Reporting Scotland

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say there - you say that BBC Scotland is more than a division of the BBC, and then make some entirely disjointed points.

Currently, BBC Scotland is a division of the BBC - a very large department with many sub-departments, but a part of the BBC nonetheless. It is given autonomy over certain aspects of its editorial content, presentation and production, logistics and facilities, and resource management, just as other divisions of the licence fee-funded BBC are, but just as with those other areas of the Home Services, some decisions are made centrally by senior management in London.

The fact that there may be a referendum on full Scottish independence from the Union is entirely irrelevant to BBC Scotland's current alignment with the 'corporate' BBC entity. Yes, things may change in the future, which was a point that I covered in my previous post when I mentioned a potential 'SBC'. But again, as I already stated, the BBC is currently a national broadcaster for all countries in the Union, and until that changes, BBC Scotland will be subject to the same management structure that the rest of the BBC's UK departments are under - which will sometimes mean having decisions overruled by senior management.

As for your point that "it is the only network with a full licence reach", I really don't know what that even means.

I had to laugh when someone said tell Alex Salmond. FFS - he's trying to be all statesman, and by going on about BBC Scotland not using their new titles and music would, erm, how would you put it - make him seem parochial. Yes, it cost money, yes it was a lack of contact between management in Glasgow and London, but whats going to happen...a page or two in the Scottish newspapers, then what?! Just because we are a bunch of pres fans, means we don't get to see them, but hey...there will be new titles soon, its not as if we're not getting any!

As for the set, seems nice, but despite moving to a new studio complex, the news studio still seems relatively small - but if I suppose its projection then, that will take up space - I suppose it was cost that stopped them from using the Barco video screens?!

i not denying what you've said, all i was saying was that BBC Scotland is more then a simple division of the BBC, same for BBC Wales and BBC NI because of devolution. And what i mean through "full licence" was that BBC Scotland broadcasts allover Scotland, while STV and Border cover smaller areas

I actually rather like this new set and the graphics, even though the titles desperately need replacing soon..

They now seem to have guests in the studio at lunchtime...something they never did before. They could do with having guests on the 6.30 programme, adding some analysis to the proceedings, but suppose that may trample on the feet of Newsnight Scotland...

Hmm - looks like they've tried to simulate the Nationals studio look (which is Barco projector cube walls) with a couple of large projectors. It kind of works - but it does feel VERY small. It probably IS very small.

The secondary studio with the plasma backdrop is a bit unfortunate though. BBC Oxford and BBC Jersey do better in restricted space.

(The BBC One National News studio is tiny in studio terms, but every inch of space is used on camera, and wide angle lenses can help)

The studio itself is not tiny - it's the problem that the news set shares with the sport set, so news only have half the studio.

Why couldn't the sports set use the videowall?

It's just a matter of changing the backdrop.

I do think that it is time to bring in new presenters. And the " fillers in " when David and Jackie are away, seem to present it with more professionalism than those two. Would be sorry to see the back of Sally Magnusson though.

Depends how much money has been spent on this 'relaunch', which I suspect could be obtained by a quick Freedom of Information request.

If it's a lot, the SNP has ammunition in terms of a) wasted licence fee payers money, and b) London telling Scotland what to do. One of these on its own doesn't make a story, the two combined makes a decent enough little page lead in a broadsheet.

Fun and games tonight. BBC Scotland's struggle with the new studios continues with a 20 second freeze frame on a package before going back to London, and then network news loses its main report (although it covers it very well).

Hasn't the "relaunch" co-incided with a move to Pacific Quay into a new studio complex though?



Surely you could equally run a "BBC invests in multi-million pound flagship new technology production centre in Glasgow" story as well...