大象传媒

In January 2008 the 大象传媒 Trust, the 大象传媒's governing body, approved 大象传媒 ALBA for launch. The Trust had subjected the 大象传媒 Executive's proposals for the channel to a full Public Value Test that concluded that the channel should launch but should be subject to a review before digital switchover in central and northern Scotland in 2010.

As part of the review process the Trust will ask the public and stakeholders to submit their opinions on the service and how it could be available in the future.

The review will cover two areas:

• 1) Part one will look at how well the channel is performing, whether the channel is achieving a wide appeal to viewers beyond existing Gaelic speakers, and whether it is contributing to the broader educational strategy for the language
• 2) Part two will look at whether the channel should be made available on Freeview. Due to cost and capacity restraints on DTT, the 大象传媒 Executive have suggested finding room for 大象传媒 ALBA by removing the 大象传媒's radio stations from Freeview, in Scotland only, during 大象传媒 ALBA's broadcasting hours. We will be considering this proposal and what option the public would prefer. The review will also consider whether the Gaelic zone on 大象传媒 Two Scotland should remain.

Jeremy Peat, 大象传媒 National Trustee for Scotland, who is leading the review for the Trust, said:

"大象传媒 ALBA has been popular since its launch, but we now want to see whether it is measuring up to the challenges we set it last year. We'll be looking at how well it is bringing new speakers to the Gaelic language and what current and potential future viewers think of it as a service.

"We will also be investigating whether 大象传媒 ALBA should be on Freeview instead of the 大象传媒's radio stations. We want to hear what the public think and whether they want ALBA on Freeview or would prefer to keep the existing 大象传媒 radio stations.

"We'd encourage everybody who has an opinion about the service, its availability and how they'd like to see it change, to get in touch with us."

Timetable

The public consultation is open for 12 weeks from 26 October 2009, and will close on 18 January 2010. The Trust's review will be published before switchover in central and northern Scotland in April 2010.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• 大象传媒 Alba normally broadcasts between between the hours of 17:00 and 23:30 each weekday and after 4pm at the weekend. The stations affected would be 大象传媒 Radios 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 live, 5 live Sports Extra, 大象传媒 1Xtra, 大象传媒 Asian Network, 大象传媒 6 Music, 大象传媒 Radio 7, 大象传媒 Radio Scotland, 大象传媒 Radio nan G脿idheal and 大象传媒 World Service. These stations would still be available as usual via a combination of FM/AM/LW, DAB and online
• The Trust has also today published a submission from the 大象传媒 Executive which sets out what it thinks of the channel so far and what it would like to do in the future. This is available below
• The consultation document can be found below or copies can be obtained by calling: 03700 103 100.