15/08/2008

Devolution, eh? Or, perhaps more accurately, division among the Tories? Certainly, there was a distinct Scotland-England split among the Conservative ranks on Wednesday’s news that a digital TV channel, dedicated to Gaelic language programming, is launching next month.

While Tory MSP, Ted Brocklebank, was welcoming the initiative - which has the BBC as one of two partners - his Member of Parliament colleague, John Whittingdale was, to say the least, slightly less enthusiastic. 

Brocklebank is the Tories' Scottish culture spokesperson; Whittingdale is chair of the Commons' culture, media and sport select committee.

In The Guardian, Brocklebank was quoted, saying: "This is very welcome news. The Scottish Conservatives have long had an excellent record in promoting Gaelic broadcasting. Indeed it was under a Conservative government, and with the full support of the Scottish Office, that the Gaelic Broadcasting Fund was set up in the 1980s.”

But in the online edition of The Daily Mail, Whittingdale was being reported, saying something a tad different: “This is a channel that will be watched by a minuscule amount of people. How the BBC can afford to spend £11 million a year on such a niche channel whilst at the same time complaining about its resources being stretched, I just don't know.

“If in Scotland they feel it is important to preserve the language in this way, then I suggest it something that Scottish Parliament should fund themselves.”

The channel is launching on the 19th of next month.

* Send your Scottish media news and gossip, in the strictest confidence, to  info@allmediascotland.com