Scottish Broadcasting

At a time described by those who work in or with the sector as critical, seismic, devastating, transformative and in need of urgent intervention, the Committee asks the Scottish Government and Screen Scotland how they will be adapting their support for Scottish broadcasting – including the balance between high value and a wider range of productions, and plans to support mid-market factual programming.

We note that Screen Scotland’s Strategy to 2030-31 48 Screen Scotland. (2024). Strategy to 2030/31. Retrieved from https://www.screen.scot/about/strategy discusses both skills in the sector and screen education. The Committee believes that Screen Scotland should maintain its focus on supporting skills development and the career progression of screen workers; and we ask for details on how it is measuring outcomes in this respect. The Scottish Government should also play a role in supporting Screen Scotland’s strategy and ensuring that courses in further and higher education are available for those seeking careers in the sector. The Committee believes that this will require joint working between Screen Scotland and the Scottish Government.

We acknowledge the Scottish Government’s letter of 11 March 2026 49 Scottish Government. (2026). Letter regarding Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute, 11 March 2026. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2026/broadcasting-in-scotland-11-march-2026 updating us on the Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute (now Initiative) – which was a key recommendation of the Public Interest Journalism Working Group – and ask that our successor committee be kept informed of the progress of that work, and in particular how it can support the resilience and sustainability of the sector and promote media literacy.

We return to the question of Ofcom’s regional production quotas and what qualifies as Scottish in the following section and again in part 2 of the report (see paragraph 187 in particular).

The Committee notes the findings of Ofcom’s 2024 review of local media, including the vital role that local broadcasters play in the social fabric of all parts of the UK. People recognise the civic benefits that local media can deliver and value the availability of day-to-day news and information, be that traffic reports, weather updates or coverage of local sporting events. The local connection brings trust, a sense of authenticity, and social connection. A crucial part of all this, as acknowledged by Ofcom, is where news-gathering resources are based. We are concerned by any downgrading in local news output within Scotland and – in addition to encouraging Ofcom to be vigilant of any such developments – we ask the regulator to set out how it will use its powers to mitigate the risks arising from centralisation and consolidation, reduced regional coverage and weakened local news provision. We also seek its views on the best approach to addressing concerns about news provision that is perceived to be London-centric or overly focused on the concerns of the central belt.

Ofcom intends for audiences to be able to find and access a wide range of content, including public service media, produced across the UK and reflecting its diversity. It is aware of the rapidly changing behaviour of those audiences and says it does not wish to stifle broadcasters’ innovation but to support them to serve audiences in this challenging environment. Questioned by the Committee on its track record as regulator, Ofcom said that there were instances when it had declined requests from broadcasters to amend their licences. We note that it has also called for a review of how the Public Service Broadcasters are regulated and we would wish to see a more robust approach as the outcome of that review in terms of both exercising its existing powers and with any additional powers that might require a legislative underpinning. The Committee’s view is that Ofcom should not be inhibited in making full use of the tools at its disposal. Its focus on recognising the need for broadcasters to adapt comes with a risk of overlooking the public interest in terms of local news or those aspects of Public Service Broadcasting that are less about audience ratings and more about diversity of voice and place. The point being that people wish to see their lives reflected in what they watch or listen to. We encourage Ofcom to give due weight to these considerations in all its decision making and ask for examples of how it has done so in recent decisions about PSB licences.

The Committee considers that the current framework of media regulation was designed for an era in which PSBs were far more dominant forces in the media landscape, and that developments such as the proliferation of platforms, the merging of traditional and social media, and the emerging implications of generative AI, will require a new approach to media regulation.

We return to the issue of Ofcom’s regional production quotas in part 2 of the report under the section Driving growth across the UK and the subheading Scottish production (see paragraph 187 in particular).

The Committee recognises the pressures Public Service Broadcasters are currently facing and the invaluable “cultural health service” that they provide. As Ofcom’s Transmission Critical report sets out, they are universally available, required to deliver trusted (and local) news, and make a breadth of high-quality programmes for UK audiences and beyond. As well as holding governments and others to account and keeping the public informed, they also help bring the county together with their coverage of sporting and cultural events. As suggested in the Green Paper regarding the BBC but which could also apply to the PSBs as a whole – “If it did not already exist, we would have to invent it”.

We highlight the six recommendations made by the regulator in its Transmission Critical report (see paragraph 82) and in particular those we cover in more depth in part 2 of the report: stable and adequate funding (see paragraph 219); urgent clarity on how television will be distributed in future (see paragraph 166); and more ambitious partnerships amongst the Public Service Broadcasters (see paragraph 197).

We also further consider the question of the BBC’s performance in reflecting the devolved landscape in part 2 of the report under the News provision heading (see in particular paragraphs 127, 128 and 129).

The Committee recognises the changing shape of a news landscape in which people are increasingly accessing news online and yet trust in the Public Service Broadcasters remains higher than for online sources. We heard from witnesses that audiences continue to value high quality news, with the percentage of Scottish adults who follow and are very interested in the news scoring higher in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. But there is concern that the BBC may not be serving younger and lower-income groups as well as it should and a risk that access to broadcast news could become a two-tier system. We were also told of an erosion of trust in broadcast news and a growing suspicion of the mainstream media, with perceptions of a political agenda and a London or central-belt bias.

Against this backdrop, we acknowledge the challenges faced by the BBC and the other Public Service Broadcasters in “riding two horses” when providing a service to both an online audience and those consuming news by more traditional means. We agree that “the pursuit of truth, with no agenda” should be the BBC’s first priority. 21 BBC. (2025). Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/annualreport What concerns us – as highlighted in 2008 by the BBC Trust paper on BBC Network News and Current Affairs Coverage of the Four UK Nations report 22 BBC. (2008). BBC network news coverage of the four UK nations. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/editorial_standards/impartiality/network_news.html – is the suggestion that the BBC Network continues to fall short in serving the interests of licence fee payers in all parts of the UK equally, i.e., it is still missing opportunities to more consistently reflect the reality of devolution in terms of the precision, range and clarity of its reporting.

In light of such a long-standing frustration, we encourage the UK Government through the Charter Review to re-emphasise the need for the BBC Network to better focus on the everyday realities of devolution – what is devolved, what is reserved, what applies only to England or Scotland, which government is being talked about, which NHS the story refers to etc., – and for the BBC to demonstrate beyond simply updating any guidelines or training that its programme makers are able to relay those realities to multiple audiences in a clear, precise and consistent manner.

Having previously raised concerns about the depth of the coverage of the Scottish Parliament’s proceedings with the Director-General in February 2025, 23 Scottish Parliament. (2025). Official Report, Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee meeting 23 January 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/CEEAC-23-01-2025?meeting=16224 and subsequently written to him on the matter, 24 Scottish Parliament. (2025). Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee letter to the Director-General of the BBC, Tim Davie, 7 February 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2025/bbc-annual-report 25 BBC. (2025). Letter from the Director-General, BBC responding to the Committee's letter in relation to the BBC's Annual Report, 10 March 2025. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/committees/current-and-previous-committees/session-6-constitution-europe-external-affairs-and-culture-committee/correspondence/2025/response-bbc-annual-report we note that there appears to be little interest from BBC Scotland in covering the work of committees – in contrast to the BBC Network news’ coverage of Westminster committees – and no regular live coverage of the parliament’s proceedings on the BBC Scotland channel. Noting the Green Paper’s focus on safeguarding the public’s confidence in the BBC’s commitment to reliable and trusted journalism, creating spaces for civic debate and a healthy information environment, supporting social cohesion, promoting democratic values, and renewing the BBC’s role as a national and civic institution, we believe that BBC Scotland should be more attuned to and engaged with the work of Scotland’s national democratic institution and legislature. Recognising that the BBC has focused resources on the Local Democracy Reporting Service, an approach that we support, the Committee also recommends that the UK Government and the BBC consider how the currently limited coverage of the Scottish Parliament can be revisited and considerably improved.

A decade ago our predecessor committee reported as part of the previous Charter Review process and identified “a need for the BBC to represent Scotland and the diversity of Scottish culture more effectively”. 32 Scottish Parliament. (2016). Education and Culture Committee Report on the renewal of the BBC charter. Retrieved from https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20220728161108/https:/archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/96530.aspx The evidence from our inquiry suggests that it remains a valid finding. Witnesses told us of a London-centric problem, of Scotland being seen as a region and not a nation, of public service broadcasting not enabling different parts of the UK to understand each another, of the need to rebuild trust in journalism, of the case for greater autonomy and governance reform, of the shadow cast by BBC’s coverage of the 2014 independence referendum, of the importance of the BBC telling nations’ stories rather than “our national story” (the latter as stated at the outset of the Green Paper), and of a wish nonetheless not to be limited to producing Scottish stories.

We also note the findings of the Independent Thematic Review, including strengthening of the BBC’s local decision-making across the UK, so that this happens closer to its audience, and concern that a more costbased and centralised approach could risk losing some of the depth and diversity in how different parts of the UK are portrayed. The Review also found that despite the BBC having made significant progress in diversifying voices and investing across the UK, material gaps remained – and in particular the portrayal and representation of working-class audiences and people outside of London and the south of England.

The Green Paper states that the Charter review will examine how the BBC can tell a unifying national story which is responsive to all UK communities, while also representing and preserving different cultural identities across the UK’s nations and regions. It also emphasises that the broadcaster must be a truly universal service – that all parts of the UK should feel represented by the BBC’s output – and able to speak to and represent the diverse communities who fund it. In the interests of better promoting Scottish culture and Scottish talent, the Committee’s view is that there must be greater emphasis on Scottish voices telling Scottish stories. This is germane to commissioning processes and regional production quotas, local news provision, and minority language broadcasting, all covered elsewhere in this report, but also to the proportion of funding from the licence fee raised and spent in Scotland. We consider this issue of the BBC’s overall spend in Scotland under the Sustainable and fair funding heading and sub-section on Licence fee (see paragraph 220).

The Committee’s view from the evidence we heard is that Scotland needs a BBC that is ambitious and accountable, and a BBC Scotland that is more devolved in its governance, better attuned to its audiences, financially and editorially empowered, in greater control of scheduling and commissioning, politically unencumbered by either government, firmly on the front foot in terms of leadership in the Scottish screen and broadcast sector, and fully able to fulfil the role of national public service broadcaster. We therefore invite the UK Government, the BBC and Ofcom to consider whether the BBC should adopt a more federal structure, one in which BBC Scotland would be a partner rather than a subsidiary, with greater fiscal and editorial control and commissioning power in each of the constituent nations of the UK.

The Committee recognises the seismic shifts in broadcasting arising from technological advancement, global competition, the decline in advertising / funding, and evolving audience behaviour. In short: how content is created, distributed and consumed. We appreciate that public service broadcasters feel the need to “be where the audience is”, or is increasingly moving towards, while also providing for those who still favour the more traditional scheduled output. We recognise the risk that placing PSB content into unregulated online spaces and platforms could blur the distinction between regulated and trustworthy PSB content and the unregulated context in which it sits. The Committee also shares the concerns of both Ofcom and the Scottish Government regarding Digital Terrestrial Television and the need for any future switch-off to be managed inclusively. We ask the UK Government to provide clarity as to how this will be achieved.

We acknowledge the views of those in the music sector who have expressed their concerns about the impact of BBC Radio Scotland’s programming changes for new, emerging and even established Scottish artists. The Committee was not convinced by the responses we heard to these concerns and we ask BBC Scotland to share the basis of the approach to its internal monitoring regarding the number of Scottish artists featured in the new night-time scheduling and throughout the day. We welcome that BBC Scotland recognises the importance of its role in showcasing Scottish music, and has given a commitment that this will continue, but we consider that greater detail should be provided about how it will fulfil that role and its contribution to sustaining the talent pipeline and visibility of Scottish cultural output. We encourage both the Scottish Government and our successor committee to continue to pursue this matter.

The Committee calls for a review of Ofcom’s regional production quota framework in the interests of improved alignment with economic impact, commissioning incentives, retention of Intellectual Property, and transparency. Whilst not an issue directly relating to the Green Paper, quotas are an important driver in the growth of the screen and broadcast sector in Scotland and we share the Scottish Government’s support for such a review.

The Committee appreciates the necessity of co-production and notes the Green Paper’s encouragement for the BBC to deliver more through partnerships and collaborations in support of the wider sector. We welcome BBC Scotland’s commitment to that approach and would encourage it to continue to pursue wider and mutually beneficial joint working.

The Committee welcomes Screen Scotland and the Scottish Government’s support for film and screen learning in schools. We also agree with the Green Paper’s suggestion of considering options to enhance the BBC’s obligations in terms of taking a leading role in skills development for the sector; and we invite BBC Scotland to reflect on the ad hoc nature of its contact with many universities in Scotland and to consider how taking on a leadership role could enable it to adopt a more consistent and outcomes-based approach.

The Committee believes that the outcomes of the Charter Review process should be to provide sustainable public funding, to deliver value for Scottish audiences, and to ensure the longevity and universal benefits of the BBC. We therefore support—
An adventurous, adaptable and accountable BBC
Exploring whether licence fee concessions should be updated
Exploring options for fairer collection and enforcement
Exploring options for sustainably funding the BBC World Service
Exploring the merits or otherwise of the more hybrid funding models adopted by Germany and Denmark
Greater transparency in how the BBC’s commercial income is used in delivery of its public service broadcast obligations
Sustainable funding for minority language broadcasting across the UK, including Gaelic through BBC ALBA

The Committee is also required to scrutinise the overall spend of the BBC in Scotland. The BBC's annual report includes details of spending in each of the UK's nations. However, in the annual report covering 2024-25 15 BBC. (2025). Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/annualreport this spend accounted for around 75% of total licence income. The BBC also receives income from commercial operations and told our predecessor committee that the spend not identified against any of the four nations will include funding for services such as the World Service and sports rights. 16 Scottish Parliament. (2019). Official Report, Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee meeting 7 November 2020. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.parliament.scot/api/sitecore/CustomMedia/OfficialReport?meetingId=12353 In the interests of parliamentary scrutiny, we ask the BBC to detail how this significant portion of the expenditure of the BBC is supporting audiences and economic growth in Scotland.

The Committee recommends that new BBC Charter give parity of esteem to Welsh and Gaelic language services as well as recognising the unique status of BBC ALBA as a Gaelic language partnership service.