THE Guardian’s media correspondent, Roy Greenslade, speculates that the Scots editor of The Sun, David Dinsmore (“who has been well liked by most of the journalists”) might be replaced by a former editor of The Daily Telegraph, Tony Gallagher.
Greenslade later writes: “I am told by my source that Dinsmore is not distressed by leaving the editorship. Indeed, he is happy about taking on the mooted senior management role.”
And goes on to say: “Dinsmore will be remembered for running a civilised office in a post-Leveson climate in which the paper has undergone a notable change of culture. He is, quite frankly, a nice guy.”
Read more, here.
* * *
MORE on a blueprint for the BBC in Scotland – that would have chimed with much of what has been said these last few days about broadcasting in Scotland, including a call (here) from First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, for a new, dedicated TV channel and another BBC Radio Scotland channel – being reportedly drawn up, only to be rejected.
Writes Kevin McKenna, in today’s National newspaper: “The [BBC] Charter Renewal team in BBC Scotland have produced a blueprint for the future of the BBC in Scotland which is nothing less than a broadcasting Magna Carta.”
He goes on to claim: “The blueprint has been backed by the entire Scottish executive team, led by Ken McQuarrie. Everything they asked for was accepted by London senior management.
“Overnight, BBC Scotland’s programme-making budget would have grown five-fold to more than £150m and would have devolved all programme-making to BBC Scotland, with the emphasis on serving Scotland first, but being able to show any programmes on the network, and sell them to other nations.
“A Scottish BBC channel broadcasting HD to Scotland every weekday night between 1800 and midnight would be created.”
But then he adds: “Since the Scottish Charter Renewal team’s blueprint was first accepted enthusiastically it has since been quietly pulled and re-written.”
Read more, here.
On Thursday evening – noted in Friday’s allmediascotland.com – The Guardian’s Severin Carrell reported (here): “Nicola Sturgeon’s ambitious proposals for new BBC TV and radio channels in Scotland are based heavily on an official BBC blueprint that was scrapped after the latest £750m funding cuts, the Guardian can reveal.
“Sources close to the BBC have confirmed that its executives drew up plans for a new Scotland-only TV channel and an extra radio service funded by the licence fee, as part of the corporation’s proposals for the renewal of its Charter.”
* * *
THE question posed by the Sunday Herald yesterday, across two articles, one by Fiona Hyslop, the Scottish Government cabinet secretary for culture?
How can we create a Better Broadcasting Corporation?
Writes Hyslop: “Today, the BBC and the [Westminster] Government are selling Scotland short on broadcasting.”
For more, read here.
And concludes the paper’s columnist, Iain Macwhirter, in a piece about the BBC: “The BBC has grown into top heavy structure run by and for a management caste who pay themselves fabulous salaries, speak an impenetrable language and too often commission indifferent and derivative programmes.
“Endless panel shows and cookery shows; dull and safe journalism; unfunny sitcoms like Mountain Goats.
“All the more reason for diversity, for creative localism. Creating a more federal BBC by allocating more of the money raised in Scotland to a Scottish service [a dedicated Scotland TV channel, as last week mooted by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, here] is one obvious way to reform an over-centralised Corporation.
“The BBC receives £5bn a year. The notion that £75 million couldn’t be carved out of this immense budget for a Scottish channel is ludicrous.”
Read more, here.
* * *
IN The Scotsman, on Saturday, regular columnist, Brian Wilson, writes: “Surely it should be possible to debate the quality and content of broadcasting in Scotland without constantly having to look over one’s shoulder to what Nicola Sturgeon delicately described as ‘governance and accountability structures’.
“Why is there so little emphasis on doing things better or more creatively in Scotland rather than the constant focus on powers and ‘accountability structures’?”
Read more, here.
* * *
THE cultural commentator and musician, Pat Kane, considers some of the key speeches from last week’s Edinburgh International Television Festival, including the aforementioned call from First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, that a dedicated Scottish TV channel be established.
Read him, in The National, here.
* * *
AND, staying with The National, it begins, elsewhere: “A campaigning mum has been awarded a bursary by the Write to End Violence Against Women group, giving the aspiring writer a key role in helping to change Scotland’s culture of abuse.
“Judges felt blogger, Kirsty Strickland’s application stood out from all the others and now she will be writing a series of articles in The National, starting [today].”
Read more, here.
* * *
A GRAPHIC designer is being sought by The Sunday Post, as advertised here, on the allmediascotland.com media jobs board.
Please do mention the site when replying to job vacancies you see being showcased on it.
* * *
BACK to the BBC, and Neil Blain – Professor Emeritus of Communications at University of Stirling – also chews over the aforementioned Nicola Sturgeon speech and her call – at the Edinburgh International Television Festival last week – for a dedicated Scottish TV channel…
And on the website, The Conversation (here), he writes: “Therefore, it’s not especially controversial to suggest that the lack of such a channel should be addressed, particularly at a time of political assertiveness in Scottish society.”
But he continues, later: “By the time such a channel might emerge, we can’t be sure even how the BBC will be funded UK-wide. MSPs don’t seem disposed to discussing funding from other sources. (And do we want the BBC to run it? Will that prove a distinctive Scottish alternative?)
“So Sturgeon’s suggestion could be the equivalent of leaving discussion about a new Scottish channel in its natural habitat thus far – the long grass.”
* * *
SEEN anything you think readers of www.allmediascotland.com should be made aware of? Then just send the weblink to here and we’ll do the rest. All suggestions gratefully received. We’re back at noon tomorrow.
