I wish the BBC would just turn round and say 'No' to these nationalist idiots. There are more populous English regions, they dont get their own national bulletins.
I was about to make a sarcy comment about Wales already having such a programme at 7pm, but it looks like S4C have binned the early evening Newyddion.
That happened a good few years ago now I think, when BBC Wales News got a new set, with Newyddion 9 launching and departing from the standard BBC News graphics to a unique look.
Now is the Scottish Six more about Scottish news coming first or just complete monopolization of the whole hour? I ask because I've come across a few different explanations.
They've mentioned a Welsh Six but what about Northern Ireland? They don't seem to be getting any love.
If they get the Six what's stopping them wanting the 10pm bulletin?
I wish the BBC would just turn round and say 'No' to these nationalist idiots. There are more populous English regions, they dont get their own national bulletins.
To be fair though, population isn't the issue. An increasing number of stories reported on the national news (NHS reforms, education changes, tax changes, transport policy etc. etc.) simply don't apply to Scotland. The idea is that a Scottish Six wouldn't 'waste' viewers' time covering stories that don't impact them
I wonder how hard it would be for the nations to opt out of English-only items on a night-to-night basis, instead? It would be complex, yes, but likely easier than having two or more 'network' programmes competing for the same resources at the same time.
I'm thinking, say, that Reporting Scotland opts out of the Six for three minutes at 6:11 to introduce and air a package on a Scottish domestic issue, while London broadcasts a story on NHS England, and opts back in at 6:14. Potentially this could work in instances where London is broadcasting something that is relevant to Scotland, but there's a major story that should be higher in the running order in Scotland, whereby Reporting Scotland airs the opted-out story at 6:30 instead.
In this kind of scenario, only a modest increase in budget for the nations would be needed, but coverage for Scottish viewers could become more relevant and the nations' news more flexible. A 'true' Scottish Six would cost a lot more, and lead to the same correspondents and satellite links being required simultaneously where the rest of BBC News is trying to streamline operations and cut down on duplication.
This relies on two packages on two different issues being condensed into a VT of more or less exactly the same duration. It's not impossible, but it's not easy either!
If you didn't catch it when it was posted earlier this year (possibly in the STV thread), it's worth watching this behind-the-scenes of STV News at Six, which is probably the best example of how you could share some live resources and reports, while also retaining local presentation and flexibility over running order:
I wish the BBC would just turn round and say 'No' to these nationalist idiots. There are more populous English regions, they dont get their own national bulletins.
The only problem with your remark is that you are incorrect. It was the Westminster Culture, Media & Sport Committee which recommended the Scottish Six yesterday. The committee has 6 Tory MPs, 4 Labour MPs and only 1 SNP MP. Describing Tory and Labour MPs are 'Nationalists' is definitely an interesting choice of words.
The original Scottish Six model was also mooted by Labour and not the SNP. The Scottish National Party is - admittedly - now pushing it up the agenda, but most of the debate and discussion has actually been among pro-union MPs and the BBC.
There is room for discussion and analysis on the potential gains and losses of a Scottish Six, and indeed devolved Six bulletins in Wales and Northern Ireland. But, please, for the sake of my sanity, can we avoid it becoming an #SNPBad or 'blame Westminster' durge? I like to think the UK is above Trump-esque behaviour.