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SLG

Gaelic TV channel gets £16.8m go-ahead

About time too!

Quote:
Gaelic TV channel gets £16.8m go-ahead

The Scotsman, 29.4.06

A DEDICATED Gaelic TV channel for Scotland was given the go-ahead
last night, with its launch expected within a year.

The £16.8 million-a-year digital service, to be run and funded by BBC
Scotland and the Gaelic Media Service (GMS), will offer programmes
across digital TV, radio and the web.

The announcement last night follows months of talks between the BBC
and GMS, which was set up in 2003 by the government to promote Gaelic
in Scotland.

The channel is expected to provide one and a half hours of original
programming a day, including news, which will be supplemented with
repeats. The network is likely to run from early morning until
midnight and is expected to be available across digital terrestrial,
satellite and cable TV.

There are about 92,000 Gaelic speakers in Scotland. However, the
backers of the new channel hope that shows such as music programmes
will broaden its appeal to a wider audience.

John Angus Mackay, director of the Gaelic Media Service, said: "It is
a historic moment to get the approval of the BBC board and the GMS
board to develop a channel to develop Gaelic services in the 21st
century."

Ken MacQuarrie, controller of BBC Scotland, added: "This is a
significant step towards the launch of a digital service for Gaelic
audiences."
azzuri

...brilliant news for the language! Very Happy
Babygael



BG sunny
Abieuan

Is ma sin,
although:
Quote:
The channel is expected to provide one and a half hours of original
programming a day, including news
That's not a lot, but several times better than things are at the moment.
Hopefully this is just a start, and the channel will grow, leading to more job opportunities in the media for Gàidhlig speakers.
Perhaps it may also encourage some that Gaelic Medium Education will widen childrens oppotunities.

Quote:
is expected to be available across digital terrestrial,
satellite and cable TV.
Unfortunately, many people do not have digital tv yet, but this will change rapidly over the next three or four years.

Quote:
backers of the new channel hope that shows such as music programmes
will broaden its appeal to a wider audience.

Indeed, i would like them show music programmes from the other Celtic countries too.
An agreement to screen music from TG4 (Irish) and TV Breizh (Brittany) and have our shows played on their channels would help fill out the schedule a bit.
Abieuan

Quote:
Gaelic Broadcasting Agreement Reached

Glaschu - Glasgow, Tuesday, 02 May 2006 by Màrtainn MacLeòid

The establishment of a digital Gaelic television channel as part of an integrated broadcasting service is one step closer following an agreement between BBC Scotland and Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig (Gaelic Media Service – GMS).


Following months of discussion, the organisations have formed a partnership which will work together to create a new digital service for the Gaelic community. This will enable planning to commence on the establishment of a digital television, radio and internet service which it is hoped will begin broadcasting next year.


The service will be funded primarily through Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig Gaelic Media Service, which is financed by the Scottish Executive, with further funding through BBC Scotland. It is understood that around £16.8M per year will be available.

The project team formed by Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig and BBC Scotland will now start to examine in detail how the service might operate and be managed, the platforms on which it will be delivered and its scheduling and content. Following this work, it is planned to apply for a broadcasting licence.

Despite progress, however, concerns remain amongst the Gaelic community. The funding currently available is only likely to be sufficient to allow the screening of a few hours of Gaelic television per week. It is also unlikely to be enough to allow the channel to be broadcast on both digital terrestrial television (Freeview) and on digital satellite. Unless the service is available on both platforms, a large number of Gaelic speakers will be unable to view the new channel.


The controversial issue of where the headquarters of the new service should be based will also have to be addressed. At present, the centres of Gaelic broadcasting are Glasgow, Inverness and Stornoway. (Eurolang 2006)


Links:
BBC Alba: www.bbc.co.uk/alba
Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig: www.gms.org.uk

http://www.eurolang.net/index.php...;id=2609&Itemid=1&lang=en
SLG

As far as I can see, there is progress, but still no real timtable for anything happening.
wisnaeme

Abieuan wrote:

Indeed, i would like them show music programmes from the other Celtic countries too.
An agreement to screen music from TG4 (Irish) and TV Breizh (Brittany) and have our shows played on their channels would help fill out the schedule a bit.



Aye,it's a step in the right direction. More imput from other countries and not just from other celtic communities in Eire,France,Spain but also from the Irish,Welsh and Scottish diasphora in Canada,New Zealand,Australia and all other points of the compass where decendents of the celt and gael are proud of their heritage.More programmes made in collaboration with those communities, a good example would be the excellent Highland Sessions series.More home grown produce which could be exported to other gaelic communities like the award winning Eorpa,one of the best programmes on European affairs to grace the small screen.By the very act of making these programmes and showing them to a wider audience will we not only strengthen our own rich heritage but encourage like minded folk abroad to do the same thus making new friends and discovering friends not yet met could be in the future very advantageous to Scotland by way of the goodwill and influence generated. Let us hope that the folk involved in this forth coming venture have learned by the past mistakes of others and will not make these programmes too inward looking. Smile

.
azzuri

I agree wisnaeme - I'd even watch that channel (if it had subtitles of course!) Smile
SLG

GAELIC SUPPORTERS SEE SECRET AGENDA

Aberdeen Press & Journal
08:50 - 22 May 2006

Highland councillors claim they are concerned that the Government is
secretly attempting to downgrade the proposed dedicated digital
channel for Gaelic television being provided as an opt-out from an
English-language channel.

Councillor Hamish Fraser, who chairs the council's Gaelic select
committee, said that while the latest letter from the executive had
talked of a Gaelic service, it had been very short on detail and had
shied away from mentioning a dedicated channel.

Mr Fraser said: "The letter we got from the minister for tourism,
culture and sport, Patricia Ferguson, mentions a Gaelic digital
television service.

"It doesn't mention a channel and we have to clarify just what the
executive is thinking on this issue.

"Our fear is that the Gaelic service will be lumped in with another
English-language channel. The way Gaelic TV programmes are done just
now, they opt out of English language channels and that is not good
enough.

"To make progress we need a dedicated channel for Gaelic, with enough
hours every day to be able to call it a decent service and to give
Gaelic-speakers, and especially the children going through Gaelic-
medium schools, a sense that their language is of equal value and
getting the same respect as English."

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