.svg) Logo used since 2021 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Scotland[1] |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Picture format | 1080i/1080p[a]HDTV (downscaled to576i for theSDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | BBC |
| Sister channels | BBC One BBC Two BBC Three BBC Four BBC News BBC Parliament CBBC CBeebies BBC Alba |
| History | |
| Launched | 24 February 2019; 6 years ago (2019-02-24) |
| Replaced | BBC Two Scotland |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview (Scotland only) | Channel 9 (SD) Channel 108 (HD) |
| Streaming media | |
| BBC iPlayer | Watch live (UK Only) |
BBC Scotland (also referred to as theBBC Scotland channel) is a Scottish local free-to-airpublic broadcasttelevision channel owned and operated by theBBC Scotland division of theBBC. It airs a nightly lineup of entirely Scottish programming. The channel launched 24 February 2019, replacing theBBC Two Scotlandopt-out ofBBC Two, but operating as an autonomous channel (displacingBBC Four on Freeview in Scotland).
As of 2017,BBC Scotland had operatedregional variations ofBBC One andBBC Two for the Scottish region, as well as theGaelic channelBBC Alba. On 22 February 2017, BBC director generalLord Hall announced that the corporation planned to replaceBBC Two Scotland with a new, part-time BBC Scotland television channel, focused exclusively on Scottish programming. A feature of the channel would be an hour-long 9:00 p.m. weeknight newscast produced from Scotland, covering national and international headlines from a Scottish perspective. The proposed newscast was compared to the frequentproposals for a Scotland opt-out of theBBC News at Six. Hall also announced that the BBC would increase its overall spending on factual and drama productions in Scotland by £20 million annually.[2][3]
Ofcom granted provisional approval to the new service in April 2018, but showed concerns for its proposal to only dedicate half of its lineup to new programmes (seeing it as removing potential opportunities for independent producers), and directed the BBC to ensure that the channel does not have an undue impact on competing news outlets (including newspapers and other broadcasters, with the former expressing concern that the BBC would poach employees from newspapers to build its expanded Scotland news operation).[4] Ofcom granted final approval to the service in June 2018: the BBC subsequently announced a planned launch for February 2019. The channel will be allocated £32 million in annual funding.[5][6]
In preparation for the launch of the new channel, BBC Two Scotland was discontinued and replaced by the networked version beginning 18 February.[7] BBC Scotland launched 24 February at 7:00 p.m.; it signed on with an introductory video, featuring a performance of "Miracle" by the Scottish synthpop groupChvrches, accompanied by theBBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Its first programme was a variety special (A Night at the Theatre) hosted by comedianIain Stirling. Opening night programming also included the broadcast television premiere of the documentaryNae Pasaran, the one-offBurnistoun specialBurnistoun Tunes In, and the ninth and final series premiere ofStill Game.[8] Viewership peaked at 700,000.[9]
BBC Scotland's main broadcast hours are 7:00 p.m. to midnight and outside of these hours, it simulcastsBBC Radio Scotland. At least 95% of programming must be of Scottish origin, and the BBC stated that roughly half of its programming would be new.
Initially, the channel simulcast the BBC Two schedule between midday and 7pm with surrounding continuity from BBC Scotland, thereby accommodating the daytime sport and political programming opt-outs which had been displaced following the closure ofBBC Two Scotland.[10]
The first main programme to air on BBC Scotland was the 9th series premiere ofStill Game on the channel's first day.[11]
The channel’s first drama commissionGuilt was a significant success, receiving a strong critical reception and winning a number of awards.Guilt has gone on to be broadcast around the world.
BBC Scotland's flagship news programme wasThe Nine, an hour-long weeknight newscast which reports on UK and international news from a Scottish perspective. The program aired on Mondays through Thursdays.[12] On Fridays and weekends, the channel aired a shorter, 7 p.m. bulletin,The Seven; it aired for a half hour on Fridays and 15 minutes on weekends; on Saturdays,The Seven was followed by the entertainment recapThe Edit. The panel discussion programmeSeven Days aired on Sunday nights, which featured discussions and analysis of the week's news headlines.
On 20 February 2024, amid poor viewership, BBC Scotland announced major cutbacks to the channel's news programming, withThe Edit andSeven Days cancelled, andThe Nine being replaced byBBC Reporting Scotland: News at Seven, which launched on 6 January 2025.[13] These changes were approved by Ofcom in August 2024.[14] In September 2024, BBC Scotland premieredThe Entertainment Mix, a weekly entertainment newsmagazine hosted by singer-songwriterMichelle McManus.[15]
BBC Scotland has traditionally shown sport on Friday evenings withScottish Championship and the early rounds of theScottish Cup matches featuring onSportscene presented byLeanne Crichton andSteven Thompson from 7.00pm. With football talk showA View From The Terrace, adapted from the cultTerrace Scottish Football Podcast aired later on Friday evenings.AVFTT is produced by Edinburgh-based Studio Something and is presented byCraig G. Telfer, with analysis from Shaughan McGuigan, andThe Scotsman journalistsCraig Fowler andJoel Sked.
There are three main continuity announcers on the BBC Scotland channel, who also double up asplayout directors, overseeing transmission of the channel's programming and presentation.
All continuity on the channel is performed live and broadcast from Pacific Quay.
BBC Scotland's idents feature the channel's logo in the centre of the screen, usually accompanied with a background that fits the colour of the logo when it eventually is lit up. In the first set of idents, the BBC Scotland logo is featured among cobblestones on a rainy street, a bird which flies around the logo as well as a subway station (specificallyBuchanan Street subway station inGlasgow).[16]
