2008/09 AUDIENCE COUNCIL REVIEW/ Scotland 01/ BBC TRUstEE FOR SCOTLAND 02/ THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL 07/ BBC PERFORMANCE AGAINst PRIORITIES SET FOR 2008/09 09/ BBC PERFORMANCE AGAINst Its PUBLIC PURPOSES 1 4 / AUDIENCE COUNCIL FOR SCOTLAND PRIORITIES FOR 2009/10 B BBC TRUSTEE FOR ScOTLAND The BBC Audience Councils advise the BBC Trust on how well the BBC is delivering its public purposes and serving licence fee payers across the United Kingdom. The four Councils – serving Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales – are supported by the Trust to provide an independent assessment of audience expectations and issues. A strong year for the BBC in Scotland saw the launch of BBC ALBA (in partnership with MG Alba), a pledge to make more network television in Scotland, and some improvement in network news about the devolved nations. Programme highlights included coverage of the economic crisis, and the multimedia Scotland’s History. We consulted audiences, advising the Trust accordingly. Key issues included the BBC’s plans to improve local coverage, and the debate on the future of public service broadcasting. Audiences in Scotland tell us they want more content reflecting their interests and concerns, while retaining the strengths of the BBC networks. Jeremy Peat National Trustee for Scotland 01 THE WORK OF THE COUNciL Council reflects audience concerns to the BBC. “ We held consultative events with young people, people with disabilities, and members of ethnic and cultural groups.” 02 “Following the debate on public trust in broadcasters, we stressed that the BBC’s customary high standards should be strictly maintained in the future.” Event in Annan. We held consultative events with young people, The Council held 11 meetings and advised the people with disabilities, and members of ethnic Trust of matters arising. and cultural groups. For the children’s service review, we listened to the views of school During the year we drew the attention of children from Glasgow and the surrounding the Trust to the possibility of re-using Gaelic areas, and received particularly valuable input learning material following the closure of BBC from Primary 6/7 children at Glencairn Primary Jam, without potentially negative impact on School in Stevenston, Ayrshire. An audience commercial media; the lack of availability of meeting in Kelso focused on digital switchover BBC ALBA on cable; public concern that the in the Scottish Borders. Consultation on the period set for the BBC to increase network review of BBC services for younger audiences programme making in Scotland was too was conducted at Baldragon Academy in long; the displacement of programmes for Dundee, Glasgow Caledonian University, audiences in Scotland as a result of changes and with representatives of organisations to the network schedule; and a wide range of representing young people. We consulted other issues of concern to licence fee payers audiences in Elgin and Kilmarnock on the in Scotland. Executive’s proposals for improved local We also monitored the progress of digital video services. switchover during the year. Members attended events on broadcasting topics held by other organisations, monitored the logs of audience comments made to the BBC, and studied the results of research undertaken by the BBC Trust, the BBC Executive and other organisations. 03 THE WORK OF THE COUNciL COUNCIL ADVICE TO THE BBC TRUST Monitoring report on network news Children’s service review (July 2008) (November 2008) We noted that the BBC’s commitment to In autumn 2008 we monitored BBC network younger audiences was particularly important news to assess accuracy in reporting of in the light of the debate on the future of public devolved matters, relevance for audiences service broadcasting. Careful scheduling was in the nations, coverage of stories from the necessary to ensure that children’s programmes nations, repetition or lack of co-ordination, were available to the maximum audience, and and the extent of comparative reporting. We we urged schedulers to take account of the concluded that network news had achieved public value of programmes for children when greater accuracy, and combined a wider variety making decisions about when they should of perspectives following the Impartiality Review. be broadcast. However there was room for further progress in accuracy and richness of coverage. News Following the debate on public trust in coverage from the devolved nations was often broadcasters, we stressed that the BBC’s brief and could appear tokenistic. customary high standards should be strictly maintained in the future. We welcomed the The problem of repetition in the Six and measures taken by the Trust to this end. Reporting Scotland remained. Instead of two versions of a Scottish story, designed with There was evidence that younger audiences different audiences in mind, viewers in Scotland responded strongly to content set in a context would be better served by a single, more they recognised as their own. We noted interest comprehensive report. We noted the contrast in children’s programmes when Scottish schools with the blending of UK and Scottish news on are on holiday but other UK schools are not. Radio Scotland’s integrated news service. 04 “ The submission said that the work of the Trust supported the evidence given to the Commission that there is audience demand in Scotland for more content on Scottish topics.” Event in Glasgow. Review of BBC services for younger audiences in Moray and Ayrshire indicated clear audience (December 2008) demand for BBC content reflecting local There was awareness and appreciation of interests and concerns. core BBC values among younger audiences, even where they were not high consumers. Members noted that audience perceptions There was demand for material that was of under-provision in Scotland, identified in more relevant to younger audiences, such as Trust research, remained more acute than in music, comedy, and documentaries on issues any other UK nation. We concluded that the of concern to them, and more content which BBC’s national Scottish news and non-news reflected contemporaryS cotland. The BBC content should be strengthened, and the should offer positive, culturally specific role provision of regional news developed, to create models for young people in Scotland. There a comprehensive news service appropriate for was some demand for a stronger local identity a devolved nation. The rejection of the Local for the BBC in Scotland, although some young Video proposal in its original form meant that people felt channel identity was less important the issue of the provision of regional/local news for them. We noted the popularity of the for Scotland from the BBC, identified in the BBC iPlayer among younger members of 2003 news review, had still to be addressed. the audience. BBC Local Video proposal We supported the Trust’s view that provision of additional resources for existing bulletins, and regional radio or television opts in the devolved nations, could address gaps in the news portfolio. Our own engagement activity 05 THE WORK OF THE COUNciL Event in Glasgow. Responses to Scottish Broadcasting demand for more BBC content specifically Commission (November 2008) and for Scotland in addition to, and not instead of, Calman Commission on Scottish BBC network output. The provision of separate devolution (February 2009) service licences for BBC Scotland services, called We advised the Trust on issues arising from for in the Council’s response to the Service the final report of the Scottish Broadcasting Licences consultation in April 2007, would Commission. The Council considered that facilitate proper debate of this issue. increasing the range of public service content available for audiences in Scotland through the The BBC Trust’s submission to the Calman Commission’s proposed new digital channel Commission on Scottish devolution was would be likely to benefit BBC audiences. informed by the work of the Council. However we were concerned that if funding The submission said that the work of the Trust for the channel were to come, even indirectly, supported the evidence given to the Commission from the licence fee, this could damage the BBC that there is audience demand in Scotland for and would not be in the interests of licence fee more content on Scottish topics, or which is payers in Scotland. presented from a Scottish perspective. The Trust We welcomed the Commission’s focus on stated that, in setting the overall strategy for the issues already raised by the Council, including BBC, it took careful account of these views as part aspects of BBC news for audiences in Scotland, of its assessment of the needs of licence payers network television supply, and free-to-air across the UK as a whole. It noted that its work carriage of national football. plan included priorities on cultural representation of the UK nations, and the provision of national, Members emphasised that BBC Scotland regional and local news, and that the Audience delivers strongly across the BBC’s public Council monitored implementation of the actions purposes. But we noted evident audience agreed with the Executive. “ We concluded that the BBC’s national Scottish news and non-news content should be strengthened.” 06 BBC PERFORMANCE AGAINST PRIORitiES SET FOR 2008/09 Identify gaps in universality of access and management responded with a comprehensive develop a strategy for addressing them action plan to achieve this. Members of the Following the Trust’s approval of Freesat and Council monitored network news coverage the BBC iPlayer, the BBC Executive has been of Scottish affairs throughout the year and asked to develop a strategy for DAB which will conducted a close study during one week in the be considered by the Trust in the year ahead. autumn. Reporting to the Trust’s Audiences and We noted reception problems for BBC services Performance Committee in February 2009, we on some key routes in the Highlands, and the concluded that there had been improvements technical challenge this poses, and asked the in accuracy, but that the constraints of covering BBC to devise options for improvement.