“WHAT is the point of BBC Scotland?”
That’s a question that more than a few people were no doubt asking themselves if they’d tuned in hoping to learn about the big news of the day.
Tuesday morning saw First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, alongside Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, announce the launch of the Scottish Government’s “scene setter” for independence.
Focusing on the languishing state of the UK’s economy post-Brexit and comparative nations which Scotland could emulate with the powers of independence, the launch of the paper has been called the starting gun on a second indyref campaign.
Big news for Scotland. Not so big news for BBC Scotland.
The channel let the entire press conference pass by without so much as a mention – despite having a news ticker on the screen.
Even one hour after the document’s launch, when it might have been fair to assume that the broadcaster had got its act in gear, there was still not even a whisper on the channel.
Instead, the news ticker was cycling through eight presumably more important stories:
1: Rwanda asylum flight will take off, Truss insists.
The UK Government’s plot to send a grand total of seven people to Rwanda made the top of BBC Scotland’s ticker. An important story, but not one which broke on Tuesday.
2: EU set for legal action over UK Brexit deal changes.
Number two on the list was the UK Government again, this time their plan to rip up the very Brexit deal they signed. The Tories have pointed to the “doctrine of necessity” to justify its unilateral move. Unfortunately, this loophole is only open to states facing “grave and imminent peril”. In claiming the UK faces that, the Tories have tacitly admitted that their Brexit has done serious damage.
3: Instagram launches new parental controls in UK.
This was number three on the BBC Scotland news ticker a full hour after Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement. Don’t ask us why.
4: Rising prices see basic pay fall fastest since 2011.
The next story was about how pay is failing to keep up with the rising price of the cost-of-living. If only there was some kind of news relating to how Scotland could change its economic situation.
5: Parts of UK set to swelter in 30C temperatures.
A classic weather story makes BBC Scotland’s ticker. Wonder which “parts of UK” are due to swelter? England and Wales.
6: SNP MP must be suspended for sexual misconduct – panel.
Patrick Grady, the SNP’s former chief whip at Westminster, should be suspended after allegations of sexual misconduct, a Commons watchdog recommended. The first mention of the SNP. Are they up to anything else?
7: Lizzo changes derogatory lyric after backlash.
Nope, the SNP aren’t doing anything at all. Instead, US pop star Lizzo has changed a lyric in her song Grrrls after accusations it was derogatory to people with disabilities.
8: Thousands more railway workers to vote on strikes.
Another story that doesn’t relate to Scotland on the BBC Scotland ticker. And the final story one hour after Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement.
Eight stories. No mention of the independence paper launch.
Tell us again how well the channel is serving its audience.
