BBC ALBA approved for Freeview carriage.
By MURDO MORRISON
It has been a long wait for partners MG ALBA and BBC. On Sept. 19, 2008, when BBC ALBA was launched on satellite to 40 percent of homes in Scotland, the partners knew that a full review of the channel’s performance was scheduled to take place within two years. One national newspaper even carried the headline “New Gaelic channel set up to fail”. The reasons? First BBC ALBA had to get through the review before the BBC Trust would allow it to be carried to all homes in Scotland on free-to-air digital terrestrial television, or Freeview as it is known in the UK. Secondly, to achieve this goal as a Gaelic TV channel, BBC ALBA had to prove that it could attract four times more viewers than there are speakers of the language. The channel certainly had doubters before it launched, hence the headline.
So how did the partners go about making BBC ALBA a success with audiences? We focused on two core audience targets: the Gaelic speaking and learning community and the wider non-Gaelic speaking audience.
|
Gaelic speakers want a channel to tune into daily for news and information, for events and music, and for children’s programs. And non-speakers will come to BBC ALBA if we regularly offer them something they want that they cannot get elsewhere – programs where the language will not be a barrier, such as high quality sports coverage, music, and compelling documentaries with English subtitles.
It was critical that the channel provided viewers something different while offering the same high quality as other top UK channels. A new business model was required due to the tight budget, and just like our audience focus the model also has two parts.
We set up some long-term production deals with trusted independent companies to provide high volume quality programming, and with the remainder of our budget we set up a regular open competition for the best program ideas. By using this mixed model we get a good blend of programs: long-term strands of consistent quality, and short series and one-offs that are distinctive, different and at times draw critical acclaim.
In Oct. 2009, the BBC Trust started a public consultation and review of BBC ALBA, commissioning specific research and reports.
The trust received more than 5,000 submissions and opinions. The findings were published on Dec. 21, 20. The Trust concluded that BBC ALBA is performing well and achieving its aims. Specific conclusions included:
- BBC ALBA serves Gaelic speakers well and is attracting over four non-Gaelic speakers for every Gaelic speaking viewer;
- The service is making strong progress towards attracting new speakers to the Gaelic language with strong links to educational partners;
- The partnership between MG ALBA and the BBC is operating well and engaging well with the independent production sector in Scotland.
BBC ALBA’s Head of Service Margaret Mary Murray and the joint MG ALBA/BBC team who produce the daily shows can be rightfully proud that their hard work has been recognized.
“We are absolutely delighted by the decision, and most importantly it will provide the opportunity for people across Scotland to have access to the channel that they have been unable to enjoy to date,” said Alasdair Morrison, Chairman of MG ALBA.
“Over the last two years, BBC ALBA has done everything that was asked of it and we have created a raft of home-grown programs appealing to both Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers, which have made a very positive contribution to Scottish broadcasting and the country’s creative industries. The viewers like what they see and viewing figures have remained steady around 220,000 per week which compares very favorably with other digital channels in Scotland.”
So what’s next?
In 2011, BBC ALBA will take its place in Scottish mainstream television and for the first time will be carried on Freeview and on the cable network. Hopefully BBC iPlayer will carry some of the programs worldwide. But we know, a lot of hard work lies ahead as we prepare to make the channel available to all Scottish viewers.
For more information, visit BBC ALBA: www.bbcalba.co.uk, and MG ALBA: www.mgalba.com.
ENDS
Murdo Morrison is the Marketing and Audience Communications Executive with a remit for both MG ALBA and BBC ALBA. He has been in the post since May 2008.
Morrison is originally from Broadford on the island of Skye and now lives in Stornoway on the island of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland.
