It's absolutely scandelous that the BBC should be dumping their entire radio output in Scotland to deliver a channel which can only be understood by around 50,000!
Goodness knows why such a lot of money and resourses arfe being squandered on what is a minority language. The iPlayer and satellite are the most appropriste places for this type of programming and it should be delivered on a subscription basis so that the vast majority who can't understand it don't have to subsidise it.
Tv channels have first priority on Freeview. Radio has FM and DAB. Radio has no place on Television.
But what about those who cannot receive DAB stations which are not on FM? I live only c15 miles from Divis transmitter and have breakup on my DAB radio.
There are significant areas of Scotland where DAB is not available so removing BBC Radio services denies Scottish listeners of all the additional digital only channels like 6 Music, BBC7, 1 Xtra, World Service etc.
The most sensible solution to this issue would be to transmit BBC Alba on DTT only in those areas that have a decent penetration of Galiec speakers in the same way as they used to back in the 60's & 70's on analogue tv.
There are significant areas of Scotland where DAB is not available so removing BBC Radio services denies Scottish listeners of all the additional digital only channels like 6 Music, BBC7, 1 Xtra, World Service etc.
The most sensible solution to this issue would be to transmit BBC Alba on DTT only in those areas that have a decent penetration of Galiec speakers in the same way as they used to back in the 60's & 70's on analogue tv.
What then about the Rugby fans who want to see Glasgow/Edinburgh (hardly Galiec areas)? Could they not rather get rid of a lot of the 'dross' channels on Freeview e.g. Adult ones and keep radio ones?
What then about the Rugby fans who want to see Glasgow/Edinburgh (hardly Galiec areas)? Could they not rather get rid of a lot of the 'dross' channels on Freeview e.g. Adult ones and keep radio ones?
The BBC can only get rid of channels they own. The adult channels timeshare with other channels like Channel One. But they have started to disappear , but as they are only on air for a few hours a night don't expect any new channels to come to Freeview
The BBC can only get rid of channels they own. The adult channels timeshare with other channels like Channel One. But they have started to disappear , but as they are only on air for a few hours a night don't expect any new channels to come to Freeview
I think it is scandalous that the spectrum space was sold of had it not there would be room for both TV and Radio
This.
One redeeming feature of this plan is that it is a further nail in the coffin of the analogue radio switch off plan.
I can't find an up to date listing of the bitrates and resolutions of post-DSO mux1, but it would be interesting to see how the TV and radio services compare.
Paul89 - The BBC is very much in favour of it's radio stations, it's just that this is the only viable and cheap way to get BBC Alba on Freeview. BBC Alba has earned it's right to stay, as concluded by the BBC Trust, and by going on Freeview will increase it's viewership by up to an extra 197,000 people. TV stations have targets, and if that means temporarily replacing radio stations [including the Gaelic one] for 7 hours a day, then that is what the BBC will do.
wavejockglw - If you'd read the reports you would see that 220,000 people watch the channel and most of these viewers are in the 16-34 age group and are speakers/learners of Gaelic - it's not just Gaelic speakers who watch. [These figures alone go against the whole misconception that Gaelic "is dead or only spoken by old biddies"]. As for the costs, if you want to moan about money being wasted I suggest you look towards the government who spend similar amounts of money on varying other projects every year which fail miserably.
michael777 - Nobody is "scrapping" anything. The radio stations will only be off-air for 7 hours. The BBC Trust report found that, at the most, only around 1,500 people will actually be without any form of radio during these 7 hours.
wavejockglw - Thing is, now that Gaelic speakers are throughout the country, it would be very difficult to broadcast BBC Alba to "Gaelic only areas". You've got Glasgow itself with over 10,000 Gaelic speakers, then Edinburgh with over 6,500, Inverness with over 6,000, Inner Isles are roughly 40% Gaelic speaking on average and the Outer Hebrides are around 75% on average. Even up the far North-West coast, 15-20% of that area is Gaelic speaking.
People also need to stop looking at BBC Alba as a channel just for "Gaelic folk". It encompasses the whole of Scotland, and Europe, a lot better than any other TV channel available. An Là is probably one of the best informative Scottish News shows you can find, Eòrpa is very in depth regarding European problems as a whole and Dè Tha Dol is a very informative 5 minute show telling you what's on in your area etc. BBC Alba also airs many Scottish sporting events that wouldn't see the light of day on other channels as they are not deemed "important" enough and lest we forget that BBC Alba uses only Scottish companies to make their TV shows.
People need to get off their high horses and accept the fact that after 2.5 years BBC Alba has earned itself a rightful place on Freeview and all the positive reviews that it garners. If you read the BBC Trust reports, you'll even see that BBC Alba has the 3rd highest appreciation rate of all the BBC TV channels - behind only BBC1 and BBC4.
Seconded. I'd swap some radio stations for a TV channel any day, especially considering a radio is a total waste of the visual aspect a television lets you enjoy!
Also, people are going on about 13 radio stations being replaced by a Gaelic channel, whilst forgetting that one of the stations is IN Gaelic!!
And also Asian Network is due to close before BBC Alba launches on Freeview, so really its only 11. And 6 of these are available on bog-standard FM/AM radios, online, on DAB.......
Paul89
Posts: 235
Comments
Goodness knows why such a lot of money and resourses arfe being squandered on what is a minority language. The iPlayer and satellite are the most appropriste places for this type of programming and it should be delivered on a subscription basis so that the vast majority who can't understand it don't have to subsidise it.
I think they could have considered scrapping BBC Parliament, but even then I don't think that would have been the right move.
Commercial radio should see a big increase on DTT with the likes of Radio1 off the air.
had it not there would be room for both TV and Radio
however in the present shambles of DTT this is the right decision BBC ALBA should have been on Freeview years ago
But what about those who cannot receive DAB stations which are not on FM? I live only c15 miles from Divis transmitter and have breakup on my DAB radio.
The most sensible solution to this issue would be to transmit BBC Alba on DTT only in those areas that have a decent penetration of Galiec speakers in the same way as they used to back in the 60's & 70's on analogue tv.
What then about the Rugby fans who want to see Glasgow/Edinburgh (hardly Galiec areas)? Could they not rather get rid of a lot of the 'dross' channels on Freeview e.g. Adult ones and keep radio ones?
The BBC can only get rid of channels they own. The adult channels timeshare with other channels like Channel One. But they have started to disappear , but as they are only on air for a few hours a night don't expect any new channels to come to Freeview
Many thanks for that info - very well explained.
You're welcome
This.
One redeeming feature of this plan is that it is a further nail in the coffin of the analogue radio switch off plan.
I can't find an up to date listing of the bitrates and resolutions of post-DSO mux1, but it would be interesting to see how the TV and radio services compare.
wavejockglw - If you'd read the reports you would see that 220,000 people watch the channel and most of these viewers are in the 16-34 age group and are speakers/learners of Gaelic - it's not just Gaelic speakers who watch. [These figures alone go against the whole misconception that Gaelic "is dead or only spoken by old biddies"]. As for the costs, if you want to moan about money being wasted I suggest you look towards the government who spend similar amounts of money on varying other projects every year which fail miserably.
michael777 - Nobody is "scrapping" anything. The radio stations will only be off-air for 7 hours. The BBC Trust report found that, at the most, only around 1,500 people will actually be without any form of radio during these 7 hours.
wavejockglw - Thing is, now that Gaelic speakers are throughout the country, it would be very difficult to broadcast BBC Alba to "Gaelic only areas". You've got Glasgow itself with over 10,000 Gaelic speakers, then Edinburgh with over 6,500, Inverness with over 6,000, Inner Isles are roughly 40% Gaelic speaking on average and the Outer Hebrides are around 75% on average. Even up the far North-West coast, 15-20% of that area is Gaelic speaking.
People also need to stop looking at BBC Alba as a channel just for "Gaelic folk". It encompasses the whole of Scotland, and Europe, a lot better than any other TV channel available. An Là is probably one of the best informative Scottish News shows you can find, Eòrpa is very in depth regarding European problems as a whole and Dè Tha Dol is a very informative 5 minute show telling you what's on in your area etc. BBC Alba also airs many Scottish sporting events that wouldn't see the light of day on other channels as they are not deemed "important" enough and lest we forget that BBC Alba uses only Scottish companies to make their TV shows.
People need to get off their high horses and accept the fact that after 2.5 years BBC Alba has earned itself a rightful place on Freeview and all the positive reviews that it garners. If you read the BBC Trust reports, you'll even see that BBC Alba has the 3rd highest appreciation rate of all the BBC TV channels - behind only BBC1 and BBC4.
Also, people are going on about 13 radio stations being replaced by a Gaelic channel, whilst forgetting that one of the stations is IN Gaelic!!
And also Asian Network is due to close before BBC Alba launches on Freeview, so really its only 11. And 6 of these are available on bog-standard FM/AM radios, online, on DAB.......