BBC Scotland is facing criticism after featuring a “ludicrously one-sided” audience during this week’s edition of political discussion programme Debate Night.
Research by The National found that during Wednesday’s episode more than half of the audience questions, comments and contributions were negatively framed against the SNP/Scottish Government.
Meanwhile, just 5% of audience contributions were negatively framed against the Conservatives/UK Government, and just over 40% were neutral.
The findings prompted questions over how audiences are put together for the programme, and how questions are selected.
The TV show, which is effectively the Scottish version of Question Time, sees presenter Stephen Jardine and members of the public put questions to a panel of politicians and public figures – with Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, SNP MSP Paul McLennan, Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden, Scottish Labour deputy Jackie Baillie and LibDem MSP Liam McArthur taking part this week.
During the show, Jardine took four pre-selected questions from the audience in Stirling, with members of the public asking about shipbuilding in the light of the latest Fergusson’s row, “decimated” high streets across Scotland, the cost of living and Covid restrictions.
Throughout the first three discussions, a number of audience comments and additional questions were negatively framed towards the SNP or Scottish Government.
One described the ferries row as an “embarrassment to Scotland”, before another suggested that signatories of the ferries contract getting Covid in recent days was “convenient”.
A further audience member praised UK Government shipbuilding, before later conversations saw public transport in Scotland branded “appalling” and a contributor suggest ending devolution could solve the issue of Scottish ministers saying they don’t have enough powers.
Overall of the total 19 questions put to the panel, 10 were negatively framed towards the SNP/Scottish Government, 10 were neutral and just one was negative towards the Conservatives/UK Government.
Michael Russell, the SNP president, said the episode of Debate Night had been “abysmal”.
“This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen a ludicrously one-sided audiences that is stacked against the SNP during a regulated election period,” he told The National.
“The BBC and their production companies claim to spend a lot of time selecting audiences – so we are keen to understand why this audience was so loaded for the anti-independence parties.
“We will be watching BBC Question Time tonight with interest.”
The SNP will be speaking to the BBC about the Debate Night programme.
A BBC Scotland spokesperson said: “As with all editions, last night’s Debate Night audience was carefully selected to ensure that a range of viewpoints and perspectives were heard and debated.
"We covered important topics such as the Calmac Ferry story and the cost of living issue and our panellists were given ample opportunity to engage and respond to the points that were raised in the debate.”
The BBC has previously faced questions over how audiences and questions are selected for its political discussion programmes.
The presenter did not make clear whether that episode alone had a pro-Brexit audience because it had been filmed in the Leave-voting area of Aldershot, or all Question Time audiences are pro-Brexit. The SNP called on the BBC to be “completely transparent” in how its audience members are chosen.
The BBC’s website states: “People apply to be in the audience for Question Time via the website and by phone and producers get in touch to ask questions on their previous voting record and future voting intentions, whether they have party political membership and also how they voted in the EU referendum.
“This is to ensure a range of views are represented in the audience. Occasionally, if production staff feel any group or view is under-represented in the applications, they will promote the programme through relevant local media channels to encourage people to apply.”
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