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BBC Scotland - the launch

Split from BBC Scotland channel - service to also launch in HD

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JO
johnnyboy Founding member
I have looked for this information but not been able to find it but how have the ratings fared in the two or so months since launch?

I want BBC Scotland to succeed as has BBC Alba (despite their being only 50,000 speakers of the language). One of the trump cards the BBC can play as it frets about the future of the license fee is specific national and regional content and BBC Scotland could be the first iteration of such services for the rest of Britain.
WH
what
I have looked for this information but not been able to find it but how have the ratings fared in the two or so months since launch?

I want BBC Scotland to succeed as has BBC Alba (despite their being only 50,000 speakers of the language). One of the trump cards the BBC can play as it frets about the future of the license fee is specific national and regional content and BBC Scotland could be the first iteration of such services for the rest of Britain.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/bbc-scotland-fears-nine-viewing-14439240
Most nights less than 15k, last Monday dipped below 9k.
JO
Jon
It’s not surprising a UK wide news programme on a new channel would struggle. I think for it really to work it does need BBC Two’s EPG slot in Scotland.
JO
johnnyboy Founding member
what posted:
I have looked for this information but not been able to find it but how have the ratings fared in the two or so months since launch?

I want BBC Scotland to succeed as has BBC Alba (despite their being only 50,000 speakers of the language). One of the trump cards the BBC can play as it frets about the future of the license fee is specific national and regional content and BBC Scotland could be the first iteration of such services for the rest of Britain.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/tv-radio/bbc-scotland-fears-nine-viewing-14439240
Most nights less than 15k, last Monday dipped below 9k.


That does not bode well.
JO
johnnyboy Founding member
Out of interest, does the 10.5-year-old BBC Alba outperform the 2-month-old BBC Scotland in terms of viewing audience size?
SP
Steve in Pudsey
Not sure that's a tremendously helpful comparison, as only 1.1% of the potential audience understand the language BBC Alba broadcasts in.
KE
kernow
A fairer comparison would be with That's TV Scotland.

Don't know what sort of ratings That's TV Scotland gets. I expect they're quite low, but if it's getting higher ratings, then BBC Scotland really is in trouble.
LL
London Lite Founding member
A fairer comparison would be with That's TV Scotland.

Don't know what sort of ratings That's TV Scotland gets. I expect they're quite low, but if it's getting higher ratings, then BBC Scotland really is in trouble.


On the plus side, That's TV has zero brand awareness compared to BBC Scotland. The BBC's advantage is having the first run BBC One Scotland shows, such as Still Game and Scot Squad first, it's a case of getting them to tune across.
JA
james-2001
Not sure that's a tremendously helpful comparison, as only 1.1% of the potential audience understand the language BBC Alba broadcasts in.


Even less, remembering BBC Alba is UK wide on sky and Virgin.
SP
Steve in Pudsey
BBC Scotland is UK wide on Sky, can't say for Virgin.
VM
VMPhil
It's on Virgin in the UK on channel 162, next to BBC Alba on 161.
JO
johnnyboy Founding member
Not sure that's a tremendously helpful comparison, as only 1.1% of the potential audience understand the language BBC Alba broadcasts in.


I'm not sure myself. I have Sky and I can get them both but I have no idea about Virgin.

To be honest, I was thinking more about viewership with Scotland itself rather than rUK.

I find the case of BBC Alba very interesting. I am a linguistics graduate who obviously loves language and I am fully in favour of that channel and S4C in their efforts to preserve and promote a language. These languages are an intrinsic part of our island's story, as are the languages of the people who have come to live on the island in the last few decades and which have developed UK-specific varients. All of them need as much TLC as possible.

I worry for the future of Scottish Gaelic and I fear that efforts to save the language are around 100 years too late.

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