Channels not buying enough Scottish programmes TELEVISION:

0 Comments | Sunday Herald, The, May 25, 2008 | by Peter John Meiklem Media Correspondent

What Ofcom have revealed is there is more work to be done."

But in light of last week's figures, the SBC is looking for exact details on how the BBC and Channel 4 - which have made a similar voluntary undertaking to boost Scottish spend - will go about fulfilling their promises. Representatives from both organisations will be asked to give further evidence to the SBC over the coming weeks and months.

David Strachan, co-founder of television production company Tern, says Ofcom investigations had heartened many in the industry. "This is very good news for the whole of the British network. Broadcasters have fudged their figures in order to meet certain targets and it is good Ofcom are making sure there is greater transparency. Broadcasters have to say what is really going on." Strachan says the problem of lack of Scottish commissions for enough network programmes in Scotland is not one that will be easily solved: "The industry is incredibly metro-centric.

There are many who don't think there is any problem at all with commissioning exclusively from London. But although the overall message is beginning to get through, there is still a lot of work to do to reverse that trend."

An ITV spokesman says the broadcaster: "recognises we must comply with these challenging obligations and we will be taking the necessary steps to meet the quota in 2008. ITV is committed to a diversity of production and set up the Nations & Regions Production Fund in 2005 to encourage commissions from producers based outside of London".

He says it was taking steps to ensure programmes would not be mislabelled in Scotland in future: "We conducted a systematic analysis of all programmes which we had returned as out of London. ITV is putting in place a comprehensive system of improved procedures in the way we record, process and store the information required to enforce this complex area of regulation.

However, it is worth noting that ITV1 commissions a greater proportion of programmes from outside the M25 - by value and by volume - than any other broadcaster in the UK."