BBC Scotland channel 'doing well' despite criticism, says director
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The BBC Scotland channel launched in February 2019 at its headquarters in Glasgow
BBC Scotland director Steve Carson has said the digital channel is doing "fantastically well", despite questions over viewing figures.
He told Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee that BBC Scotland, which launched in February 2019, has "exceeded expectations and targets".
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross asked about audience figures for current affairs programme The Nine.
Head of news Gary Smith said the average was "about 20,000".
He added that this was "very good for a news programme on a digital channel".
Mr Smith said: "We have a weekly reach for The Nine of 160,000 people, which we're very pleased with. That means, across the week, 160,000 people dip in to part of a programme at least once."
But Mr Ross asked if the programme has "achieved what you want to achieve", as Mr Smith revealed that up to 100,000 people watch the Scotland Tonight programme on rival broadcaster STV.
BBC Scotland director Steve Carson said the channel was a tribute to Scotland's creative sector
He said: "You said you're really happy with the numbers so someone at STV must be delighted by the numbers they get."
Mr Ross went on to say that "an awful lot of resources go into The Nine", asking if this is matched by the audience numbers.
Mr Smith responded: "The Nine itself, I personally think, is a really good programme.
"That is what I hear from most people who do watch - the fact that we have an hour to get properly under the skin of stories and to do interviews around stories to make it more current affairs as news.
"I think it does a very good job there."
Mr Carson added the channel's performance overall was a "tribute to the creative sector in Scotland", saying it has "significantly upped the volume and, I think, in many cases the quality" of programming.