Partnership

MG ALBA and BBC: the partnership

MG ALBA and the BBC have established a partnership to deliver Gaelic television, radio and online services. The partnership came into effect officially on 05 August 2008 when the BBC Trust published the service licence.

The BBC ALBA television service will be available:

  • on satellite, on SKY and Freesat, throughout the United Kingdom from 19 September 2008
  • on cable, on Virgin Media – date to be confirmed
  • on Freeview, in Scotland only, subject to review by the BBC Trust, after digital switchover in 2010/11
Programmes and other content will also be available online.

The governance structure of the partnership is illustrated in this diagram:

Governance


Sgioba ALBA

The content team, Sgioba ALBA, is led by:
  • Margaret Mary Murray (BBC) – BBC ALBA’s Head of Service
  • Alan Esslemont (MG ALBA) – BBC ALBA’s Head of Content
The BBC and MG ALBA have separate responsibilities in the partnership. MG ALBA staff report to the Head of Content, who in turn reports to the Chief Executive. BBC staff report to the Head of Service, who in turn reports to the BBC Scotland Executive Board.

The Head of Service and Head of Content work collaboratively to execute the shared vision of the partnership. They report to Bòrd ALBA, which is chaired by an MG ALBA appointee and which sets policies and agrees strategies.

The organisational structure of the partnership is illustrated in this diagram:

Governance Structure


Bòrd ALBA

Two senior executives from each partner organisation are members of Bòrd ALBA, the joint management board established in order to run BBC ALBA. The members of Bòrd ALBA are:
  • Donald Campbell, MG ALBA Chief Executive (Chairman)
  • Neil Graham, MG ALBA Head of Operations and Finance
  • Bruce Malcolm, Head of Operations, BBC Scotland
  • Maggie Cunningham / Donalda MacKinnon, Heads of Programmes, BBC Scotland

MG ALBA

MG ALBA is regulated by Ofcom and its board is appointed by the Secretary of State.

MG ALBA is the operating name of Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig (Gaelic Media Service). The organisation’s remit, under the Communications Act 2003, is to ensure that a wide and diverse range of high quality Gaelic programmes is made available to persons in Scotland. MG ALBA sought a partnership with the BBC as the best way to fulfil this remit in the digital broadcasting age.

For more information about the BBC and the BBC Trust, visit www.bbc.co.uk