public broadcaster to maintain its unique position, but the BBC has proven its adaptability and resilience over the past century.
That success would not be possible without the people in the industry. Therefore, I will take time to thank the dedicated professionals who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the BBC remains an important part of Scottish life and culture, from the journalists who report the news to the writers, producers, cameramen, costume designers, cinematographers, sound designers, composers, editors, make-up artists and many more—including accountants—who create our favourite programmes. They have all made an invaluable contribution to the success of the BBC in Scotland.
The BBC’s centenary in Scotland is a significant milestone that we should be proud to celebrate. The BBC has played an important role in Scottish life for the past century, and I am confident that it will continue to do so for many years to come.
18:15
I thank and congratulate Jenni Minto for bringing a celebration of 100 years of the BBC to the Scottish Parliament.
In November last year, alongside Jenni Minto, I was a co-sponsor of an event in the Parliament to mark the 90th anniversary of the BBC World Service. I am happy to speak again about the issue, but this time in a much more local sense. At that event, I spoke about the BBC as one of the most trusted broadcasters in the world. I hope that that will be reflected in the future of the BBC in Scotland.
The BBC is a national asset. Although it is not infallible, it is envied around the world for the quality of its products and the reliability of its journalism, and Scotland is privileged to have such a long-standing and professional service. The BBC serves a valuable role as a public broadcasting service in Scotland.
One of the standout features of the BBC in Scotland is its impartiality, and the ability of members of the public to tune in to BBC Scotland programming without political influence or coercion should remain one of its standout features.
That is why I was happy to hear of the BBC’s reinstatement of Gary Lineker last week. “Match of the Day” was certainly not at its best without its valued presenters. However, I am still concerned about the BBC’s decision not to broadcast a programme that is related to David Attenborough’s new series “Wild Isles”. I hope that, in the future, the BBC in Scotland continues to be a trusted voice that remains truly impartial and above political or economic pressures.
On a more positive note, the BBC in Scotland has done a great deal to showcase and promote Scotland’s vibrant culture sector. I echo the words of the motion about the BBC’s ability to truly express the “depth of Scotland’s culture” across a range of educational and entertainment programmes. It has played and will continue to play a vital role in the creativity of this nation.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Scotland’s culture sector has seen closures of well-respected and beloved cultural institutions—most recently, the Filmhouse here in Edinburgh—and the sector has suffered greatly as a result.
The BBC in Scotland showcases a wide range of Scotland’s culture, including Gaelic language programming, Scottish films and television series and local news reporting, which supports the sector in its vital work. Continued support from the BBC in promoting Scotland’s vast areas of culture will help to revive the sector after a difficult few years.
It is now more important than ever that Scotland’s culture sector is showcased across this valuable broadcasting service, and I hope for the continued success of this national institution.
I call Jeremy Balfour, who is joining us remotely.
18:19
I, too, congratulate Jenni Minto on securing the debate. I give the Deputy Presiding Officer and members in the chamber my apologies; I had to return home due to a family issue, so I have to join you online.
Like other members, I was brought up with the BBC during my childhood. It is interesting to me that, with due respect to my colleagues who have already spoken, people of a certain generation reflect on the subject more than younger generations. As Jackson Carlaw said, the younger generation has moved on, and the BBC has to recognise that.
I was brought up with “Trumpton”, “Multi-Coloured Swap Shop”, “Blue Peter” and many more BBC programmes. Now, we can turn on the television and watch live sport every day, yet I remember the excitement of watching the Scottish cup and the FA cup live on television and of six nations rugby matches and cricket being brought to us by the BBC. The BBC still has a role today in all those areas.
As someone whose children are fairly young, I remember watching characters such as Mr Tumble and programmes such as “The Numtums”, which are fun and enjoyable but have an educational role. A school group that visited the Parliament this morning told me that the definition of being famous is to have appeared on “Newsround”. The BBC still plays an important role.
I will conclude by looking at the present and the future. As Stephen Kerr and other members have said, the dynamic of news and television is changing, which needs to be reflected in what the BBC produces and does. We need to see more diversity in the programmes that are made. I seek to promote disability in many areas of life, and I am pleased that Abby Cook will be taking over as the new “Blue Peter” presenter. She is immensely talented and has shown that someone can take part in sport and television even with a disability. I understand that the BBC is looking at making sure that people in minority groups are better represented, both behind the camera and in front of it. Those are important steps to make the BBC more fit for the 21st century.
Those of us who look back with nostalgia at the BBC, as well as the BBC itself, have to recognise that things are moving on and changing. Like other speakers, I hope that we can have a grown-up debate that looks at all the arguments about where the BBC is and, more importantly, where it should end up. I look forward to that happening in the Parliament, as well as in civic society.
I wish the BBC in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom a very happy birthday. I wish it future success in whatever form that comes.
18:23
I am delighted to close the debate and to join members in celebrating 100 years of the BBC in Scotland. I thank Jenni Minto for launching the motion and pay tribute to all contributions from all parts of the chamber.
As colleagues have mentioned, the BBC is central to our broadcasting and cultural landscape. It is right that we recognise its significance to Scotland’s audiences and communities. As a former BBC journalist, I know first hand the tremendous value that the BBC brings in delivering trustworthy news to people locally and globally. It is a source of considerable personal and professional pride that I reported for the BBC as its Vienna correspondent for a decade, getting my break, as it happens, via BBC Radio Scotland, which had me regularly on “Good Morning Scotland” reporting from the former Yugoslavia during the tragic war there in the early 1990s.
I do not want to be divisive or partisan about this, but will the cabinet secretary agree that James Dornan’s comments about the quality of the news output of the BBC—BBC Scotland and the BBC in general—are not accurate?
I think that all public service broadcasters should be able to stand up to criticism. We all have different perspectives on the issue. I am sure that Mr Kerr will sometimes watch news broadcasts and be less happy about them, just as James Dornan will be less happy about certain things in certain news programmes. I do not want to spoil the consensus that there is across the chamber today. No doubt, we will have further opportunities to debate the issues in that vein but, in today’s debate—which, incidentally, will be being watched by a lot of people in BBC Scotland—it is important to protect the common ground that we have all outlined, so that is where I will remain.
As the cabinet secretary for culture, I put on the record the fact that I have a strong interest in how the BBC delivers for our diverse communities and how it contributes to our creative economy.
In the past 100 years, the BBC in Scotland has grown from humble beginnings. It first aired, in 1923, from an attic in Glasgow. A lot has changed since, with the BBC in Scotland becoming a powerhouse that sits at the heart of our cultural life, supporting education, innovation and skills development, as well as providing impartial news and information. Through 10 decades of programming in Scotland, the BBC’s range of content has grown enormously. Audiences can now be informed, educated and entertained by the BBC Scotland channel, Radio Scotland, Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Alba as well as the UK-wide and global offerings on TV, radio and digital platforms.
The cabinet secretary’s mention of Radio Scotland reminds me that, in 2003—I know that that was only two decades ago—Radio Scotland approved 100 Scots words that presenters could feel comfortable using, including words such as puckle, dreich and crabbit. Rob Gibson MSP was part of that initiative. I was just wondering whether the cabinet secretary thinks that it is worth looking at having a wee refresh of the Scots words that are used by presenters to see if they are still yaisin them.
I will definitely resist the temptation to say anything that would suggest that a Scottish Government cabinet secretary is telling the BBC in Scotland which words it should use. However, my colleague has made her case well about the role of the Scots language. A number of us have talked about the value of Gaelic, but it is good that we also reflect on the importance of Scots as a living part of our national life.
As I have just mentioned, a number of colleagues have talked about BBC Scotland’s important role in the support and promotion of the Gaelic language across its television and radio service. For what it is worth, its first broadcast in Gaelic took place in 1923, from Aberdeen. MG Alba, in partnership with BBC Alba is helping to sustain our Gaelic-speaking communities while contributing to economic growth in the Highlands and Islands and to create innovation by delivering content that resonates with audiences.
More new and original English-language and Gaelic content is being made, with Scotland-based talent being developed by the BBC, including through its partnership working with our dedicated screen agency, Screen Scotland. Recent programmes, such as the tremendous Glasgow-based production “Mayflies” and the brilliant comedy drama “Guilt” are just a taste of the new BBC content that builds on the success of household favourites such as “River City” and “Shetland”, which have entertained us for decades and provided employment and skills development for our screen workforce.
As has been said by members in the course of the debate, the BBC in Scotland provides skilled employment across radio and television. It directly employs around 1,200 people here and supports many more jobs and opportunities within the wider creative sector. There are roles across the country, from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, Glasgow to Stornoway and Skye to Edinburgh, and we want the BBC to build on its successes over the past century and grow its investment in our creative workforce. Through its work with partners including Screen Scotland, the National Film and Television School, the Royal Conservatoire, MG Alba and others, the BBC in Scotland supports apprenticeships, learning, and skills and talent development across multiple disciplines.
Throughout 100 years of BBC service in Scotland, we have seen it make an incredible contribution to our broadcasting landscape, but we cannot take that for granted. We must recognise that, a century on, the media environment has changed significantly. Our broadcasters face new and evolving challenges and opportunities at a time when the principles behind public service broadcasting and the purposes of the BBC matter arguably more than ever.
Globally, the increasing variety of commercial content offers great opportunities for audiences and for economic growth, but it is clear from our discussion today that the future of media must continue to have our public service broadcasters at its heart. No other part of our rich media landscape plays quite the same unique role in representing our diverse communities and reflecting audiences back to themselves through trustworthy news and distinctive education.
So, in celebration of 100 years of the BBC in Scotland, we must recognise the challenges and continue to support our broadcasters as they go from strength to strength. That is particularly crucial given the global dangers that are posed by misinformation and disinformation.
Will the member take an intervention?
Forgive me—I am looking at the clock and I see that I will have to conclude my speech, as I am getting to the end of my time.
The sustainability of diverse and reliable news content from authoritative sources such as the BBC is more vital than ever. In that context, we should all be alarmed by any threat to the stability of the BBC’s future or to the stability of its funding.
Although I am relieved that last week’s UK Government budget allocated a one-off grant of £20 million over two years to support the World Service, it is this Government’s strong view that the BBC should be properly funded to ensure the long-term delivery of essential public services and continued investment in authentic content for Scottish audiences. We will continue to press for improvements to ensure more investment in and representation for Scotland.
In conclusion, returning to the motion, I reiterate my strong support for the BBC in Scotland and recognise the important and incredible role that it has played in the creative economy, our cultural life and our nation over the past century. I thank members for their speeches and assure the chamber that the Scottish Government will continue to defend the principles of the BBC’s public purposes and work to ensure the sustainability of this cherished public asset for years to come.
Meeting closed at 18:31.Previous
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