BBC ALBA television knocks radio stations off Freeview

Published on Tuesday 21 December 2010 16:39

The Gaelic language service BBC ALBA will be taken to a much wider audience after a decision to make it available to viewers in Scotland on Freeview.

The move, however, means that many radio stations will no longer be accessible on Freeview.

The announcement was made yesterday by the BBC Trust, which carried out a review of the service that began broadcasting in 2008.

It was welcomed by the Scottish Government, which is providing 12.4 million to the channel this year, as well as other supporters who argued that over half the households in Scotland had been denied access to ALBA.

At present the channel, which is available only via satellite and online, has an audience of 220,000 a week. The BBC Trust said the channel run jointly by the BBC and MG ALBA, is serving Gaelic speakers well and is also attracting over four non-Gaelic speakers for every Gaelic speaking viewer. The move means the removal of the BBC's 13 radio stations from Freeview, in Scotland only, during the hours BBC ALBA is broadcasting. The trust said this was the "most technically and financially viable way" of enabling BBC ALBA to be carried on Freeview.

Jeremy Peat, a national trustee for Scotland, added: "Carrying ALBA on Freeview will bring the service to a much wider audience across Scotland - it's been clear from our review that there are strong views about the future of the service and this has not been a straightforward decision, but we believe that it's the option that really offers the most benefit for licence fee payers in Scotland."

Fiona Hyslop, the culture minister, said the decision was fitting recognition of the achievements made by the channel.

She said the move will increase opportunities for Gaelic learners and help the government's aim of creating a new generation of Gaelic speakers.

Alasdair Morrison, chairman of MG ALBA, said viewing figures have remained steady around 220,000 per week which compares favourably with other digital channels in Scotland.

On the loss of the radio stations, Mr Morrison claimed Freeview is first and foremost 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," he said. "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." He said the BBC Executive estimates that the effect of removing some radio stations from Freeview will only affect about 4,000 people who would have no radio-based access to the radio services and of whom 2,500 can get access to digital radio via the internet.

"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."

Alasdair Allan, the SNP Western Isles MSP, said the 5,000 responses to the review showed the depth of feeling both within and without the Gaelic community about having the channel more widely available.

The date of BBC ALBA's switch to Freeview is yet to be announced.