Celtic League - Alex Salmond welcomes comments about the BBC

This item from the Celtic League:

The Celtic League General Secretary has written to Scotland's First
Minister applauding his stand on the inadequate coverage by the BBC
news network of Scottish Affairs (see below):

"Dear First Minister Alex Salmond

BBC News Network

The Celtic League warmly welcome the stance that you have taken over
the poor coverage of Scottish affairs its BBC's news network and we
were encouraged that your Party also pointed out that "UK-wide audiences
deserve greater balance and depth in their coverage" generally.

The Celtic League has written to the BBC to complain about this very
issue on a number of occasions for many years, which has become especially
pertinent since devolution. The failure of the BBC network to make
its news relevant and meaningful to the peoples of the Celtic countries
led to the passing of two resolutions at our AGM in September 2007
in Cymru/Wales. Both resolutions, as set out below, were moved separately
at the same AGM, where we debated the issues concerned at length and
shows, I believe, the depth of feeling among our members on this topic:

1) "Calls for a major Scottish television channel, not an English
regional opt-out."

2) "The Celtic League believes that the limited coverage of Cornish/Scottish/Welsh
politics by the BBC in London on its network news programmes demonstrates
that it is mostly interested in news items that only affect England.
This AGM calls on Cornwall County Council (and its successor), the
Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd to campaign for the full
devolution of broadcasting to Cornwall, Scotland and Wales and calls
on Celtic League members to consider withdrawing their TV licence
payment in protest."

Like the SNP, we look forward to the final report and the recommendations
made by the Scottish Broadcasting Commission later this year and the
soon to be published report of Professor King into the BBC news network.
We hope that the consequence of these findings will give all the peoples
in the Celtic countries in the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
a greater opportunity for their interests to be better represented
and understood in the media.

Yours sincerely

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
General Secretary
Celtic League"


See also related articles on broadcasting on Celtic News at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2641
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2591
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2465
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2416
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2313
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2276
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2269
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2166
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2164

J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League

12/06/08


The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works
to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a
broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights
human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on
socio-economic issues.

TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609

Internet site at:

http://celticleague.net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/