BBC Scotland’s decision to stop live coverage of all of Nicola Sturgeon’s coronavirus briefings has been condemned by media and public policy experts.

From next week, the corporation will only air the First Minister’s press conferences if it deems them to have sufficient “editorial merit”.

Stuart Cosgrove, a journalist, broadcaster and television executive, said the decision does not make any sense.

The former Channel 4 chief, who co-hosts BBC Scotland Radio show Off The Ball, told The National: “At a time when Scotland is witnessing a new rise in Covid cases and the restrictions are more complex to communicate I’m baffled as to why these publicly valuable briefings are to discontinue.”

Professor James Mitchell, a public policy expert at Edinburgh University, added: "This is a strange time to abandon public broadcasts on Covid. At such a critical point when the public needs to be kept fully and speedily informed of any changes is simply not the time to do this."

READ MORE: BBC to stop broadcasting all of Nicola Sturgeon's coronavirus briefings

The BBC insists it will take a "consistent approach to coverage of the various government briefings across the UK nations" but the decision has outraged politicians.

It comes after Scottish Labour and Tory MSPs had complained that the corporation was is "indulging" Sturgeon by broadcasting the so-called "party political broadcasts".

But the SNP's Alex Kerr asked: “How can @BBCScotlandNews possibly justify dropping the daily @scotgov briefings just as we are seeing positive cases of coronavirus begin to rise?

“Now more than ever it is so important that we are getting clear government guidance out to the public to stop the spread of #COVID.”

Viewers have also taken to social media to express their astonishment.

Hazel McDonald tweeted: “Whit? Just as the infection rates are rising again @BBCScotlandNews this is a disgrace! Stopping a vital daily briefing during a pandemic will damage the public health message which is so badly needed.”

Simon Barrow added: “This is an appalling decision, @BBCScotlandNews. Pubic service broadcasting should priorities public information during a pandemic, rather than appeasing those who are trying to politicise this.”

Dorothy Bruce commented: “Appalling that a public health matter should be treated like this. Shows just how low Tories and the BBC will sink.”

The Scottish Government says the briefings will carry on as usual, and will be available to all broadcasters.