BBC chief faces grilling over decision to ditch Scottish Six
MSPs confront director general as compromise bulletin possible
THE director general of the BBC is to face “extremely difficult questions” at Holyrood this week after reportedly halting the idea of a “Scottish Six” evening news bulletin for the network.
Sir Tony Hall has, according to a report, rejected the Scottish Six – a new evening programme to replace Reporting Scotland and the Six O’Clock News – a plan which has been developed in various pilots at BBC Scotland in recent months.
It is believed Mr Hall will formally announce the decision when he appears before MSPs on the Culture Committee at Holyrood on Thursday, although yesterday BBC sources said news of a Scottish Six rejection was “speculation”.
BBC Scotland pilots, with various potential formats, have been trialled at Pacific Quay in Glasgow for months, fronted by presenter Jackie Bird, and was a key project for both the new director of BBC Scotland, Donalda MacKinnon, and its head of news, Gary Smith.
Ms MacKinnon has previously said that there were “deficits” in BBC Scotland’s news output and indicated a desire to shake up its news broadcasting.
Sources last night suggested the BBC could go with a compromise plan, with a new BBC Scotland bulletin beginning at 6.20pm, a 40-minute show boosted with extra funding resources.
John Nicolson MP, the SNP culture spokesman and a former BBC journalist, said: “If the BBC decide not to go ahead with the Scottish Six it will represent an extraordinary lack of ambition and commitment to Scotland.
“As our national debate contin- ues over Brexit and independence, a properly funded Scottish Six has never been more necessary.
“Ihavenodoubtitwoulddraw on the very best of our journalistic talent to produce programmes of the highest standard.
“Indeed, the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland is a perfect example of how a Scottish-based programme can deliver a mix of Scottish, UK and international news with a running order decided on news merit. It is absurd to suggest that the same format cannot be delivered on television.”
He added: “I will be very disappointed for the staff at BBC Scotland if the long-planned launch does not go ahead.
“I know how keen they were to take on the exciting challenge of a Scottish Six. They have been working incredibly hard on pilot programmes and appear to have been led up the hill and back down again by their management.”
The Scottish Six has been a topic of debate for 20 years, and a previous plan for an hour-long Scottish evening bulletin was rejected by the BBC in 2006.
Paul Holleran, Scottish organiser of the National Union of Journalists said: “It’s a kick in the teeth for the Scottish management of the BBC. It’s struggling at the moment and is under-resourced.
“It’s a real blow to TV production in Scotland and is a missed opportunity.”
He added: “We’ve asked for BBC Scotland to get a higher proportion of spending in Scotland based on the licence fee raised.”
Joan McAlpine, the SNP MSP who convenes the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Committee, said: “A Scottish Six would provide a major jobs and investment boost north of the Border and ensure that Scotland gets a much fairer share settlement from the BBC in London.”
‘‘ As our national debate continues over Brexit and independence... a Scottish Six has never been more important