The Scottish Labour party has criticised Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for new TV and radio channels as a waste of money.
Claire Baker, Scottish Labour’s democracy spokesperson, said that while the party supported increased investment the idea of “Scottish only” stations was not in step with how the digital-savvy viewer increasingly consumes content.
“The cost of setting up and maintaining a second Scottish TV and radio station is likely to be considerable, especially at a time when the BBC budget is already under attack from the Tories,” she said.
“If we want to be truly bold and radical then we need to look at the challenges facing the BBC in the years ahead. This is not the creation of new ‘Scottish only’ stations but rather how BBC content is viewed and shared and how the corporation stays relevant in a time of smartphones, streaming and social media”.
The first minister has called for the BBC to re-organised around a new federal structure, with new dedicated TV and radio services and an increased proportion of the licence fee for BBC Scotland.
Scottish Labour has echoed the need for more investment for BBC Scotland.
Baker said that it was also important to support the BBC’s big shows that are popular with viewers all over the UK.
“Scottish viewers enjoy settling down to watch shows such as Great British Bake Off, Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing just as much as viewers in Liverpool, London and Cardiff,” she said. “It is only right that we contribute to these great shows as well.”
