THE National ran a story today on the producers behind Debate Night – the Scottish "Question Time" show to launch on the BBC Scotland channel – failing to contact pro-independence groups about applications for the audience being open.
This was despite arch-Unionist group Scotland In Union being among those it did contact, inviting it to instruct its members on how to apply for the show's audience.
After our story was published, several of the pro-Yes groups we had mentioned as not being contacted received emails from the BBC with similar instructions to let "grassroots" members know about the application process.
READ MORE: BBC finally contacts major Yes groups about Debate Time after our story
Below is a letter to National readers from Daniel Maxwell, executive producer of Debate Night, responding to the story.
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WHILE we’re delighted that many people are now aware of BBC Scotland’s new weekly political discussion programme, Debate Night, we’d like to dispel some myths about how we get the message out about taking part in the programme.
Our production team work hard to contact as wide a range of organisations as possible: political parties including various local branches; a large number of trade unions, universities and colleges; local churches and faith groups; community organisations, charities and business groups. These are groups across the political and social spectrum.
We have advertised the audience application process on BBC radio, TV and online, as well as through social media – and are very appreciative that The National and others took the time to retweet a link to our audience form.
The team have been speaking directly to the hundreds of people who have applied to be part of Debate Night for our opening programmes. Some may be active in one political group or other – but many, like a lot of Scots, have a complex voting history across the party spectrum.
The audience will represent a cross-section of Scottish opinion, and the BBC have discussed the make-up of audiences with all the larger political parties over the past few weeks. We do not pick the audience based on the number of applications from any particular group.
We will continue to spread the message about this exciting new programme over the coming days, which means contacting even more groups to spread the word, and we encourage everyone who has been reading about the programme to get involved by filling out an online application form (bbc.co.uk/debatenight).
The programme launches next Wednesday, and we’re all looking forward to the public being able to make up their minds about Debate Night once they have seen it.
Daniel Maxwell
Executive Producer, Debate Night
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