麻豆社

In January 2008 the 麻豆社 Trust, the 麻豆社's governing body, approved 麻豆社 ALBA for launch. The Trust had subjected the 麻豆社 Executive's proposals for the channel to a full Public Value Test that concluded that the channel should launch but should be subject to a review before digital switchover in central and northern Scotland in 2010.

As part of the review process the Trust will ask the public and stakeholders to submit their opinions on the service and how it could be available in the future.

The review will cover two areas:

• 1) Part one will look at how well the channel is performing, whether the channel is achieving a wide appeal to viewers beyond existing Gaelic speakers, and whether it is contributing to the broader educational strategy for the language
• 2) Part two will look at whether the channel should be made available on Freeview. Due to cost and capacity restraints on DTT, the 麻豆社 Executive have suggested finding room for 麻豆社 ALBA by removing the 麻豆社's radio stations from Freeview, in Scotland only, during 麻豆社 ALBA's broadcasting hours. We will be considering this proposal and what option the public would prefer. The review will also consider whether the Gaelic zone on 麻豆社 Two Scotland should remain.

Jeremy Peat, 麻豆社 National Trustee for Scotland, who is leading the review for the Trust, said:

"麻豆社 ALBA has been popular since its launch, but we now want to see whether it is measuring up to the challenges we set it last year. We'll be looking at how well it is bringing new speakers to the Gaelic language and what current and potential future viewers think of it as a service.

"We will also be investigating whether 麻豆社 ALBA should be on Freeview instead of the 麻豆社's radio stations. We want to hear what the public think and whether they want ALBA on Freeview or would prefer to keep the existing 麻豆社 radio stations.

"We'd encourage everybody who has an opinion about the service, its availability and how they'd like to see it change, to get in touch with us."

Timetable

The public consultation is open for 12 weeks from 26 October 2009, and will close on 18 January 2010. The Trust's review will be published before switchover in central and northern Scotland in April 2010.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• 麻豆社 Alba normally broadcasts between between the hours of 17:00 and 23:30 each weekday and after 4pm at the weekend. The stations affected would be 麻豆社 Radios 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 live, 5 live Sports Extra, 麻豆社 1Xtra, 麻豆社 Asian Network, 麻豆社 6 Music, 麻豆社 Radio 7, 麻豆社 Radio Scotland, 麻豆社 Radio nan G脿idheal and 麻豆社 World Service. These stations would still be available as usual via a combination of FM/AM/LW, DAB and online
• The Trust has also today published a submission from the 麻豆社 Executive which sets out what it thinks of the channel so far and what it would like to do in the future. This is available below
• The consultation document can be found below or copies can be obtained by calling: 03700 103 100.