Meeting of the BBC Committee

SUMMARY MINUTES

Monday 13th May 2019 Edinburgh

ITEMS OF BUSINESS

1. Welcome and introductions 2. Minutes from 25th March 2019 meeting 3. Director’s Report 4. 18/19 Annual Report and Accounts sign-off 5. 075s licence fee concession: Scotland policy inputs 6. Audience Report 7. The Marketplace and External Environment 8. AOB and date of next meeting

1 ATTENDANCE

Members:

• Steve Morrison Non-executive director (Chair) • David Clementi Chairman • Donalda MacKinnon Director, Scotland • Ian Small Head of Policy and Corporate Affairs, BBC Scotland • Ken MacQuarrie Director, Nations and Regions

With:

• Alice Nagendran Senior Adviser (Secretary) • Steve Carson Head of Multi-Platform Commissioning • Ian Haythornthwaite Chief Finance and Operating Officer, BBC N&R • James Holden Director of Marketing and Audiences, BBC News • Luke McCullough Senior Policy Advisor, BBC Scotland (item 5) • Lesley Farquharson Head of Audience Research, BBC Scotland (item 6)

2 SCOTLAND COMMITTEE SUMMARY MINUTES – 13 MAY 2019

1. Welcome and introductions

1.1 The Committee discussed the lunch that had been held prior to the Committee meeting with representatives from Edinburgh’s cultural, academic, political, business and media institutions. It was agreed that the Committee should continue to regularly hold these stakeholder lunches.

2. Minutes from 25th March 2019

2.1 The minutes of the last Committee meeting were approved. Actions arising from the last meeting of the Committee were due to be discussed in this Committee meeting.

3. Director’s Report

3.1 The Committee received a number of updates from the Director of BBC Scotland. It was noted that the Director of BBC Scotland had recently met with both the new Chair of MG Alba and Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, and that the first year of BBC Scotland’s partnership with NFTS had been marked. It was noted BBC Scotland was due to establish a steering group to consider diversity and progression matters, linked to the wider work undertaken by the Director of BBC Scotland.

3.2 The BBC’s presence at the forthcoming Edinburgh Festival was discussed and the fact that the new Scotland Channel will allow the BBC to showcase even more from the festivals than it has been able to previously was welcomed.

3.3 It was noted that the BBC was looking into further expanding its D&E footprint in Scotland and exploratory talks in Dundee and Edinburgh had been held.

3.4 The Committee noted changes in the leadership of BBC Studios’ Factual Production which were due to have an impact on BBC Studios colleagues based in Glasgow, Aberdeen and London.

4. 18/19 Annual Report and Accounts sign-off

4.1 The Committee noted the 18/19 BBC Scotland finances as they will be presented in the 18/19 BBC Group Annual Report and Accounts. The Committee were also provided with a look ahead to the 19/20 BBC Scotland budget, including projected spend for the Scotland Channel.

5. 075s licence fee concession: Scotland policy inputs

5.1 The Committee considered recent political engagement, stakeholder input into the recent consultation on the future of the licence fee for over 75 year olds.

3 6. Audience Report

6.1 The Committee was provided with an update on the performance of the BBC Scotland Channel, including The Nine.

6.2 The Committee was also presented with an overview of the performance of the BBC Radio portfolio in Scotland; it was agreed to return to this subject at a future committee meeting.

7. The Market Place and External Environment

7.1 The Committee was provided with an update on recent engagement with Ofcom, as well as an update on market developments, including the publication of the Screen Scotland Business Plan.

8. AOB and date/location of next meeting

8.1 The date and location of the next Scotland Committee meeting was noted.

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