Nicola Sturgeon has distanced herself from those who "hurled abuse" at a respected TV journalist.
Sarah Smith - who last year stood down as editor of BBC Scotland - this week told of her "relief" at moving to the US for a new job after the "bile" she received while reporting on Scottish politics.
Smith said she had been subject to "misogynistic" ideas that she would follow the political ideology of her father – former Labour leader John Smith.
