Tony Hall's speech at the BBC Scotland channel launch

Thanks so much Sanjeev. It’s great to be here - at the start of a new adventure for all of us.

Our thanks too to Stephen Breslin and the team here at The Science Centre for hosting us. It’s a night that will - we hope - live long in the memory… because this new channel is going to enable Scotland to express its creativity.

It’s going to celebrate all the nation stands for - in the arts; in comedy; in science; and in thought. It’s going to allow audiences here to interrogate the things that matter to them.

It’s going to reflect the diversity of Scotland today.

And, along with everything else we’re doing here, it’s going to help re-invent public service media. It’s a TV channel - but it’s on iPlayer - on social too - whenever you want it; wherever you are.

It’s Scotland speaking to itself - and to the world.

It represents public service at its best - bringing the best to everyone.

I remember talking to the staff - just across the square in PQ - about my vision for a new TV channel for Scotland. It’s not often you take people by surprise - but that morning I did! I remember seeing eyes open wide and feeling a real sense of energy in the room. And I think we all understood the creative potential we were about to unleash…

This new channel is something we can all be very proud of. But today isn’t about any of us. It’s about our commitment to creativity; to audiences; and to Scotland.

Tonight’s the culmination of two years work for Donalda - for our BBC teams here and across the nation - and for the creative sector in Scotland. And I want to pay tribute to everyone who’s got involved - and to the great creative talent we have in this room. Without you - this couldn’t have happened.

It’s the most extraordinary thing to have the chance in television to create something new. It happens rarely - and I know what a challenge, and what a responsibility, it is. But I think all of you have risen to that challenge magnificently.

You’ve taken the content investment we’ve made in Scotland – the biggest in a generation – and you’ve created something that feels very different.

The Nine newshour promises to be terrific. It’s a programme rooted in Scotland; for Scotland. It’s local. It’s national. And it’s global. I applaud Hayley Valentine and the team for the enterprise they’re showing.

And that ambition applies across all the genres - from drama to documentary, sport, comedy, arts and culture - the channel will reflect what is happening now in Scotland, opening up space for discussion and debate alongside opportunities just to kick back and have fun. Again, well done to Steve Carson and his team for their invention.

The channel - we hope - will get people talking more and laughing louder. So - speaking among friends - it couldn’t have come at a better time!

We want to champion the creative economy - and the talented voices - here in Scotland. I’m really delighted to say that we’ve already worked with more than 70 independent production companies on the new channel.

But we also want to deepen our partnerships with the wider creative communities across Scotland. That’s why - just this afternoon - we’ve come together with Screen Scotland to sign a new partnership that will allow us, jointly, to grow Scotland’s broadcasting and talent base still further.

It means so much to us. Scotland has a unique connection to television - and the BBC… and signing the new agreement just now - at the desk of our first Director-General, John Reith - felt very special.

As part of our commitment, we’ll deliver a range of titles - in drama, comedy and factual. We want to play our part in strengthening our industry across Scotland… and I know that Robert Wilson, Creative Scotland’s Chair, and Iain Munro (who’s Acting Chief Executive) share that ambition.

They’re both with us tonight - and I, for one, want to thank them for their trust in this partnership. I’m really looking forward to seeing the impact we can have working together.

It’s nearly time for the countdown - but first let’s hear from my friend and colleague, Donalda MacKinnon.

BBC Press Office

Related BBC Links

• Tony Hall