December 2008
A chàirdean,
The Christmas and New Year period will soon be upon us and we’re looking forward to the programmes on BBC ALBA – a special Hogmanay programme, the feature film Seachd and plenty more to keep us entertained through the cold winter evenings.
I hope you’re enjoying our porgrammes. Remember that BBC ALBA is available on Freesat 110, on Sky 168 and on the iPlayer. If you don’t have the channel yet, what about buying a Freesat system for Christmas or in the January sales? If you want any advice about the options available, give us a call on 01851 705550.
We’re still waiting for news from Virgin Media about a launch date for BBC ALBA on cable. It’s hugely encouraging that more than 1,800 people have signed a petition to the Scottish Parliament calling for BBC ALBA to be made available on Freeview immediately. If you want to make your views on the matter known, please write to us, to the BBC or to your members of parliament.
In this newsletter there’s information about FilmG and about the programmes that are coming soon, and an interview with Maggie Taylor, our scheduling manager. She hasn’t put I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in the schedule yet, but it seems that she’s well acquainted with the other residents of the jungle!
Enjoy the newsletter, and keep an eye on our website at www.mgalba.com for the latest updates.
Le dùrachd,
Dòmhnall Caimbeul
Àrd Oifigear MG ALBA
FilmG
We’ve had more than 50 entries for the short film project FilmG, and you’ll get the chance to vote for your favourite film online from 8th December until 14th January. The awards ceremony takes place at Eden Court, Inverness, on 6th February, and the winners in two of the categories will be invited by MG ALBA to develop their film to broadcast standard as a pilot programme for BBC ALBA. Keep an eye out for the films at www.filmg.co.uk and remember to cast your vote.
BBC ALBA
There are some special programmes lined up for BBC ALBA over the festive period. On Hogmanay we’ll be broadcasting a live music programme, presented by Tony Kearney and featuring some of the best musicians in Scotland. Here are some of the highlights:
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MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2008
MG ALBA is the main sponsor of this year’s Scots Trad Music Awards. The awards event is taking place in Glasgow on Saturday 6th December and will be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Monday 8th December. Tony Kearney is presenting the awards, and you can see him here with some of the musicians shortlisted for awards..
Getting to know … Maggie Taylor
Maggie Taylor is MG ALBA’s scheduling manager. She came to us from the BBC in July, but as we found out she’s been in some far stranger places in her time.
Tell us about your work and how you got into it.
I got a job as an Operational Assistant at the BBC 17 years ago, and through working at Radio nan Gaidheal and Radio Scotland I got interested in working as a scheduler. My new job at MG ALBA gives me the chance to be involved in something completely new for Gaelic and for Scotland. It’s an interesting task, and quite a responsibility, to choose programmes that the audience are going to enjoy.
And when you’re not at work?
I like to read and to spend time with my kids and with friends and family. But perhaps the most unusual thing I’ve done was to spend a week in the Amazon Jungle when I was on holiday in Peru. We met a Shaman who showed us plants and other ingredients for natural healing, and we spent time with a tribe who have little contact with the outside world.
That’s certainly out of the ordinary. Not like MG ALBA, or even the BBC!
All I can say is ... no comment!
BBC ALBA is on Sky 168 and Freesat 110.
BBC ALBA is a partnership service between MG ALBA and the BBC