News Naidheachdan

[Iain MacIlleathain – Preseantair] Feasgar math dhuibh. Chaidh iarraidh air Riaghaltas na h-Alba £1m a chaill MG Alba ann an Òraid Foghair an t-Seansalair a thilleadh - agus tuilleadh a thoirt dhaibh a bharrachd air an sin. Thàinig am moladh bhon Ollamh Raibeart Beveridge, agus Comataidh Cultair Pàrlamaid na h-Alba a' gabhail fianais air a bhith ag ùrachadh Cairt Rìoghail a' BhBC. Seo am fear-naidheachd phoilitigich againn, Mìchael MacNèill.

[Mìchael MacNèill – Neach-aithris] Tha am BBC ag ràdh gu bheil e mar amas aca fiosrachadh, foghlam agus dibhearsain a chumail ri daoine tro gach nì a tha iad a’ dèanamh. Gus seo a choileanadh feumaidh iad airgead agus tha an dòigh anns a bheil sin ga thoirt dhan BhBC ga dhèanamh tro chùmhnant ris an canar Cairt Rìoghail a' BhBC. Tha a’ Chairt Rìoghail mu dheireadh an impis tighinn gu crìoch aig deireadh na bliadhna seo agus tha Comataidh Foghlaim agus Cultair Pàrlamaid na h-Alba air a’ chothrom seo a ghabhail gus obair sgrùdaidh a dhèanamh air a’ Chairt Rìoghail ùr a bhios aig a’ BhBC. An-diugh bha iad a’ gabhail fianais bho riochdairean acadaimigeach air inbhe, structairean agus co-obrachadh eadar am BBC agus buidhnean eile a tha ag obair ann an craoladh. Chaidh innse don chomataidh le aon neach a bha toirt fianais dhaibh gu bheil an dòigh sa tha am BBC agus MG ALBA ag obair còmhla an-dràsta ri mholadh agus gu faodadh e bhith na eisimpleir air co-obrachadh a bharrachd san àm ri teachd gus fàs a thoirt air obair craolaidh.

[An t-Oll Raibeairt Beveridge] There are excellent examples of co-productions at the moment. It’s called BBC working with MG ALBA. And BBC ALBA produces very good programmes that also work internationally so let’s put more investment into MG ALBA. The chancellor recently in a decision which I regarded frankly as cheap and shoddy took the £1m away from BBC ALBA so I would suggest that this parliament and this and this government restore the £1m to BBC ALBA please.

[Mìcheal MacNèill] Bha riochdairean nan aonaidhean craolaidh agus bho MG ALBA cuideachd a’ toirt fianais dhan chomataidh mu Chairt Rìoghail a’ BhBC. Dh’ inns iad dhaibh gu bheil cus aire nam beachd-san air gearraidhean nan roinn craolaidh na h-Alba seach air ciamar as urrainnear cothroman fhaighinn leasachadh sa roinn. Leasachadh a tha iad am beachd a dh’ fhaodadh tachairt ri linn Cairt Rìoghail ùr a’ BhBC ma bhios ro-innleachd ùr do chraoladh Alba ga dhealbh an lùib gach deasbaid a bhios ann mu dheidhinn.

[Dòmhnall Caimbeul] Uill tha sinn a’ faicinn tron obair a tha sinn fhìn a’ dèanamh aig BBC ALBA gur e co-obrachadh eadar an craoladair agus na daoine, na companaidhean a tha a’ dèanamh nam prògraman, gur e an rud as fhèarr agus gu feum slighe a bhith agad romhad, fhios agad, plana no ro-innleachd. Agus ‘s e aon rud a tha air a bhith a dhìth ann an Alba nam bheachd-sa ro-innleachd airson craoladh agus airson telebhisean a tha fad ùine agus maireannach. Agus tha cruaidh fheum air an sin agus nan cuireamaid sin air dòigh eadar na craoladairean agus na riochdairean le taic bhon riaghaltas ‘s e sin a rud a b’ fhèarr dhan ghnìomhachas agus dhan roinn obrach air fad.

[Mìcheal MacNèill] Chuala a’ chomataidh bho aon den fheadhainn a bha a’ toirt fianais dhaibh, gu bheil còrr agus 5m neach a’ fuireach ann an Alba. Agus mar sin dheth, gu bheil còrr agus 5m beachd air an t-slighe a bu chòir dhan BhBC a ghabhail a’ dol air adhart. Leanaidh an deasbad mu Chairt Rìoghail ùr a’ BhBC air an ath-sheachdain agus dùil gum bi Stiùiriche Choitcheann na buidhne a’ toirt fianais dhan chomataidh an seo ann am Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Mìcheal MacNèill, BBC An Là, Dùn Èideann.

[Iain MacLean – Presenter] Good evening. The Scottish Government have been asked to return the £1m MG ALBA lost in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement – and provide them even more funding. The recommendation came from Professor Robert Beveridge, as the Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee gave evidence BBC Royal Charter renewal. Here is our political reporter, Michael MacNeil.

[Michael MacNeil – Reporter] The BBC says it aims to inform, educate and entertain the public through all the services they offer. To accomplish this, they require funding and the way the BBC receives funding is through a contract called the BBC Royal Charter. The most recent Royal Charter is about to expire at the end of this year and the Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee have taken this opportunity to carry out research on the new BBC Royal Charter. Today they were taking evidence from academic representatives on standard, structure and co-production between the BBC and other broadcasting partners. One individual who was giving evidence told the committee that the way in which the BBC and MG ALBA currently work together is an example in which further co-production opportunities in the future could follow. It would allow for growth in broadcasting.

[Prof Robert Beveridge] There are excellent examples of co-productions at the moment. It’s called BBC working with MG ALBA. And BBC ALBA produces very good programmes that also work internationally so let’s put more investment into MG ALBA. The chancellor recently in a decision which I regarded frankly as cheap and shoddy took the £1m away from BBC ALBA so I would suggest that this parliament and this and this government restore the £1m to BBC ALBA please.

[Michael MacNeil – Reporter] Representatives from the broadcasting unions and from MG ALBA were also giving evidence to the committee on the BBC Royal Charter. They told that, in their opinion, there is too much emphasis in Scottish broadcasting on cuts when the focus should be on creating opportunities. Something they think could develop as a consequence of the BBC Royal Charter, if a new Scottish broadcasting strategy is created as part of the debate.

[Donald Campbell] Well we can see from the work we do ourselves at BBC ALBA that co-production between the broadcaster and the companies who make the programmes needs clear direction, you know, a plan or a strategy. And that, in my opinion, is the one thing that is lacking in Scotland, a permanent strategy for television broadcasting. There’s a great need for it and if it could be set up by the broadcasters and the producers with support from the government, it would benefit industry as a whole.

[Michael MacNeil – Reporter] The committee heard from one individual giving evidence, that there are over five million people living in Scotland and therefore, in order to move on, that the BBC should listen to each of those five million opinions. The debate on the BBC Royal Charter will continue next week, with hope that the company’s Director General will be giving evidence to this committee here, in the Scottish Parliament. Michael MacNeil, BBC An Là, Edinburgh.