Online-only BBC Scotland is ‘unacceptable’, says Mairi McAllan

BBC bosses have axed the corporation’s dedicated Scottish TV channel in a move critics have branded “wholly unacceptable”. The linear channel was launched in 2019 but has been widely criticised for its low viewing figures and poor value for money. Most commented 1 Forgotten particle may hold key to how universe survived big bang Science 248 comments 2 Lily Allen: ‘I felt I was a vehicle for male pleasure — not my own’ Music 242 comments 3 ‘We got a call yesterday. Birth mum’s had another baby’ Parenting 32 comments 4 Doctor Who and me — Russell T Davies on his life in TV Books 24 comments 5 Budget 2026 predictions: when is it and what could be announced? Economics 235 comments Following weeks of speculation over the channel’s future, bosses confirmed it would stop broadcasting BBC Scotland, as well as BBC Three, on Tuesday. The corporation is looking to find £500m worth of savings over the next three years. Matt Brittin, the BBC director-general, speaks at Broadcasting House CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/Reuters The channels will remain on the corporation’s iPlayer streaming service. Top stories 1 16 of the best safaris in Africa Africa BBC Scotland staff were said to have been left “ashen-faced” when first told about the likelihood of cuts this summer. However, upon hearing the announcement on Tuesday, one insider said: “The channel was doomed from the start — under-resourced, with limited airtime. It came on air when the idea of channels was already on the wane and online on the rise.” Advertisement Mairi McAllan, the Scottish culture secretary, said the SNP would fight to keep the Scottish channel going, adding that she would complain to Britain’s media watchdog. Top stories 1 Prepare now for the inheritance tax mess coming for your pension Tax She spoke as it was confirmed that another ten people would lose their jobs north of the border — on top of already announced cuts — as the Scottish channel’s Reporting Scotland: News at Seven was axed. Mairi McAllan at the Scottish parliament Alamy McAllan said: “The proposal to close the BBC Scotland channel is wholly unacceptable and the Scottish government opposes it in the strongest possible terms. “This represents a significant blow to our media landscape and is the latest example of a longstanding pattern of BBC underinvestment in Scotland, raising serious questions about the broadcaster’s commitment to Scottish audiences and the creative sector and its public service obligations to serve all parts of the UK fairly and equitably. “I have set this out directly with the BBC Scotland director and will engage with Ofcom to make clear the significant concerns this proposal raises.” Advertisement The channel was widely seen as a concession to campaigners, including nationalists, who wanted a “Scottish Six”, a news bulletin on BBC One that would combine stories from around the world with those from both sides of the border. The wider corporation north of the border, also called BBC Scotland, was then picketed by some Scottish nationalists, including many now highly hostile to the SNP, during the independence referendum campaign. Critics have long suggested that the station was underfunded, underpromoted and struggled to compete with streamers and rival stations. BBC Scotland cost more than £200m to launch but ratings have flatlined . The channel lost its flagship news magazine programme, The Nine , in 2024 after it emerged that one episode was watched by fewer than 2,000 people. The BBC expects the move of the BBC Scotland channel from a linear service to BBC iPlayer to take place next spring. The SNP MSP Alex Kerr said the “appalling” decision to scrap the linear channel showed the BBC’s “disdain” for Scotland. Advertisement “Scotland has so much to showcase: our world-class arts and music, stars at the height of their sports, the most exciting football league in Europe — these things aren’t important to bosses in Westminster but they matter to us,” he said. Q Manivannan, the Scottish Greens’ culture spokesperson, said the announcement was “a backwards step that risks leaving viewers behind and reflects a wider cultural crisis in Scotland”. Amy Irons and Laura Maciver launched BBC Scotland’s News at Seven BBC Some insiders said they believed there should be more focus on ensuring work was commissioned rather than worrying how programmes were broadcast or where they were available. Harriet Cross, the Conservatives’ shadow Scottish secretary, echoed those concerns. She said: “The channel often explored subject matters from rural parts of Scotland that otherwise wouldn’t have been shown on the main channel. “However, with fewer Scots watching linear TV, the BBC must provide best value for money that reflects the interests of viewers. The onus is now on SNP ministers to actively work with the BBC to ensure Scottish TV production is protected from any further cuts.” Advertisement The BBC has already announced job cuts in Scotland and the end of some of the most august programmes on Radio 4, such as You and Yours . On Monday, the corporation confirmed it would also axe Radio 4’s sister station 4 Extra. In a note to staff, the BBC director-general Matt Brittin said the broadcaster had to “make every pound work harder”, adding: “Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy them on iPlayer and Sounds. While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues.” Hayley Valentine, the BBC Scotland director and launch director of The Nine before the show was aborted, said: “Against the backdrop of significant financial challenges, we must focus our resources where they will have the greatest impact for audiences. “The way audiences watch television continues to change at pace and our data tells us that more people are choosing to watch BBC Scotland content on BBC iPlayer now. “By continuing the channel on BBC iPlayer, we can ensure Scottish content thrives in a digital environment, while BBC Two in Scotland, alongside BBC One Scotland, will maintain a strong and distinctive Scottish presence on linear television. Advertisement “It is always sad to see programmes come to an end and I am extremely proud of the News at Seven team and everything they have delivered since launching. Our teams are highly skilled and we will continue to evolve our news and current affairs offer to reflect the changing way people consume journalism today.” The BBC stressed that its audience has been moving online. Requests to view BBC Scotland content on iPlayer keep growing, reaching record levels in 2025-26, it said in a statement. Signed-in accounts for BBC Scotland content on BBC iPlayer have grown by 70 per cent over the past four years. More than one million accounts access BBC Scotland content every week. A well-placed source familiar with the BBC said: “Crucially, the decision to place [BBC Scotland] on channel nine on the electronic programme guide guaranteed its death knell. The idea that it could be broadcast on BBC Two was rejected at an early stage. “In truth, the core plan was conceived as a notion to undercut the campaign for a Scottish six o’clock news. What the country has ended up with is significantly weakened output which fails to reflect Scotland to the UK and the world, with the loss of opt-outs on BBC One and Two, which brought hugely popular programmes to Scottish audiences and then provided a gateway for Scottish comedy, drama and other programming making it on to the network. “The news and current affairs output has been a disaster from the start, dumbed down, then reconfigured. It has appealed to few people and is delivered by a huge number of staff at the licence payers’ expense.” Christine Jardine, the former BBC journalist and Edinburgh West MP, said the decision was “particularly worrying” following separate programme cuts at STV. “We know that the broadcast landscape is changing and the staff will need reassurance that this is not just another round of cuts and that their future is secure,” she said. Nick McGowan-Lowe, from the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), said: “The NUJ will be urging BBC management to find alternative places to make savings other than in the newsroom and we have already lobbied the UK chancellor asking for urgent intervention to provide proper funding and prevent further damaging cuts to public service broadcasting in Scotland.” The broadcaster Stephen Jardine, writing on LinkedIn, said the channel was “a bold and ambitious attempt to boost production and programming in Scotland”. He added: “However, in this multichannel age of streaming, broadcasting is changing at breakneck speed and with revenue tight, the BBC needs to adapt to keep up with that.” Jardine hosts a political panel show called Debate Night on the channel and said this would go online. “TV is changing … but good, compelling content will always finds an audience,” he said.