Your Noon Briefing: Agriculture awards success for The Courier, MG ALBA, etc

THE Dundee-based daily newspaper, The Courier, has been awarded the Stuart Seaton Regional Newspaper of The Year prize by the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists.

Says the paper’s publisher, here: “Praised for its clear and informative nature of farming coverage, the DC Thomson newspaper title’s agricultural content was recognised by the judging panel.”

And DC Thomson continues: “The Courier’s farming editor, Ewan Pate, was named Regional Farming Journalist of The Year at the reception. He collected both awards at the Royal Highland Show event last week.”

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SCOTLAND’S Gaelic broadcaster, MG ALBA, is to “broaden its horizons to international TV and productions, and increase its appeal to young viewers” – according to a report in today’s Herald.

Says the paper, here, the Gaelic media service (which co-runs BBC ALBA with the BBC), is expected to show, in an annual report being published today, that Gaelic broadcasting contributes £23m to the creative industries.

Writes arts correspondent, Phil Miller: “The company is now to re-emphasise its international credentials, encouraging production companies to work with foreign companies to make programmes that can be shown at home and abroad.”

Read more, here, including about the annual report, in a media release posted on allmediascotland by Media House International.

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BEGINS a Scottish Government media release: “The Scottish Government’s role in the future of the BBC will be guaranteed in a Memorandum of Understanding between it, the UK Government, Scottish Parliament and the BBC.

“The agreement follows interventions from Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, to ensure the Scottish Government is consulted in the whole process of charter renewal.

“The MoU has been agreed by Scottish and UK Ministers and is expected to be considered and voted on by the Scottish Parliament next week.”

Read more, here.

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A FORMER political editor of the Daily Record – and much more recently, the ‘spin doctor’ for ex Scottish Labour leader, Johann Lamont – is reported to have joined a tax commission set up by the Scottish Tories.

Says the Sunday Herald, Paul Sinclair has joined other members – including business writer, Bill Jamieson – on the Commission for Competitive and Fair Taxation in Scotland.

Read more, here.

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BEGINS The Scotsman: “ScotlandIS, the trade body for the digital technologies industry, has unveiled the winners of the fifth annual Digital Technology Awards.

“The cream of Scotland’s digital technology companies attended the sold-out event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 18 June, which celebrated the continuing success of the sector.

“The big winner on the night was FanDuel, which scooped four awards, including the much-coveted Digital Technology Business of the Year gong, beating off competition from Edge Testing Solutions, Kotikan and Cooper Software to do so.”

Read more, here.

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