YOUR Inverness correspondent (August 13) was right to deplore the displacing of a popular music programme by still more football commentary and journalism. We should of course know by now that the shape of Scottish football and related broadcasts is determined by Sky; this is variously known as ''change at a phenomenal rate'', ''money talks'', and ''moving on''. However, I for one am not sure that ''I'm on my way from misery to happiness'' which The Proclaimers sing about in the Radio Scotland ad on TV.
Some of my friends would say that Radio Scotland has become one long football commentary. Indeed, most of them have gone back to good old Radio England in the form of Radios 3, 4,
and 5.
Radio Scotland when it first broadcast as part of the BBC local radio project had the support of many listeners who hoped for the development of a comprehensive radio service in which the nation would express itself. Over the years it has been remarkably unstable, seeking now to appeal to this audience, now to that. At the present time it seems to lie between Radios 2 and 5 - a Radio 3.5 perhaps?
It would be tedious of me to list all the recent changes in programmes; needless to say most of them will have further alienated whatever educated Scottish audience the station still had. I cannot imagine what audience Radio 3.5 can now enjoy. I would have thought a Radio 2 or 5 audience was better served by the real thing or by the excellent local commercial stations around the country; except of course for the comprehensive football coverage by Radio Scotland!
The absence of a Scottish broadcasting service has been a tragic gap in Scottish cultural life far greater than the absence of a national theatre or was the need for a national ballet or opera company.
I really cannot understand why we have been and still are denied the plays, the music, the features, the readings, the interviews, the discussions, the politics, the poetry, the talks and lectures which the citizens of any self-respecting country might expect from a national radio and television service.
On a practical level BBC Scotland urgently requires a second radio channel which would be a Scottish cultural programme of the kind which other European countries support. The normal excellent football service would of course continue on Radio Scotland.
H C D Rankin,
16 Camps Road,
Carnock, Fife.
MANY long-term radio listeners to Robbie Shepherd's Take the Floor programme will totally agree with Iain Slinn's letter (August 13).
Is there any reason why Radio Scotland cannot use its FM waveband to restore this excellent programme, and use medium wave for its football?
For many years listeners also enjoyed Ian Anderson's afternoon programme, Mr Anderson's Fine Tunes, which was a good blend of folk and classical music. Now it is two hours of pop music, or contemporary music as they euphemistically say!
BBC listeners can now have a choice of pop music on Radio 1, Radio 2, and now on Radio Scotland in the afternoons - so much for choice and quality music.
Whatever happened to the pursuit of excellence which not too long ago rang out from Queen Margaret Drive, and to the concern which should be shown by the National Broadcasting Council for Scotland to our culture, and fairness to all licence payers?
John Inglis,
15 Cambridge Road,
Renfrew.
Bill Nolan,
17 West Road,
Irvine.
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