Salmond Wants Scottish Six

I agree H...I almost feel unpatriotic but it would not work now. I know I have championed it previously - but now that I know how things work in BBC land, I would say that it is dead in the water.

The idea about STV and BBC Scotland having more clout may be an idea, but I really think that going down the line of American local news would be a disaster.

I really would like the move to PQ mean that an exciting period in Scottish news is upon us...I aint so sure now from other threads and from the latest press reports over cost cutting.

Perhaps Reporting Scotland will not undergo a revamp until September - when other programmes (like North West Tonight) are due a new look??

The 1999 revamp was part of the bigger picture and the Beeb are still using the 'uniform look' for news output.

IIRC, this debate heated up a bit a few months before the May 1999 relaunch. In fact there's an old news article from late 1998 here

Spooky - however, has this arguement evolved since then??

no, and the bbc's licence fee increase is far smaller than expected. it'd be a bit odd if the bbc decide to throw cash away getting someone to read out the same stories in a scottish accent - whilst they are trying to save money else where.

There was another review of the 'Scottish Six' in 2003

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/aboutus/journalism/

They could have a one hour news programme, and just use ready made reports from BBC News. A bit like what local news programmes do in America. Isint Scotland essentially a different country nowadays?

Mmmm - I cannot see this move on or gain momentum from 1998 though.

The public do not seem to back this and the points that were raised about the resources and talent available still stand.

While many slate Tash etc the correspondents employed by White City are far better than the talent pool in QMD.

does no one think that he'll get that 5% increase in Spending for BBC and STV?

But what would he propose doing with it that makes that big a difference??

Er. No. Despite a devolved Parliament, we are still a part of the United Kingdom, and Westminster still retains the overall soveriginty.

Except that, being pedantic here, in England the crown in Parliament is sovereign, legally, in Scotland, sovereignty lies with the people of the country. Scotland has its own parliament, legal system, education system, national church etc. Legally, for instance, there is no charge of manslaughter...in Scotland it is culpable homicide; arson is wilful fire raising and burglary theft by housebreaking.
Maybe it's time that broadcasting became a matter for the Scottish parliament. It might make sense.

Whilst this is true prior to the 1707 Act of Union sovereignty does still rest with the UK Parliament.

A quote from SNP literature shows that they believe this to be the case:



Source: www.alba.org.uk