ALBA/SCOTLAND: SALMOND BBC COMMENTS WELCOMED

The Celtic League General Secretary has written to Scotland's First Minister applauding his stand on the inadequate coverage by the BBC news network of Scottish Affairs (see below):

«Dear First Minister Alex Salmond

BBC News Network

The Celtic League warmly welcome the stance that you have taken over the poor coverage of Scottish affairs its BBC's news network and we were encouraged that your Party also pointed out that »UK-wide audiences deserve greater balance and depth in their coverage« generally.

The Celtic League has written to the BBC to complain about this very issue on a number of occasions for many years, which has become especially pertinent since devolution. The failure of the BBC network to make its news relevant and meaningful to the peoples of the Celtic countries led to the passing of two resolutions at our AGM in September 2007 in Cymru/Wales. Both resolutions, as set out below, were moved separately at the same AGM, where we debated the issues concerned at length and shows, I believe, the depth of feeling among our members on this topic:

1) »Calls for a major Scottish television channel, not an English regional opt-out.«

2) »The Celtic League believes that the limited coverage of Cornish/Scottish/Welsh politics by the BBC in London on its network news programmes demonstrates that it is mostly interested in news items that only affect England. This AGM calls on Cornwall County Council (and its successor), the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd to campaign for the full devolution of broadcasting to Cornwall, Scotland and Wales and calls on Celtic League members to consider withdrawing their TV licence payment in protest.«

Like the SNP, we look forward to the final report and the recommendations made by the Scottish Broadcasting Commission later this year and the soon to be published report of Professor King into the BBC news network. We hope that the consequence of these findings will give all the peoples in the Celtic countries in the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland a greater opportunity for their interests to be better represented and understood in the media.

Yours sincerely

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot General Secretary Celtic League»

See also related articles on broadcasting on Celtic News at:

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J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

12/06/08