Newsletter July 2009

FilmG is back!
FilmG hero image

Interested in making films and TV programmes? There are some terrific prizes to be won in our Gaelic shorts competition, FilmG – with cash prizes and the chance to develop a film project to professional broadcast standard. Last year’s competition was a great success, and one of the winning films, Siubhlachan (Traveller) by Ùisdean Murray, has gone on to be screened at film festivals in Switzerland and Korea.

FilmG’s theme this year is “Gaisgeach” (hero, warrior or champion), and we hope that lots of people will rise to the challenge and enter a film. Visit www.filmg.co.uk for more information.

Sport images

Summer Sport
Our audience feedback reports show that sport is one of the most popular programme genres on BBC ALBA, and there’s certainly plenty going on over the summer to satisfy the most avid fans.

The shinty season is in full swing, and BBC ALBA will have live coverage of the Balliemore Cup Final on Saturday 18 July (from 16.00) and the Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup Final on Saturday 01 August (from 16.00).

MG ALBA has been sponsoring the Western Isles team at the Nat West World Island Games in Åland, and our congratulations go to Eilidh MacKenzie, Alison Mary Campbell and all the other medal winners. Click here for video reports from Derek “Pluto” Murray and Evelyn Coull and full results for all the events.

Closer to home, MG ALBA has been sponsoring Cuach na Cloinne, the national Gaelic schools football competition organised by Comunn na Gàidhlig, and the Glasgow Celtic Society Shinty Cup Final, including the inaugural Fèis Spòrs for pupils in Gaelic-medium education.

MG ALBA is also sponsoring the ALBA Challenge Cup for a second year, and the competition is set to kick off on 25 July. Football fans will treated to live coverage of the final and one semi-final on BBC ALBA, as well as classic footage from the archives, and the lucky winners of Cuach na Cloinne, Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu, will be VIP guests at the ALBA Challenge Cup final in November.

BBC ALBA and the BBC Trust
The BBC Trust will be carrying out a review of BBC ALBA between now and the end of the year, to make important decisions about the carriage of the channel in the future, particularly with regard to Freeview. The public will have an opportunity to contribute to the review process in the autumn, and we’ll keep you up to date on the progress of the review.

In the mean time, BBC ALBA is available on Sky 168 and Freesat 110, and on the BBC and Virgin Media iPlayers. If you have any questions about BBC ALBA or MG ALBA, contact us at fios@mgalba.com or call us on 01851 705550.

MG ALBA in London and Edinburgh
Staff from MG ALBA and the BBC had the opportunity to meet politicians from both parliaments at events during May and June, and we are grateful to the Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy MP, and to Ted Brocklebank MSP for making us so welcome at Dover House (the Scotland Office) and at Holyrood.

Public service broadcasting and digital technology are currently at the heart of some of the biggest policy developments, with the new “Digital Britain” report and the vitality of the creative industries as the focus of much political debate. Politicians of all parties have been hugely supportive of MG ALBA and BBC ALBA in the past few years, and we’re delighted that recognition continues to be given to the importance of Gaelic broadcasting as part of the wider broadcasting scene in Scotland and in the United Kingdom.

MG ALBA reception


WITBN
And Gaelic broadcasting is making its mark beyond these shores too. BBC ALBA is one of the channels involved in the World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network, where broadcasters from all over the world can share knowledge, expertise and programme content.

Find out more about the other members of WITBN and about how indigenous language broadcasters are working together at www.witbn.org.

Coming soon to BBC ALBA

  • T in the Park (10-12 July)
  • Hebridean Celtic Festival (15-18 July)
  • Live shinty (18 July and 01 August)
  • New BBC ALBA schedule launch (mid September)
Find out more about these events and all the latest news from MG ALBA at www.mgalba.com.

Getting to know ... Colin Murray

Colin is on a work placement at MG ALBA as an assistant studio technician. He’s 29 and comes from Barvas.

What led you to this job at MG ALBA?

I’ve been doing the Gaelic Media Diploma at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and a work placement is part of the course. I used to work as a carpet fitter, but I wanted a new career and a new challenge and I was always interested in both Gaelic and technology. I worked as a locations assistant on Reoiteag air Rothan (the Ice Cream Machine), and that got me interested in TV production, so this job suits me down to the ground.

What does your work involve, and what do you want to do once your placement is over?

I record Dè tha Dol every day, helping the director and production assistant and handling the camera and sound operations. Camera work is the aspect of the job I enjoy most and I’d like to get a permanent job in a studio where I’d have plenty of opportunities to work behind the camera. I also do a bit of filming in my spare time, and I’m thinking about making a short film for FilmG.

Colin Murray


Colin isn’t the only newcomer at MG ALBA this summer. A new continuity presenter, Moira MacDonald, will be appearing on BBC ALBA starting in August, while Fiona MacKenzie goes off to film a second series of Air an Rathad. Moira is busy learning the ropes from Fiona at the moment, and we’ll be bringing you more news about her soon, so keep an eye on our website.