THE BBC has issued a response after a senior journalist described The National as "propaganda".
The National contacted the corporation after Douglas Fraser, the business and economy editor at Pacific Quay, used the language twice while explaining the political landscape of the Scottish media on an episode of Radio 4's Media Show.
During the panel appearance, the editor suggested that independence hadn't been as important for newspaper sales and loyalty as expected after the 2014 referendum.
"One title with a strong propaganda approach to supporting independence, The National, a sister paper of The Herald, based in Glasgow, makes some waves politically through its propaganda," Fraser told the programme.
BBC Scotland has now responded, saying it accepts that the word "propaganda" should not have been used. However, an apology was not issued.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: "In a live BBC radio interview Douglas was making the point that the National is strongly supportive of one side of the constitutional debate, but we accept he should not have used the word propaganda."
During the Radio 4 interview, Fraser argued that it didn't seem there was "much to be gained commercially" from taking sides on the constitutional debate.
The National, founded in 2014, is explicitly pro-independence. It does not support any one particular political party. The newspaper is marking its 10th anniversary in November.
