JUST why Scottish broadcasting matters is to be the subject of a series of articles on allmediascotland.com, in association with cultural organisation, the Saltire Society.
On Thursday, the series begins with the Saltire Society stating its own position. Weekly, thereafter, the series will grow with essays from various media and non-media commentators, beginning with Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at Glasgow University.
The timing could hardly be more appropriate, given weekend reports that the heads of both ITV and BBC believe Scotland is suffering a lack of good programme ideas – including an excellent piece by Steven Vass in yesterday’s Sunday Herald, here.
Plus, on Wednesday, Rob Woodward – chief executive of SMG, owners of stv – set the challenge of his company massively increasing its share of ITV network commissions (read more, here).
Spookily, at a conference recently hosted by the Saltire Society on Scottish broadcasting, it was suggested to stv’s director of television, Bobby Hain, that a future strategy might include recruiting a group of ‘maverick geniuses’, with the aim of creating an ideas factory – not least because TV formats are a global market.
The suggestion came from, er, allmediascotland.com
