2 days Ago By Angus Robertson
Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Not Your Average Family received the series award and Liar: The Fake Grooming Scandal won the prize for a single documentary in the factual categories. Ashley Storrie, daughter of the much-loved comedian Janie Godley, who recently passed away, won the Public Vote Award.
In a bittersweet speech, Ashley recalled the last words she said to her mum were – “I’m going to win a Bafta for you mum”. Storrie, along with writing partner Matilda Curtis, also won the Writer Film/Television category. Advertisement Advertisement Thanks, too, to the organisers of this terrific event.
The full list of winners is on the BAFTA Scotland website. A highlights programme will be broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel at 10.30pm on Wednesday and at 11.
40pm on BBC One Scotland. While the Scottish BAFTAs showcase the best in Scotland’s film and television sector, there is still much to do. Screen Scotland’s recent report, commissioned ahead of the implementation of the Media Act 2024, the upcoming Public Service Media Review from Ofcom, and the BBC Charter Renewal in 2027, outlined critical issues.
Only five of the Top 15 “Scottish” producers (by hours commissioned) were headquartered in Scotland over the period. The remaining ten were headquartered in London, and their output qualified as Scottish under Ofcom’s current guidance on regional production and regional programme definitions. In many cases, they relied on the Ofcom criterion of having a “substantive base” (branch office) in Scotland.
Advertisement Advertisement The BBC and Channel 4 have adopted very different approaches to meeting their production obligations. Only two of the 11 suppliers mainly used by the BBC in the Top 15 “Scottish” producers, were companies formed and headquartered in Scotland, compared with three out of four that mainly supplied Channel 4. Eighty per cent of the total episodes made by the Top 15 for the BBC were commissioned from producers headquartered in London, compared to only 43 per cent of the total episodes commissioned by Channel 4.
David Smith, Director of Screen Scotland said: “This research shows that the BBC has, across the last decade, met much of its Scottish volume quota for network TV [meaning national services such as BBC One and BBC Two] via projects bought, sold and owned in London. “We are concerned that this subverts the purpose of those production quotas, limiting the economic impact of the BBC’s ‘Scottish qualifying’ commissioning in the Scottish economy, and reducing creative opportunities for Scottish TV sector companies or workers in comparison to projects that originate in Scotland. This raises questions around both the BBC’s commissioning priorities and Ofcom’s current rules for production across the UK.
With BBC Charter renewal on the horizon in 2027 this is the moment to embed the BBC’s new direction in its commissioning approach to British content.” Advertisement Advertisement I very much agree. Screen Scotland’s report highlights the importance of Scotland-based commissioning to support our screen sector to its fullest potential.
Productions set against a Scottish quota should deliver economic impact and creative opportunities for Scotland, and the talented producers and teams that are based here. The Scottish Government will continue to engage with Ofcom and the public service broadcasters to support that growth and ensure that Scottish industry, and audiences, are properly represented on our screens. Angus Robertson is SNP MSP for Edinburgh Central and Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary.
