Audience Council Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Audience Council Scotland (ACS) was created upon establishment of the BBC Trust
in January 2007. It replaced the Broadcasting Council for Scotland which had many responsibilities the present Council now has.
ACS plays a key role helping the BBC Trust
understand the needs, interests and concerns of audiences in Scotland. The ACS is chaired by the BBC Trustee for Scotland and consists of 11 members who bring a range of interests, experience and perspectives to the work of representing the audience in Scotland. The Council meets at least 11 times per year to assess and advise the BBC Trust
.
The ACS holds a number of public engagement events throughout the year across the country and meets monthly to discuss issues concerning audiences. ACS engages with audiences in a range of ways, it monitors comments made by audiences to the BBC
, reviews audience research, and may commission its own, ACS engages directly with members of the audience via focus groups and a range of audience events. Recent examples of the ACS advising the BBC Trust were the Nations and Regions Impartiality Review and the launch of BBC Alba (TV channel)
The Council reports to the BBC Trust monthly on issues of concern to licence payers in Scotland and presents an annual report to the BBC Trust. The ACS monitors the performance of the BBC against the Public Purposes set for it in the Royal Charter and Agreement. The ACS also publishes an account of its activities and assessment in the BBC Scotland Annual Review
There are other councils for the other three nations in Wales
, England
and Northern Ireland.
and the Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors, Sir Alexander Cadogan.
The minutes show that the Council offered strategic guidance on many key broadcasting issues over the years; from the extension of the transmitter network to the north and west to the development of BBC television output for Scotland in the 1950s. 'The prime need', wrote the Council in its section of the BBC Annual Handbook in 1958, 'is to correct the inescapable predominance of English and metropolitan interests'.
In 1975 the National Governor of the time, Lady Avonside, recommended to the Annan Committee
on broadcasting that there should be more Scottish material, the development of community radio.
The Council played a distinctive role in the debate which led to the launch of a national radio service - BBC Radio Scotland
- in 1978, under National Governor Professor Alan Thompson.
in 1999, the Council, under National Governor Rev. Norman Drummond, argued for a change in the nature of news programming in Scotland in the debate on the Scottish Six.
The Council commissioned a review of BBC news in Scotland in 2003. Although 38% of those surveyed said they would prefer an integrated news programme from Scotland, 45% preferred the 6-7pm 'news hour' arrangements which were already in place.
The governance of the BBC was reorganised at the end of 2006. 'A Public Service for All: the BBC in the Digital Age', published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, stated that 'the Government believes that the Councils, or their successors, still have a valuable role to play within the Trust's wider accountability framework' as a starting point, the Charter and Agreement will provide for the Broadcasting Councils to be replaced by new Audience Councils for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
When the BBC Trust replaced the BBC Board of Governors in January 2007, the Broadcasting Council was disbanded and replaced by the BBC Audience Council for Scotland. BBC National Governor for Scotland, Jeremy Peat
, took over the chair of the new Council as BBC Trustee for Scotland.
BBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
in January 2007. It replaced the Broadcasting Council for Scotland which had many responsibilities the present Council now has.
ACS plays a key role helping the BBC Trust
BBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
understand the needs, interests and concerns of audiences in Scotland. The ACS is chaired by the BBC Trustee for Scotland and consists of 11 members who bring a range of interests, experience and perspectives to the work of representing the audience in Scotland. The Council meets at least 11 times per year to assess and advise the BBC Trust
BBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
.
The ACS holds a number of public engagement events throughout the year across the country and meets monthly to discuss issues concerning audiences. ACS engages with audiences in a range of ways, it monitors comments made by audiences to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, reviews audience research, and may commission its own, ACS engages directly with members of the audience via focus groups and a range of audience events. Recent examples of the ACS advising the BBC Trust were the Nations and Regions Impartiality Review and the launch of BBC Alba (TV channel)
The Council reports to the BBC Trust monthly on issues of concern to licence payers in Scotland and presents an annual report to the BBC Trust. The ACS monitors the performance of the BBC against the Public Purposes set for it in the Royal Charter and Agreement. The ACS also publishes an account of its activities and assessment in the BBC Scotland Annual Review
There are other councils for the other three nations in Wales
Audience Council Wales
The Audience Council Wales was created upon establishment of the BBC Trust in January 2007. It replaced the Broadcasting Council for Wales which had many responsibilities the present council now has. ACW plays a key role helping the BBC Trust understand the needs, interests and concerns of audiences...
, England
Audience Council England
Audience Council England was created upon establishment of the BBC Trust in January 2007. It replaced the Broadcasting Council of England which had many responsibilities the present council now has. ACE plays a key role helping the BBC Trust understand the needs, interests and concerns of audiences...
and Northern Ireland.
Members
- Jeremy PeatJeremy PeatJeremy Peat is a member of the Competition Commission and the Director of the David Hume Institute. He is also chairman of the BBC Pension Trust. He is a former member of the BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation, where he was the Scottish Trustee.-Career:Peat...
Chair and National Trustee for Scotland (reappointed 2008) - Robert Beveridge
- Douglas Chalmers
- James Cohen
- Beth Culshaw
- David Garrick
- Patricia Jordan
- Eleanor Logan
- Sir Neil McIntosh
- Rak Nandwani
- Callum Thomson
- Lesley Thomson
1950s
The Broadcasting Council for Scotland held its first meeting on 14 January 1953, chaired by BBC National Governor for Scotland, Lord Clydesmuir. Held in Broadcasting House, 5 Queen Street, Edinburgh, the meeting was attended by the BBC's Director General, Ian JacobIan Jacob
Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Ian Claud Jacob GBE, CB, , known as Ian Jacob, was the Military Assistant Secretary to Winston Churchill's war cabinet and later a distinguished broadcasting executive, serving as the Director-General of the BBC from 1952 to 1960.-Early life:Jacob was born in 1899 in...
and the Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors, Sir Alexander Cadogan.
The minutes show that the Council offered strategic guidance on many key broadcasting issues over the years; from the extension of the transmitter network to the north and west to the development of BBC television output for Scotland in the 1950s. 'The prime need', wrote the Council in its section of the BBC Annual Handbook in 1958, 'is to correct the inescapable predominance of English and metropolitan interests'.
1960s and 70s
The Broadcasting Council's brief was extended to include television output in Scotland in 1962.In 1975 the National Governor of the time, Lady Avonside, recommended to the Annan Committee
Annan Committee
The Annan Committee on the future of broadcasting was established in April 1974 to discuss the United Kingdom broadcasting industry, including new technologies and their funding, the role and funding of the BBC, Independent Broadcasting Authority and programme standards.In February 1977 the...
on broadcasting that there should be more Scottish material, the development of community radio.
The Council played a distinctive role in the debate which led to the launch of a national radio service - BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
- in 1978, under National Governor Professor Alan Thompson.
Recent History
In the run-up to the re-convening of the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
in 1999, the Council, under National Governor Rev. Norman Drummond, argued for a change in the nature of news programming in Scotland in the debate on the Scottish Six.
The Council commissioned a review of BBC news in Scotland in 2003. Although 38% of those surveyed said they would prefer an integrated news programme from Scotland, 45% preferred the 6-7pm 'news hour' arrangements which were already in place.
The governance of the BBC was reorganised at the end of 2006. 'A Public Service for All: the BBC in the Digital Age', published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, stated that 'the Government believes that the Councils, or their successors, still have a valuable role to play within the Trust's wider accountability framework' as a starting point, the Charter and Agreement will provide for the Broadcasting Councils to be replaced by new Audience Councils for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
When the BBC Trust replaced the BBC Board of Governors in January 2007, the Broadcasting Council was disbanded and replaced by the BBC Audience Council for Scotland. BBC National Governor for Scotland, Jeremy Peat
Jeremy Peat
Jeremy Peat is a member of the Competition Commission and the Director of the David Hume Institute. He is also chairman of the BBC Pension Trust. He is a former member of the BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation, where he was the Scottish Trustee.-Career:Peat...
, took over the chair of the new Council as BBC Trustee for Scotland.
BBC National Governors and Trustees for Scotland
- Lord Clydesmuir (1952-4)
- Thomas JohnstonThomas JohnstonThomas "Tom" Johnston CH was a prominent Scottish socialist and politician of the early 20th century, a member of the Labour Party, a Member of Parliament and government minister – usually with Cabinet responsibility for Scottish affairs.-Red Clydesider:Johnston, the son of a middle-class...
(1955-6) - Earl of BalfourEarl of BalfourEarl of Balfour is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1922 for the prominent Conservative politician Arthur Balfour. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905 and Foreign Secretary from 1916 to 1919...
(1956-60) - Sir David Milne (1960-65)
- Lady Baird (1965-70)
- Lady Avonside (1971-6)
- Professor Alan ThompsonAlan ThompsonAlan Thompson is an English former professional footballer.Throughout his career, he made 550 appearances at 6 different clubs...
(1976-9) - Dr (later Sir) Roger Young (1979-84)
- Watson Peat (1984-9)
- Sir Graham HillsGraham John HillsSir Graham Hills FRSE is a physical chemist, a writer in educational theory and practice, and was Principal of the University of Strathclyde and a Governor of the BBC. He was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex and was educated at Westcliff High School for Boys and Birkbeck College, London...
(1989-94) - Rev. Norman Drummond (1994-99)
- Sir Robert Smith (1999-2004)
- Jeremy PeatJeremy PeatJeremy Peat is a member of the Competition Commission and the Director of the David Hume Institute. He is also chairman of the BBC Pension Trust. He is a former member of the BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation, where he was the Scottish Trustee.-Career:Peat...
(2005-)
See also
- BBC TrustBBC TrustThe BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
- BBC ScotlandBBC ScotlandBBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
- BBC AlbaBBC AlbaBBC Gàidhlig is the department of BBC Scotland that produces Scottish Gaelic language programming. This includes TV programmes for BBC Alba and BBC Two Scotland, the BBC Radio nan Gàidheal radio station and the BBC Alba website.-Television:...
- Audience Council EnglandAudience Council EnglandAudience Council England was created upon establishment of the BBC Trust in January 2007. It replaced the Broadcasting Council of England which had many responsibilities the present council now has. ACE plays a key role helping the BBC Trust understand the needs, interests and concerns of audiences...
- Audience Council WalesAudience Council WalesThe Audience Council Wales was created upon establishment of the BBC Trust in January 2007. It replaced the Broadcasting Council for Wales which had many responsibilities the present council now has. ACW plays a key role helping the BBC Trust understand the needs, interests and concerns of audiences...
- Scottish Broadcasting CommissionScottish Broadcasting CommissionThe Scottish Broadcasting Commission was established by the Scottish Government in August 2007. Its purpose is to conduct an independent investigation into television production and broadcasting in Scotland, and to define a strategic way forward for the industry...