Outgoing BBC Scotland boss hits back at 'politically-motivated' attacks

The outgoing head of BBC Scotland has called for an end to "politically-motivated" attacks on its journalism - as she called on its critics to show "a little recognition of our output in its entirety" when the country emerges from lockdown.

Donalda MacKinnon has been director of BBC Scotland since 2016. Picture: Alan Peebles

Months before her departure from its Pacific Quay headquarters in Glasgow, Donalda Mackinnon said its news coverage was "frequently used as a political football when journalism that doesn’t accord with a particular viewpoint upsets someone or other."

BBC Scotland's most senior executive, who has had a 33-year career with the corporation, declared that criticism of its news output was "frequently unfair on our journalism teams, who try to the very best of their ability to ask questions of those in power that the public don’t get the chance to ask, and ask questions that those in power would sometimes rather we didn’t ask."

Writing in the industry magazine Broadcast, Ms Mackinnon, who will leave her £180,000 job at the end of this year, also said that the criticism levelled at it was "most often" unfair on its news teams and also "deeply unfair" on the majority of its other staff.

Ms Mackinnon announced her departure in February - a year after the long-awaited launch of BBC Scotland's new channel.

When she was appointed BBC Scotland director in 2016 - becoming the first woman to take on the role - Ms Mackinnon admitted there had been a "lost of trust" among a "significant number" of viewers in Scotland as a result of its coverage of the 2014 independence referendum.

The new channel has been met with a mixed response since its launch, with some shows proving a hit with viewers but lingering concerns over the performance of its flagship news show The Nine and the level of its funding.

In her Broadcast article, Ms Mackinnon writes: "As a publicly-funded broadcaster, the BBC is, of course, well-used to being in the public eye about our news coverage, frequently used as a political football when journalism that doesn’t accord with a particular viewpoint upsets someone or other.

"I know that criticism focusing almost entirely on our news output is frequently unfair on our journalism teams, who try to the very best of their ability to ask questions of those in power that the public don’t get the chance to ask, and ask questions that those in power would sometimes rather we didn’t ask.

"Often, for whatever reason, those who criticise do not seem to realise, or choose to ignore, the fact that journalism exists is to cast light on matters of public interest and to challenge those in authority, no matter their political colour.

"But while that criticism is, most often, unfair on our news teams, it’s also deeply unfair on the majority of other staff.

“Over the last two months audiences have told us how much they’ve appreciated our output, whether that’s programmes that have helped to home-school their youngsters; given a bit of hope to those missing their church services; or often just put a smile on their faces at a time of deep angst for most of us.

"It’s probably wishful thinking to hope that much of the politically motivated criticism around our news won’t come back as we return to whatever counts for normality but it would also be nice to retain just a little recognition of our output in its entirety."

John Toner, Scottish organiser for the National Union of Journalists, said: “Journalism is a vital part of our democratic society. Equally, legitimate criticism of journalism is also vital. But BBC journalists have been on the receiving end of unacceptable abuse for many years now.

“During the current crisis, the corporation has been criticised by some for not scrutinising the Westminster Government sufficiently. Others have described its questioning as unfair.

“BBC journalists strive for accuracy and are committed to ethical guidelines. It is important that their critics of all political hues remember this.”