Image source, bbc

Mike Rumbles says: "The BBC is the most trusted news that we have."

The Lib Dem MSP pivots to independent productions and asks about encouraging home grown talent.

Ms MacKinnon points to the creation of the BBC The Social which created a talent pipeline.

The director of BBC Scotland also points to more risky programming allowing the commissioning of people who hitherto had not made programmes.

Steve Carson highlights that consumption of BBC products is higher in Scotland, but people do value it less than in the rest of the UK.

We are making an effort with the new channel to "get out of Glasgow" he says, which he explains will ensure places and communities are covered that have felt like they have not been covered before.

Green MSP Ross Greer asks if Wednesday's Politics Scotland programme will be suspended during the general election campaign.

Ms MacKinnon replies she does not know the answer to this.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles asks if Westminster coverage would be stopped during a Holyrood election, which he points out would be "ridiculous" and Ms MacKinnon agrees.

We'll be covering the Scottish Parliament here at Holyrood Live throughout the election.

Ms Ewing highlights the money raised in Scotland that is spent in Scotland is about 80% - an improvement but significantly lower than elsewhere in the UK.

She asks about perceived political bias within the BBC's new coverage.

"I don't believe that is the case," replies Ms MacKinnon.

She points to research undertaken in recent years, including by Ofcom, which finds 70% of the population trust the BBC as a news source.

I refute suggestions that we are not impartial, she says.

Ms Ewing points out Ofcom reveals there is a lower satisfaction rate among viewers in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.

The SNP MSP says of the 286 pages in the annual report there were two for Scotland.

Ms MacKinnon replies it is true that general impression scores for the BBC are lowest in Scotland, the north of England and Northern Ireland, hence the investment in Scotland.

She is pleased to see small increases in the general impression scores and points to more content from Scotland on the iPlayer.

Mr Isherwood says the last two channels launched by the BBC were BBC Alba and BBC Scotland.

SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing turns conversation to regulatory compliance, noting the Ofcom report in 2018 highlighted a number of issues for the BBC to address.

What measures are being taken by BBC Scotland to respond to the four challenges: areas of transparency, original programming, attracting younger people and representing different groups.

Glyn Isherwood says an annual plan is published alongside the annual report which sets out how the BBC aims to address these areas.

He points to successes with iPlayer and BBC Sounds, but agrees we need to go further to meet the challenges set by Ofcom.

He explains it is about prioritising investment within a period of tighter financial funding.

From SPICe:

There has been some press coverage for the new channel that has highlighted poor viewing figures in its‘ early days.

The Scotsman ran an article on 16 June 2019, external that drew on data from the British Audiences Research Board (Barb) on viewing figures for the new channel between 24 February 24 and 2 June 2019.

This highlighted that 21 shows had recorded no viewers – this included several editions of the news bulletin The Seven; the discussion show: The Collective; and the new music programme: Tune.

A BBC spokesperson, in response to the publication of these figures, said that - beyond the five network channels - there are occasions when there are zero audiences under the Barb system.

An article in the Herald on 26 August, external including an interview with Steve Carson reflected on progress of the channel in its first six months.

The article noted that the flagship show The Nine, with a budget of £7 million and a staff of eighty journalists, had ―close to zero viewers… at one point.

Steve Carson responded that news programmes don‘t get people watching all the way through.

There was an article in the Guardian in May 2019, external that highlighted the success of the new channel, particularly in managing to engage younger audiences (those aged 16- 34).

The article notes that: ―in its first few months, BBC Scotland has the youngest age profile of any BBC TV channel, encouraged by the opportunity to take it online and via social media platforms.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Claire Baker pivots to the new channel and asks about the challenges about measuring viewing figures.

Ms MacKinnon replies she is very proud of how the channel is performing and argues the headlines don't tell the full story.

She says the new channel is reaching one in six people in Scotland every week and is attracting younger people.

In linear TV terms it is a success, adds Mr Carson.

Ms McAlpine raises the red circling of BBC pay, where salaries cannot be touched despite a move in jobs.

How many of those whose salaries are red circled are male, she asks.

Mr Isherwood says analysis found a number of people who were being paid more than their salary range, and so their salaries have been frozen until the job pay range catches up with salary.

He admits he does not have the numbers of men whose salaries are red circled.

The convener asks for the panel to write to the committee with this information and Mr Isherwood agrees.

Image source, bbc

Ms McAlpine asks how many cases have been treated as equal pay cases rather than fair pay cases.

Mr Isherwood explains the vast majority of cases relate to fair pay, with a small proportion relating to equal pay.

The committee convener says she understands the BBC is treating cases as fair pay rather than equal pay.

The difference is that equal pay cases require backdated recompense and cases are not being treated as equal pay when they should be, she argues.

Image source, Getty Images

Presenter Samira Ahmed has taken the BBC to tribunal, arguing she was paid "a sixth" of what Jeremy Vine earned in "a very similar job".

Ahmed says she was paid £440 per episode on audience feedback show Newswatch, while Vine received £3,000 per episode for Points of View.

The BBC's legal team argue the two presenters were not doing similar work.

Journalists' union the NUJ described the BBC's gender pay gap as "monumental".

• How the BBC gender pay story has unfolded

• Samira Ahmed takes BBC to court over equal pay

• BBC apologises to Carrie Gracie over pay
• Read more here

Glyn Isherwood says the BBC has improved transparency around pay which led to an increase in the level of pay queries.

Some of these are related to equal pay, while others have been broader pay check-ins, he explains.

Mr Isherwood says some of the issues require a lot of work so HR can look into the history of someone's pay.

Across the BBC there are four informal cases to complete and there are a number of formal processes continuing he adds.

74 cases were raised in BBC Scotland and a handful are still outstanding, he says.

Committee convener Joan McAlpine asks about the issues around equal pay which have been very much in the news due to the case raised by Samira Ahmed.

Ms McAlpine says she is interested in the non-celebrity women in the BBC in Scotland and asks how many equal pay cases have been raised in Scotland.

Ms MacKinnon reminds the committee there were 12 outstanding equal pay cases as of last year.

She says she thinks the process has taken too long and it has been a bruising experience for those involved and she regrets that.

"We are intent on fixing this situation, it's not good enough," Ms MacKinnon adds.

Partnering with a number of organisations has been vital to our successes, particularly our relationship with Screen Scotland, Ms MacKinnon says.

2019 has been a landmark year for the BBC in Scotland and one in which we have been very proud, she concludes.

Image source, bbc

BBC Scotland director Donalda MacKinnon says it has been a momentous year for BBC Scotland.

Ms MacKinnon cites the launch of the new BBC Scotland channel, pointing to efforts to reach younger audiences.

We've either met or are ahead of what Ofcom set out for us, she says.

The director of BBC Scotland accepts it is early days and there are challenges in the schedule.

Ms MacKinnon says: "We are delighted our new child is doing well."

Image source, BBCScotland

Th SPICe briefing focuses on the activities of the BBC in Scotland, as reported in the latest Annual Report and Accounts 2018/2019.

The briefing also covers the following:

• information on the BBC‘s performance against its public service commitment
• issues relating to the development of the new BBC Scotland channel
• Findings from recent Ofcom reports on the BBC
• changes to the over 75s TV licence
• future development of BBC services
• issues relating to gender pay in the service

Read more here., external

Image source, bbc

The culture committee will shortly take evidence on the BBC annual report and accounts.

MSPs will quiz:

• BBC Scotland director Donalda MacKinnon
• BBC Scotland head of multiplatform commissioning Steve Carson
• BBC group finance and operations director Glyn Isherwood

Read the committee papers here., external

Image source, BBC/PA Media

Welcome to BBC Scotland's coverage of the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 7 November 2019.

The culture committee will take evidence on the BBC's annual report and accounts, including from its director Donalda MacKinnon.

Nicola Sturgeon faces first minister's questions at noon, after general questions.

Then SNP MSP George Adam highlights calls to recognise veterans who served in the nuclear test programme in the 1950s and 1960s.

After lunch, rural economy ministers face portfolio questions.

Then MSPs debate the Referendums Bill (also known as the indyref2 'framework' bill) for the first time.

Image source, Getty Images