Just how well BBC Radio Scotland and its Gaelic language sister station, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, are performing is to be the subject of a review by the BBC's governing body, the BBC Trust.
The assessment – which is also to take in BBC Radio Ulster, Radio Foyle, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru – will allow listeners to air their views, during a 12-week consultation beginning today.
The review is part of a series being conducted by the BBC Trust.
In a statement issued by the BBC Trust, it says: “[We] will use this consultation, alongside a range of other data and audience research, to decide whether it needs to make changes to improve the radio stations.
“The Trust will look at the quality, distinctiveness and value for money of BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and ask whether the BBC’s future plans for the stations are robust and deliverable. A final report setting out the conclusions and any necessary changes the Trust will be making will be published in 2011.”
The BBC Trustee for Scotland, Jeremy Peat, is quoted, saying: “Our work with audiences in Scotland tells us that both BBC Radio Scotland and Radio nan Gàidheal have an important role to play. Each of these stations offers a wide range of programmes designed to reflect life in in Scotland.
“Almost a million listeners tune in to Radio Scotland each week and Radio nan Gàidheal reaches around two-thirds of the Gaelic speaking community. The Trust is here to get the best out of the BBC for licence fee payers throughout the UK, so we want to hear from as many listeners as possible with their thoughts on either or both of these services.”
For more information, click here or call 0800 0680 116 (textphone 0800 0153 350).
This is the Trust’s eighth service review. The seventh, on BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 7, is scheduled to report soon. Previously, the Trust has published service reviews of bbc.co.uk, the BBC’s services for children, the BBC’s services for young people and Radio 2 and 6 Music.
