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�鶹Լ�� wins at BAFTA Scotland 2016

2016-11-07T10:00:07+00:00

Douglas Henshall in �鶹Լ�� One drama Shetland

Last night (Sunday 6 November) the Scottish BAFTA ceremony was held in Glasgow. �鶹Լ�� programmes fared extremely well being awarded prizes in nine categories.

�鶹Լ�� One's Shetland earned Best Drama Series and its star Douglas Henshall took home the Best Actor in a TV Series Award. Douglas Mackinnon was awarded the Best Director Film/Television for his work on Sherlock: The Abominable Bride.

Dunblane: Our Story

Meanwhile, C�鶹Լ��'s All over the Workplace was named Best Children's Programme, This Farming Life won Best Factual Series and �鶹Լ�� One's Dunblane: Our Story (pictured above) was the Best Single Documentary winner.

All the �鶹Լ�� winners are listed below:

Best Actor TV, Douglas Hensall, Shetland
Best Children’s Programme, All Over The Workplace
Best Comedy/Entertainment, Mrs Brown's Boys: Christmas Special 2015
Best Current Affairs, �鶹Լ�� Scotland Investigates: Britain's Puppy Dealers Exposed
Director Film/Television, Douglas Mackinnon, Sherlock: The Abominable Bride
Best Factual Series, This Farming Life
Best Single Documentary, Dunblane: Our Story
Specialist Factual, Imagine...Richard Flanagan: Life After Death
Best TV Drama, Shetland

Congratulations to all the winners, a full list can be found on the BAFTA website.

�鶹Լ�� Scottish Symphony Orchestra's and guests to tour India

2014-02-13T12:18:54+00:00

In just under two months, the �鶹Լ�� Scottish Symphony Orchestra flies to India - taking with us three of Scotland’s greatest musical ambassadors; the wonderful Nicola Benedetti, the brilliant James MacMillan and the inspirational Paul Rissmann, plus 16 students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) - for two weeks of incredible musical encounters in Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai.

We’re not the first orchestra to visit India; many have gone before us. We think though, that our project is maybe one of the most distinctive and ambitious.

Over three years in the planning – thanks here to the British Council for their unending support - the prospect of taking the �鶹Լ�� SSO to India has grown steadily larger in my mind and many of my colleagues. For months now, rarely a day has gone by when the subject of India hasn’t been raised. On 25^th March, it becomes a reality.

There will of course be public concerts in each city – we’re taking with us music by Mendelssohn, Mozart and Tchaikovsky amongst many others – but there will also be full scale orchestral concerts for thousands of local school children, smaller-scale ensemble concerts, demonstrations and creative workshops, as well as talks and masterclasses.

I mentioned 16 students from the RCS. 14 of them will be sitting beside the professionals of the �鶹Լ�� Scottish Symphony Orchestra (�鶹Լ�� SSO) - each one selected by rigorous, professional-standard audition and each one playing an integral and crucial role in our performances. This very special and unique orchestra will not only perform to thousands of people of all ages in each city, they will also be contributing to a huge variety of content for radio, television and online. That’s where the other 2 students come in.

Working hand in hand with our �鶹Լ�� SSO production team, and colleagues from �鶹Լ�� Learning, plus many others, the students – from the RCS Screen department – will help us to make sure as much of this extraordinary project is captured and broadcast across as many UK and international networks as possible.

It all begins in Chennai, with a three-day residency at the Sir Mutha Venkatassubba Rao Concert Hall. This 1,100 seater hall is a fairly recent addition to the Lady Andal Trust, an extraordinary organisation which devotes its time and energies to supporting underprivileged children. As we have come to realise, music plays a huge role in developing young lives in India too.

We’ll also visit the KM Music Conservatory in Chennai - a state of the art higher education music and technology college, founded and led by the incomparable A.R.Rahman. Known to many of us for his Academy Award winning score to Slumdog Millionaire, he was named by TIME magazine in 2009 as one of the world’s 100 most influential people. Rahman is a phenomenon – unbelievably successful as composer, performer and music producer. As well as working with his higher education students, we’ll meet the Sunshine Orchestra – a group of 50 young Sistema-like string players from local schools.

Slumdog Millionaire composer and founder of KM Music Conservatory, A R Rahman

We have in fact already met some of the KM students in Glasgow. At the end of January, 22 of them travelled to Glasgow for the Celtic Connections Festival. Joining up with the �鶹Լ�� Scottish Symphony Orchestra, vocal students from the RCS and Rahman himself, they took part in an extraordinary concert of the great man’s music at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. In front of a wildly enthusiastic audience – Rahman's 16.5million Facebook friends don’t do ticket sales any harm – the concert was broadcast live on the �鶹Լ�� Asian Network, brilliantly presented by Bobby Friction.

After Chennai, we’ll set off for Delhi, with three performances in the 1,700 seat Siri Fort Auditorium.

The third and final leg of our takes us to Mumbai and the National Centre for the Performing Arts, where we’re planning what may turn out to be the most ambitious and hair-raising bit of the entire trip! A live broadcast on Sunday 6^th April for �鶹Լ�� Radio 3’s Live in Concert. Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture, Mozart’s 5^th Violin Concerto with Nicola Benedetti and Tchaikovsky’s 4^th Symphony – plus some Scottish surprises at the end.

The roots of this project are firmly in education, opportunity and cultural exchange. We’re doing it now because the 2014 Commonwealth Games gives us the perfect opportunity to celebrate the cultures of our two great nations. We’re hoping we can play a small part in nurturing and inspiring future generations, helping to develop cultural and educational links across continents and most importantly of all, make some new friends.

Professor John Wallace, Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland sums it up rather nicely: “The tour of India is the most incredible opportunity for our students. Our partnership with �鶹Լ�� Scotland is enabling them to experience first-hand, mentored by professionals, the interface between the West and one of the most dynamic cultures in the world. With James MacMillan conducting and Nicola Benedetti as soloist, it does not get any better than this.”

Gavin Reid is Director of the �鶹Լ�� Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Nicola Benedetti discusses Szymanowski on the �鶹Լ�� SSO Youtube channel.
Read violinist Julian Gregory's blog about the �鶹Լ�� Philharmonic's tour of Japan.

The return of five radio stations in the evenings on Freeview in Scotland

2013-12-02T16:45:51+00:00

In May 2011 I wrote my first blog post, covering the launch of �鶹Լ�� ALBA on Freeview in Scotland (in June 2011). I shared the difficult choice we’d had to make to prioritise �鶹Լ�� ALBA over �鶹Լ�� Radio services. I’m really pleased to announce that we’re now able to restore five further radio services to full-time carriage on Freeview in Scotland, bringing the total to eight out of 13.

The original decision

�鶹Լ�� ALBA launched on satellite in September 2008 but not on Freeview. It had always been the aim to launch on Freeview, but we had to find an affordable way to do it. To make space, the �鶹Լ�� Trust gave approval for �鶹Լ�� ALBA to broadcast in Scotland in the evening in the place of 13 �鶹Լ�� Radio services. We launched �鶹Լ�� ALBA on Freeview at the conclusion of digital switchover in Scotland in June 2011.

The �鶹Լ�� Trust also challenged �鶹Լ�� Management to look at affordable technical solutions that would allow some radio services to be retained around the clock. The first part of this happened alongside the launch of �鶹Լ�� ALBA as we were able to retain three services. We prioritised stations unavailable on FM and, because we couldn’t restore all seven stations without FM coverage, we gave priority to the stations that were the most listened to on digital television in Scotland: �鶹Լ�� Radio 5 live, �鶹Լ�� Radio 1Xtra and �鶹Լ�� Radio 6 Music.

Restoration

We’re making a set of technical changes in Scotland which gives us some limited additional capacity to restore radio services. We’ve had to take a call on the best way of using this capacity, including which stations and in what quality.

We started by following the guiding principle of the original decision: to restore stations without FM coverage. Prioritising the stations primarily aimed at a UK audience (i.e. excluding the �鶹Լ�� World Service) gives: �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 Extra, �鶹Լ�� Radio 5 live sports extra and �鶹Լ�� Asian Network.

As the national radio station for Scotland, restoring �鶹Լ�� Radio Scotland is naturally a high priority. Furthermore, digital platforms take the MW version of the station with its coverage of sport in the evenings.

In common with �鶹Լ�� Radio Scotland, the absence of �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 has been noted regularly in listener correspondence over the last two and a half years.

Consequently we’ve strived to restore all five stations noted above. In order to restore as many stations as five, they will be in mono rather than in stereo. This does mean that there will be a drop in audio quality in the evenings compared with other times of the day. But we feel that maximising the number of stations is preferable to restoring fewer at higher quality. We bore in mind that the stations we were seeking to restore are not purely music radio stations, and so, whilst not perfect, mono was a valid option.

For those wondering where the capacity has come from, our Red Button text service is running in less capacity now than in 2011 thanks to an increase in efficiency and we’re reducing the audio bit rate of our TV channels from 256kbit/s to 192kbit/s on Freeview in Scotland; 192kbit/s is on a par with other public service broadcasters’ main channels.

So as you can see, this good news is not without its trade-offs. But we have considered them very carefully and believe we have struck the right balance.

Summary

The following radio stations are now available around the clock on Freeview in Scotland:

�鶹Լ�� Radio Scotland
�鶹Լ�� Radio 1Xtra
�鶹Լ�� Radio 4
�鶹Լ�� Radio 4 Extra
�鶹Լ�� Radio 5 live
�鶹Լ�� Radio 5 live sports extra
�鶹Լ�� Radio 6 Music
�鶹Լ�� Asian Network

Five radio stations continue to be unavailable on Freeview in Scotland while �鶹Լ�� ALBA is on-air in the evening:

�鶹Լ�� Radio 1
�鶹Լ�� Radio 2
�鶹Լ�� Radio 3
�鶹Լ�� Radio nan Gàidheal
�鶹Լ�� World Service

The first four of these are available very widely across Scotland on FM and all are available on DAB, satellite and cable television and online. �鶹Լ�� World Service is also available on �鶹Լ�� Radio 4 FM overnight.

I hope this improvement comes as good news to you. I am sorry if we have not been able to restore all of your favourite stations but I hope this blog helps to explain why we have prioritised the services we have. We will continue to look for opportunities to restore further radio stations as technical advancements allow.

Alix Pryde is Director, �鶹Լ�� Distribution

See also Alix’s blog Making Waves: extending the �鶹Լ��’s digital radio coverage to a further 2 million people

�鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprentices embark on the next stage of their careers

2013-09-03T11:07:54+00:00

�鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprentices

Back in April Sharon Mair wrote about the launch of the �鶹Լ�� Scotland’s Commonwealth Games apprenticeship scheme - the successful applicants appear at the bottom of this post.

As the second class of apprenticeships moves on to pastures new, we’ve asked the bright young things to write about how they got on and tell us what they've got planned next.

Ben McCormack

“From the outside the �鶹Լ�� appeared to me as a massive machine, like a media behemoth, The Big British Castle, complete with unscalable walls, churning out hour after hour of content for the masses. It was a potent mix of both excitement and terror when I got the call telling me they were lowering the drawbridge and I was getting a chance to find out just how this world worked.

“Within my first few days the fear that I would get sacked for dropping a pen dissolved along with all of my preconceptions, the �鶹Լ�� is in fact a wonderful place to work. As an apprentice, you are in a very privileged position, people understand that you are there, not only to work, but to learn as well and because of this, supply you with an incredible variety of work, so that you can get the most from your short time in whatever department you are hanging your hat in that month. To say that every day was a pleasure would be an outright lie, the best way to find a group of apprentices is to shout the words ‘Shot Logging’ and follow the groans. That said, there are days that it’s hard to believe you are actually in work; within my first few weeks I had seen more live bands than I could count, I had received my first credit and met some incredible people who I will remain in touch with for the rest of my career, and it’s continued to blow me away ever since.

“I’ve been to Manchester, Newcastle, Inverness, Edinburgh, I’ve spent days in fields, in old churches, trawling through books in the Mitchel Library, the variety of your working week can be staggering. For me this is the real charm of the apprenticeship, it’s hard to get bored when there is so much to get involved in and when everyone wants to show you just how much fun the job can be. As my time comes to an end I’m looking forward to removing my stabilisers and pedalling off into whatever comes, but I will always look back at the apprenticeship, as not only a year of enormous fun, but also as the year my life really began.”

Ben is about to move onto being Content Assistant in �鶹Լ�� Radio Scotland’s music department where he will work on shows like �鶹Լ�� Introducing with Jen and Ally for �鶹Լ�� Radio 1 and the Vic Galloway show on Radio Scotland.

Sebastian Walls

“Being an apprentice within the �鶹Լ�� has been such a magical experience from the very beginning. It still feels like a dream that I have been able to start my career within the media industry the best possible way; I do feel privileged to have been offered the opportunity especially just from coming from high school.

“Right from the word go I have had such a fun time and have learned so much over the year, every day is completely different and it is always new and exciting no matter what department I am working in.

“I have been working in some amazing productions both in TV and Radio and can say I have loved every aspect of both, whether that be co-presenting on MacAulay & Co on Radio Scotland, working on the Edinburgh Festival or being involved with Children in Need. What I have experienced here at the �鶹Լ�� has been fantastic - there is nowhere in the world where you can work with some of the friendliest people who are always eager to help and gain unique skills which will enhance your own abilities within the industry.

“My understanding and knowledge of the industry has greatly improved while being on the apprenticeship, that awareness of how it operates is key; from gaining employment to successfully building contacts.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working within �鶹Լ�� Scotland as an apprentice. I have developed some essential skills and met some amazing people along this journey and cannot wait to start a career I would not have had without the �鶹Լ�� apprenticeship.”

Sebastian is about to start work as Repeats & Indies Delivery Assistant in Salford.

Cairi Swainson

“The day I applied for the apprenticeship will stick in my mind forever. I spotted the poster for it in between jobs while I stood signing on for the dole. The deadline was that night. Cue frantic typing and a near meltdown when technology decided not to work in my favour. A day of cancelled plans has been worth it and the payoff has been immense. The grin I have worn ever since I first walked into Pacific Quays has been permanent; the Cheshire cat has nothing on me.

“Moving from department to department and learning on the job was terrifying, nerve wracking and, most of all, exciting – I loved it! Everything from researching bands to standing in the rain with a very large, slobbering Dogue du Bordeaux brought new learning experiences and each step of the way you were watched over and taught by the most experienced folk in the business. However, the apprenticeship teaches you more than media and production techniques, it teaches confidence, builds character and in my case helped my find a love for science which I never knew I had.

“One day, not that long ago, I was stood in the lift zooming up to the fourth floor and all of a sudden it hit me,’ I’m helping to make something that people will enjoy watching and want to talk about’. I’m not entirely sure what I thought I had been doing up to that point but, in that instant, I experienced an overwhelming sense of contentment. From day one we have been told there are no guarantees, I don’t care, for the first time in my life I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Cairi now works in �鶹Լ�� Scotland Children’s department where she is working as researcher for series eight of CBeebies show Nina and the Neurons.

Lisa Graham

“My year as a �鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprentice has cemented in my mind that working in the creative media sector is the only career for me. Before applying for the Apprenticeship Scheme, I would never have thought that out of hundreds of applicants, I would be one of the successful 10 chosen. Brand �鶹Լ�� is renowned globally for the fantastic programmes they produce. Being able to say that I’ve been involved in the production of many of these shows is something that I am immensely proud of.

“As an Apprentice I have been involved in a range of exciting opportunities. From working at the Commonwealth Games mascot unveiling as TV personality Sam Nixon’s runner, to working on the �鶹Լ�� Scotland Comedy Showcase, the breadth of experience has been tremendous. Although we have been shown and participated in the hard work that goes into pre-production and post-production, there is no greater feeling than seeing a programme that you’ve worked on being filmed live in front of your own eyes. Whether your passion lies in fast-paced news segments or large factual productions that can be filming for weeks on end, the �鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprenticeship Scheme has allowed me to hone in on my individual passions and really discover what style of programme I want to be involved in making in the future.

“The mentors, buddies and managers in each department have been vital in our journey throughout the �鶹Լ��. Taking the time out to talk to us about what their job consists of and how to progress in our careers has been really helpful. The contacts that we have all made are invaluable and I hope that next year’s candidates enjoy their year here as much as I have.”

Lisa is studying BA/BA (Hons) Media and Communication at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Barry Shaw

“People ask me to sum up the apprenticeship in one word – this is where I struggle: ‘Amazing’, ‘incredible’, ‘unbelievable’, are all words I would probably pick. But what I didn’t expect when I signed up was to fall out with my friends and family back home because I couldn’t get them tickets to a recording of Mrs Browns Boys – oh my goodness…..they were not happy!

“It’s amazing to think that I’d sit at home and watch programmes like Hogmanay Live, Comic Relief, Children In Need and Britain’s Favourite Supermarket Foods. But to actually get the chance to work on these shows and on occasion get to be in them, was unbelievable. Now that the apprenticeship is over it is probably the perfect time to admit to trying to sneak into the background as an extra on Mrs Browns Boys during a pub scene, but the production team just weren’t having it. Worth a shot eh?

“One of the best things about the apprenticeship has to be conducting tours of Pacific Quay and the set of River City, I enjoy getting to meet the �鶹Լ�� audience in person. Guests get a behind-the-scenes look at how programmes are made and get the chance to have a go at reading the news and weather bulletin (that is when I eventually manage to figure out how to work the autocue, as it has a tendency to go either too fast or too slow, I still haven’t managed to figure it out).

“A real favourite is taking guests on a tour at River City, (and before you ask, no I didn’t swat up on a million episodes on iPlayer ahead of doing them - well ok, maybe just a few). It’s great to meet fans of the show and give them a chance to peek at the sets inside and out. The shop, taxi office and the pub are amongst the most popular. We also get to have a cuppa and a muffin in the famous Oyster Café, they aren’t real, but we like to pretend.

“A day during my apprenticeship that I’ll probably never forget was when my mentor asked me if I would like to produce and co-present an episode of �鶹Լ�� Scotland`s live nightly radio show, Get It On with Bryan Burnett, following my theme suggestion ‘Songs of Friendship’. Once they’d picked me up off the floor after I fainted at the thought of it, I got stuck in, immediately I knew the theme tune from Friends was going to be my opener.

“The day arrived - it was 6.10pm and the On Air light nearly blinded me by suddenly turning bright red, it was time to go live. Knowing that friends and family were tuning in back home didn’t seem to bother me much, but knowing that Sharon Mair and Jeff Zycinski were… well that kind of did. I’ve enjoyed working with Bryan and the team for months beforehand answering our listeners’ calls, so I knew I would be in safe hands. The show flew and before I knew it, we were handing over to Ricky Ross.

“I’m often asked what advice I would give to the next batch of recruits who are currently waiting in the wings, my advice is always the same: “Enjoy it, do everything and meet everyone. But be warned, your life will never be the same again” (in a good way of course).

“So after a fantastic year, I am down to my last few days as a �鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprentice, but as of next week I will begin a three-month contract with C�鶹Լ�� as a Department Runner. I am so lucky to have been asked to stay with the Children’s Department and this role will give me the opportunity to work across all of the C�鶹Լ�� and CBeebies content. My first job will be working with the production team on the new series of The Dog Ate My �鶹Լ��work for C�鶹Լ��. As well as this, I will continue with my tours of Pacific Quay and River City and also my work on the Get It On with Bryan Burnett radio show.”

Chris O’Rourke

“Being accepted to the �鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprenticeship scheme was quite an experience. After receiving confirmation that my application had been successful, I phoned my family and friends to share the news with them and we laughed a lot, I did a lap of honour around my flat, I posted on Facebook that I was now colleagues with David Attenborough. It was a good day.

“I never thought in a million years that my application would be successful and when I received that call, I suspected that it may have been a hoax. But it wasn’t and within a few weeks I found myself walking to Pacific Quay on the first day at my new job. I’d spent the previous five years of my life working for minimum wage in jobs with very little in the way of career prospects or indeed any form of stimulation. With this in mind, I felt a bit like Charlie Bucket with a golden ticket in my pocket, plucked from obscurity and handed a dream job.

“Over the course of the apprenticeship, I have embarked on a journey around 10 different departments at �鶹Լ�� Scotland. I have been actively involved in a wide range of productions and worked with some of the most fantastic, creative people I have ever had the privilege of meeting. I can’t really articulate how great the experience has been such has been my enjoyment. One thing is for sure, it has provided me with the skills and confidence to forge a career in the media industry.

“I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank all of the other apprentices, my managers, the college staff and all of the staff members here at �鶹Լ�� Scotland for making my experiences so enjoyable. Without your time and effort, your understanding and your ability to inspire, my experience would not have been the same.”

Scott Currie

“The �鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprenticeship has been a great experience for me.

Coming here straight from school I couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin my working life. Before my first day I was expecting to come into a busy and crazy working environment, but it surprised me how calm and friendly everyone is. People were more than happy to answer any questions I had, and this support was much appreciated. As well as having people in the team I was with to talk to, I always had my buddies, mentor and managers to support me if needed. There was always someone there to speak to.

“Also, during my first week as a �鶹Լ�� employee I was confused by the amount of jargon used. I thought it was some sort of special media language that I would have to spend months learning. For example, I was given an audio recorded interview and asked to ‘de-um it’. After panicking, I was soon informed of the meaning of this (which is to get rid of the stutters etc. in a recorded voice piece).

“I have been involved in both important and less important roles during my time at �鶹Լ�� Scotland. Sometimes I was logging video footage for hours on end and at other times stuffing over 400 envelopes with flyers and sticking post-it notes together in attempts to make a ‘waterfall’ prop. I also got the chance to create podcasts, carry out interviews for Reporting Scotland and co-produce radio shows/features.

The opportunities seem endless at times and the �鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprenticeship scheme has given me the confidence to realise that I have the potential to make a career in the media industry.”

Scott is currently in the middle of applying for roles, and will be continuing to work on Radio Scotland phone-in shows Off the Ball and Sportsound Extra.

Nicki Macgregor

“This past year has been probably one of the best and most exciting years of my life. I’ve had the opportunity to do things that I never thought I could do, and I have gotten to experience and work on some really exciting events and programmes.

“Before the apprenticeship, I didn’t think that any of us would be trusted but the responsibilities was have been given has been amazing. The fact that we have been allowed to make a real impact on productions has been more than I could’ve asked for. I also think that the bond we have made as a group has been amazing, I feel I have made lasting friendships that will continue even after the apprenticeship ends.”

James McAlpine

“This year at the �鶹Լ�� has meant a whole lot, I’ve worked with so many brilliant people on so many brilliant projects and productions. Coming in to the apprenticeship I would have been completely satisfied if something that I had filmed was to make it on to the television, however not only have I filmed multiple pieces that have made it to broadcast, but I was also a single camera director for �鶹Լ�� ALBA at Belladrum 2013, which is not only my first television credit but also an extremely good credit to have on my CV.

“The apprenticeship has given me invaluable experience and a really good head start into the media industry and now I’m heading off to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to study Digital Film and Television for the next three years.”

Hilary Whitley

“I hoped that the apprenticeship would open a few doors but I never thought I would have had even half of the opportunities I have been given over the last year. Now, thanks to all the experienced gained from the apprenticeship, I have a contract in Music Entertainment in London and am having a great time. I really hope this is the start of a life-long career.”

As �鶹Լ�� Scotland waves off their second class of apprentices they welcome the next batch (pictured below). This is their first week and they will be working with �鶹Լ�� Scotland for the next year, getting involved in coverage of the Commonwealth Games 2014. We’ll keep you posted on how they are getting on.

�鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprentices 2014 - Back row from left… Chris Quilietti, Megan McGinlay, Stephen Beavis, Ewan Evans, William Gardner Front row from left… Kathryn McGoldrick, Melissa Wyllie, Rebecca Fisher, Paul Randall, Connor MacGregor

Jon Jacob is Editor, About the �鶹Լ�� website and blog.

Embarking on an epic global journey

2013-08-16T17:27:26+00:00

Editor's Note - Mark Beaumont is an adventurer and documentary maker. Here, the broadcaster reveals how he'll be working with the �鶹Լ�� providing coverage of the Queen's Baton Relay in the run up to the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

What adventure are you going on next Mark?

Someone asks me this every day. Now I can finally tell all…

Starting on October 9th, I'm on a journey throughout the Commonwealth – once again sharing the whole experience online, radio and television with the �鶹Լ��. I once thought that pedaling 18,000 miles around the world involved a lot of countries, but this really is the most ambitious travel schedule I have ever imagined: 118,000 miles; 71 destinations; in just 288 days.

The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow, Scotland in the summer of 2014. This may be news to you, which is one of my main motivations for exploring the Commonwealth and in doing so building the knowledge and excitement ahead of my home games. I am backed by a great team currently working hard at �鶹Լ�� Scotland, but will be working with many of the �鶹Լ�� programme teams across the UK as the journey progresses.

I am not taking any credit for dreaming up this huge adventure. The Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) has happened in some form since the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. The tradition is for the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Elizabeth ll, to write a message that is carried within a baton, by relay runners, until it is finally read aloud to officially open the Games. Imagine a truly international Olympic Torch, but without the fire hazard!

Most people know the word Commonwealth, but do we know what it is? What is the modern Commonwealth? What holds this essentially disparate spread of 71 nations and territories, that compromises a third of the world’s population, in union?

No matter where I have travelled in the world or what I have been doing there, it is always the people I meet who make it special for me. I am particularly looking forward to following the Queen’s Baton Relay as it travels around the globe giving me a chance to meet some of the two billion people who make up the Commonwealth. It is such a privilege to be part of one of the greatest traditions of the Commonwealth Games and to be able to immerse myself in the diversity of the cultures that form this unique group of inter-connected countries.

Wherever you live in the Commonwealth, or out, you are welcome to be a part of my QBR journey as it happens. I will be sharing as much as I can. My hope is that this will be inspiring, engaging, fun, thought-provoking and if possible, make our world a little better understood.

It’s a hugely ambitious travel and broadcasting project. I’ll be presenting many programmes across the baton’s epic global journey, including The One Show, �鶹Լ�� Breakfast, Radio 2 and Radio Scotland, along with �鶹Լ�� News outlets, and online. You will also be able to see video updates of the journey online with even more activity as the baton reaches the UK. There will be events across the country, and as the baton reaches the home straight in Scotland.

So be a part of it. The journey begins on October 9th.

Mark Beaumont is @MrMarkBeaumont on Twitter

Scottish Referendum: Connected Studio Brief

2013-08-09T14:16:11+00:00

Over on the �鶹Լ�� Internet Blog, �鶹Լ�� Archive analyst Mo McRoberts involved in Connected Studio - the �鶹Լ��'s invitation to digital specialists both inside and outside the organisation to develop new ideas for future development - introduces the brief for their latest project, one which focusses on the Scottish Referendum.

In the post he writes:

"Next year’s Referendum on Scottish Independence offers 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland an opportunity to vote for the first time. The �鶹Լ�� is committed to helping all audiences understand the issues surrounding the debate on Scotland's Future. Given traditional coverage of politics can sometimes be perceived, particularly by younger audiences, as complicated and not relevant to them, we want you to consider new ways of communicating with audiences which empowers them to make an informed choice in the referendum."

Read about the Connected Studio Scottish Referendum project on the �鶹Լ�� Internet Blog.

Commonwealth Games 2014: Class of 2014

2013-06-13T08:43:53+00:00

I wanted to write another Commonwealth Games update to let you know that today we launch the first online debate of Commonwealth Class. This is an exciting new collaboration with the British Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat to provide teaching resources and activities linked to the curriculum for schools who want to learn more about the Commonwealth, as well as celebrating its values by being active and responsible global citizens.

School pupils aged 7-14 years old from around the world who get involved will be able to join our fortnightly debates by emailing their opinions which we will then publish online. They will also be able to download the education pack which has been put together by the British Council, which offers lesson plans on themes such as ‘Down the Line’ which relates to the values of tolerance, respect and understanding.

Today’s launch debate features a film with Usain Bolt’s inspiring PE teacher and asks pupils: ‘who or what inspires you to achieve?’ Schools can take part by emailing commonwealthclass [@] bbc.co.uk or visiting the website. We hope to see many �鶹Լ�� teams from across the UK getting their programmes involved with this over the course of the next year.

This week we are also starting the assessments and interviews for our next ten apprentices who will work in �鶹Լ�� Scotland to help deliver content across all genres for the Commonwealth Games. They will start with us full-time in September this year and will have a really exciting year ahead.

l-r: Sebastian Walls, Hilary Whitley, Barry Shaw, Chris O’Rourke, Lisa Graham, Cairi Swainson, Nicki Macgregor, James McAlpine (not pictured: Scott Currie & Ben McCormack)

Our current apprentices have come so far since their first day with us last year and have just completed their college qualification. Several of them will be working on our Edinburgh Festivals coverage; Hilary and Sebastian recently co-hosted �鶹Լ�� Radio Scotland’s mid-morning MacAulay & Co; and Barry, Cairi and Hilary have also just become tour guides for our headquarters at Pacific Quay.

Lots of discussions and ideas are developing regarding our cultural and events output over the coming year related to the Commonwealth Games. There are lots of plans coming together from across the �鶹Լ�� for this but we expect to see even more programme teams come on board with their ideas over the next few months and I’m looking forward to being able to share more with you about that soon.

Over the next couple of months we will be able to share with you more details regarding the ambition of delivering a Cultural hub in Glasgow and our coverage of the Queen’s Baton Relay.

Sharon Mair is Project Executive, Commonwealth Games 2014

Screen Machine: pop-up cinema visits the Hebrides

2013-04-29T11:47:11+00:00

Screen Machine, a huge mobile cinema, travelled to the Hebrides to preview �鶹Լ�� Scotland's new natural history series 'Hebrides: Islands on the Edge'. Executive producer Neil McDonald was on hand to witness the event.

A ferocious south westerly was whipping across the Minch as the Calmac ferry eased its way into the narrow inlet at Tarbert on the Hebridean Isle of Harris. As it unloaded its usual mixture of locals and tourists it also disgorged unusual cargo – a 34 ton mobile cinema, the Screen Machine - a pop up marvel which continually circles the remotest fringes of Scotland.

The Screen Machine truck disembarks the Calmac ferry.

First on the bill last week was the opening episode of a new landmark natural history series from �鶹Լ�� Scotland- Hebrides: Islands on the Edge which has been narrated by Ewan McGregor.

There could not be a more fitting place to screen the film than Harris. The stark beauty of the island is extraordinary. Its mountains were the understudy for Jupiter in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Tarbert perches precariously on the rocky east coast. Two hundred years ago the inhabitants were forcibly cleared from the more fertile west coast to scratch out a living amongst the boulders and peat in the east. It’s an island where the past hangs heavy.

The Screen Machine though is a modern technological marvel. Owned and operated by Regional Screen Scotland, it is fully digital, its sides unfolding to reveal, Tardis like, a roomy and comfortable 80 seat cinema that would not feel out of place in the coolest urban setting.

Neil McDonald introduces the screening of Hebrides: Islands on the Edge.

I was there as the executive producer for the �鶹Լ�� of Hebrides: Islands on the Edge. It’s the centrepiece of a forthcoming Wild Scotland season on �鶹Լ�� Scotland which features other gems like Wild Cameramen at Work, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, a four part series looking at the world class wildlife cameramen who have made Scotland their home and Midsummer Live, a 90 minute live show from the Callanish standing stones on the Isle of Lewis, which will investigate and celebrate the impact of the long nights on the natural and human worlds.

There are few places more magical than the Hebrides in midsummer but Islands on the Edge, produced by Maramedia in association with Otter Films, tracks wildlife through all the seasons. The series which was filmed over two years could not have been made without the support of many people in the islands so it seemed only proper that they should be given an advance preview.

We wanted the islanders to be able to watch the programmes in all their HD glory but with few cinemas on the islands the Screen Machine was called into action.

Crossing the Skye Bridge, the Screen Machine continues it's tour of the Hebrides.

Beginning on the Isle of Barra at the southern tip of the Outer Hebrides the cinema made its way north, through some of the most sensational landscapes in the world, stopping on 6 different islands to screen Hebrides: Islands on the Edge.

In Harris, the audience ranged in age from 8 to 80. This was a film about their home, a place they loved. Their reaction was universal – they had never seen the islands photographed in such a spectacular way. Cameraman and producer John Aitchison and executive producer Nigel Pope had delivered a passionate and lyrical account of what it’s really like for both wildlife and people to live on the edge. John had filmed for 240 days through storm and drought to capture the most extraordinary wildlife behaviour. The people of Harris saw their island through different eyes.

Ewan McGregor, who narrated the programme.

Ewan McGregor did us the great favour of tweeting to his 300,000 followers that Hebrides: Islands On The Edge was “one of the most beautiful films” he had seen. The people of Harris agreed. I hope you do too.

Neil McDonald is Creative Director, Documentaries, �鶹Լ�� Scotland.

Hebrides: Islands on the Edge will be broadcast on �鶹Լ�� One Scotland on Monday 6 May at 9pm.

�鶹Լ�� Scotland's Commonwealth Games apprenticeship scheme announced

2013-04-15T08:49:15+00:00

Following her blog in October, Sharon Mair updates us on the progress of the Commonwealth Games team and announces a new apprenticeship scheme.

It’s not long now – in fact less than 500 days. Every day I hear it said somewhere that the countdown has begun towards the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July 2014. It absolutely has. This is a fantastic opportunity for us all to build on the enthusiasm and energy of the Olympics.

2014 is a big year for sport with the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia (February), the Football World Cup in Brazil (June/July), Wimbledon (June/July), Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 (July/August) and the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland (September). 2014 is not just about sport, however, culture and events throughout the year will play a big part in the shaping of 2014, from the centenary of World War 1, to the Queen’s Baton Relay and the Independence Referendum.

A lot has happened since my last blog. The excitement of the launch of the Commonwealth Games mascot has calmed down and Clyde has proved really popular with audiences as he has travelled around the UK with the Organising Committee. The past few months have been hectic as we have been focusing on the editorial ambitions across all genres to shape our content. As well as fantastic sport across television, radio and online, our plan is to have a �鶹Լ�� Cultural Hub running for two weeks from 19^th July – 3^rd August with a strong focus on music, sport and live events linking into the Festival 2014 programme for the Commonwealth Games (a Glasgow City wide festival led by Glasgow Life during the Festival).

The vision, the planning and the ambition is very much underway and now we are starting to make sure �鶹Լ�� staff across the UK know what is happening and thinking about how their programmes can be involved. We recently held a big brainstorm around the ambitions for the Commonwealth Games Cultural Hub and some brilliant ideas emerged from that. Details of timelines are starting to come together and technical, logistical and resources requirements are being gathered across the UK.

I’m also pleased to have some exciting news to share this week, with the launch of the �鶹Լ�� Scotland Apprenticeship scheme which looks for people from all backgrounds to play a key role in our Commonwealth output during 2014 across radio, tv, online and events. This scheme, which leads to a Modern Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media at level 3, is run in collaboration with �鶹Լ�� Scotland, John Wheatley College and Skillset Scotland. It’s now in its third year and it offers a brilliant opportunity for young people to spend a year with the �鶹Լ��, build confidence, open opportunities and in this very special year to work on one of the biggest events to happen in the UK. Applications for the apprenticeship scheme open today (Monday 15 April 2013) and close on 10 May 2013, with successful applicants due to start in September 2013 for a year.

The next big launch for us is the Queen’s Baton Relay. The Baton begins its journey in October 2013, travelling around all 71 countries and territories of the Commonwealth, before arriving in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Wales, England and then Scotland. More details to follow on this soon, but the key people who are working through all these logistics are Neil Macdonald, Tony Nellany and Graham Mitchell.

Next time, updates on events that are happening and more on the Cultural Hub.

Sharon Mair is Project Executive, Commonwealth Games 2014.

�鶹Լ�� ALBA moving to channel number 143 on Sky

2013-03-20T12:16:05+00:00

This is just a quick post to make sure you know that on Tuesday 26 March 2013 there will be a new home for �鶹Լ�� ALBA on Sky.

It will move to a more prominent slot in the channel listing: channel 143. The other advantage of this new position is that it will be part of a small �鶹Լ�� cluster alongside �鶹Լ�� One HD and �鶹Լ�� Two HD which are also taking up their new positions that day at channels 141 and 142 respectively.

�鶹Լ�� ALBA will remain at the same position on all other platforms, which are:

What will I have to do?

In short, you should not need to do anything other than note the new channel number. Your series recordings should all carry on working and if you have set �鶹Լ�� ALBA as a favourite that will also work straight away with the new channel number.

* * *

Hopefully you’ll continue to find �鶹Լ�� ALBA easy to reach and enjoy the unique programmes it has to offer. Best wishes, or maybe should that be “Gach deagh dhùrachd” ?

�鶹Լ�� Scotland's quirky approach to �鶹Լ�� Four's Alien Nation season

2013-03-11T11:40:55+00:00

What does the word “Scotland” bring to mind?

Within parts of the �鶹Լ��, the answer seems to be large glass structures. And a slightly quirky approach to science TV programmes.

The in-house team that makes most of �鶹Լ�� TV’s science output is based in London and Glasgow. Both parts of the team make all sorts of ambitious programmes for all the �鶹Լ��’s channels. But if you want to film some strange science in a box, then �鶹Լ�� Scotland has become the go-to place.

It started two years ago, when we built a large glass box in Edinburgh Zoo, put a kitchen and garden inside, and watched it all rot. For two months. The result was a programme for �鶹Լ��4 called After Life: The Strange Science of Decay, which lifted a rather smelly lid on the normally obscure subject of decomposition, and revealed it to be both essential to life and surprisingly beautiful.

It also gave us a TV version of the “difficult second album” problem. What else could we put in a glass box and watch for weeks? That might make good telly. The answer was ants. One million of them.

Anyone who has owned the sort of mini ant farms you can buy in the shops knows how fascinating these creatures can be. And full-size, natural ant colonies are true wonders of nature - huge, complex societies, able to achieve extraordinary feats of organisation. But being buried deep underground, they are also incredibly hard to film or study in the wild.

So we decided to build a full-size ant nest that we could see inside. The result was an elaborate construction of glass boxes (of course), tubes and tables, which went on display within the Glasgow Science Centre for a month last summer. To populate it, we brought in a colony of leaf-cutter ants from their native Trinidad. We chose leaf-cutters, because they display some of the most elaborate forms of social organisation – which is what we wanted to explore. They’re also considered a serious agricultural pest in countries like Trinidad, so we were actually re-housing a colony that was due to be destroyed.

Dr George McGavin with the man-made leaf cutter ant colony.

As with After Life, we used the latest microscope cameras and time lapse photography to capture every aspect of the colony’s story. And we spoke to researchers in the UK and the US to see what ant behaviour can teach us about our own world. So (amongst much else) you can see how ants can help guide space probes in the resulting programme, Planet Ant: Life inside the colony, which opens �鶹Լ�� Four’s insect-focused Alien Nation season at 9pm on March 12.

Planet Ant is just one of three films that �鶹Լ�� Scotland has made for the season. And although Insect Dissection: How insects work and Metamorphosis: The science of change (as you can tell, they like really thorough titles on �鶹Լ�� Four) might not feature glass boxes, they are, I hope, just a little bit quirkier than average.

Insect Dissection is about ... er ... dissecting insects. Not on the face of it, the most obvious TV proposition. But seen in ultra close-up, insect anatomy is truly amazing, and is one reason why they are the most successful creatures on the planet. So we borrowed the anatomy museum at Glasgow University, brought in two entomologists – James Logan and Brendan Dunphy – gave them some scalpels and some bugs, and left them to it. Of course we didn’t – we spent a lot of time thinking about which insects would be most interesting to cut open, and how we could film in enough detail to show what they discovered. But one of the things we do try to do in science programmes (and other factual content as well) is to let experts share their knowledge in as direct and natural way as possible. Not always easy to achieve with the cameras and the lights and the rest of the baggage that TV brings. But watching James’s excitement as for the first time he dissected the stomach of a mosquito that was full of his own blood, was a moment when you felt TV had captured real professional passion.

Metamorphosis is quirky in a different way. It’s written and presented by David Malone, a programme maker who tries to bring wider perspectives to traditional science topics. The original idea of the programme was to reveal the process of metamorphosis – the frankly rather bizarre way that creatures like insects transform themselves from one form into something completely different, a caterpillar into a butterfly for example. But David takes this further, and explores how this idea of transformation has embedded itself within our culture, and asks whether we ourselves might be said to metamorphose.

None of these programmes had a particularly generous budget, so the quirky quality is partly a consequence of not being able to afford, on this occasion, the spectacular locations or graphics that characterise other sorts of science shows.

But making them has been a fascinating reminder that some of the best stories can be found close to home. Particularly inside glass boxes.

Marcus Herbert is Executive Producer, �鶹Լ�� Scotland.

�鶹Լ�� Scotland at 90

2013-03-05T10:15:26+00:00

Graham Stewart is a broadcaster and journalist with �鶹Լ�� Scotland and has been extensively researching the history of Scottish broadcasting for a forthcoming book.

5SC's first station director, Herbert Carruthers, addressing the microphone

During the speeches which marked the opening of the �鶹Լ��’s first Scottish radio station on 6 March 1923, The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Sir Thomas Paxton, expressed his surprise that the Company had been so long in realising a station for the city. The �鶹Լ�� had launched nearly four months earlier in November 1922 with 2LO in London, 5IT in Birmingham and 2ZY in Manchester; though, to be fair, these stations were inherited from the electrical manufacturers which had already been operating them on an experimental basis.

5SC had to be built mainly from scratch, with a transmitter site secured in January 1923 at the local council’s Port Dundas electricity station. Studio premises were acquired a few weeks later in the city’s music hall and theatre district at 202 Bath Street, benefitting from the new �鶹Լ�� policy of establishing studios in central locations near to railway stations (Birmingham and Manchester, by comparison, were initially based at far less salubrious factory works on the outskirts). Within just the space of a fortnight 5SC was ready to broadcast.

Three things have struck me most during my research: the speed with which early broadcasting developed; the amateurish, yet highly ambitious nature of it; and how, 90 years later, so much of what we now recognise of radio was in place right from the start.

Due to the technical limitations of the time, output was entirely live and local — not only in the sense of not being pre-recorded, but in employing local talent to perform every piece of music and read every script live into the microphone.

The voracious appetite for musical performance was reflected in the job specification for 5SC’s station director: “Wanted: a young, versatile musician, thoroughly acquainted with Scottish musical tastes and concert world: must possess ability to organise musical, educational and instructional programmes.” The successful candidate was Herbert Carruthers, an organist and conductor who had some previous experience with an experimental radio station in Glasgow.

Herbert Carruthers describes one of his first duties in setting-up 5SC

On opening night, civic dignitaries and performers crammed round the single microphone in the small, stuffy attic studio, sharing the cramped space with the station orchestra and a pipe band which spilled out into the adjoining corridor. On the stroke of 7 o’clock, the skirl of bagpipes flooded the airwaves with the folk tune Hey, Johnnie Cope. John Reith, the �鶹Լ��’s general manager, then bent to the microphone and announced that 5SC, the Glasgow station of the British Broadcasting Company, was calling. Broadcasting in Scotland had officially begun.

The attic floor of 202 Bath Street as it is today.

The Glasgow Herald described the opening night as “a thrilling and moving moment” and, within five months, it was claimed that upwards of 50,000 people were listening-in to 5SC each evening.

The pioneers of Scottish broadcasting could have been forgiven had they paused to take a breath, but less than a fortnight after launch the station embarked upon its first outside broadcast: three weeks of nightly operas performed by the British National Opera Company, relayed live from Glasgow’s Coliseum Theatre. Again, it was a rather amateurish affair, with just one microphone placed in the footlights and a telephone line connection to the studio, yet still incredibly ambitious for the time. Little more than a year later, 5SC was regularly relaying live concerts from the opulent Gleneagles Hotel, some 40 miles away in the Perthshire countryside.

Despite all this considerable ambition, it was the policy of the �鶹Լ�� to keep station staffs as low as possible. 5SC employed only four people in programming and administration. It was not surprising, therefore, that they were required to be multi-skilled and worked considerably long hours.

Mungo Dewar, one of the station assistants at 5SC, outlines the various duties each of the four members of programming staff had to carry out

The working day would begin as early as 8.30am, with the small team working on administrative duties in the office, be it organizing programmes or preparing scripts. Then, from 5.30pm, they would invariably have to output a whole evening’s worth of programmes, beginning with the daily Children’s Corner. As was common practice at all �鶹Լ�� stations, each member of staff was expected to muck-in and perform as one of the programme’s ‘Aunties’ or ‘Uncles’.

Children’s organiser Kathleen Garscadden describes the spontaneity of Children’s Corner on 5SC

Children’s Corner made local celebrities of the station staff and a uniformed policeman was often despatched to Bath Street to keep order among the mob of fans waiting outside for autographs.

Kathleen Garscadden with a group of children at Canning Street School, Glasgow

5SC’s programming expanded to include drama, relays of local church services and broadcasts to local schools. It was soon joined by sister stations in Aberdeen (2BD), Edinburgh (2EH) and Dundee (2DE) but, by 1929, they had all closed down as the �鶹Լ��’s local policy was replaced by a ‘regional’ or, in the case of Scotland, a largely ‘national’ one. It’s a model which the �鶹Լ�� has followed in Scotland right up to the present day. Local radio was eventually resurrected by the commercial sector from 1973, but its roots go way back to the �鶹Լ��’s pioneering days in the 1920s.

Graham Stewart is a broadcaster and journalist with �鶹Լ�� Scotland.

See Ian Pratt's blog Welsh voices from the past commemorating 90 years of �鶹Լ�� broadcasting from Wales.

Also Robert Seatter's blog, Eighty years of Broadcasting House and our related Broadcasting House slideshow.

Getting preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games underway

2012-10-23T08:34:45+00:00

The power of sporting achievement, the multiplatform coverage and the creative cultural content on offer as a result of London staging the Olympic Games this year, in some respects makes the 2014 Commonwealth Games here in Glasgow an extremely hard act to follow. But, building and learning from the success of the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012 is exactly what we here in Scotland are going to do to deliver the most fantastic Commonwealth Games.

As Editor, Commonwealth Games in �鶹Լ�� Scotland, I’ve been working on our Commonwealth ambitions and negotiations for the past 18 months, collaborating with colleagues right across the �鶹Լ�� on the Torch Relay, Music Nation, Apprenticeships Scheme, and the multiplatform delivery of brilliant sport, which our audiences have loved.

It’s been an incredible experience so far. And, over the coming weeks and months I hope to share with you some of the stories and developments behind the scenes. Here’s a recent one…

I was asked over a year ago by the Organising Committee for the Commonwealth Games if I would be interested in running a UK wide �鶹Լ�� competition to design the 2014 mascot. It seemed like a great idea, and a fantastic opportunity for the winner, not least the prize of tickets to the Opening Ceremony!

But, this was to be a far from straightforward process. The word ‘competition’ can strike fear at the very heart of many a hardy �鶹Լ�� exec, and if you add into that mix a children’s’ competition, external collaboration, confidentiality, all the editorial challenges those elements rightly demand, plus a launch event where surprising the winner is a key part of what you hope to achieve – you can begin to feel quite queasy!

Such a project demanded me working with some great teams across the �鶹Լ��, and taking advice from all the relevant parties, we put the competition in place, launching it on �鶹Լ�� Radio Scotland’s MacAulay and Co and C�鶹Լ��’s Blue Peter last year, and on the 20^th September 2012 revealing both the winner and her design - Clyde the Thistleman - to the world at Pacific Quay in Glasgow.

Winning mascot designer 12 year old Beth Gilmour was fantastic. Her family was rightly proud of her achievements. The look of sheer joy on Beth’s face when she visited Pacific Quay and saw for the first time the incredible work the designers had done in bringing her drawing to life made it a wonderful experience for us.

There is an assumption that such projects are straightforward to run. The journey was considerable however. For example, Beth really didn’t know anything about her winning the competition until Blue Peter’s Barney surprised her at home with a camera crew in tow. That in itself meant we needed to get confidentiality agreements signed by all (and yes, her parents too!) so that the design of the Commonwealth Games mascot could remain a secret for several months while the designers worked their magic.

My personal experience of this part of the Commonwealth Games does inevitably focus on �鶹Լ�� Scotland. But importantly, the Commonwealth Games is not a Glasgow, or Scotland event, it is a UK and global event. Collaborations are already happening across the �鶹Լ�� and with our external partners to deliver the sport, cultural and learning proposition for the Games. The structures are starting to come together, the �鶹Լ�� is the UK domestic rights holder for the Games similar to the Olympics; our ambitions are the same - to deliver brilliant sports coverage for our audience, our challenges are bold, ambitious and exciting. Coverage of the Queens Baton Relay across all 71 countries, the Cultural Festival ambitions and the question of how we reflect a modern Commonwealth across all our genres will be at the heart of our programming.

One final note for this post. One of our 2012 apprentices has secured employment with us working on the transition of the Olympic Dreams and World Class projects to deliver the Commonwealth vision. I watched her enthusiasm as she handled a virtual global debate through the World Class site on what the children of the Commonwealth thought about our recently revealed mascot. She had the same look that Beth had when she saw the mascot come to life! That energy, excitement and inspiration which we all experienced during the Olympics is what we need to build on. Through our key themes of sport, youth, innovation and culture we will tell the stories of the triumphs, trials and surprises of the 71 countries and the new stars of the 20^th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014.

The Commonwealth Games is a big project for �鶹Լ�� Scotland now underway. It will be hugely exciting for us and I look forward to sharing with you the developments and the collaborations we will make on the road to Glasgow.

Sharon Mair is Editor, Commonwealth Games, �鶹Լ�� Scotland

Introducing: Bruce Malcolm, Chief Operating Officer, �鶹Լ�� Scotland

2012-10-10T14:16:29+00:00

Editor's Note - �鶹Լ�� Scotland's Chief Operating Officer, Bruce Malcolm is the first to feature in a new series of blog interviews introducing senior management and the work they do at the �鶹Լ��. We'll be publishing more interviews from across the �鶹Լ�� in the coming weeks and months. Look out for additional posts about the work of �鶹Լ�� Scotland soon.

What does the Chief Operating Officer for �鶹Լ�� Scotland do?

I look after �鶹Լ�� Scotland’s business and operational side of things. That includes finance, property, planning, technology, production management and our Delivering Quality First plans. The post of Chief Operating Officer was created when �鶹Լ�� Scotland moved its headquarters to Pacific Quay, as a solution to running all operational aspects of the business in the most integrated way.

In addition to this I am also responsible for delivering large projects. The move to Pacific Quay is a good example of that as I led that project from design to delivery which was a process that spanned twelve or thirteen years.

What did you do before you joined the �鶹Լ��? And what attracted you to the �鶹Լ�� in the first place?

I trained as a chartered accountant and qualified with a major accounting firm, but after working as a consultant for a few years I found myself wanting to do something a bit more challenging. I was drawn towards the arts, culture and broadcasting and I ended up at �鶹Լ�� Scotland because of its unique set up.

When I joined �鶹Լ�� Scotland it was in a very traditional finance role, though over the next ten years I moved through being responsible for each of the key business and operational areas. By the time the post of Chief Operating Officer arose I had a very clear understanding of each of the areas of the business, and believed that integrating them was the way forward for the organisation.

I originally only intended to stay for a few years, but the place got a hold of me and we are now twenty years down the line!

What are you working on at the moment, what's on your to-do list for the next twelve months?

I’m working on the Network Supply Review (NSR), which is how the �鶹Լ�� moves productions out of London and across the UK, alongside meeting stretching savings targets of 16%. It’s a mix of trying to grow �鶹Լ�� Scotland’s business through NSR whilst also improving efficiency.

When Pacific Quay opened in 2007 Mark Thompson committed to at least 8.6% of network television output being produced in Scotland by 2016. This target was in line with the percentage of the Scottish population within the UK. By 2011 we had already reached over 8% so we are well on our way to delivering the 2016 target.

At the moment NSR mainly involves television but we hope to expand it to look at radio and online. This is an incredibly important project because it involves spreading the licence fee spend across the UK, but most significantly, it’s about ensuring local portrayal so that audiences across the country get output which reflects them.

We’re also working towards 2014 which is a huge year for both the �鶹Լ�� and �鶹Լ�� Scotland. There’s the referendum on Scottish Independence and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. In both cases we have to ensure that we deliver the best possible coverage for the audience and in the case of the Commonwealth Games, build on the success of the Olympics.

The final thing that is key to us in the next twelve months and beyond is working in partnership with external organisations. We already do this on topics like training with Creative Skillset Scotland, and our work with Creative Scotland (for example on our co-commissioned drama The Field of Blood) and Planet Ant with our neighbours at the Glasgow Science Centre which you will see next year on �鶹Լ�� Four. The right partnerships allow us to create great content for our audiences in the most efficient way and this is something we are going to increase.

What’s unique about �鶹Լ�� Scotland?

In my opinion the most defining thing about �鶹Լ�� Scotland is that it is a microcosm of the wider �鶹Լ��. We make every type of programming here for Scottish and network audiences: news and current affairs, sport, landmark factual, drama, daytime and entertainment, comedy, music and events, children’s; we have all platforms – with Radio Scotland as well as the Gaelic language services Radio nan Gaidheal and the television channel �鶹Լ�� ALBA, plus we have online. Our headquarters are at Pacific Quay in Glasgow but we have twenty other bases in Scotland creating a service for the whole country.

In addition to that we deliver something into every single �鶹Լ�� network and there are very few bits of the �鶹Լ�� where that happens, so it gives us a unique insight and level of experience. It does mean that it can be a bit complex at times but the advantage it gives us is that we are small and agile enough to be able to experiment and learn from what we do. It’s easier for us to see what is and is not working which enables us to advise other, larger parts of the �鶹Լ��, so we play a big part in pan-�鶹Լ�� initiatives as a result of that. One example of that is ‘Creative UK’ – this is a project I’m involved in which partly looks at how network TV is managed in terms of budgets, structures etc to ensure the business is being run in the best possible way.

Another big thing for us is being part of the creative industries in Scotland. Last year our turnover was £170m. £100m of that was spent on Scottish programming which includes things like news, sport, our continuing drama River City, factual documentaries, learning output, Radio Scotland and our online services. The remaining £70m was spent on our network business, supplying content across all the �鶹Լ��’s genres. Approximately 50% of this content comes from independent production companies so you can see that we spend a significant amount of the licence fee externally on Scotland’s creative industries.

There is a broad range of indies in Scotland, from Tern Television in Aberdeen who make our long running series Beechgrove Garden, and the soon to be transmitted six-parter The Harbour, to the Comedy Unit who have brought us classics like Rab C Nesbitt and more recently Gary: Tank Commander. It’s important to us that there is a sustainable production industry in Scotland as that leads to jobs for production and craft staff, and a better and broader content reflecting Scotland to its own audiences as well as to the rest of the country.

Describe �鶹Լ�� Scotland's headquarters Pacific Quay. What's the best thing about it?

When David Chipperfield talked about his design for Pacific Quay he said he wanted staff to feel as if they were coming to work on a sunny day which is why the building has its open spaces and large amounts of natural daylight. It’s a beautiful building and when you bring guests in you see it again through their eyes.

Pacific Quay is centred around ‘The Street’ which is the stepped sandstone heart of the building. We use the top of each level for meetings, broadcasts and staff gatherings, and underneath each level is one of our studios. It has really worked in terms of connecting staff in the building as it does encourage people to meet one another, people don’t just stay in their own departments - you see everyone every day. There’s also a democracy in the openness – there aren’t any private offices, every member of staff has exactly the same kind of working environment. The same goes for the car park, there aren’t any reserved spaces for senior staff, it’s simply first-come first-served.

You also know you are in a broadcasting environment when you are here, we designed it so that broadcasting runs through it all. You can see right into the radio studios and edit suites from just about anywhere in the building and things like lighting rigs are built into the building as part of the interior design. Wherever you go in the building you are always in touch with production.

What view do you have from your desk?

Our office has floor to ceiling windows with a view of the River Clyde, Glasgow University and beyond that the hills so I’m quite happy where I am! If I turn the other way I’m right next to edit suites and the radio music team so you’re always aware you are part of an organisation that is continually creating content.

What was the last thing you watched via �鶹Լ�� iPlayer? What would you recommend?

The last thing I watched on iPlayer was three episodes of Burnistoun back to back. If you like surreal comedy sketch shows I would recommend that!

I’ve also been a fan of the �鶹Լ�� Scottish Symphony Orchestra since I joined and have been a regular at their concerts for the past twenty years. Their new season just opened at City Halls in Glasgow with Tristan and Isolde which was another memorable and enjoyable evening.

Read about the apprentice scheme run at �鶹Լ�� Scotland in posts written by Sharon Mair (Editor, Commonwealth Games) and scheme participant David Matchett.

David Matchett learns the ropes on Apprentice 2012

2012-09-20T15:03:33+00:00

David Matchett pictured second from left with some of the other participants in the apprentice Scheme, Leigh-Ann Bennett, Laura Paterson and Kimberley Patterson.

Editor's Note - In a previous blog post, Sharon Mair, Editor Olympics & Commonwealth at �鶹Լ�� Scotland explained how a collaboration between the �鶹Լ�� and various media organisations across Scotland had given ten teenagers experience of working in the media as part of the Creative & Digital Media scheme.

In this post, one of the ten apprentices David Matchett who has been spending time at �鶹Լ�� Scotland headquarters Pacific Quay in Glasgow shares his thoughts and feelings about the scheme.

My arms are bruised from the amount of times I've had to pinch myself into believing that my career path has shifted in such an interesting way since I joined the Apprentice 2012 scheme in September last year.

I found an application online that looked too good to be true: a creative apprenticeship in which you could earn and learn simultaneously within the �鶹Լ��. No degree required, just a positive attitude and willingness to learn. To me the �鶹Լ�� building seemed as impenetrable as Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. But, once inside you'll realise the staff are not actually Oompa Loompas and are just really welcoming, creative people who you can learn a lot from.

Every month each apprentice moves into a new department, becomes part of a team and learns new skills and a wide understanding of the industry as a whole. Whether it's meeting Prince Charles, getting to co-present MacAulay & Co on �鶹Լ�� Radio Scotland or working towards the Olympics, it's been quite an experience.

Every day is different. Sometimes you have to do what may be considered menial work but once you understand how team oriented the industry is, you realise regardless of how small a part in it you play you are working towards something great. I used to often join in when my friends complained about their jobs, now if I say a word I am met with looks which say 'Stop it! Your job-whinging privileges have been revoked. You work somewhere cool now!'

David Matchett (second left) with some of the other apprentices meeting HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales.

I would go as far as to say the apprenticeship scheme is character shaping. The confidence gained from this immersion-style training has influenced our personalities in a positive way. The transferable skills we now possess have transformed us into dynamic and ultimately more employable people, regardless of whether we want to stay working in the media (which of course we do).

Looking towards the future however, there are no 100% job certainties. But to be perfectly honest we have grown to understand that with the nature of the industry it would be less kind to gift us a job.

In my mind the whole point of this traineeship is to learn how to build contacts, work flexibly and fend for ourselves within a highly competitive environment. It's the old saying: give a man a deep fried Mars bar and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to batter and fry it and you will feed him for an (admittedly shortened) lifetime.

David Matchett participated in Apprentice 2012 at �鶹Լ�� Scotland