April 6, 2008
DEMOCRACY AND BROADCASTING: IS SCOTLAND BEING SERVED?
- KEY EVENT TO BE HELD IN GLASGOW -
The question of whether democracy in Scotland is being served well by broadcasting is to be the subject of a panel discussion held by the Scottish Broadcasting Commission in association with the Sunday Herald on 6 May 2008.
Chaired by Stuart Cosgrove, Channel 4's Director of Nations and Regions, on the panel will be:
- Deputy Director General BBC and Chair of BBC Journalism Board, Mark Byford;
- Editor-in-Chief for ITV News, David Mannion;
- Head of Demos Scotland and Glasgow Caledonian University Honorary Research Fellow, Gerry Hassan;
- Sunday Herald columnist and commentator, Iain MacWhirter and;
- Scottish Editor, The Daily Telegraph, Alan Cochrane.
This Glasgow evening event is being held at St Andrew's in the Square and is part of the Commission's public engagement in its work. An audience of members of the public and those in the industry will have the opportunity to submit questions for the panel to discuss. A selection will be made in advance and chosen questions put to the panel on the night.
Chair of the Commission Blair Jenkins said:
"Broadcasting plays a crucial role in keeping people informed about what is happening in Scotland, around the UK and in the wider world. There has been a great deal of discussion in recent years about how news and current affairs should be delivered for Scottish audiences, particularly on television. This event should be a great opportunity to have a full and frank debate about what we have called "the democratic imperative" of broadcasting.
"The Scottish Broadcasting Commission, in association with the Sunday Herald, is delighted to be able to give viewers, commentators and those in the industry the chance to pose the questions and explore the issues as we continue to consider the best way forward for broadcasting in Scotland."
David Milne, deputy editor of The Sunday Herald, said the paper was pleased to support the event:
"The Sunday Herald supports a robust inquiry into the state of broadcasting in Scotland and believes that broad, inclusive debate which encourages contributions not just from the industry but also from viewers is essential if this vitally important sector is to grow in confidence and ambition."
To receive one of 50 tickets to the 'Democracy and Broadcasting: is Scotland being served?' free event on May 6, 2008, people simply need to email their name, address and daytime telephone number to marketing@sundayherald.com using 'Scottish Broadcast Commission Event' as the subject title or send their details to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission Event, Marketing Department, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB. The first 50 tickets will be chosen at random from the assembled emails and postal mail.
People can enter a question for the panel by emailing their name, address, daytime telephone number and question to marketing@sundayherald.com using 'Scottish Broadcast Commission Question' as the subject title or by sending their question to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission Question, Marketing Department, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB. A selection of questions submitted will put to the panel.
'Democracy and Broadcasting: is Scotland being served?' is being held at Glasgow's Centre for Scottish Culture St Andrew's in the Square, Glasgow, on Tuesday 6 May from 19:00 - 20:30 hrs.