BEGINS Robin MacPherson, in today’s Scotsman: “In recent months, the words ‘Scottish film’ and ‘crisis’ have been seen and heard together increasingly frequently, especially in evidence to the Scottish Parliament economy, energy and tourism committee’s inquiry into ‘how Scotland can grow sustainable TV, and film and games industries’.
“A feeling of crisis is nothing new however. As far back as 1958, Sir Alexander King, then Scotland’s film exhibition baron (when we could boast such a figure), quipped that ‘for the last few months we have been having our annual crisis’. As then, the barriers to growing Scottish film today are deep-rooted and intertwined with both commercial pressures and public policy.”
Read more, here.
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STARTS an announcement from STV: “STV has confirmed a live TV debate with the leaders of the four main political parties in Scotland ahead of the General Election in May.
“Scotland Debates will feature First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP; leader of the Scottish Labour Party Jim Murphy MP; Scottish Conservative leader, Ruth Davidson MSP; and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP.”
Read more, here.
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BEGINS an announcement from the BBC: “The BBC today launched Make it Digital – a major UK-wide initiative to inspire a new generation to get creative with coding, programming and digital technology.
“The UK is facing a significant skills shortage with 1.4million digital professionals needed over the next five years.
“BBC Make it Digital will capture the spirit of the BBC Micro, which helped Britain get to grips with the first wave of personal computers in the 1980s, for the digital age.
“It will put digital creativity in the spotlight like never before, and help build the nation’s digital skills, through an ambitious range of new programmes, partnerships and projects.”
For more information, click here.
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BEGINS the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter: “[West Dunbartonshire] Council leader, Martin Rooney, commented on a local newspaper’s social media page last week claiming people do not buy papers due to negative council stories.
“The Labour politician claimed that local papers run ‘constant negative stories’ that highlight crimes and run down the local councils. Mr Rooney also said newspapers had ‘genuinely lost their way and more positive stories is the way to reverse the trend’.”
Read more, here.
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AN advertising/media sales executive is being sought by Scottish Field magazine, as advertised here on allmediascotland.com and repeated on www.twitter.com/allmediajobs.
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BEGINS the Daily Record: “Employment growth in Scotland’s digital industries is forecast will rise above the UK regional average over the next decade as these industries grow, according to a new report from PwC.
“PwC’s latest UK Economic Outlook (UKEO) report suggests 5.8 per cent of Scottish workers are now based in the digital industries, and those jobs did not exist in 1990.”
Read more, here.
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REPORTS The Herald (here): “The controller of BBC Scotland is to decide suspended Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson’s fate, it emerged last night.
“Ken MacQuarrie will chair the disciplinary panel that will examine whether Clarkson should be sacked over a ‘fracas’ with a producer.”
The Guardian also notes the appointment, here.
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