THE FUTURE OF THE B.B.C.
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The report of the Ullswater Committee is, no doubt, satisfactory from the points of view of the Governors of the B.B.C. and of London. But is it so satisfactory from the points of view of Scotland and Wales ? I do not refer to Northern Ireland, as the Parliament there can well look after the interests of Ulster. Scotland and Wales have no such protection.
• The report makes a suggestion that Wales should be made into a " region," and casually mentions Wales in connexion with school broadcasting. The Governors of the B.B.C. apparently reject the suggestion as impracticable.
In regard to Scotland, the report casually mentions Scotland as a " region " on a par with the different regions of England : but it realises that in regard to 'schools Scotland requires an independent Council 'to co' ntrol broadcasting. If Scottish schools require independent broadcasts, so does Scotland generally ; whether one considers ethnology or geography, history or law, religion or language; Scotland differs from England—and especially from southern England and London. If an independent Council for school broadcasting is Possible in Scotland, so is an independent Board of Governors to control all broadcasting in Scotland.
The Committee recommends that in respect of broad questiong of pciliey and culture broadcasting should 'be under the control of a Cabinet Minister other than the Postmaster- General. In regard to Scotland, the only Minister' whose primary interests lie in Scotland, and who has an office in Scotland, is the Secretary of State for Scotland, who. ought to control all broadcasting in Scotland.
From paragraph 24 of the report it would appear (though the paragraph is by no means clear or well-expressed) that only 33 per cent. of the time of one transmitter in a region consists of items originating within that region. Of the so- called " National " programme practically nothing originates in Scotland : that is arranged by London for London. So, of total broadcasting time in Scotland, only about 20 per cent. or less originates in Scotland. Whether one considers the cultural or the financial side, Scotland is not getting fair play.
On the financial side it is almost certain that Scottish licence money is being spent in England, thus minimising the possibility of improving Scottish programmes and discouraging Scottish talent. On the cultural side, Scotland is flooded with Church of England services, in spite of the Established Church of Scotland being a Presbyterian one ; we are constantly lectured about English law and customs, to the exclusion of Scottish law and customs ; we are told about the King of England, English Mandates, English this and English that, contrary to both English and Scottish law ; we have English charitable appeals constantly broadcast in Scotland but Scottish appeals carefully excluded from England ; Scotland is constantly subjected to broadcasts which, however excellent from the English point of view, are definitely untrue, -mis- chievous or second-rate from the Scottish point of view.
The report of the Ullswater Committee does -not deal-with
the more urgent problems of broadcasting in Scotland, how- ever excellent it may be for London. Further consideration of broadcasting in Scotland and Wales is necessary before the charter of the B.B.C. is extended.—Yours truly, J. B. L MACKAY.
30 St. Albans Road, Edinburgh, 9.
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