Failte. The new Gaelic television service or Gaelic Media Service - what are your burning issues or comments? Post your queries and I'll reply over the coming days. Mòran taing. Dòmhnall.
> Failte. The new Gaelic television service or Gaelic Media Service - > what are your burning issues or comments? Post your queries and I'll > reply over the coming days. Mòran taing. Dòmhnall.
We all know the channel has taken a long time to get to where we are, with the BBC Trust's ongoing consultation and everything else. How confident are GMS that the launch timetable will be met and that we'll be watching a dedicated service by the end of March 2008?
On 30 Aug, 15:25, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
Thanks Iagan. I like dealing with the easy questions first! March 2008 is do-able and the process timetable is designed to make that possible. We are confident on the timescale but not complacent. We have to pedal hard and fast to achieve it.
Why does the GMS include substantial representation from the major broadcasting employers (directors and controllers), but not from the unions (to represent the legitimate interests of employees)?
On 29 Aug, 16:20, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> Failte. The new Gaelic television service or Gaelic Media Service - > what are your burning issues or comments? Post your queries and I'll > reply over the coming days. Mòran taing. Dòmhnall.
Fair enough, but GMS and BBC must understand the frustration that exists in the Gaelic community. There have been deadlines given and they have slipped in the past. Will the end product be worth that frustration?
On 30 Aug, 15:44, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> Thanks Iagan. I like dealing with the easy questions first! March > 2008 is do-able and the process timetable is designed to make that > possible. We are confident on the timescale but not complacent. We > have to pedal hard and fast to achieve it.
Hallo D, Can you tell us if theres going to be a diversity of programmes for the new channel. ie, we are all sick of crofting, weaving and how good things were in the old days, interviews with people we have never heard of etc. And why is there an insistence that writing for the new shows should reflect Gaelic and island culture etc? Eastenders , Corrie et al, are successfull for the briliant writing and characters...not because they try and reflect Cockney culture or whatever. I think you should back off here ...make programmes in Gaelic but dont foist `culture` or `island ways` on them. Have them watched in Gaelic because of their quality , not because they have some `culture` (overused word anyway) or Gaelic attached. I don`t mean to be negative..but there are 200 channels out there...maybe 20 or 30 quality ones. If you seriouslly want people to tune in to yours then you need a new modus of thinking! billy
On 30 Aug, 15:25, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
Hi. I enjoy watching some of the Gaelic programming on STV at night and at the weekends. Would these cease to be broadcast once a Gaelic channel is established? I think that would be a real shame if it happened as more mainstream viewers might miss out.
> Failte. The new Gaelic television service or Gaelic Media Service - > what are your burning issues or comments? Post your queries and I'll > reply over the coming days. Mòran taing. Dòmhnall.
I understand the frustration. Deadlines in the past were actually working targets that for various reasons became known in the public domain and created expectation. That's not meant to be an excuse. We have now set a timetable publicly.
The main broadcasting union is BECTU (www.bectu.org.uk), while the NUJ also plays a part in the industry. I hope that your reply doesn't reflect a lack of awareness of efforts to prevent this industry from becoming just another low-wage, low-skill industry: that danger is ever-present, and we only have to look acrosss the Atlantic to see the result. It's no secret that media employees have a younger age-profile than the general population, because of low salaries to individuals and pressure on employers' budgets. Because broadcasting seems attractive from the outside, young people are frequently exploited (sometimes even being taken on to work for nothing!), while older employees leave the industry, taking their skills with them, and the training provisions of major employers are being cut repeatedly (such as in the BBC, previously the industry's main source of skilled staff). Obviously, the repeated cost-cutting exercises of BBC management are a major influence on quality of output in the industry as well as numbers of employees, while the increasing numbers of freelancers reduce employees' say in their industry too. So who will stand up for them, if the unions are not represented on boards such as yours?
On 30 Aug, 15:50, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
Billy, you may be surprised by this but I completely agree. We want viewers to come to the channel because it challenges and entertains. There is no agenda to foist culture and island ways. The only agenda is to create good quality programmes and attract viewers through the medium of Gaelic (with optional English and Gaelic subtitles). A couple of thoughts. 1. Give us time. It may not be right from the outset. We will need to try things out with the audience and develop genres over time. 2. Scots who do not speak Gaelic actually appear to want the Gaelic channel to deliver programmes about matters Scottish that they are not getting elsewhere. Do you have any thoughts on that?
You are putting your finger on a real dilemma. The new channel will be a digital offering among hundreds of others and will have to punch above its weight. In due course, I foresee that the main channels will seek to reduce or stop their Gaelic output. But do we risk losing mainstream viewers? I am not sure. The way people access media "content" is changing - in a matter of years patterns of television consumption wil probably have changed beyond recognition. Current consumers of mainstream television may be going to the history channel for their history programmes, to the news channel for their news etc.
On 30 Aug, 15:55, scottish_stu...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> Hi. I enjoy watching some of the Gaelic programming on STV at night > and at the weekends. Would these cease to be broadcast once a Gaelic > channel is established? I think that would be a real shame if it > happened as more mainstream viewers might miss out.
A Dhomhnaill choir Will the new Gaelic TV service be carried on Sky? This is important because there are small numbers of Scottish Gaelic speakers across England, Wales and Ireland. If the service is carried on Sky, they'll have access to it. If it isn't they probably won't. I heard about this online discussion on Aithris ma Maidne this morning - via Sky digital. Le meas Ruairidh
On 30 Aug, 16:26, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> You are putting your finger on a real dilemma. The new channel will > be a digital offering among hundreds of others and will have to punch > above its weight. In due course, I foresee that the main channels > will seek to reduce or stop their Gaelic output. But do we risk > losing mainstream viewers? I am not sure. The way people access > media "content" is changing - in a matter of years patterns of > television consumption wil probably have changed beyond recognition. > Current consumers of mainstream television may be going to the history > channel for their history programmes, to the news channel for their > news etc.
> On 30 Aug, 15:55, scottish_stu...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> > Hi. I enjoy watching some of the Gaelic programming on STV at night > > and at the weekends. Would these cease to be broadcast once a Gaelic > > channel is established? I think that would be a real shame if it > > happened as more mainstream viewers might miss out.- Hide quoted text -
Ok fearc...@lycos.com, I understand where you are coming from. I have never heard a complaint that GMS does not respect the various unions or associations. Gaelic programmes funded by GMS as far as I know alway pay the going rates agreed with the assocations representing actors, musicians, writers etc. Undoubtedly we will be looking to reduce the average cost of making television programmes, but I cannot contemplate GMS riding roughshod over agreements with the unions or assocations unless the terms of those unions and associations are unreasonable or unsuitable for a minority language television service.
> The main broadcasting union is BECTU (www.bectu.org.uk), while the NUJ > also plays a part in the industry. I hope that your reply doesn't > reflect a lack of awareness of efforts to prevent this industry from > becoming just another low-wage, low-skill industry: that danger is > ever-present, and we only have to look acrosss the Atlantic to see the > result. It's no secret that media employees have a younger age-profile > than the general population, because of low salaries to individuals > and pressure on employers' budgets. Because broadcasting seems > attractive from the outside, young people are frequently exploited > (sometimes even being taken on to work for nothing!), while older > employees leave the industry, taking their skills with them, and the > training provisions of major employers are being cut repeatedly (such > as in the BBC, previously the industry's main source of skilled > staff). Obviously, the repeated cost-cutting exercises of BBC > management are a major influence on quality of output in the industry > as well as numbers of employees, while the increasing numbers of > freelancers reduce employees' say in their industry too. So who will > stand up for them, if the unions are not represented on boards such as > yours?
> On 30 Aug, 15:50, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> > I haven't a clue. Please elaborate. What unions?
Domhnall, thanks for that. I didn't really think of it longer term. I guess as digital switchover nears you would be less likely to lose mainstream viewers as we will all be able to access many more channels. Can I just ask if the Gaelic channel will be available on Freeview then? Thanks.
On 30 Aug, 16:26, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> You are putting your finger on a real dilemma. The new channel will > be a digital offering among hundreds of others and will have to punch > above its weight. In due course, I foresee that the main channels > will seek to reduce or stop their Gaelic output. But do we risk > losing mainstream viewers? I am not sure. The way people access > media "content" is changing - in a matter of years patterns of > television consumption wil probably have changed beyond recognition. > Current consumers of mainstream television may be going to the history > channel for their history programmes, to the news channel for their > news etc.
> On 30 Aug, 15:55, scottish_stu...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> > Hi. I enjoy watching some of the Gaelic programming on STV at night > > and at the weekends. Would these cease to be broadcast once a Gaelic > > channel is established? I think that would be a real shame if it > > happened as more mainstream viewers might miss out.
Ruairidh choir, Yes you are in luck! The new Gaelic TV service be carried on Sky across the UK, Channels islands and IoM? Also cable. In due course as transmitters start converting to digital only (starting in Borders in 2008) also on Freeview, but Scotland only. D
> Ruairidh choir, > Yes you are in luck! The new Gaelic TV service be carried on Sky > across the UK, Channels islands and IoM? Also cable. In due course as > transmitters start converting to digital only (starting in Borders in > 2008) also on Freeview, but Scotland only. D
> Ruairidh choir, > Yes you are in luck! The new Gaelic TV service be carried on Sky > across the UK, Channels islands and IoM? Also cable. In due course as > transmitters start converting to digital only (starting in Borders in > 2008) also on Freeview, but Scotland only. D
Freeview is not easy to explain. Half is for public service broadcasting and its full. Half is commercial and you can buy onto it a the cost of many millions per year. So we will need to wait until transmitters are converted one-by-one to digital only (Borders 2008, STV North 2010, STV Central 2011) until the full service appears on air. When each transmitter switches off the analogue signal it will then have spare capacity for the new service. Once the transmitter is carrying the new service it will be on a public service multiplex and therefore available to almost all in Scotland if they have an aerial and Freeview receiver.
Between launch and then, TeleG, Channel 8 Freeview may be able to carry "the best of..." between 6pm and 7pm daily.
On 30 Aug, 16:42, scottish_stu...@yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> Domhnall, thanks for that. I didn't really think of it longer term. > I guess as digital switchover nears you would be less likely to lose > mainstream viewers as we will all be able to access many more > channels. Can I just ask if the Gaelic channel will be available on > Freeview then? Thanks.
My nephews and nieces love the early morning Gaelic programmes, but is it not time we had some that are made purely for Gaelic, rather than voiceovers on Postman Pat, Fireman Sam etc. Surely we can be more creative than that.
On 29 Aug, 16:20, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> Failte. The new Gaelic television service or Gaelic Media Service - > what are your burning issues or comments? Post your queries and I'll > reply over the coming days. Mòran taing. Dòmhnall.
> A thaobh teicneolas agus fonaichean-laimh, am bidh an cothrom aig > daoine download a dheanamh air piosan neo programan slan chun nam > fonaichean aca?
Padruig Post was much better in Gaelic that Postman Pat in English! It would be great to make more original Gaelic animation. We occasionally do. In Wales, original Welsh animation such as SuperTed became a worldwide success and was the cornerstone of an animation industry there that is thriving today. But, same old story, its back to funding. Its cheaper to buy someone else's high end success story and tailor it to Gaelic. Do you have any ideas? You might not want to share them on this forum but give me a shout if you want. Donald
> My nephews and nieces love the early morning Gaelic programmes, but is > it not time we had some that are made purely for Gaelic, rather than > voiceovers on Postman Pat, Fireman Sam etc. Surely we can be more > creative than that.
> On 29 Aug, 16:20, Domhnall <domhn...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> > Failte. The new Gaelic television service or Gaelic Media Service - > > what are your burning issues or comments? Post your queries and I'll > > reply over the coming days. Mòran taing. Dòmhnall.
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