Broadcasters' Scots coverage 'disappointing'

Scottish broadcasting has gone backwards in its coverage of domestic issues since the onset of devolution, culture minister Fiona Hyslop said yesterday.

There has been a "missed opportunity" for programmers to increase coverage of current affairs, she told MSPs on Holyrood's education and culture committee.

The disappearance of shows such as Scottish 500 and Scottish Women on STV marked a decline since 1999 in "popular debate" programmes covering political issues, Ms Hyslop said.

"People should be disappointed that the amount of coverage has been more limited in devolution than we might have expected," she said. "In my view it's been a missed opportunity and that's possibly one of the challenges facing us going forward."

Her comments came as the Scottish Government stepped up calls for a Scottish Digital Network to deliver local television services in Scotland. A formal expression of interest has been submitted to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.