BBC Audience Council Scotland Report

Priority 3

'Ensure that, in the context of the licence fee settlement, the level of network contributions from Scotland – on both television and radio – should increase in the year ahead.'

Although increasing network commissioning may not be a front-of-mind priority for licence fee payers, the Council believes it will pay dividends for audiences in the longer term through talent development and cultural representation, as well as economic development of the Scottish creative sector. The Council welcomes the progress made by both the BBC Executive and the Trust on this issue during the year.

BBC Scotland increased its network commissions on television in 2007/08. Good groundwork has been laid for the year ahead, and in the light of the Executive's network supply review, the longer-term position on television looks more promising. The Council believed that the BBC's terms of definition for network commissions used until 2007/08 were inappropriate, and welcomed the announcement in May of the decision by the Trust that the BBC should adopt the Ofcom definition. It will monitor implementation of the Executive's network supply review in the light of the BBC's publicly stated aspirations.

The Council believes that in doing so, a reasonable balance should be struck between material which has specific cultural relevance to Scotland, and that which does not.

The volume of network radio production in Scotland has not changed significantly in 2007/08. Although the economic value of network radio production may be less than for television, the Council believes that it is extremely important for talent development and so may contribute strongly to overall commissioning and economic development in the longer term. The Council will seek a report on network radio commissioning plans for the year ahead.

Going forward

• The priority was met in part. The Council will continue to monitor and comment on the level and range of network commissions from Scotland.
• The Council will look for a reasonable balance to be struck between material which has specific cultural relevance to Scotland and that which does not.
• The Executive should prepare a plan for increasing network commissioning for radio from the UK's nations and regions.

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