'News: "BBC Radio Scotland" To Out-Source Lunchtime Talk Show' by Grant Goddard
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News story about a decision by 'BBC Radio Scotland' to change its lunchtime talk show from an in-house to an independent production, written by Grant Goddard in December 2004 for The Radio Magazine.
![News: BBC Radio Scotland To Out-Source Lunchtime Talk Show page 2
©2004 Grant Goddard
BBC Radio Scotland has acceded to the demands of presenter Lesley
Riddoch that production of her daily talk show be transferred to her own
production company. From April 2005, the award-winning lunchtime show will
be cut from two to one hours and will be produced by Dundee-based Bona
Broadcasting, an arrangement that offers Riddoch more autonomy over the
programme’s content. The National Union of Journalists said it “deplored” the
way that management had handled the change, informing staff in an e-mail
from head of news & current affairs Blair Jenkins. The show’s fifteen staff fear
that jobs will be lost, despite the introduction of a new one-hour news
programme to replace the hour lost from Riddoch’s show. "This has realised
our worst fears," said Peter Murray, a member of the NUJ national executive,
told the local press. "It’s a matter of caving in to someone who wants to take
our news and current affairs into independent production."
Riddoch said that the programme’s move to Dundee will create ten new jobs in
the city, and will involve an investment of £80,000 in state-of-the-art production
facilities. She is launching a new production company called Feisty in
partnership with Turan Ali of Bona Broadcasting, which has already been
commissioned by BBC Radio Scotland to produce a documentary about
heckling in Scottish comedy clubs. There are plans to produce a long-running
comedy set in the east of Scotland. Ali explained: “For Dundee to have the
largest radio independent in Scotland is a very good addition for the New
Year.” Plans are being made for TV productions as well. “I wanted to develop
the work I was doing, and I wanted to have a bit more say behind the scenes,”
said Riddoch. “The other huge thing is that I will be working closer to where I
live.”
[First published in 'The Radio Magazine' as 'BBC Scotland Privatises Lunchtime Talk Show', #665, 8 January 2005]
Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of
experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy
roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at
http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
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'News: "BBC Radio Scotland" To Out-Source Lunchtime Talk Show' by Grant Goddard
- 1. NEWS: BBC RADIO SCOTLAND TO OUT-SOURCE LUNCHTIME TALK SHOW by GRANT GODDARD www.grantgoddard.co.uk December 2004
- 2. News: BBC Radio Scotland To Out-Source Lunchtime Talk Show page 2 ©2004 Grant Goddard BBC Radio Scotland has acceded to the demands of presenter Lesley Riddoch that production of her daily talk show be transferred to her own production company. From April 2005, the award-winning lunchtime show will be cut from two to one hours and will be produced by Dundee-based Bona Broadcasting, an arrangement that offers Riddoch more autonomy over the programme’s content. The National Union of Journalists said it “deplored” the way that management had handled the change, informing staff in an e-mail from head of news & current affairs Blair Jenkins. The show’s fifteen staff fear that jobs will be lost, despite the introduction of a new one-hour news programme to replace the hour lost from Riddoch’s show. "This has realised our worst fears," said Peter Murray, a member of the NUJ national executive, told the local press. "It’s a matter of caving in to someone who wants to take our news and current affairs into independent production." Riddoch said that the programme’s move to Dundee will create ten new jobs in the city, and will involve an investment of £80,000 in state-of-the-art production facilities. She is launching a new production company called Feisty in partnership with Turan Ali of Bona Broadcasting, which has already been commissioned by BBC Radio Scotland to produce a documentary about heckling in Scottish comedy clubs. There are plans to produce a long-running comedy set in the east of Scotland. Ali explained: “For Dundee to have the largest radio independent in Scotland is a very good addition for the New Year.” Plans are being made for TV productions as well. “I wanted to develop the work I was doing, and I wanted to have a bit more say behind the scenes,” said Riddoch. “The other huge thing is that I will be working closer to where I live.” [First published in 'The Radio Magazine' as 'BBC Scotland Privatises Lunchtime Talk Show', #665, 8 January 2005] Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk