Reid about Scotland on STV

 

Scottish Television (STV) are a totally commercial station with no large public subsidy. Despite these commercial pressures, they have been innovative of late in trying to find news ways to deliver Scottish content.  This is particularly true in the case of programmes delivered over the internet. STV published the full coverage of Jimmy Reid's funeral, when the BBC only offered clips. And now they have put the entire "Reid About Scotland" series online. The programmes were made in the 1990s and written by the intellectual left wing nationalist Tom Nairn, author of the seminal book The Break Up of Britain. The format of the programmes might seem a little old fashioned to 21st century viewers, but who cares when the content is good? Another blogger, The Universality of Cheese has posted the entire series together for easy viewing. Several days ago STV announced a content tie-up with Youtube which will allow anyone with a decent broadband connection to view their extensive archive. The web developments come after the channel made big efforts to produce original content from Scotland like The Football Years. It's a real shame that these initiatives are attacked by some elements of the media and unionist politicians. Are we now at the stage where any positive treatment of Scottish life and culture is a dangerous nationalist plot?

Comments

[Moncler]

I think this was alluded to recently with that parliamentary committee report which considered a Scottish news channel a threat to the indiginous press.

[Hamish Scott]

"Are we now at the stage where any positive treatment of Scottish life and culture is a dangerous nationalist plot?"

Yes, some even have a name for it - 'independence creep'. The days of 'Unionist Nationalists' are well gone.
It's also interesting to note the remarkable number of TV programmes about 'Britain' usually with 'Britain', Britannia' or 'British' in the title. This goes across the TV network, so either it reflects a shared, coincidental 'mood' or is not coincidental

[The Aberdonian]

In the latest edition of "Scottish Affairs", the BBC's Kenneth McDonald wrote an excellent critique of how the election was handled by the media in Scotland. He complained that broadcasting had become more centralised DESPITE devolution.

This of course has been helped by the centralisation of ITV, leaving STV to its mercies. In turn STV did a similar thing to Grampian TV area when it bought up Grampian.

Do elements of the media and unionist politicians think giving Scotland broadcasting autonomy is part of a nationalist plot? Very much yes.

However when it comes to the media, it is also complicated. Many a Scottish journalist of a unionist bent winges that Scotland having its own broadcasting service even in the UK is parochial. Yet these journalists seem content to write for Scottish newspapers - a parochial press. Contradictory and hypocritical!

Also I think that elements of the Scottish print media feel threatened by a broadcasting alternative. They feel they should have a monopoly on providing Scottish (and in most cases biased) news and commentary and do not want their comfort base threatened.

I think this was alluded to recently with that parliamentary committee report which considered a Scottish news channel a threat to the indiginous press.

For me a Scottish Broadcasting Service cannot come quick enough. Bring back Chartslice and the Art Sutter show. Well maybe not. But yes bring back Anne MacKenzie and give her a political programme to front as she did all those years on "Crossfire" for Grampian.

[Mandy Smith]

It looks like it. To quote The Wire "games the same..just got more fierce"

[Davie Park]

"Are we now at the stage where any positive treatment of Scottish life and culture is a dangerous nationalist plot?"

I'm afraid so.