Your Noon Briefing: Sturgeon and the BBC (more), STV half-year results, etc

BEGINS The Herald: “The BBC is to appoint its first Scotland editor as a response to the vociferous criticism of its coverage of the referendum.

“The Corporation will shortly advertise the new post, and hope to appoint journalist to the high profile role by the end of October.

“The Scotland editor will report on Scotland and its issues for the UK BBC network while being based in Scotland.

“It comes as Nicola Sturgeon [yesterday, at the Edinburgh International Television Festival] claimed the BBC’s coverage of last year’s independence referendum was unfair.”

Read here, for more. And the paper’s Alison Rowat pens a column headed – in the paper – ‘Beeb should beware hand of friendship from Sturgeon’, and online, ‘Beleaguered Beeb must be kept out of politicians’ clutches’. Read it, here.

The Scotsman devotes its pages six and seven to yesterday’s festival – which finishes today, here.

And read Sturgeon’s speech, here, on allmediascotland.com.

Meanwhile, writes The Guardian’s Scotland editor, Severin Carrell: “Nicola Sturgeon’s ambitious proposals for new BBC TV and radio channels in Scotland are based heavily on an official BBC blueprint that was scrapped after the latest £750m funding cuts, the Guardian can reveal.

“Sources close to the BBC have confirmed that its executives drew up plans for a new Scotland-only TV channel and an extra radio service funded by the licence fee, as part of the Corporation’s proposals for the renewal of its Charter.”

Read more, here.

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BBC One was yesterday named TV Channel of the Year at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, with one of its programmes – Happy Valley – chosen as New Programme of the Year.

At the Edinburgh Television Awards – hosted by Scots comedian, Frankie Boyle – the other winners were:

* Red Production Company, producer of Happy Valley, which scooped the gong for Production Company of the Year.

* New category, Best Online Innovation Award, went to Reverse the Odds, for Channel 4’s Stand Up to Cancer show.

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AND The Herald also reports: “STV has seen its half-year profit dragged lower as a result of the start-up costs relating to its city television offerings.

“Chief executive, Rob Woodward, also said he sees ‘no reason’ for STV’s independent status to change even as ITV is reported to have been in talks to acquire UTV’s Channel 3 licence.

“That came as STV saw revenue in the first six months of the year dip two per cent from £54.7 million to £53.6m mainly because of its production unit falling from £3.9m to £1.7m.”

Read more, here.

And read the half-year results, here.

The Scotsman reports the results on its page 39.

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PLUS The Guardian’s Mark Sweney reports: “The chief executive of Scottish broadcaster, STV, is in discussions with regulators to take over BBC3’s slot on Freeview when the TV channel is shut next year.

“STV, which holds the ITV franchise for Scotland, also runs two local TV stations out of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

“The stations air in channel slot 23 on Freeview, whereas all other local TV stations across England, Wales and Northern Ireland air on the much more highly-coveted eighth position on the electronic programme guide.”

Read more, here.

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THE nominations have been revealed for certain categories at an awards competition, with ‘media planning/buying’ among them.

The Scottish Creative Awards – run by the publishers of the media and marketing magazine, The Drum – have already announced most of its nominations (see here, on allmediascotland.com) for the awards ceremony taking place in October.

But the following categories have had their nominations just revealed: PR strategy/stunt, design, digital/social media, media planning/buying and advertising.

Read more, here.

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SEEN anything you think readers of www.allmediascotland.com should be made aware of? Then just send the weblink to here and we’ll do the rest. All suggestions gratefully received. We’re back at noon on Monday.