Although Great Britain would continue to exist as an island, only part of it would be part of the UK.
It was suggested during a report on Breakfast this morning that the country would end up being called something like "United Kingdom of England, Wales and Northern Ireland"
Having said that, the United Kingdom was formed from the union of the English and Scottish crowns, so in that respect, maybe it wouldn't be able to be called the United Kingdom anymore, although the Queen of the United Kingdom would still be the Queen of Scotland.
With Channel 4 it seems to be proposing the Scottish Government will take a percentage ownership of the channel, in return for the same percentage of original productions coming from Scotland.
With regards to the paragraph about STV's future, I don't see how the proposed Scottish Government honouring its licence will "ensure Scottish audiences access to programming such Coronation Street & X Factor". Unless it's deliberately misleading and choosing to muddy the issue by bringing up ITV Border (which has 'Scottish audiences' of course).
I'd be very surprised if independence didn't trigger a break clause in the Network Affiliate Agreement between ITV and STV. Even if 'Scotcom' honours STV's licence, it doesn't mean Ofcom will treat STV in the same way, and it's in ITV's interest to either sell its programming to the highest commercial bidder, or as has been suggested, set up ITV Scotland.
STV have stated to the markets that the SG will honour their existing licence agreements until 2024, so they'll have already discussed this with ITV and Ofcom to continue the affiliate agreement.
With Channel 4 it seems to be proposing the Scottish Government will take a percentage ownership of the channel, in return for the same percentage of original productions coming from Scotland.
With regards to the paragraph about STV's future, I don't see how the proposed Scottish Government honouring its licence will "ensure Scottish audiences access to programming such Coronation Street & X Factor". Unless it's deliberately misleading and choosing to muddy the issue by bringing up ITV Border (which has 'Scottish audiences' of course).
I'd be very surprised if independence didn't trigger a break clause in the Network Affiliate Agreement between ITV and STV. Even if 'Scotcom' honours STV's licence, it doesn't mean Ofcom will treat STV in the same way, and it's in ITV's interest to either sell its programming to the highest commercial bidder, or as has been suggested, set up ITV Scotland.
I agree, I don't see how the current Channel 3 set up can continue in the wake of Scottish independence. I see a set up more like what Ireland has with TV3 being inevitable (or indeed an ITV Scotland?). That could also partly explain ITV's decision to sell it's minority stake in STV...
The broadcasters have refused to be drawn into discussion on their future in Scotland in order to remain impartial.
However, if Scotland were to leave the UK, this notion about BBC Scotland becoming SBS is a fantasy. The BBC would not be the Scottish Government's to play around with. BBC Worldwide and - more crucially - the many other independent producers that own the rights to BBC programmes would be well within their right to sell them to the highest bidder.
Exactly - the BBC own the BBC, not the Scottish Government (or even UK government), so their assets in Scotland are theres, not the SNPs. A "SBS" would need to start from scratch - the BBC might opt to be involved in that, but would be under no legal obligation. The licence fee paid by Scottish licence fee payers effectively subscribes to the BBC from one year to the next, not gives them shares in it as the SNP seem to think.
This *should* be the case for ITV as soon as their affiliation contract expires. However, STV still has a contract with Ofcom for 10 years. Would that become null and void?
As with almost everything else to do with this vote, it would just be a mess basically, and no one knows the real answer.
In theory any deal with OFCOM expires and a new Scottish regulator would set up the framework. I'd fully expect ITV to look at setting up their own ITV Scotland rather than just continuing the current arrangement with STV.
So BBC Scotland would continue to exist or would it need to be renamed SBS. I don't think independence would be good as I can see less money going into own productions and struggle over programmes we receive.
I do wonder what'll happen to ITV/STV do you think they would just close STV and bring ITV back to Scotland maybe under the name "ITV Scotland" or just ITV. To be fair, I'm not a fan of STV it's way to amuterish IMO but could either actually exist? How would it all work. Would this take over the channel 3 slot?
Another issue I do not think is being dealt with - TV. No one seems to be discussing this and for this part (and most of the other questions) there are no answers. Makes sense to just stay where we are - oh dear another campaign for the union but what can one do?
#NoThanks
:-(
A former member
Quote:
I agree, I don't see how the current Channel 3 set up can continue in the wake of Scottish independence. I see a set up more like what Ireland has with TV3 being inevitable (or indeed an ITV Scotland?). That could also partly explain ITV's decision to sell it's minority stake in STV...
A Scottish ofcom could just say NO to ITV coming north. STV and UTV deal with ITV is already like that of TV3.
With Channel 4 it seems to be proposing the Scottish Government will take a percentage ownership of the channel, in return for the same percentage of original productions coming from Scotland.
With regards to the paragraph about STV's future, I don't see how the proposed Scottish Government honouring its licence will "ensure Scottish audiences access to programming such Coronation Street & X Factor". Unless it's deliberately misleading and choosing to muddy the issue by bringing up ITV Border (which has 'Scottish audiences' of course).
I'd be very surprised if independence didn't trigger a break clause in the Network Affiliate Agreement between ITV and STV. Even if 'Scotcom' honours STV's licence, it doesn't mean Ofcom will treat STV in the same way, and it's in ITV's interest to either sell its programming to the highest commercial bidder, or as has been suggested, set up ITV Scotland.
STV have stated to the markets that the SG will honour their existing licence agreements until 2024, so they'll have already discussed this with ITV and Ofcom to continue the affiliate agreement.
It is highly unlikely any discussions have been had between STV and Ofcom/ITV relating to an independent Scotland.
"Honouring" is an interesting word to use. The SG would 'honour' STV's licence but by that they mean they would give them a similar licence for the same length of time. It would be a new licence as it would be issued by a new regulator.
The idea that Ofcom would force ITV to have an affiliate in a non-domestic territory is crazy. There's also the prospect of indies that own their programme's international rights. What would happen to those?
Well we know how toothless Ofcom is, so I think it'd be ITV and STV calling the shots with ITV being the main partner, and still under Ofcom's control.
I imagine that ITV would advise Ofcom that as an agreement has been made between the 2 broadcasters, it would be commercially beneficial for this to continue. I can't imagine Ofcom objecting to this.
The white paper, on the other hand, is a manifesto of what the SNP would do should Scotland become independent and should they be re-elected in 2016. If Scotland were to become independent but the SNP were not re-elected, I believe that the new government would still honour the existing agreement as it wouldn't make sense for the new government to renege on the promise already made to STV.
Either way, I don't think any changes would be made to Channel 3, 4 or 5 licences until they would have been up for renewal under the UK.
A licence to broadcast a channel is not the same as a licence to broadcast a particular programme. So yes, it's true that "Scotcom" may honour STV's licence and maintain the PSB requirements, but that does not specify that certain programmes must be shown.
I agree, I don't see how the current Channel 3 set up can continue in the wake of Scottish independence. I see a set up more like what Ireland has with TV3 being inevitable (or indeed an ITV Scotland?). That could also partly explain ITV's decision to sell it's minority stake in STV...
A Scottish ofcom could just say NO to ITV coming north. STV and UTV deal with ITV is already like that of TV3.
I'm aware that STV/UTV act as affiliates these days to ITV, however unlike TV3 they are still part of the Channel 3/ITV network (therefore take ITV News and have similar schedules). I meant like TV3 in being a different entity to the previously mentioned network. Sorry, should have explained myself better.
The broadcasters have refused to be drawn into discussion on their future in Scotland in order to remain impartial.
However, if Scotland were to leave the UK, this notion about BBC Scotland becoming SBS is a fantasy. The BBC would not be the Scottish Government's to play around with. BBC Worldwide and - more crucially - the many other independent producers that own the rights to BBC programmes would be well within their right to sell them to the highest bidder.
Exactly - the BBC own the BBC, not the Scottish Government (or even UK government), so their assets in Scotland are theres, not the SNPs. A "SBS" would need to start from scratch - the BBC might opt to be involved in that, but would be under no legal obligation. The licence fee paid by Scottish licence fee payers effectively subscribes to the BBC from one year to the next, not gives them shares in it as the SNP seem to think.
This *should* be the case for ITV as soon as their affiliation contract expires. However, STV still has a contract with Ofcom for 10 years. Would that become null and void?
As with almost everything else to do with this vote, it would just be a mess basically, and no one knows the real answer.
In theory any deal with OFCOM expires and a new Scottish regulator would set up the framework. I'd fully expect ITV to look at setting up their own ITV Scotland rather than just continuing the current arrangement with STV.
So BBC Scotland would continue to exist or would it need to be renamed SBS. I don't think independence would be good as I can see less money going into own productions and struggle over programmes we receive.
I do wonder what'll happen to ITV/STV do you think they would just close STV and bring ITV back to Scotland maybe under the name "ITV Scotland" or just ITV. To be fair, I'm not a fan of STV it's way to amuterish IMO but could either actually exist? How would it all work. Would this take over the channel 3 slot?
Another issue I do not think is being dealt with - TV. No one seems to be discussing this and for this part (and most of the other questions) there are no answers. Makes sense to just stay where we are - oh dear another campaign for the union but what can one do?
#NoThanks
How on earth can you call STV - amateurish? If it was 'amateurish' do you really think the likes of Norman Macleod, Andrea Brymer and John MacKay would still be with the broadcaster after 20 years a piece?
To look at what is presently a hypothetical situation from the Irish precedent:
As far as ITV is concerned presumably a situation would evolve similar to Ireland where it will be natively available on satellite (as indeed all ITV regions are already, and will continue to be for as long as ITV is free to air on satellite). STV may remain an ITV affiliate of some sort or go its own way if ITV were to launch its own separate. In Ireland, TV3 has a programme supply deal with ITV Studios that has allowed it to broadcast most of ITV's prime-time schedule. This however has only related to programmes actually made by ITV Studios, with no sport, news, films, or independent programmes. Starting from January 1st UTV will take over this deal, but they are planning to broadcast much more of the ITV network schedule than TV3 ever did, even accounting for the fact that they will not have Britain's Got Talent or the X-Factor - they will be broadcasting almost the entire ITV daytime schedule which TV3 never did. (As in Scotland, all ITV regions will remain available free to air on satellite, though cable viewers will likely be losing out as UTV NI is likely to be pulled).
As far as the BBC is concerned, when Ireland became independent the BBC was only in the process of being set up and there was no need to talk about sharing assets, as it didn't have any in Ireland - it only began broadcasting in London, Birmingham, and Manchester three weeks before the Irish Free State came into existence. However BBC services have always been available here, via overspill, cable, and satellite. Since the BBC went free to air on satellite, any Irish household can now pick up the full range of BBC services on satellite, as long as they are able to install a satellite dish. (Some people can't due to restrictive covenants). It would be the same in Scotland as long as the BBC remains free to air - there is no question of Scottish people losing access to BBC One and BBC Two! What would be in doubt, I think, is whether BBC Scotland would continue to exist, though the Scottish government's plan seems to be that BBC Scotland would become SBS and have some sort of formal affiliation agreement with the BBC. I'm not sure whether formal affiliation will be a runner, though that's not to say that the BBC won't produce Scottish programming, even if the quantity drops - see for example BBC programmes made in the Republic of Ireland such as Ballykissangel and the Ambassador, while Mrs Brown's Boys, though filmed in Glasgow, was created and written by an Irishman and stars an almost entirely Irish cast (nearly all of whom are related to Brendan O'Carroll in some way!).