Council calls on BBC Trust to broadcast Gaelic TV channel on freeview

The Highland Council is urging viewers and supporters of the BBC Alba Gaelic television channel to back them in their call to the BBC Trust for wider access to BBC Alba by making it available on freeview.

Since its launch just over a year ago BBC Alba is currently only available via satellite transmission, or the BBC’s ‘iPlayer’ internet access. Despite this restricted availability, the channel’s programming has maintained a core audience of some 220,000 viewers since its launch.

Now the BBC Trust, who is responsible for changes of this nature, has launched a public consultation on proposals by the BBC ‘Executive’ (the corporation’s management) to make BBC Alba available on freeview. Submissions to the consultation must be lodged before 18 January 2010.

Currently there is insufficient bandwidth or capacity on the freeview channels to allow BBC Alba to be simply added on without removing other output. The proposals by the BBC management are to make space for BBC Alba by removing 13 radio channels (including Radios 1 – 7, Radio nan Gàidheal, and the World Service) from this platform, in Scotland only, and only during the hours at which BBC Alba is transmitted. This is currently 5pm – 11.30pm each weekday, and after 4pm at weekends.

All of these radio stations would continue to be fully available by AM/FM transmission or through DAB radio sets. Their withdrawal during those times would only affect those who access the broadcasts via freeview boxes or digital televisions. It is estimated that this could affect some 60,000–90,000 people/130,000 listening hours – representing approximately 1% of all radio listening. By contrast it is estimated that making BBC Alba output available on freeview would help the channel reach an additional 150,000–180,000 people, generating an additional 250,000 viewing hours. Radio listeners on the affected channels have widely-available alternative means of accessing those channels; no such alternatives exist for BBC Alba.

Convener of The Highland Council Councillor Sandy Park and Chairman of the Council’s Gaelic Committee, Councillor Hamish Fraser are writing to the BBC Trust to urge the BBC Trust to accept the proposal to make BBC Alba available on freeview.

Councillor Park said:  “The Council’s stance on this issue is quite clear – indeed we have written twice previously to the BBC Trust urging them to make the channel more widely available. So we welcome this review and the formal opportunity to make a submission. However it is perhaps just as important that members of the public and other organisations add their voice to this call and submit their support to this consultation, as I am sure that the number of positive responses received by the BBC Trust will no doubt have an influence on their decision.”

Chairman of The Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee, Councillor Hamish Fraser said: “We’ve felt since the outset that restricting access to the BBC Alba programming, by only making it available via satellite, was a poor decision. At a time when we’re striving to raise the profile and status of the Gaelic language it’s almost a matter of equality that as many people as possible should be able to access the channel. While I understand that some might be inconvenienced by the removal of the affected radio stations, they have readily and easily available alternatives – for BBC Alba viewers there is no choice at the moment. I urge everyone interested to write to the BBC Trust to voice their support.”

Information on the BBC Trust's consultation is available at this link.