21 Jan 2009
Jim Murphy today responded to the Ofcom report on public sector broadcasting by announcing he will host a Broadcast Summit in Scotland with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
He said:
"We now need to bring broadcasters across Scotland together to discuss the future of their sector in the light of today's report and the UK Government's interim Digital Britain Report, which will be published shortly. That is why I'm announcing a broadcast summit with the Secretary of State for Culture Andy Burnham which will be held in Scotland this spring
"This will give the UK Government, Scottish broadcasters, production companies and other stakeholders the opportunity to forge a public service broadcasting culture which is fit for the future.
"My central concern is that we keep, both now and in the future, a broadcasting culture which preserves choice for the viewer and a unique Scottish voice in news and other programming."
Commenting on the Ofcom report, he added:
"I warmly welcome the Ofcom report which is a useful and pragmatic blueprint for the future of public sector broadcasting. The Government will consider its recommendations closely.
"I was glad to see the devolved nations feature throughout the report. A range of first-class public sector content is vital for Scotland. As a Scottish channel, stv forms an important pillar of broadcasting across the country.
"The main priority must always be the provision of the best possible quality of service for Scottish viewers. There will be concerns at the prospect of a reduction in the amount of news produced and broadcast by stv. We need a solution for the short, medium and long-term that preserves quality and choice in Scottish news programmes.
"I also believe the proposal for a competitive bidding process for independent news consortia to bid for stv slots must be considered to provide a sustainable solution for public service news, though they raise challenging issues. Ofcom clearly sees the distinctive nature of the situation in Scotland and that is to be welcomed."
ends
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News Release: SS1468
Date: 21 Jan 2009