General
By a Newsnet reporter
A demonstration against proposed cutbacks at BBC Scotland is scheduled to take place tomorrow [Thursday] outside the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh.
The protest will commence at midday and will comprise supporters from a number of groups campaigning against the proposed BBC Scotland cuts and scheduling changes.
There has been anger at plans to replace Newsweek Scotland, hosted by Derek Bateman, by an extra Good Morning Scotland show on a Saturday. The Janice Forsyth Radio Show will also be axed, to be replaced with more sport and chat output.
The ‘Save Newsweek Scotland’ and ‘Save Janice Forsyth Show’ campaigns have attracted growing public support. The campaigns have also received backing from figures within Scottish culture, media and politics both at home and abroad.
A campaign delegation will submit a letter to Joan McAlpine MSP for the Education & Culture Committee to consider. Ms McAlpine and a number of other MSPs will attend a photo opportunity with the campaigners shortly after 2pm.
The protests are set against a backdrop of BBC Scotland job losses with 30 journalist and production team jobs set to go in the Radio Scotland operation. Critics have claimed that the departmental cuts are disproportionate.
The demo will also coincide with a scheduled visit by BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten who will be meeting with representatives of the Scottish Government to discuss the BBC. It is understood that Scottish Ministers are set to confront the former Tory Minister with a list of concerns they say call into question the impartiality of some BBC reporters.
Lord Patten has already announced a review of proposed cuts across the BBC radio service in England. However there is no indication this review will look into the changes affecting radio output from Scotland and other parts of the UK.
The campaigns come as a series of complaints against BBC Scotland threatens to undermine the broadcaster’s reputation for impartial news coverage. Angry licence payers bombarded the corporation with complaints after Scottish online blogs were singled out and closed to public comment.
This weekend First Minister Alex Salmond accused the BBC of behaving like a “tin-pot dictatorship” after he was prevented from appearing on a light hearted rugby show hours before the international match between Scotland and England.
On the same day the ban was invoked a BBC Scotland Radio programme heard commentators suggest that the SNP had scheduled the independence referendum to coincide with the year of the Commonwealth Games in order to gain political advantage.
Two weeks ago John Boothman, who has links to the Labour party and is now head of Current Affairs and News at BBC Scotland, was quizzed by the Education and Culture Committee at Holyrood.
Mr Boothman’s inability to provide satisfactory answers to key questions led to criticisms from members of the committee who have now invited Boothman’s boss, Ken McQuarrie, Director of BBC Scotland, to appear.
Resources:
An open Letter to the BBC
http://lenathehyena.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/looking-into-the-abyss-the-bbc-and-newsweek-scotland/
Save Janice Forsyth Show Campaign
http://www.change.org/petitions/bbc-scotland-keep-the-janice-forsyth-show-on-bbc-radio-scotland
Save Newsweek Scotland Campaign
https://www.facebook.com/savenewsweekscotland https://twitter.com/#!/savenewsweeksco
Scottish Parliament: Education & Culture Committee held on 24th of January
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/newsandmediacentre/41370.aspx
Excuse we what!? Have I found my way to a parallel world?
Is this the same BBC Scotland who are full of anti-Scottish and anti-democratic hacks. There is no call to demonstrate against these lice and their anti-democratic ways.
However we are being asked to demonstrate to save their jobs so they can carry on putting down Scots and Scotland!!!!!!
Like to help but I’m washing my hair that day.
Newsweek Scotland is one show worth saving for it will only be replaced with an inferior, and dare I say it, less impartial show.
This demo and others to follow is a perfect opportunity for people with other issues with the BBC to come along and make their voices heard.
Let’s face it the BBC will be hear for the next few years at least and may well form the core part of any new SBC. Better to try to make them play fair now and then keep on their case until it becomes a habit.
That’s a good idea, Saltire. I think I’ll change my name for the Labour Hame posts and see if that has any effect.
They allow me two posts per day then I get modded out.
One show you want to be the save BBC Scotland from cuts poster boy for one show. Do you think they will report it that way on Reporting Scotland? Or will it be reported as a demonstration in favour of BBC Scotland and what it gets up to?
You will be shown on Reporting Scotland as a supporter of them.
Who is the author of this piece its anonymous. It’s not Glen Campbell is it?
I want to retain Newsweek Scotland, as I consider it essential to getting the truth out to the public and to attaining independence. There are many roads to reaching the goal, but allowing the BBC to remove the excellent Newsweek programme because the rest of the BBC broadcasts are biased is not one of them. Please read my posts for my views on the BBC.
?
It would make quite a good placard…….
😉
Well if it turns out that way, it will make for an interesting demo.
Perhaps the BBC is beyond saving but do not underestimate how much of an impact it will have on the referendum debate.
The one impartial and balanced politics show on BBC Radio Scotland is going to be replaced by a dumbed down show with twice the soundbite politics.
Which evil would you prefer?
When was there ever a demo in support of the BBC?
How has this suddenly gained traction?
Funny how it comes at the same time as the BBC should be being universally condemned for their bias.
.. and yet we will see the bizarre spectacle of concerned citizens out there motivated to prevent cuts in this organisation.
.. or will they be mostly Labour eejits and other Westminster lackeys?
Quoting xyz:
When was there ever a demo in support of the BBC?
How has this suddenly gained traction?
Funny how it comes at the same time as the BBC should be being universally condemned for their bias.
.. and yet we will see the bizarre spectacle of concerned citizens out there motivated to prevent cuts in this organisation.
.. or will they be mostly Labour eejits and other Westminster lackeys?
I noticed Douglas Alexander tweeted his support for Janice Forsyth a few days after everyone else. Suspect he had a focus group to see what he thought on the matter.
.. or will they be mostly Labour eejits and other Westminster lackeys?
Probably all the tea boys and folk on work experience!
Did he give any opinion on Dan Parks retiring from International Rugby ?
Don’t be silly. That’s local news, whereas the England manager is of interest to the whole of the UK.
Quoting chiefy1724:
Did he give any opinion on Dan Parks retiring from International Rugby ?
Don’t be silly. That’s local news, whereas the England manager is of interest to the whole of the UK.
The whole empire or in fact the whole world, on second thoughts I think an even greater audience would be interested in fabio resigning maybe we should broadcast into deep space to let anyone who is listening, just where the universes centre is actually situated. Foolish Johnny Foriegners!
Or is Capello going just another indication that the perfidious Europeans Hate “Us” ?
Nah! The matter is really funny. They are backing , “Hairy Heidnip”, as a dead cert to take up the job. Are they mad? The, “Highly respected Manager”, has just declared, under oath, that he is both illiterate and compute illiterate. Now it is one thing being an illiterate manager of a team who has its players turn up for training every day and quite another when those players are distributed all over the place, including in foreign countries.
What did Scotland and all who live here deserve to get that lot as our national broadcaster.
Nothing.
Time to stop doing nothing.
I fully support this demo and will make every effort to be there. Incidentally, Jim Sheridan (MP) has written an article supporting the BBC’s removal of the FM from the rugby panel last Saturday. Might be worth a comment to give the folks over there at Labour Hame something good to read.
labourhame.com/…/…
Got my comment in on Labours Hame, wonder if it will get modded out? As following;
Wonder why David Cameron got to speak to the BBC about Fabio Cappello, shouldnt Cameron stick to his job?
Must be double standards then?
At least you will make the BBC Scotland News. That’ll be nice for you. Shame nothing relevant ever does. I’m holding out for the save the Scottish Daily Mail event.
What comments should we leave at your Labourhame “We will try and save the media wing of your party?”.
The thing is now Labour are openly working with the conservatives can’t your conservative friends step in to help?
Quoting Angus:
Quoting bigbuachaille:
I fully support this demo and will make every effort to be there. Incidentally, Jim Sheridan (MP) has written an article supporting the BBC’s removal of the FM from the rugby panel last Saturday. Might be worth a comment to give the folks over there at Labour Hame something good to read.
labourhame.com/…/…
Got my comment in on Labours Hame, wonder if it will get modded out? As following;
Wonder why David Cameron got to speak to the BBC about Fabio Cappello, shouldnt Cameron stick to his job?
Must be double standards then?
Mine was rejected too. I have posted it above in response to Saltire Groppentosh who has tainted my probity somewhat.
Saor Alba