Politicians to lock horns in Scottish broadcasting debate

A SCOTTISH Nationalist MP and a Labour counterpart are to debate whether broadcasting should be devolved from Westminster to Holyrood, at one of the UK’s most important television conferences.

The Salford Conference (Television from the Nations & Regions) has lined up the SNP’s Peter Wishart, and Labour MP, David Cairns – a Minister at the Scotland Office – to speak at its event in January.

The conference is being held in the Lowry Centre in Salford on January 22.

Say organisers: “This will be the first opportunity for the industry and the public to discuss the future of broadcasting in Scotland since the establishment of the SNP Government’s Commission on broadcasting. The Salford Conference is the only major media conference which looks at broadcasting issues from a non-metropolitan perspective.”

Chair of the Scottish Broadcasting Commission, Blair Jenkins, has also accepted an invitation to attend.

Adds conference organiser Luise Nandy: “The issue of what happens to broadcasting in Scotland will affect the whole of the UK and we are delighted that the 2008 Salford Conference will be the first place where the public discussion on this important matter begins.”