Launch day for new Gaelic channel

The channel will not be available on Freeview before 2010

The new Gaelic television channel, BBC Alba, has been launched on satellite.

The channel is now available on Sky channel 168 and Freesat and the opening night's viewing is being shown on BBC Two Scotland.

The service is a collaboration between MG Alba and the BBC. An evening news programme - An La - will launch on Monday at 2000 BST.

BBC Alba programmes will not be available on Freeview for another two years.

Head of service for BBC Alba, Margaret Mary Murray, said the channel was not just for Gaelic speakers.

This is a momentous day for the Gaelic community, as well as for Scottish broadcasting Linda Fabiani Culture minister

She said: "The Gaelic audience will benefit first and foremost, but we also hope that the channel will appeal to an audience across Scotland.

"Our programmes will be subtitled in English and we hope we will deliver programmes on subjects that will appeal to mainstream Scotland."

Documentaries to be shown over the next few weeks include Turas Trump, which will look at US tycoon Donald Trump's Scottish connections.

Another looks at the life of French football star Zinedine Zidane, who was sent off in the 2006 World Cup final.

Culture Minister Linda Fabiani thanked those who had worked hard to prepare the service for its launch.

She said: "This is a momentous day for the Gaelic community, as well as for Scottish broadcasting.

"The channel will play a key role in promoting the Gaelic language and making it accessible to a national audience."

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