BBC ALBA – WEEKLY PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Saturday 3 September – Friday 9 September 2011

Title: Cuirm Ciuil dha Gordon / The Gordon Duncan Experience

The Gordon Duncan Experience concert is the fourth concert held in Perth in the memory of Gordon Duncan, a piper, folk musician and composer, who is widely regarded as one of the most skilled and innovative traditional music performers and composers of modern times.

The 2010 concert features performances from Seamus Begley & Tim Edey, Willie MacCallum, Old Blind Dogs, Galician piper Xose Manuel Budino, The Pitlochry & Blair Atholl Pipe Band and the Gordy Duncan Jr Band.

While steeped in the art of traditional highland piping, his approach to his music was always imaginative, fresh and at times radical, to the extent that his influence can be heard within an entire generation of younger musicians across Scotland and well beyond. Gordon died in December 2005, aged 41.

The annual concert is organized by the Gordon Duncan Trust, which was set up for the promotion of piping and other forms of traditional music amongst young people in Scotland, and this concert features performances by over 30 young musicians who have benefited from the work in the trust by being part of the Gordon Duncan Experience orchestra.

Transmitted: Saturday 3 September
Time: 8.55 – 10.00pm


Title: Cuirm @ Celtic: Taigh Ciuil - Dual

Dual, the top Scottish and Irish musicians in concert during Celtic Connections 2011. With Julie Fowlis, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Eamon Doorley and Tony Byrne.

Transmitted: Saturday 3 September
Time: 10.00 – 10.30pm


Title: Trusadh – Canada An Turas / The Journey

Take the journey of a lifetime from the mystical Hebridean shores of the Isle of Lewis, over the Atlantic to the historical heart of
Canada - Prince Edward Island. In this action-packed hour we find out what happens when a group of Gaelic exchange students
head out to meet their Canadian counterparts, as they each experience student life, leisure & family as a Canadian.

To kick the exchange off the Canadians spend a week on Lewis tracing their lineage and brushing up on their Gaelic.

Despite being separated by the mighty Atlantic, these two groups of students might have a lot in common. What will the natives
of Prince Edward Island make of the Heather Isle?

Tweed waulking, bridge jumping, exploring new delicacies, every step of the way through the eyes of the children.

Transmitted: Monday 5 September
Time: 9.00 – 10.00pm


Title: Breab

Breab is back with six new teenagers from across Scotland and plenty of challenges to throw at them.

The teenagers face a series of physical challenges on a camping trip in the great outdoors. Teamwork is needed to succeed but will it be the boys or girls who come out on top?

Transmitted: Wednesday 7 September
Time: 6.05 – 7.05pm


Title: Fergie

A profile of Fergie MacDonald, one of Scotland's most enigmatic and enduring musicians. In this revealing and candid documentary, filmed around the Highlands and Islands, Fergie revisits many friends and locations where he has played his distinctive brand of ceilidh music for over forty years.

Transmitted: Friday 9 September
Time: 9.00 – 10.00pm

Scottish Govt Press Release on Salmon Farming Industry

SCOTTISH SALMON EXPORTS ON THE RISE

Government and industry team up to encourage further investment in salmon sector

Scottish farmed salmon continues to show record export growth, according to the latest figures released as the Environment Minister attends the key event in the international trade calendar.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson will be joined at Aqua Nor in Norway by representatives of Scottish Development International (SDI), the Scottish Government, Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Salmon Producers' Organisation (SSPO).

Exports of fresh Scottish salmon have continued to rise and are up 37 per cent, comparing the start of 2011 (January to May) with the same period last year. The Scottish delegation at Aqua Nor aims to encourage investment in Scotland’s industry and support sustainable growth.

During his three-day visit, Mr Stevenson will meet with senior executives from some of the major salmon farming companies, as well as Lisbeth Berg-Hansen, Norwegian Fisheries Minister, and Pablo Galilea, Chilean Vice Minister for Fisheries. Norway, Chile and Scotland are the world’s top three producers of farmed salmon.

Mr Stevenson said:

"Scottish salmon is a high quality, delicious product that is becoming increasingly popular around the world – as illustrated by the latest booming export figures. Last year salmon accounted for 36 per cent of the value of Scottish food exports, while the industry also provides much needed employment opportunities in our fragile rural communities.

"It's important that we continue to promote this key product and encourage further investment in the industry, as well as working with others internationally on ways to continue improving the environmental sustainability of aquaculture. These are areas I will be discussing with my Norwegian and Chilean counterparts, while also sharing successes Scotland has had in the development of our industry."

SDI chief executive Anne MacColl said:

"The quality of Scottish salmon is globally renowned and earlier this year it was voted the best farmed salmon in the world in an independent poll of international seafood buyers. The fact that farmed salmon is now Scotland’s largest food export underlines the contribution it makes to our economy, so we are looking to support this industry in any way we can.

"We are working with our industry and government colleagues to increase investment for the benefit of our economy, and are looking forward to a series of successful meetings in Trondheim."

Scott Landsburgh, Chief Executive of SSPO, said:

"We welcome this joined-up approach to attracting further investment as the sector is enjoying an upward trend, confidence is high and demand continues to increase.

"The salmon farming sector has made around £150 million in capital investment during the last five years – the vast majority of this has been in the Highlands and Islands. Salmon farming is capital intensive and this initiative will help to inform future investment strategies in remote, rural economies in Scotland."

Iain Sutherland, senior manager for aquaculture at HIE, said:

"Scottish salmon, exported from some of our most remote and rural locations in the Highlands and Islands, is celebrated across the world. As our largest food export its success can be attributed to the quality, taste and the hard work and experience of the generations of men and women in the businesses.

"From Shetland in the north to Bute in the west, HIE is working with ambitious businesses every day to support growth in the international arena."

Background

While meeting the Norwegian Fisheries Minister (on Monday evening), Mr Stevenson expressed his condolences to the Norwegian people, for the atrocities committed in Norway last month. Mr Stevenson is the first Scottish Minister to visit Norway since this took place.

Mr Stevenson will hold one-to-one meetings with salmon companies operating in Scotland, as well as touring the Aqua Nor exhibition to meet Scotland-based exhibitors. Aqua Nor, held in Trondheim, is an important international event for the aquaculture industry, showcasing the latest products, services, and research and development projects.

Key facts about Scottish salmon farming:
· Exports of fresh Scottish farmed salmon have risen to 34,840 tonnes (Jan – May 2011), an increase of 37 per cent when compared with the same period for the previous year;
· Scotland is the largest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon in the EU and the third largest globally, behind Norway and Chile;
· It is expected to be confirmed soon that Scottish salmon production increased to over 150,000 tonnes in 2010, which would be a third successive annual increase;
· In 2010 salmon farming provided 1,813 direct jobs in Scotland, an increase of around 15 per cent on the previous year (while many more jobs are supported indirectly).

BBC ALBA – WEEKLY PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Saturday 27 August – Friday 2 September 2011

Title: SPL St Johnstone v Dundee United

The latest full-match coverage from the SPL as St Johnstone host Dundee United at McDiarmid Park.

Transmitted: Saturday 27 August
Time: 5.30 – 7.30pm


Title: Cuirm @ Celtic: Na Caimbeulaich

Julie Fowlis and Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh present The Campbells of Greepe, one of the singing dynasties of Gaelic music, from Celtic Connections 2011.

Transmitted: Saturday 27 August
Time: 9.55 – 10.25pm


Title: Breab

Breab is back with six teenagers from all over Scotland who have signed up to two weeks of Breab challenges!

In this first programme, the islanders are pitted against the mainlanders as they take part in a go-kart race and fight it out in Combat City – a new version of paintballing. But how will our six get on together and how will they cope under pressure? This is Breab!

Transmitted: Wednesday 31 August
Time: 6.05 – 7.05pm


Title: Soillse – Spors is Grinneas / Footballers and Beauty Queens

Taking place in the middle of the world's largest rainforest, the Peladão is a unique event that involves thousands of footballers and hundreds of beauty queens.

Football and women are the twin obsessions of Brazilian culture and the Peladão shows how the two come together. The football tournament doubles up as another competition: each team chooses its beauty queen. And the Miss Football contest can have a direct influence on the matches.

Transmitted: Wednesday 31 August
Time: 9.00 – 9.55pm


Title: Togail Sgeoil

An appreciation of the work of Dr John MacInnes, Gaeldom's foremost folklorist. Formerly based in the School of Scottish Studies in Edinburgh, he has collected the oral literature and tradition of Gaelic speakers throughout Scotland.

Transmitted: Thursday 1 September
Time: 9.00 – 10.00pm


Title: Pro 12 Live Rugby - Ulster V Glasgow

Action with Ulster and Glasgow Warriors in the RaboDirect Pro 12 competition.

Transmitted: Friday 2 September
Time: 7.00 – 8.55pm

ARGYLL FERRIES GEARS UP FOR FIRST COWAL GAMES

Newly-formed ferry operator Argyll Ferries Ltd, (AFL) which recently won the tender to provide passenger services between Gourock and Dunoon, has announced its plans to assist people travelling to the Cowal Gathering later this month.

The Cowal Gathering (August 25 – 27) is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the summer on the Upper Clyde and Argyll Ferries is to supplement its current two vessel passenger service with CalMac’s MV Saturn on Saturday, August 27, when the gathering reaches its climax with the Pipe band Championship and Highland Games.

The timetable will operate as published on Thursday and Friday and up until 0820hrs on Saturday morning, (see http://www.argyllferries.co.uk/timetables-and-fares.htm) after which time three vessels, the MV Argyll Flyer, MV Ali Cat and MV Saturn will provide a regular passenger service for the rest of the day, with the last sailing of the day departing Dunoon for Gourock at 2310 hrs. In order to accommodate the extra sailings during the day, the late night Saturday sailings at 2340 and 0100 from Gourock and 0010 and 0125 from Dunoon are cancelled.

AFL Contract Manager, Alasdair Henderson, said: “This is the first Cowal Gathering since Argyll Ferries was created and we are pulling out all the stops to help people travel quickly and comfortably between Gourock and Dunoon. The increased frequency of ferries offers improved connectivity with rail services from Glasgow into Gourock Station and we will guide travellers on arrival and sell tickets on the pier to provide the best possible passenger experience at a very busy time.

“Through tickets to Dunoon are also obtainable on rail services from Glasgow Central station to Gourock, and purchasing them this way will help reduce queuing times. Once in Dunoon, buses will be available to take people directly to the stadium from the Pier.“

He added:”We want our customers to enjoy their trip across the Clyde as part of a great day out, and remind everyone that, in line with local byelaws, drinking alcohol in public is forbidden in Gourock and Dunoon, and also on board. This will be strictly enforced via CCTV systems which will be used to monitor passenger safety and revenue control.”

MACKENZIE WELCOMES BT PLANS TO UPGRADE BROADBAND IN RURAL AREAS

Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Mike MacKenzie has welcomed the recent
announcement from BT that it is to upgrade the copper network that
presently connects 2.5 million internet subscribers in rural homes
across the UK. This is a move that should result in substantial
improvements in broadband performance that is set to deliver speedier
services to those affected at as much as twice existing speeds for many
users.

Mike MacKenzie said: "Broadband speeds have been improving dramatically for most urban based
users in recent years but those who live in rural areas have often found
that the response times that they operate with are considerably slower
than the norm and this means that both for business and recreational use
they are operating at a distinct disadvantage. One of the principle
stated benefits of efficient IT operation is that the "playing field"
across the country is level and any move that will help to remove the
disadvantages presently encountered by rural users across the Highlands
and Islands, where broadband speed is notoriously patchy, is to be
warmly welcomed.

The copper upgrade to the network will result in significant improvement
in operating speeds for many more users but in those areas where it has
not yet proved economic to upgrade their infrastructure because of
population sparcity or rurality subscribers will find that they are
falling even further behind the new levels available elsewhere. In such
areas BT is working with mobile phone companies, software operators and
satellite service providers to develop other means of mobile technology
to deliver improved broadband speeds

BT hope to complete this exercise early in 2013 and it will be
interesting to see what effect that this has on broadband communications
within the Highlands and Islands."

SEARCH IS ON FOR SCOTTISH FILMS AND VIDEOS OF LAST FEW DECADES

The Scottish Screen Archive is looking for films and videos shot anywhere in Scotland over the last 40 years that may be gathering dust in attics and forgotten cupboards.

The Scottish Screen Archive (SSA), which is part of the National Library of Scotland, wants to collect the films and videos now as there is a danger they could be lost forever.

They will be added to the national collection of film held by the SSA which provides a wonderful and unique record of Scotland in the 20th century.

Since the 1980s, most individuals, organisations or community groups used video to capture ordinary life, local events, changes to their neighbourhood or to promote local interests. However as video is becoming increasingly obsolete, tapes are being thrown away and these unique visual records from the last few decades could be lost forever. The SSA is appealing to the public for help in saving these films to ensure the most complete record of life in Scotland from the 1970s up to the present day is preserved.

In particular it is looking for film / video / digital media material, fiction or non-fiction from:

Video workshops / community groups / action groups
Cine / Video Clubs
Promotional films for local industries / charities / tourism
Sport and leisure
Footage depicting significant changes in local communities
Special local community events. eg. Gala Days ; Millennium Celebrations

Kay Foubister, SSA Curator who is working on this project said: “The advent of cheaper video cameras in the 1980s and 1990s made it much easier for people to record local events. However, video has been replaced by newer technology and there is a real danger that these tapes will just be forgotten about and discarded. We want to prevent that happening.”

The SSA is looking for films from 1970 onwards and anyone who can help is asked to contact Kay by completing an online submission form at www.gla.ac.uk/cams or by emailing ssaacquisitions@nls.uk . Alternatively, they can telephone on 0845 366 4608.

The SSA is also interested in films that were made by children in the same period. It is working with a team at the University of Glasgow who are researching aspects of childhood and the development of children making their own movies. This team in interested in hearing from anyone who
Made their own movies as a child
Were part of a group that ran video workshops for children
Participated as a child in movie making during the 1970s – 2000

Further information can be found on the project website www.gla.ac.uk/cams or by writing to the research team, Dr Karen Lury and Dr Ryan Shand.

More than 1000 films or film clips depicting community life in Scotland throughout the 20th century can be viewed on the SSA’s website at www.nls.uk/ssa. The website has just been recognised by List magazine as one of the top 30 webites in Scotland.

BBC ALBA – WEEKLY PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Saturday 13 August – Friday 19 August 2011

Title: SPL - Hearts v Aberdeen
The latest full-match coverage from the SPL as Heart of Midlothian host Aberdeen at Tynecastle Stadium.

Transmitted: Saturday 13 August
Time: 5.30 – 7.30pm


Title: Paddy Keenan & Fred Morrison aig Celtic Connections

Two piping legends: Ireland's Paddy Keenan and Scotland's Fred Morrison, in concert at Celtic Connections with a host of musician friends from Scotland, Ireland and Galicia.

Transmitted: Saturday 13 August
Time: 9.00 – 10.00pm


Title: Cuirm @ Celtic: Colin Farrell
More music and chat from Celtic Connections with acclaimed fiddle player Colin Farrell as guest.

Transmitted: Saturday 13 August
Time: 10.00 – 11.00pm


Title: Dannsa
The latest Dannsa instalment, following six different dance groups from around Scotland through the highs and lows of rehearsal, competition and performance. The groups are highly diverse in location, style, aspiration, age and accomplishment, including The Space at Dundee College, the teenage girls of the Fusion dance class in Aberdeen, the Ballet West school in Taynuilt, Oban, the Golden class at their Dance Base studio in Edinburgh, the street-dancing crew Heavy Smokers in Livingston and the Maryhill Integration Network from Glasgow.

In this programme, Anne Morrison and Kevin Walker watch on as renowned Scottish contemporary choreographer Andy Howitt oversees rehearsals for the end of series performance special at the Tramway Theatre in Glasgow.

Dannsa...........six groups, six different dance styles, one live dance show!

Transmitted: Monday 15 August
Time: 10.00 – 10.30pm


Title: An t-Slighe a bu Mhiosa / The Worst Journey in The World

During World War II an important supply chain of military and other aid travelled to Russia by Arctic Ship Convoy. These voyages saved Russia from collapse and prevented Germany from winning the war. Some of the last few remaining veterans of these journeys gathered to pay tribute to their fallen comrades and make a final pilgrimage along the original route from Britain to Murmansk in Russia.

Transmitted: Wednesday 17 August
Time: 9.00 – 9.50pm


Title: iTRAD

Schools, colleges and festivals all over Scotland are at the centre of a traditional music revival. Arising out of these institutions are talented singers and musicians who go onto successful careers in the music industry.

In this final programme of the iTrad series we meet two bands - Fuaim Ghlaschu and Caledonian Canals - who are among the youngsters who are now at the forefront of this musical revitalisation. Now they gather in Ullapool to put on a special show case for this series reflecting on the rise in interest in traditional Scottish music.

Transmitted: Friday 19 August
Time: 8.30 – 9.00pm