VIEWERS would have to pay a licence fee and watch adverts on the SNP's proposed Scottish Broadcasting Corporation if the nation became independent.
Culture minister Michael Russell yesterday outlined a "mixed system" which would mean viewers paying a higher licence fee of £145, compared with £142.50 at present. They would also have to sit through ads that would help pay for programmes.
The proposed SBC would have a budget of £300million, based on licence fee cash raised in Scotland. But the station would have to raise extra cash if it were to rival the BBC, which has a £4.6billion income.
Unveiling the plans, Russell claimed splitting a Scottish Broadcasting Corporation from the BBC would increase choice for viewers.
The policy document said: "Independence would give Scotland the same powers to ensure choice in broadcasting as countries such as Ireland have enjoyed for years."
The broadcast media and television in particular is in a tremendous state of flux at the minute so I suppose anything is possible...
However, the concept of a "national" broadcasting corporation not only charging a higher license fee than the BBC, but also subjecting its viewers to advertisements seems a throwback to a much previous pre-internet age rather than the kind of cutting-edge media outlet capable of surviving in the 21st Century. And regarding that comparison with the choice of broadcasting available on the island of Ireland...I can only presume that Michael Russell has never had the pleasure of watching the quality of output on offer from the likes of RTE and ("Three donkeys reported running amok on Ballymacash Main Street")UTV.
So, on the face of it, not that great an idea- although I suppose, in fairness, we should wait for further details on the plan, which will be delivered if Scotland obtains its independence.
15 comments:
"Three donkeys reported running amok in Ballymacash Main Street" ...
They didn't happen to be sporting Ulster Television - sorry, UTV - colours, did they? :-)
The sooner I buy a DVD HDR recorder, the better. I still need to record on analogue using my old video recorder; which necessitates recording UTV. Still, I fast-forward when their pathetic ads come on at the interval!
Tim
Jeesh its RTE for Scotland!
There are going to be a lot of unhappy people after the independence day hangover wears off. Tuning into "Strictly" and finding it's not there... Just Alec introducing the New White Heather show.
brilliant.
Condescending comments above from pro-British slaves. Sure the Scots, Irish and Welsh must rely on our betters to produce TV. Here was me thinking that US imports filled the majority of TV schedules these days.
Oneil I am glad this is labelled under 'bizzare' I reckon that the source of your story is bizzare and not averse to making up bits or spinning in an unashamed way what little it can to help labour.
"Condescending comments" - that is the pot calling the kettle black indeed.
Naturally I am pro-British and proud of it. My perspective is from a comprehensive, integrated United Kingdom basis. I have little regard for narrow nationalistic attidudes and prejudices.
I do not generally watch "US imports". I am not, nor ever intend to be, a slave. My views are entirely of my own free will.
This post is really about economies of scale; it makes common sense that to rival a broadcaster such as the BBC - and we're not just talking about television output here but a globally-important online presence - smaller nations will have to pay more per head to achieve it. Either that, or quality will suffer as a result.
Will Scots really want to pay a fee higher then the current BBC licence fee AND sit through advertisments in the hope that this quality is maintained?
It's a consideration that could be applied in areas outside broadcasting, too.
" Oneil I am glad this is labelled under 'bizzare' I reckon that the source of your story is bizzare and not averse to making up bits or spinning in an unashamed way what little it can to help labour."
The source was the SNP minister who made the promise. The bizarre part is two-fold, firstly does he really expect people will be happy to pay for a tv license when the movement in the internet age is moving in the opposite direction (ie you pay for what want to watch, not for what a govt broadcaster deigns to show you)? the BBC is struggling to justify continuing with the whole principle.
Secondly, it's dependent, as he admits himself on an independent Scotland...
If I were the SNP, I would be testing the water now, ask for public (financial) support to set up a SBC now.
Tony...
"Condescending comments above from pro-British slaves. Sure the Scots, Irish and Welsh must rely on our betters to produce TV. Here was me thinking that US imports filled the majority of TV schedules these days."
It looks like you have enthusiastically joined in with condescending comments, refering to the people above as a slaves...
Many of our betters that produce this "British" TV are Scots, Irish and Welsh. That might not fit with your view of the world but of course it is true and the average person in the street doesn't care about the nationality of the producer of the content they watch. They care about whether it entertains/informs them and how much it costs them.
I'm also a much more of a slave to my mortgage than the British State. Come the Scottish Revolution will you emancipate me from that too?
Tim
>>narrow nationalistic attidudes and prejudices.<<
Why do you slaves always parrot the same nonsense? Does nationalism to always have to be narrow, can't our prejudices be like yours now and then? You know wide and varied.
Oneil, your sourcing gets worse and worse. Should you care to take seriously anything the Daily Record says then shame on you. They are worse than fox news, now and then it gives me a chuckle to actually read the story behind the blustering scandal driven anti-SNP headlines just to see how close they come to defamation. More often than not hidden exactly two paragraphs from the end is just enough of the actual story.
Anonymous
I take it you are one of these Brit-Scots(I hope I am wrong) I take it that you do not know how much TV is made produced etc in Scotland? Hence your silly bluff.
I didn't know we were set for a revolution in Scotland, perhaps the struggle to allow the people to have their say counts. As the so called Scottish Unionist parties seem to be the house niggers hellbent on keeping the great unwashed in the fields. They disgrace the concept of being regarded as democratic.
Tony
Google has over 26 different news sources on this one:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&source=hp&q=SNP%20Russell&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn
Russell did say it.
I seriously haven't got a clue why he even mentioned the possibility, it's a bit like me saying if I step up the training then quite shortly I'll be challenging Evans for a place in the next NI team- it's leaving himself completely open for ridicule.
Tony,
Your comments really are appalling and offensive. I didn't think people used the words and sickening anologies you seem to think are acceptable. To compare the situation of you average Scot to a slave is offensive to Scots and even more so to the memory of people that suffered the misery of slavery. I think people can judge for themselves your view of reality.
I am aware that most kids in England, Wales and NI must be growing up Scottish nowadays with the vast majority of BBC childrens TV being produced here but I guess your not aware of that.
Anonymous
Seems I forced you to do a bit of research. My analogy is quite correct in this instance if you are happy to get the slops from the bucket regarding shipping up a production or two to Scotland that is almost entirely crewed by non-Scots. Take your slave mentality elswhere if you please, it is no acceptable for our once proud nation. Even putting this forward as an argument shows just how pigmyish your ambitions for us are. Have you no pride?
Oneil
Following up on the Scotsman half-truths you deserve a shirrikin over using the Daily Record AKA the daily labour news. I'm sure that Scots will not falter over missing Eastenders, or shirk at paying an extra quid or two. Perhaps yer man like anonymous above will put such a pathetic argument forward.
Following up on the Scotsman half-truths you deserve a shirrikin over using the Daily Record AKA the daily labour news.
It's hardly a half-truth if the minister actually suggested it. Now if you had said they omitted to mention it was only one (although one that he has already costed and done a fair bit of research into)...you may have had a point.
Tony,
I doubt if you would let research interfere with your prejudices.
"non-Scots" ????
You really do have a terrible vision of what Scotland is.
I don't share your intolerant BNP like sense of what pride is no. Are you suggesting that people who don't agree with you should leave the country as well as the "non-Scots"?
Anonymous
What prejudices? The only one on show has been my intolerance for those who would keep my country on it's knees.
>>"non-Scots" ????
You really do have a terrible vision of what Scotland is.<<
Not got a Danny La Rue whit you are oan aboot here pal, neither I suspect do you.
As for equating my Scottishness with some white pride BNP nationalism.............you can ram that!
Look pal if you don't want the best for my country then frig off to the country you want to be in, simple! If you or any other unionist can put up a worthwhile argument as to why we should continue to be pretend partners in the I am all ears. The argument for us becoming independent is absolutely overwhelming. Get up off your knees!
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