BBC Alba
| Country |  Scotland |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Stornoway and Pacific Quay, Glasgow |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Scottish Gaelic |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | BBC and MG Alba |
BBC Alba is an upcoming Scottish Gaelic language television channel. It is unique in that it is the first channel to be delivered under a BBC licence by a partnership. It is also the first multi genre channel to come entirely from Scotland with almost all of its programmes made in Scotland. The channel partners are MG Alba - and the BBC. The channel will launch on 19 September 2008.[1][2][3]
It will broadcast throughout the UK on satellite (Sky & Freesat) and they hope to be on Virgin TV from launch. Subject to review by the BBC Trust, it will be broadcast on Freeview, in Scotland only, from the digital switchover (2010). The channel is being funded and operated jointly by MG Alba and the BBC. See the BBC Trust's website for details of the licence conditions.
MG Alba and the BBC will run the channel in partnership. Gaelic programming on BBC Two Scotland is to continue at least until the Digital switchover. The Gaelic Digital Service will also include BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and online content.
BBC & Virgin are still in talks over this Channel.
The broadcasing hours for BBC Alba is 16:00 to 00:00 every day from 20 September 2008.
Content
BBC ALBA will combine television, radio and on-line programme content, is anticipated to have a positive impact at many levels including increasing artistic and technical skills, extending economic opportunities, stimulating parents' interest in Gaelic medium education, appealing to and serving the adult learners and strengthening Gaelic usage in extremely important media. It holds significant potential to assist with the development of positive attitudes to the acquisition and transmission of Gaelic. BBC Alba will broadcast more Scottish sport than any other channel, with over 3 hours a week of football, rugby and shinty expected In addition BBC ALBA will have a live news programme for 30 minutes every weekday.
BBC ALBA In Testing
On 29 July tests appeared on 11.953 H under the banner 6736.
On 12 August video test appear showing CBBC Channel/BBC Three. until 13 August after 10.30am the BBC Alba info screen appear with sound from BBC Radio nan Gàidheal for some time but at 11.45am is was testing with BBC Alba shows.
As of 13 August at 10.30am the EPG now and next banner is as followed:
This is BBC Alba - Scotland's Gaelic language channel. Archive programmes begin at 8.00pm and a full service will begin at 9.00pm on 19 September
On August 20 BBC ALBA was added to Sky Channel 169. It is available on the Sky EPG in the Republic of Ireland, unlike any other additional BBC services (BBC One and Two having been the only available stations for some time).
Sport
BBC ALBA will concentrate on three sports, football, Rugby and Shinty.[4]
BBC ALBA will broadcast one full SPL game every Saturday for two seasons.[5] The games will be broadcast three hours after the game has ended. The game shown will be a selected one not covered by either live Setanta Sports or on an on-demand basis by BT Vision[6]. The match will only have Gaelic commentary along with English subtitles.
BBC ALBA will also broadcast at least two live football games this season, one semi final and the final of the Alba Challenge Cup, sponsored by MG Alba.
Programming
MG Alba and the BBC have announced that around 1.5 hour of television content daily will be new material. An outline schedule in the service proposition submitted to the BBC Trust in 2007 included the following genres:
| Genre | No, days shown | Days | duration Daily(hrs) | notes |
| Children's | 5 | Mon-Fri | 1 | includes programmes like De a-Nis? |
| News | 5 | Mon-Fri | 0.45 | Broadcast 3 times a day. Including Weather reports. |
| Sport | 5 | Mon, Thu-Sun | 4 | Includes SPL matches |
| Lifestyle | 5 | Mon-Fri | 1- 1.30 | |
| Music | 2 | Wed, Sun | 1.30-4 | |
| Religion | 1 | Sun | 2.30 | |
| Education | 2 | Tues, Sat | 1-4 | includes learning resources for Learners of Gaelic |
| Factual | 3 | Tue, Thu,Sun | 4 |
Source:BBC trust Note: this schedule outline is now obsolete - a full schedule will be published in early September 2008.
Funding
BBC ALBA will be funded by MG Alba, which is financed by the Scottish Government, and BBC Scotland.
The BBC's existing spend is £3.2 million on radio content and £2.1 million for TV and online. The BBC will contribute an additional £2.5 million to BBC ALBA. (BBC figures exclude distribution costs.) MG ALBA will apply the majority of its budget (£12.4 million in 2008/09) to the Gaelic Digital Service.
See also
References
- ^ "Gaelic digital TV channel debated". bbc.co.uk. 2007-08-29. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
- ^ BBC - Commissioning - BBC Alba
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7556739.stm
- ^ SFL's delight at joy sponsorship deal for Challenge Cup - The Daily Record
- ^ BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier | BBC Gaelic to screen SPL matches
- ^ BBC Scotland Alba | Naidheachdan | Geamaichean a' Phrìomh Lìog air an t-Seirbheis Dhidseataich
External links
- Gaelic Digital Service proposals at bbc.co.uk
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