MG ALBA WELCOMES DECISION BY BBC TRUST TO ESTABLISH BBC ALBA ON FREEVIEW

The BBC/MG ALBA partnership which operates the BBC ALBA channel today welcomed the decision by the BBC Trust to establish the channel on Freeview.

Speaking on behalf of MG ALBA, Alasdair Morrison, chairman, said: “We are absolutely delighted by the decision and most importantly it will provide the opportunity for people across Scotland to have access to the channel that they have been unable to enjoy to date.

“Over the last two years BBC ALBA has done everything that was asked of it and we have created a raft of home-grown programmes appealing to both Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers which has made a very positive contribution to Scottish broadcasting and the country’s creative industries. The viewers like what they see and viewing figures have remained steady around 220,000 per week which compares very favourably with other digital channels in Scotland.

“Until now, less than 50 per cent of households in Scotland had access to the channel. Now that barrier has been removed it means households across Scotland will be in a position to take advantage of the variety of programmes that viewers in Scotland have found attractive.

“We would like to bring absolute clarity to the issue of the effect on radio services in view of BBC ALBA being made available on Freeview. First and foremost Freeview is a television platform on airwaves set aside for digital television services. Radio stations were first carried on Freeview when demand for television programming on the service was much lower. That is no longer the case. Freeview is now the UK's main television platform. There are separate arrangements for digital radio and the development of that service is where the long term solution to radio lies.

“Secondly the BBC Executive estimates that the effect of removing some radio stations from Freeview will only affect in the region of 4,000 people who would have no radio-based access to the radio services and of which 2,500 can get access to digital radio via the internet.

“Thirdly the vast majority of the 51,000 who listen to radio on Freeview in fact are listening to FM/AM stations. These and all other stations will continue to be available on FM/AM and DAB radio frequencies where the overwhelming majority of people listen to radio. The radio stations are also available online and through Freesat and Sky TV and cable.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the political parties across Scotland for their overwhelming support for the channel throughout our Freeview campaign as well as the many organisations and individuals who have supported us. In addition thanks also go to the BBC Management for their encouragement, as well as Jeremy Peat Trustee for Scotland at the BBC Trust. We look forward to bringing our service to a wider audience throughout the country.”