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Scottish Programmes (BBC) Transmitted UK Wide

(July 2009)

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MA
maiden666
Just conducting a little survey here. How many Scottish TV programmes do you ever see on the BBC in England? I especially mean on BBC1 and 2 at peak times. I know myself from numerous trips to England over the years, that the above is indeed a very rare occurence.

The BBC have announced they will be running a "Scottish Season" on BBC4 soon. Hmmm...

Why don't we just have a reasonable quota of Scottish programmes transmitted at all times?
IS
Inspector Sands
Probably because most Scottish programmes are made for Scottish audiences and relevant only them?
MA
maiden666
Why do you say Scottish programmes are only relevent to Scots? I'm sure you must have some basis for that line of argument. Is a Scottish programme about Scottish History only relevent to Scottish viewers? Or River City any less worthy of UK wide transmission that Eastenders? The Scottish population accounts for over 8% of the UK population as a whole. The BBC only spends 3% of it's budget for new programmes is Scotland(admittedly this will be rising to 6% soon, so they tell us), but virtually nothing of what is made in Scotland is transmitted UK wide. Even a cursury glance at an average weeks listings reveals in many cases absolutely no programmes made in Scotland transmitted in England. The recent Neil Oliver programme on Scottish History was only only broadcast network-wide as a result of complaints. Otherwise it was only available in England in iPlayer or on BBC Alba which believe it or not not everyone has access to.
Last edited by maiden666 on 2 July 2009 11:54am
IS
Inspector Sands
Why do you say Scottish programmes are only relevent to Scots?


Not all of course, I said 'most'.

Most are only or more relevant to Scottish people because that's who they're made for and aimed at. Just in the same way that there are lots of Welsh and Northern Ireland made programmes that don't get shown in England because they're made just for their viewers.

There are exceptions of course, there are many network productions made in Glasgow and programmes that get shown south of the border because they're particually good or popular, such as Still Game. Although Still Game kinda proves my point.... it didn't do half as well down here as it did in it's home patch.
SN
Silver Nemesis
The Scottish Season is being made by BBC Scotland *for* BBC Four and so programmes will, in the main, be produced for a Network audience, whereas most local programmes on BBC One and Two in the Nations are just that - local, for a local audience.

It's a fairly regular occurrence that programmes made in the Nations, about the Nations, get a nationwide airing - though mostly on BBC Four, BBC Parliament or the ex-UKTV channels (I can see a few examples flicking through this week's Radio Times - two programmes from the Nations and Regions are on BBC Four tonight).

I did watch a programme last night on BBC One Wales about the Investiture of the Prince of Wales - "Wales, the Prince and the Plotter" with Huw Edwards. Unusually for a "local" programme, it got a whole hour and displaced "Waking the Dead" in the 9pm slot, and to me it looked like it had been deliberately made to be very accessible to a non-Welsh audience, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it get a BBC Four repeat at some point.
EX
excel99
Or BBC2 at 20.30 on Saturday night Wink
SN
Silver Nemesis
Or BBC2 at 20.30 on Saturday night Wink

Ah - now that's interesting. Perhaps there are two versions of it after all - BBC Wales had it as a stand-alone programme, 'wrapped' in the Wales History section of their site (link), whereas Network have branded it as Timewatch and dropped the word "Wales" from the title (Timewatch, RT).
SP
Spencer
The Scottish population accounts for over 8% of the UK population as a whole. The BBC only spends 3% of it's budget for new programmes is Scotland(admittedly this will be rising to 6% soon, so they tell us), but virtually nothing of what is made in Scotland is transmitted UK wide.


In terms of population, Yorkshire isn't far behind Scotland. Currently in Yorkshire, the only programmes the BBC makes are Look North, The Politics Show (regional opt), Inside Out, The Superleague Show and Helicopter Heroes. Only the final one of these is networked across the whole of the UK.

I would seem clear that Scotland is actually represented much more on UK-wide television than many English regions which have almost as little in common with London.
Last edited by Spencer on 2 July 2009 12:46pm
JE
Jenny Founding member
The recent Neil Oliver programme on Scottish History was only broadcast network-wide as a result of complaints.


Not true. It was always intended to be broadcast in Scotland in 2008 and nationwide in 2009. Which is exactly what happened.
DA
davidmcg
Rab C Nesbitt? Bit obvious I know.
MA
maiden666
It has to be said though, The UK as a whole has no regular Scottish programmes to view, particularly at peak times. No soap operas, game shows, dramas(not including one-offs, that at least happens sometimes), tv talent shows, reality shows (I'm not saying I'm that fussy about much of the aforementioned, although it's the principle that's important). If the situation is similar in Yorkshire it doesn't surprise me. I think we can fairly assume a London-centric attitude within the BBC. Of course it's not just the BBC who are guilty of this, but they are at least accountable to you and me (apparently). An example of their attitude is obvious in the UK weather map. Despite vociferous howlings from north of the border, the angled map still persists. the south of England being more prominent. Scotland and the north of England are diminished greatly in size, I pity the poor Shetlanders. Telescope required for their weather reports!
Last edited by maiden666 on 2 July 2009 1:27pm
MA
maiden666
Rab C Nesbitt is now a very old programme, so we're mainly talking repeats here, and again rarely in prime-time slots. I can't actually remember the last time I saw any BBC productions from Northern Ireland.

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