麻豆社

The Council’s year was dominated by the debate on the 麻豆社 Charter and a review by the Trust of 麻豆社 services for Scotland.

In this the final year of the Trust, the Council’s submission on Charter review reiterated some of the most prominent audience issues of its ten year existence. Members recognised the strong audience support for the 麻豆社 in Scotland and concluded that overall 麻豆社 services are performing well. They also welcomed the Executive’s commitment, in its own Charter proposals, to review news services for the devolved nations, to give 麻豆社 Scotland greater authority, and to be more accountable to licence payers here.

The Council recommended last year that 麻豆社 journalism should evolve its news provision for Scotland to better match contemporary realities and promote public understanding of the factors underlying key social, economic and political issues. Members believe that this remains a priority and hope that progress on the issue may be made in the near future.  Members note the creation of a new 麻豆社 production subsidiary but have expressed concern that it may not benefit the creative sector in Scotland unless accompanied by some devolution of network commissioning.

The 麻豆社 performed strongly during the year. Highlights included a more prominent drama offering from Scotland with a highly successful third series of Shetland and a second of the Gaelic drama Bannan. Radio Scotland increased its audience and 麻豆社 Scotland established a significant presence on social media. There was comprehensive, innovative coverage of the 2016 Scottish Election and of the EU referendum.

Audiences in Scotland want the 麻豆社 to maintain and strengthen performance of this quality in the years ahead, and to develop a more distinctive offer for the Scotland in which we now live. I believe that it can do so if it builds on the work of the Trust and the Council in assessing audience needs while listening鈥昦nd responding in a timely fashion鈥晅o those who pay for its services.

Bill Matthews, 麻豆社 Trustee for Scotland

Two important work-streams dominated the Council’s agenda throughout the year: the review of the 麻豆社 Charter, and the Trust’s review of content for audiences in Scotland (麻豆社 Radio Scotland, 麻豆社 Radio nan Gàidheal, the Gaelic language TV channel 麻豆社 ALBA and news and current affairs on television and online for audiences in Scotland).

The debate on the 麻豆社 Charter spanned the year and the Council published a response to the UK government Green paper and the 麻豆社 Executive’s own proposals (“British Bold Creative”) in January. Members believed the 麻豆社 should continue as a broad-based cultural provider but that a future Charter should make specific reference to the delivery of the public purposes in each of the UK nations, as well as across the UK as a whole.  The Council argued that the 麻豆社 remained a highly valued presence in Scottish life but needed to adapt to new realities, particularly in coverage of public policy issues and in reflecting contemporary Scotland. Members stressed that better coverage of public policy issues in Scotland was now essential; and that the Executive’s proposals did not address the life and story of Scotland strongly enough. In December, members heard a detailed presentation of 麻豆社 Scotland’s proposals for Charter review. The Council agreed that audiences wanted the 麻豆社 to better reflect and portray Scotland to itself and the wider world and that to deliver this 麻豆社 Scotland would need to achieve greater impact across all platforms and genres.

The debate encompassed the governance of the 麻豆社. The Council argued that there should be a 麻豆社 Board member for Scotland who is independent of day-to-day management and a body similar to the Audience Council with a public mechanism for holding the 麻豆社 to account. The chairman of the UK government’s independent report into 麻豆社 governance, Sir David Clementi, attended a meeting of the Audience Council in February.

The Council’s advice to the Trust on Charter review can be read in full here:

In November the Trust launched a review of 麻豆社 radio, TV, online and news for audiences in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The review was to assess the performance of 麻豆社 services in the nations and to examine whether, in the context of an evolving UK, each nation was receiving the best service of international, UK and nations news from the 麻豆社. The Trust ran a public consultation and commissioned audience research. The Council considered audience data, met with licence payers and prepared a submission to the review which will be published later this year.  The Council concluded that the 麻豆社 should move urgently to ensure that audiences in Scotland get news from all 麻豆社 outlets which is accurately labelled as to its relevance to Scotland, is relevant to contemporary needs and which meets the 麻豆社’s highest editorial standards and production values. News for audiences in Scotland (such as Reporting Scotland) should not consist of Scottish news alone, but should also carry UK and foreign stories according to their importance for audiences in Scotland. Evolving 麻豆社 news provision for Scotland to match contemporary audience needs is now long overdue. There has been some audience comment that changes to 麻豆社 news in Scotland are being proposed in response to a specific political agenda. However, the Council believes that the format of the 6-7pm news hour on 麻豆社 One should be updated so that it accurately represents contemporary Scotland to its citizens. It is potentially misleading for audiences that some of the stories in the Six are not relevant to devolved Scotland.

The Council concluded that, overall, the 麻豆社’s two radio networks for Scotland and 麻豆社 ALBA (the Gaelic language TV channel operating in conjunction with MG Alba) were performing well. Members emphasised the importance of 麻豆社 Radio nan Gàidheal as a unique embodiment of the living language it broadcasts, and urged that audience concerns about sub-titles and language policy on 麻豆社 ALBA be openly addressed. The channel exceeds the targets set for it by the Trust but suffers from under-funding which may not be sustainable in the longer term.

In March 2015 members had submitted advice to the Trust on the review of content supply, arguing that quotas for production in Scotland had brought more business but not a richer representation of Scottish culture. The Council argued that 麻豆社 television commissioning itself needed to be decentralised. The 麻豆社’s initial proposals on content supply (“麻豆社 Studios”) were published in September and the Council commented on these in its response to Charter review. Members believe the plan will not benefit audiences in Scotland unless accompanied by some devolution of commissioning.

麻豆社 Trust Chairman Rona Fairhead in Glasgow

The Council acts as a conduit between licence payers and the 麻豆社’s governing body the 麻豆社 Trust. There were audience engagement events in Elgin, Falkirk and Edinburgh and a seminar was held in Glasgow in December as part of a UK-wide series of Charter events organised by the Trust. Audience events conducted in Gaelic were held in Glasgow, Skye and Stornoway. Other engagement events were held in connection with specific projects such as the proposals for 麻豆社 THREE and the review into the 麻豆社’s coverage and use of statistics in news and current affairs.

Council members met the 麻豆社 team leading the review of 麻豆社 news provision in February to give their advice on news provision for audiences in Scotland. The review was to determine whether there needed to be any change to the balance between UK-wide services and dedicated Nations news services in the light of devolution. Members emphasised the need for depth and analysis of news issues relevant to audiences in Scotland, and the need to strike an optimal balance on network bulletins between UK news, Scottish news, and news chiefly relevant to other parts of the UK. With colleagues from other Audience Councils, members took part in a consultative exercise for 麻豆社 News on issues and areas of concern relating to coverage of the EU Referendum debate.

Council members met Trustees when the Trust visited Glasgow in November, and in March at the Trust’s annual meeting with the Audience Councils. There was discussion of the need for improved news coverage and cultural representation, and of future priorities for Gaelic broadcasting.

At their monthly meetings, members discuss audience feedback and during the year they raised audience concerns with the 麻豆社 Executive on a wide range of issues from the scheduling of religious programming on 麻豆社 Radio Scotland to the amount of English heard on 麻豆社 ALBA. 

Audience Council Scotland members at ACS meeting

Every year Audience Councils advise the Trust on how well the 麻豆社 has performed in their nation.

Network TV performed steadily in Scotland in the wake of a year which included audience highlights like the Commonwealth Games and the Scottish referendum.

麻豆社 Scotland made successful programmes for the networks from Mrs Brown’s Boys on Christmas Day to science documentaries (Horizon), investigative journalism (Panorama: Rugby and the Brain) and innovative comedy in Mountain Goats. More people tuned in to 麻豆社 radio services, including Radio Scotland. Coverage of Scotland on Radio 4 ranged from editions of Analysis (on land reform) and Start the Week to a documentary on language in Shetland Norn but Not Forgotten: Sounds of Shetland. 

麻豆社 Scotland output for audiences in Scotland successfully sought to appeal to a higher proportion of younger viewers with programmes like Dead Man Cycling on the Paralympian David Smith, a return of cult video games show videoGaiden (on both 麻豆社 Two Scotland and You Tube) and live music in The Quay Sessions on Radio Scotland and iPlayer TV. There was high audience appreciation for the second series of spoof reality show Scot Squad, documentaries like James Clerk Maxwell and The Scots at Waterloo, sport with special appeal in Scotland like the Pro 12 final in May when Glasgow Warriors won the tournament, and the contemporary drama serial River City. Programmes reflective of Scottish audience interests like Teenage Millionaire and Stonemouth drew high volumes of iPlayer requests.

Radio Scotland performed strongly as the changes of recent years came together to form a distinctive schedule of reliable quality and consistent tone. Radio news continued to strengthen as weekend editions of Good Morning Scotland bedded in. Topical comedy was successfully introduced with Breaking the News and there was innovative music programming around Celtic Connections and a strong presence established on Facebook. Radio Scotland’s overall audience increased and appreciation scores remained strong.

Audiences for 麻豆社 Scotland news programmes on radio and TV performed steadily. The main early evening news Reporting Scotland remained Scotland’s most-watched but the new approach to late night TV current affairs introduced in June 2014 (Scotland 2016) did not appear to make a strong impact on the Scottish agenda. There was innovation online like daily accounts of ‘Holyrood as it happened’ on the Scotland Politics page and light-hearted, short-form interviews with party leaders on ‘Short Stuff’ in the run-up to the Scottish Parliament election. However members noted an audience perception that online journalism overall had retreated from more comprehensive provision made for the referendum. The year saw a dramatic increase in 麻豆社 Scotland’s presence on Facebook: new pages were launched and average weekly reach increased more than ten-fold. Trust research on audience assessments of the importance and performance of 麻豆社 news in Scotland, however, continued to show audience perceptions of a shortfall in performance. Trust research indicated that in 2015-16, overall perceptions of the 麻豆社 in Scotland continued to be weaker than elsewhere in the UK.

The overall audience for the Gaelic language TV channel 麻豆社 ALBA fell slightly through the year but increased among the target audience of Gaelic speakers. The Council’s engagement activity indicated some disquiet in the target audience about the Gaelic identity of the channel, which some perceive to be diluted by English language content. Overall, the channel needs more funding to boost the proportion of originations in the schedule.

Council members hear the views of licence fee payers

Citizenship

There was comprehensive coverage of the 2015 General Election and important original journalism from 麻豆社 Scotland on a range of topics including the aftermath of the Glasgow bin lorry crash. The Council noted thoughtful, balanced coverage of complex stories like the negotiations over the fiscal framework for new devolved powers. There was innovation online with reporting on “Holyrood as it happened” and “Scotland Live”, and content relating to the 2016 Scottish Election aimed at younger audiences like Gary: Tank Commander – Election Special which featured interviews with Scottish party leaders.  Members noted that coverage of the EU referendum debate appeared to build on the experience gained during the Scottish referendum. Scottish issues received some treatment on network radio in programmes such as Radio 4’s Analysis on ‘Scotland’s Radical Land Reform’ (October 2015) and Start the Week on 7 March but, in the Council’s view, there is still scope for coverage of Scottish affairs to be more comprehensive. Overall, Trust research indicates that the audience remains split over whether the 麻豆社 is good at reflecting Scotland in its news and current affairs. The Executive began a review of news provision for Scotland with a view to making it more relevant to contemporary realities.

Culture and creativity

It was a strong year for arts and documentary content on both network and local services. There was outstanding arts coverage like Bob Geldof on W B Yeats: A Fanatic Heart on 麻豆社 FOUR and network TV coverage of the Edinburgh Festivals in Edinburgh Nights and Sue Perkins’ Big Night Out alongside extensive radio coverage of the festival’s classical music programme. It was a particularly strong year for network TV drama with highlights ranging from Doctor Foster and Happy Valley to War and Peace and The Night Manager, among many others, and a continuing flow of continental drama on 麻豆社 FOUR. There was original drama commissioned for the online 麻豆社 THREE.

Scottish drama was more prominent in the TV schedules. A third series of Shetland (commissioned by the network) achieved the highest production values and there was a rare adaptation of recent Scottish literature in Stonemouth. Members noted exceptionally strong storylines on River City (Scotland only), a sharp increase in share and levels of audience appreciation considerably in excess of those for other UK soaps. 麻豆社 Scotland also provided financial support for a new film of classic Scottish novel Sunset Song. In addition, there was a second series of Gaelic language drama Bannan on 麻豆社 ALBA funded in conjunction with Creative Scotland and the Gaelic language broadcasting agency MG Alba. However, members believe provision of Scottish TV drama needs to be more consistent and (River City apart) 麻豆社 Scotland is not adequately resourced to provide it.

Nations, regions and communities

麻豆社 Scotland performed strongly during the year, with outstanding local TV output from How Scotland Works to Scotland: The Promised Land. Radio Scotland produced documentaries like The Writer’s Propaganda Bureau on the birth of modern propaganda and Johnny Beattie: A Life in Variety after the Glasgow stage legend retired from the cast of River City in January.  It also re-broadcast Radio 4 productions such as the three-part Oil: A Crude History of Britain. However, Trust research during the year indicated a continuing degree of audience concern over how well the 麻豆社 represents Scotland on the 麻豆社 networks especially in news and drama. In its submission on Charter review, the Council argued that 麻豆社 Scotland should have the resources and the authority to commission network programmes of Scottish resonance to ensure that Scotland is properly represented on the 麻豆社 networks. Although raised in the context of the debate on Charter renewal, this can be realised by the 麻豆社 itself and so is recommended by the Council as an objective for the year ahead.  

Education and learning

In addition to 麻豆社 Scotland factual output about science and history, storylines for River City continued to raise important social issues in highly effective ways. A storyline in February about infant death stimulated an exceptional audience reaction including appreciation for the sensitivity with which the issue was handed. Network programmes found convincing ways of providing learning opportunities through drama in series like Call the Midwife which raised a range of social and educational issues about women’s health. In more formal learning, Charter and service review work highlighted continuing gaps in provision for the Curriculum for Excellence.

World to the UK/UK to the World

Audience engagement during the year suggested strong Scottish audience appreciation of international coverage. Trust research indicated that respondents from Scotland felt the 麻豆社 “helped them understand what was going on in the wider world” more than those from any other UK nation. Radio nan Gàidheal used a network of Gaelic speakers around the world to bring its listeners informed commentary on international affairs. In the Charter debate questions were raised about the relationship between 麻豆社 Worldwide and 麻豆社 Scotland, and how licence payers in Scotland benefit from its operations.

Digital

麻豆社 Scotland and 麻豆社 ALBA established a strong presence on Facebook during the year and began to experiment in reaching audiences through social media in both English and Gaelic language services. 麻豆社 Scotland launched a digital content stream across various social media platforms to showcase original digital content from all over Scotland.

However Trust research indicated that audiences in Scotland wanted the 麻豆社 to do more to “help children/teenagers with what they learn at school/college”. In its Charter submission, the Council welcomed the 麻豆社’s acknowledgement that learning provision is not consistent across the nations of the UK. The Council agreed with the 麻豆社 that the offer for students in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be as comprehensive as it is in England. The Council believes that provision should also reflect differences in the pedagogical approach in Scotland. 

Public seminar on Charter review in Glasgow

The priorities identified by the Council for 2015-16 were noted by the Trust.

Network commissioning

The Council recommended that 麻豆社 Scotland should have greater authority and resources to commission programmes for Scottish audiences so that they may better meet audience tastes, especially in news and drama. Trustees discussed the issue with the 麻豆社 Executive at the Trust meeting in Glasgow in November. In January the Director-General told the Scottish Parliament that the 麻豆社 should devolve more decision-making to Scotland, saying “moving money and adapting services should be a matter for Scotland". A review of news provision for Scotland is under way. The DG told the Scottish Parliament in January that “my own view is that this is the time now to make a change”.

This may allow 麻豆社 Scotland to be more responsive to changes in audience tastes in the dedicated services but authority over dedicated services already resides in Scotland, so the benefit is not clear. In addition, the Council believes that 麻豆社 Scotland’s authority should extend to the £70m of network content made in Scotland but ultimately commissioned elsewhere in the UK.

There was top quality Scottish drama on the network in a further series of Shetland and in Stonemouth. But there should be a strategy for consistent delivery of a varied range of Scottish dramas on network TV.

Members believe that representation remains an issue. On TV there appears to be a disproportionate emphasis on rural lifestyles. There is also a budgetary issue: a significant proportion of Scottish content on the TV networks is actually funded from the dedicated Scottish budget. Examples are Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands, The Stuarts in Exile and The Story of Scottish Art. Other Scottish content on the network like Stonemouth is partly funded from Scottish budgets. It is beneficial for audiences that high quality content like this should supplement network coverage of Scotland. But members believe it should be in addition to a proportionate level of commissioning of Scottish content by the networks themselves.

Members acknowledge that during the year 麻豆社 Scotland worked hard, within these constraints, to achieve appropriate Scottish representation on the networks.

Impartiality

Following the Scottish referendum, the Council recommended that the 麻豆社 should review its approach to the coverage of controversial political issues “to ensure that perceptions of impartiality remain strong across all audiences”. 

The Council detailed some of the main issues raised by audiences in section 3 of its submission to the 2015 Election Guidelines consultation: how interviews are conducted; how headlines are written; how the 麻豆社 should report on, and take part in social media debate; how the 麻豆社 should respond to audience demand for deeper analysis; how to ensure that 麻豆社 journalism is not overly reliant on conventional sources of news; how it ensures that all parties are subject to equal levels of challenge; and how it ensures that UK programmes do not present Anglo-centric perspectives where that is not appropriate.

The Council believes the 麻豆社 made some progress on these issues in its coverage of the EU referendum. A new post of Scotland Editor, created for 麻豆社 News in January, should help achieve a more nuanced approach to coverage of Scottish affairs on the UK networks. However members believe it would be beneficial for the 麻豆社 to review its approach to impartiality to ensure it meets the expectations of all sections of the audience. 

Promoting understanding

The Council recommended that 麻豆社 journalism should do more to analyse and explain the factors underlying important social, economic and political issues so that coverage promotes public understanding. 

This priority related to 麻豆社 journalism generally but specifically to coverage of post-referendum Scotland. Some in the audience seek further explication and deeper analysis from 麻豆社 journalism. There were signs of progress during the year on network and local output. “Reality Check” segments were introduced for the UK election and the EU referendum in response to audience demand for “facts”. On 麻豆社 Scotland, the programme Educating Sir Tom (麻豆社 Scotland Investigates) and a linked audience debate explored educational policy in Scotland. There was analysis online of issues like council funding and the fiscal framework. Discussion and analysis of issues on Radio Scotland was enhanced with extended NCA provision in mornings and at weekends. However members believe there is still a need for more detailed treatment of long-standing Scottish public policy issues on TV e.g. minimum alcohol pricing, land reform, named person legislation. Members hope that the outcomes of the news review will drive further progress in the year ahead.

麻豆社 Scotland should have the resources and the authority to commission network programmes of Scottish resonance to ensure that Scotland is properly represented in content on the 麻豆社 networks

The 麻豆社 should review its approach to impartiality to reflect the increasing sophistication of contemporary audiences, and find imaginative ways of raising awareness among licence payers of the 麻豆社’s distinctive role in this area   

麻豆社 journalism should evolve its news provision for Scotland to match contemporary realities and promote public understanding of the factors underlying key social, economic and political issues

Council member Andrew Jones listens to audience views