Alex Salmond backs new public service broadcaster for Scotland

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond has spoken about Scottish broadcasting if the country becomes independent in 2014.

Speaking that this year’s Media Guardian Television Festival he outlined his plans for a new public broadcaster which would replace BBC Scotland. It is speculated that a new service could be similar to RTE in Ireland, which is funded by a licence fee but also has commercial opportunities to help fund the broadcaster. The country currently has an independent commercial television network with STV, which shows local content alongside ITV networked programming.

In November last year the SNP told ATV Today that if Scotland becomes independent from the UK that there will be ‘greater investment’ in Scottish produced content.

“When Scotland becomes independent this will offer many opportunities to Scottish media, with dedicated Scottish platforms there will be greater investment in Scottish produced content – which as well as better reflecting Scotland will also be products that could be sold for broadcast or distribution in other markets, like our neighbours in England and beyond.” – MSP Fiona Hyslop the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs at the Scottish Parliament (2011)

Scotland will hold a referendum in 2014, a year before the Scottish parliamentary elections.