BBC National News: Presentation

So you think the nations should pay more to receive news that is for them, but Londoners should get theirs by default?

So, what does my licence entitle me to, living in Scotland as I do?

Questioning my psychological stability for expressing a legitimate point of view isn't a very mature response. I'd have expected better than that from you, Gav.

Currently the BBC claim to show UK news from 6-6:30; regional (either from nations or regions) 6:30-7pm. If the BBC were to start producing seperate versions for the 6-6:30 slot then they should be required to produce one for EACH of the constituent nations of the UK. Not just some.

Those of us in England who don't live in London or the Home Counties are equally unsettled by the BBC's concentration on events in those areas.

Whatever my views on an English Parliament, I was simply drawing a comparison in this debate with the generally accepted assumption that the English should be content with less recognition as a nation and more as a 'collection of regions'.

No I said that out of each person's license fee, a part of it should go to that regions/nations news service, so each area gets a news budget that is linked to the amount of people it serves. So London would get more money than Northern Ireland or Wales, and the smaller regions less than Scotland and London etc.

Also the news which affects the greater number of people should be prioritised over those that affect a smaller number of the population. A Wales only law, shouldn't be higher up the running order, or get more time on air, than a law affecting the whole of England. And as a courtesy to the smaller nations, any England only rules should be stated clearly as not coming into force outside of it, instead of as is being suggested it seems from the various interviewees seen on the News Channel all morning, that more time be devoted to minority parliament rules and regulations.

If you are seriously suggesting that England are "second class citizens in the UK" then I am questioning your intelligence. What next? "White straight males are the only poor souls not to be protected"?

Your "stability" was not brought into question by me.

I agree, however, that bulletins should serve all parts of the UK. Despite Martin's "crowded towns are obviously more important" argument, every individual pays the same money - all are therefore entitled to the same level of service.

The argument over cost is secondary to the obligations of the BBC; and as there are newsrooms around the country already then it wouldn't be a case of reinventing the wheel to get it right.

The argument is simple - a "National" bulletin should contain information and reports relevant to the Nation. Where they cannot take a "one size fits all" approach then they must either try to find a balance, or at the very least make it abundantly clear to whom the news applies.

This is the crux of the objections, and the findings of the commission.

On that basis London would get 5 minutes of the national news since you seem to think of it as a 'nation' in it's own right. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man would be lucky to get a mention once a year!

I pay the same money as you do, Martin (assuming you pay your licence). I should get the same level of service.

I'm not saying that English law cases shouldn't appear in the running order. Sure they affect millions of people.

The criticism is that often there is NO MENTION of the fact that these laws don't apply north of the border, nor is there mention of of when Education and Health matters don't apply to Wales.

When the BBC is prided on its accuracy around the world, how can you argue that they shouldn't be at least as accurate when broadcasting to the people in the UK who pay for the damned thing?

No, I am not saying that London should be treated as a nation.

At the moment, England has the largest population of all the nations, hence why it is split into regions, so as to best serve the population more. The National news should cover stories that are London centric, ONLY IF it is of national importance, otherwise the news agenda should have an ENGLAND bias but also feature those nation stories which have significance to the uk and wider world.

But coming to the discussion of money, I do think the amount of money each region gets should be directly proportionate to the population. if £4-8 of the license fee was given to the regional news budget of the area the license fee payer lives, it would be a fairer system, and the news bulletins would be able to serve their viewers more fairly.

I just use London as an example as it is the largest population of England, and it is larger than 2 of the 4 nations, yet the service we receive is symbolic on occasions.

I have noticed that its not a deliberate policy, maybe an unfortunate oversight on some occasions, but the recent coverage yesterday of the failing schools conditions, included the statement many times, that Wales did not have the same conditions, and I have heard many times about the Scottish opting out of prescription charges and tuition fees for university...

Well no, its not opting out as NHS Scotland is a separate body than the NHS in England. Course they Daily Mail with their screaming SCOTS GET £5000 MORE EACH HEALTHCARE takes the opinion that we don't deserve it rather than asking exactly why England isn't improving their service to the level of ours.

Well with their own parliament, the Scottish get money from English, Welsh, and Northern Irish tax payers, so you could argue it is an opt out, but either way, with the big stories, they do mention the differences from Nation to Nation. They may not do it 100% of the time, which they should do...

And that does not dis-credit my suggestion that the funding the local news service gets, should be proportional to the population, with each person paying the same amount, and not asking any region or nation to pay more...

That's only a perspective someone from one of the world's largest cities can take, Martin. Its disappointing to hear that you can't put yourself in someone else's shoes.

My life, my job, my income, my desires and fears and everything else are not dictated by having 4,999,999 others or 14,999,999 others standing by my side.

*I* am an individual living and working in Edinburgh, Scotland. *You* are an individual living and working in London, England.

We're both living in capital cities which have large economies. We're both affected by trade, transport, immigration, education, health and policing matters. To name but a few.

I don't expect you to take an interest in my country/city/life, but I DO expect the BBC to provide me with a news agenda that covers my life.

You and I both investested £139.50 for this.

The UK national news will always have a bias towards England. I'm a big boy, I can take it.

But news relevant to England only should not appear without it being explained that way. Otherwise its misleading. It doesn't take much to add that into the scripts, and yet it goes unmentioned time and again.

Incorrect. The Scottish Parliament does NOT want to become independent. The governing minority administration does. The Parliament has a representation (overwhelmingly) in FAVOUR of the United Kingdom. The SNP do not hold a majority....despite their intent smugness.

Oh, and I don't know where you got ur population figure from Northern Ireland from?! The population in NI is just under 2million....

As for BBC News....recently I have noticed more reports mentioning that certain aspects are different in Scotland/Wales etc....though as for Northern Ireland, I do feel you are rather flippant when you mention the troubles....yes that had national news coverage(or network news as it was put on this lunchtimes Reporting Scotland ) but how often does health education or politics in the province get covered nationally?