Recommendation 15

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.