THE BBC is set to show all of the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefings this week, fuelling speculation that they’re about to U-turn on their plan to ditch the regular live broadcast.
There was a huge outcry last week when the corporation announced it would only be showing the sessions on TV when they had “news value”.
Previously, they had been broadcast as a matter of course on BBC One Scotland and the BBC Scotland channel, as well as being streamed on the BBC News website and played out on BBC Radio Scotland.
Yesterday afternoon, one source who works for the corporation told us there had been a change, and that the BBC would be “showing the updates again”. That was denied by a spokesman, who told us there had been “no change of policy”.
However, he said this week’s briefings would all be broadcast.
He added: “As we indicated in previous statements, we will broadcast the First Minister’s briefings live on TV on their news value – so, for example, we showed today’s briefing live on TV as well as on radio and online.
“This week, with new measures now formally in force across Scotland, with specific restrictions being placed on a number of local authority areas, with many students returning to college and university and as the number of Covid cases continues to cause concern, we will cover further briefings live on TV.
“Again, as previously indicated, we will also continue to cover First Minister’s Questions, from Holyrood, every Thursday.
“We will always ensure, across our news outlets, that audiences are kept fully updated on all of these developments.”
An SNP spokesperson described the latest development as an “omnishambles”.
They added: “Reducing the spread of the virus depends on us all playing our part – and the BBC as a public sector broadcaster have a key role in that.
“BBC Scotland can only begin to mend their shattered public trust by committing now to a policy of live TV broadcasting for all of the First Minister’s daily media briefings.”
Following the initial decision, the SNP’s depute leader asked the BBC for “transparency” over the decision to stop airing the First Minister’s coronavirus briefings.
In a letter to the corporation’s new director-general, Keith Brown asked if any “external factors” forced the broadcaster’s hand.
Bosses at Pacific Quay claim the decision was taken to ensure a “consistent approach to coverage of the various government briefings across the UK nations”, but they have been under pressure from Labour and the Tories to stop airing the regular information sessions.
Labour politician George Foulkes claimed he was responsible for the policy, saying that the BBC had taken the decision after his “representations”.
Speaking at the briefing last week, Sturgeon said it was up to the BBC to decide what they chose to broadcast. But she said with the number of positive cases rising and winter fast approaching, it had “never been more important than it is right now” for her to communicate with the people of Scotland.
She added: “The televising of these briefings at a time like this have been a public service”.
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