JAWS
12-Jan-08, 20:28
Whilst checking the news about the area I moved from, just to remind myself why I am so happy in Caithness, I bumped into the following item about the BBC.
BBC chief operating officer Caroline Thomson said: “As part of the BBC’s drive to become less London-centric and more deeply rooted in the whole of the UK, we will be moving a significant number of additional staff to the new media centre in Salford Quays.”
Ms Thomson added: “Radio Five Live news programmes will now join the rest of the radio station and there will be an increased national newsgathering presence with the creation of a news hub with additional correspondents. With a stronger BBC presence, there will be an even greater potential for Manchester, Salford and whole of the north of England to become a world class centre of media innovation and technology for the 21st century.”
There is a lot more information about what is going on at the link I looked at, http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1031712_bbc_to_increase_staff_in_salford It would appear that the BBC’s belief is, “Salford is the future for the BBC.”
Now, whilst I agree that the BBC needs to become far less tied to London and have no objections to the North West of England gaining some of the benefit, I ask myself, “What about Scotland?” It’s no secret that I am not a Scot so this is not a case of “National Pride” or anything like that behind the question.
What puzzles me is that when Scotland asked to be given more control over it’s own News Output, the BBC turned the request down flat. Scotland could keep it’s own Regional News but not National News, which would firmly remain London Controlled. No “less London-centric” consideration in that decision is there? It seems to me that the only changes from the moves will be that only some of the less important programming will be moved away from London and that only the North West of England will see any of the benefits.
Where will any of the changes benefit Scotland? Nothing at all is being moved here, everything will still be tied firmly to England. It seems to me that this would have been a perfect opportunity for Scotland to have gained far more control over it’s own output and also to have benefited greatly by being able to provide far more input.
Scotland has just been ignored and, as far as I can see, there has not even been a squeak from anybody here and more especially from Holyrood.
BBC chief operating officer Caroline Thomson said: “As part of the BBC’s drive to become less London-centric and more deeply rooted in the whole of the UK, we will be moving a significant number of additional staff to the new media centre in Salford Quays.”
Ms Thomson added: “Radio Five Live news programmes will now join the rest of the radio station and there will be an increased national newsgathering presence with the creation of a news hub with additional correspondents. With a stronger BBC presence, there will be an even greater potential for Manchester, Salford and whole of the north of England to become a world class centre of media innovation and technology for the 21st century.”
There is a lot more information about what is going on at the link I looked at, http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1031712_bbc_to_increase_staff_in_salford It would appear that the BBC’s belief is, “Salford is the future for the BBC.”
Now, whilst I agree that the BBC needs to become far less tied to London and have no objections to the North West of England gaining some of the benefit, I ask myself, “What about Scotland?” It’s no secret that I am not a Scot so this is not a case of “National Pride” or anything like that behind the question.
What puzzles me is that when Scotland asked to be given more control over it’s own News Output, the BBC turned the request down flat. Scotland could keep it’s own Regional News but not National News, which would firmly remain London Controlled. No “less London-centric” consideration in that decision is there? It seems to me that the only changes from the moves will be that only some of the less important programming will be moved away from London and that only the North West of England will see any of the benefits.
Where will any of the changes benefit Scotland? Nothing at all is being moved here, everything will still be tied firmly to England. It seems to me that this would have been a perfect opportunity for Scotland to have gained far more control over it’s own output and also to have benefited greatly by being able to provide far more input.
Scotland has just been ignored and, as far as I can see, there has not even been a squeak from anybody here and more especially from Holyrood.