I imagine it'll go away when the BBC broadcasts a run of pilots. Then if it is a flop the idea will be put to rest and if it isn't the idea will be permanent. Of course the run up to the election in May would have been the ideal pilot slot, but the missed that. In some ways it is like the years and years of stories about the BBC bringing back Doctor Who, the stories stopped when they did.
Is the answer to all of this to re-consider the structure of the entire BBC News at Six hour? Would it be possible to come up with a flexible running order. Perhaps keeping the English Regions as it but allowing Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the ability to opt out of say around 10 to 15 minutes of the first half hour depending on that days running order?
A logistical challenge but possibly more efficient? It might also then allow some flexibility to do the same at Ten if desired?
Funny that when I BBC the news on, they had Blair Jenkins telling us of the need for it. The man who was head of Yes Scotland (not that they reminded us of that). So his opinion on the matter is going to be completely unbiased of course.
Is the answer to all of this to re-consider the structure of the entire BBC News at Six hour? Would it be possible to come up with a flexible running order. Perhaps keeping the English Regions as it but allowing Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the ability to opt out of say around 10 to 15 minutes of the first half hour depending on that days running order?
A logistical challenge but possibly more efficient? It might also then allow some flexibility to do the same at Ten if desired?
Not quite that straight forward as if it's something like an education or health story topping the agenda for the day it might not be deemed relevant in Scotland and Wales. It's never really been an issue for the viewer either, just a handful of politicians.
Probably best to ask some Scottish members here. Is there annoyance from themselves, family, friends when the top stories on the news are about a devolved issue?
Opt outs probably wouldn't work, as they'd just end up clunky, they are very rarely clean, either at the start or end of an opt out in the middle of a bulletin.
I don't see why there is such deep debate about it. Just do it, or don't! The extent to how much both the BBC and our politicians debate such trivial matters amazes me!!
In answer to the question about what Scottish members think, my parents watch Rep Scot, and I can tell you that they don't comment on stories not being relevant. However - far, far more worryingly - I've overheard them on a number of occasions saying how terrible certain political policies in areas like health and education are. I find myself having to regularly inform them that we have our own policies in Scotland. The average viewer isn't 100% versed on devolution and it genuinely can be a minefield trying to understand what is and isn't applicable north of the border. For that reason alone, it makes sense to trial the show. As DTV said, just get it on the air, and if it works, great. If it flops, that's the end of it, and we can all get on with our lives! *Rant ends.
There's little to no public demand for this. If you want Scottish news first at Six, you watch STV and then the ITV National News. If you want your news from the BBC, you watch the main Six and then Reporting Scotland. And there lies a key point - STV provides something close to what is being demanded - where Scottish news comes first, but the SNP won't accept this as they are obsessed with interfering with the BBC.
The fact that one of their first actions when they came to power was to set up a Broadcasting Commission is proof. It concluded (obviously) that the SNP was hard done by.
It's natural that Nationalists would want to fiddle as TV news is a key tool for spreading nationalism. Let's not forget that Nicola Sturgeon was "special guest" on the TV at the stroke of midnight on STV's new year programme last year.
The SNP want to try and "normalise" Scotland being "different", "unique", having "too many" differences compared to the rest of the UK. It's all about a slow, steady chipping away of the presence of the UK in Scotland, to the extent that they then say to voters "oh, we've changed so much, independence is now a 'natural' next step - you'll hardly notice the difference".
It was written recently that "in attitude and demeanour, the SNP behaves as though independence has already arrived in everything except the formal recognition of that fact." This is absolutely true, and why Scottish Government ministers want to be on the news first at tea-time, how they want Nicola Sturgeon's pathetic "tour of Europe" after the Brexit referendum prioritised over UK news, and the latest spin from the Scottish Government press office to be pushed front and centre, ahead of that nasty UK Government.
If they go ahead, I predict viewers will revolt or watch the news channel instead. Secondly the quality of Scottish news would have to improve. At the moment Reporting Scotland is a couple of govt press releases, a conviction at the High Court, Celtic football gossip, Rangers football gossip, something about Andy Murray, weather.
