Sturgeon airs concerns at BBC Scotland budget

FM questions £30m for new channel

Concerns about the amount of money available to the new BBC Scotland channel have been raised by Nicola Sturgeon.

The First Minister suggested during a keynote speech that the proposed new channel would need more than a £30 million annual budget.

And she questioned the decision to broadcast in standard definition, rather than high definition.

In February, the BBC announced it will create a new Scottish channel as part of plans which would see the “biggest single investment” in the corporation north of the border for more than 20 years.

It is due to begin broadcasting from autumn 2018.

Addressing an event at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, the SNP leader said: “The new proposed BBC channel (has) a budget of £30m and I think there are already really legitimate questions about whether that will be sufficient.

“If we think back to the broadcasting commission a decade ago, at that time it proposed an annual budget of £75m for a new network in Scotland.

“The fact that the new channel will only be broadcast on standard definition could also limit its appeal. For drama in particular these days, viewers increasingly expect high definition to be available.

“So at the very least, I think these are issues that must be kept under review.”

Ms Sturgeon said that Scottish broadcasting is being “short-changed”.

“At present, approximately 72% of the licence fee raised in Scotland will be spent in Scotland,” she said.

“In Wales and Northern Ireland, it’s 98%, so even with the BBC’s new commitments we won’t have parity with these countries.”

Ms Sturgeon did, however, say that she “warmly welcomed” the corporation’s plans for a Scottish channel.

She described the launch of BBC Alba in 2008 as a “huge success” in terms of viewing figures and welcomed growth in Scotland’s share of UK network commissions.

Ms Sturgeon also said the idea of broadcaster Channel 4 relocating away from London “has some merit”.

“The Scottish Government has certainly made it clear that if Channel 4 does move out of London, Glasgow would be an ideal base,” she said.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the BBC’s plans for a Scottish channel.