News > 2010

23 March 2010

MG ALBA RESPONSE TO BBC TRUST STATEMENT ON BBC ALBA

Following the announcement today by the BBC Trust that it is to extend the timetable for its review of BBC ALBA, Alasdair Morrison, chairman of MG ALBA, said: “Today’s decision is disappointing as we had hoped the BBC Trust was in a position to give the go-ahead for access to Freeview now.

“The success of the channel to date has been recognised and is not a factor in today’s decision. The only outstanding issue is the question of what services need to be universally available in Scotland. We will continue to work constructively over forthcoming months with the BBC Trust and the BBC to secure access to Freeview for viewers, which is fully in line with its function as a public service channel.

“We believe that access to Freeview is supported by the vast majority of people who responded to the BBC Trust consultation, BBC management and across the political spectrum in Scotland.

“The issue of impact on other BBC services such as radio needs, in our view, to be put in context. There will be negligible impact as virtually all the radio stations will continue to be available on radio and online.”