THE BBC has defended its decision not to feature the Sunday National in a review of Scottish papers.
The Andrew Marr show on Sunday included a round-up of Scottish papers and Scottish editions of UK papers.
We asked the BBC why the Sunday National was not among those shown or discussed.
The BBC told us: “The paper review focuses on the biggest news stories of the day and features a range of newspaper titles.
“We include stories for their news value, rather than because of the publication in which they appear.”
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Plan B for indyref2 is unionist trap
However, it was the Sunday National’s front page exclusive that the BBC website team felt was strong enough to write its own report on.
You might think exclusive quotes from the First Minister on Brexit and indyref2 would have such news value – but apparently not.
“If you don’t respect our right to indyref2 don’t even pick up the phone to ask for our support,” our headline read.
Despite Marr’s segment on Scottish politics amid the SNP conference and discussing Brexit, apparently Nicola Sturgeon exclusively revealing that indyref2 would be the price for backing a Jeremy Corbyn government wasn’t strong enough.
Instead, Marr introduced a Sunday Times story on the Union being on the brink, with independence polling at 50%. He then referenced an Observer story on support growing for a new Brexit vote.
Another of the papers introduced was the Mail on Sunday in Scotland.
Their story was on a “revolt” over the SNP’s workplace parking levy.
He held up the Sunday Mail. While most of their page was taken up by a story about the Scottish national football team, there was a piece on the First Minister too.
Marr said: “Nicola Sturgeon has done a piece for quite a few Scottish papers – ‘Nicola, I’ll take down Nat rebels,’ it says.”
He also had the Sunday Telegraph, which reported on Jacob Rees-Mogg saying the PM “won’t concede too much to the EU”.
All of these warranted discussion. Ours did not. We’ll let you draw your own conclusion.
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