#tomorrowsbbc

Ar beannachd air Fèisean nan Gàidheal, a’ moladh BBC Alba, agus aig an dearbh àm a’ togail cheistean riatanach.  Seo, gu h-ìseal, gearr-aithris (‘exec summary’) freagairt bhuapa ceangailte ri co-chonaltradh a’ BhBC air BBC Alba agus BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, dà sheirbheis-craolaidh air leth cudromach.

Chithear, a rèir Fèisean nan Gàidheal -  a bharrachd air tuilleadh taic on BhBC fhèin -  gu bheil feum air:

“a reduction of the excessive use of English language in sub-titles and oral contributions”.   Cuideachd, tha iad ag radh:

“While we agree that BBC Alba should reflect, strengthen and promote Gaelic cultural heritage, we feel there are currently issues to do with the low level of Gaelic usage apparent in some programmes which require to addressed.”... “Subtitles in Gaelic are not given sufficient priority.”

Ar beannachd, a-rithist, air Fèisean nan Gàidheal a thaobh seo.   

Tha cothrom air leth againn, ann an 2016, atharraichean mòra a dhèanamh. Tha rathad nas fheàrr ann.  

29/01/2016 - BBC ALBA - Tomorrow’s BBC

To: Mark Lowe

Assistant Private Secretary to Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for Gaelic Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages

16/09/2015

Dear Mark,

GÀIDHLIG AIR BBC ALBA Tha mi'n dòchas gu bheil thu gu math.  As requested, I write to confirm I have posted a copy of the original Gaelic letter sent to the Minister for Gaelic, Dr Allan, which was dated 1st November 2014.  This should arrive with you tomorrow or Friday:  I have sent it to St Andrew's House for your attention.  In the meantime, I enclose an electronic copy of the letter.  Along with this is I attach further information received from the BBC Trust and BBC Digital. I appreciate that there may be a lot of information for the Minister to digest, but I would urge him to do so. To assist, the current situation can be summarised as follows: 1. Research over the past year shows there is an unacceptable high level of English - 80% in many cases (average 70%) - on BBC Alba programmes for adults, the only Gaelic channel in the world. As you know, through the benefits of technology, there are now hundreds of English language channels available to viewers in Scotland.  It is only right that Gaels should expect a TV service within their own language. This is clearly not happening.

2.  BBC Trust and BBC Digital have confirmed in July 2015 that there are no longer technological barriers to having optional - as opposed to burnt-in - English subtitles.  I have the written evidence (included in the 'BBC Trust' attachment). The practice of burnt-in English subtitling is discriminatory and must cease. 

3.  The technology to provide optional subtitling is cheap.  Our research - from industry experts -  shows it would only cost £20,000 - £25,000 to install optional subtitling equipment for programmes.   

4. The high level of English language audio on BBC Alba - interviews, soundbites, reports, extracts and songs - is completely unacceptable. This is a deliberate policy, foisted upon Gaels, by channel controllers.   Voice-overs (cheaper than dubbing) are an attractive option used in other countries.  There are many solutions to the unnecessarily high English content on BBC Alba.

5. BBC Scotland seems to be getting off 'Scot free' (pardon the pun).  By this I mean BBC Alba seems to be used as an English language medium for many programmes which BBC Scotland should, or could, show, given that these programmes have high English content.

6. I urge the Minister for Gaelic to assist in a positive fashion to alleviate this dreadful situation.  Ofcom and the BBC Trust have both confirmed that the responsibility for content lies with MG ALBA and BBC Scotland, controllers of BBC Alba.   I am copying this letter to a select number of other individuals who are equally concerned about the situation on Scotland's only 'Gaelic' television channel. Finally, I would also like to draw your attention to the deeply insulting comments from the Head of Content at MG ALBA, Alan Esslemont, who two weeks ago on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal's flagship (and excellent) news service, suggested that those of us who aspire to a Gaelic television service wish to create a 'ghetto'.  Such public statements from a senior executive for MG ALBA - a Scottish Government funded organisation - are completely unacceptable. One is reminded of the Right Wing Republican Newt Gringich, on video in 2012 (the footage is on YouTube) suggesting that Spanish was "the language of the ghetto" and that Hispanic US citizens should all be made to learn English.  One expects such gross insults to be associated with the Right Wing of America: but in an enlightened Scotland we should have a right not to expect this from a Scottish Government funded body.   For our own part, we will endeavor to be civil in our dealings. Leis gach deagh dhùrachd, Lisa Storey

(Fiosrachadh: sgrìobh sinn ann an Gàidhlig gu Alasdair Allan ann an 2014.  Thuirt an oifis aige gun deach an litir againn “air chall”.  Mar sin, seo agaibh fiosrachadh mun oidhirp gus an litir a chur thuige a-rithist.  Ma tha daoine airson an litir Ghàidhlig againn gu Alasdair Allan fhaicinn, faodaidh iad fios a chur thugainn gaidhlig DOT tv AIG gmail DOT com.  Sgrìobh an neach seo, Mark Lowe, thugainn ann am Beurla agus seo am freagairt a fhuair e).

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“I would completely support an all-Gaelic BBC Alba channel, under any circumstances. Not just to support the language and its speakers, as of cultural right, but to actually promote and develop the Gaelic world-view - which I think is a vital national resource to help Scots think about land, arts, environment, education, and personal, social and economic development.

My 30 years support for independence has had a multi-channel Scots public broadcasting service very much as one of my core ambitions - see this essay (PDF) which I submitted to Blair Jenkins' Scottish Broadcasting Commission, and other pieces (here and here). That's my natural context for thinking about broadcasting change - an assumption that we can value and fund what a sovereign Scotland needs from its public media."

Pat Kane, 30/08/2015

Le cead an ùghdair.  Na còirichean glèidhte @ Pat Kane, 2015. Dealbh @ futureeverything.org

Ceangailte ris an aiste “Isn't it time the BBC started taking Scotland seriously?” Thoughtland, 29/08/2015

“THOUGHTLAND is a blog of ideas, from a left-green perspective, supporting the campaign for Scottish nation-state independence - and once achieved, the full development and progress of Scotland itself.”

THE MG ALBA EXPERIMENT WAS WRONG - ANGUS PETER CAMPBELL le cead an ùghdair, Aonghas Pàdraig Caimbeul, 24/07/2015 

“Ann an dòigh àraid, seo againn cothrom toiseachadh as ùr le BBC Alba... Tha Gàidhlig a’ toirt cothrom miorbhaileach dhuinn deiligeadh ri dùbhlan Whittingdale agus na Tòraidhean.”

“An àite ruith as dèidh muinntir na h-Alba air fad — a bhith ag obrachadh mar BBC Scotlandshire — faodaidh BBC Alba a bhith dha-rìreabh eadar-dhealaichte.”

Tha mi air a bhith a’ leughadh mu dheidhinn fear a rugadh ann an New York, Stanley Milgram. Tha fiolm ùr, Experimenter, air nochdadh am bliadhna seo stèidhichte air na sgrìobhaidhean aige. B’e sìc‑eòlaiche a bh’ann am Milgram a bha ag obair aig Oilthigh Harvard agus a chruthaich deuchainn rannsachaidh anns na 1960an a bha caran connspaideach, am ‘Milgram Experiment’: sgrùdadh air mar a bha mac an duine a’ deiligeadh ri ùghdaras agus cumhachd. Sgrìobh e an leabhar ainmeil ‘Obedience To Authority.’ Cho-dhùin e: ‘The disappearance of a sense of responsibility is the most far reaching consequence of submission to authority.’

‘Manufacturing consent’, mar a chuir Noam Chomsky e. Tha am ‘manufactured consent’ sin ag obrachadh mar aonta eadar na cumhachdaich agus na quangos ’s na buidhnean a tha roinn a’chumhachd sin a-mach dhaibh. Buidhnean mar am BBC, cuid dhe na h-oilthighean, agus (nar saoghal beag gàidhlig fhèin) na buidhnean a tha air am maoineachadh leis an Riaghaltas airson poileasaidhean an Riaghaltais sin a chur an gnìomh.

Mar eisimpleir: chan eil ach beagan làithean bhon a leig na Tòraidhean fios mu sgaoil gun e am BBC — seach an Riaghaltas — a phàigheas cosgaisean an ‘licence fee’ do sheann dhaoine: uallach £750 millean a thig far sporan a’ BhBC eadar seo agus 2020. Chaidh an aonta ùr a chur air dòigh eadar Àrd‑Stiùiriche a’ BhBC Tonaidh Hall agus an t-Seansalair, Seòras Osbourne, ann an dìomhaireachd, gun a bhith a’ dol faisg air a’ phoball. Mar a thuirt Peter Preston sa Ghuardian: “The BBC simply obeys.”

Bhon uair sin, tha Pàipear Uaine air nochdadh a tha a’ mineachadh mar a bhios sgrùdadh ga dhèanamh air a’ BhBC seach gu bheil an Aonta Rìoghail — an ‘Royal Charter’ a tha na chùmhnant eadar am BBC agus an Rìaghaltas — a’ tighinn gu ceann.

Dè seòrsa BBC a bu chòir a bhith againn, bho dheireadh 2016 air adhart? Bidh cothrom aig a’ phoball am beachdan a chur a-steach, tha an Rìaghaltas ag ràdh. Creid thusa gu bheil am fear a tha a’ làimhseachadh a’ chonaltraidh oifigeil seo, am Ministear Tòraidh a tha an urra ri ‘Cultar’, John Whittingdale, ri beul milis.

Ann am facal-toisich a’ Phàipear Uaine, tha Whittingdale airson gun ‘soirbhich’ leis a’ BhBC: tha e a’ creidsinn gun e rud ‘luachmhor’ a th’ ann; tha e pròiseil gu bheil am BBC aig ‘crìdhe na Rìoghachd’ agus gu bheil i a’ brosnachadh ‘fàs’. Tha e mar am bùidsear aig àm na Nollaig a’ moladh reamhrachd nan turcaidhean. Oir tha fios aig na Tòraidhean gu bheil iad ann an suidheachadh làidir aig Westminster. Cleachdaidh iad a’ chumhachd sin airson crathadh mòr a thoirt air a BhBC, bho bhun gu bàrr.

Tha ceistean ann gun teagamh. Tuarastalan mòra dìomhair rionnagan is luchd-obrach a’ BhBC fhèin, a chaidh suas 22% an-uiridh. Na h-iomairtean ‘white elephant’ aca, leithid am pròiseact didseatach a chosg £100 millean ann an 2013 agus nach do chleachd iad idir. An cuideam a th’ aig BBC Alba air a’ Bheurla. Chan eil gin dhe na rudan sin ceart neo fallain.

Tha an Conaltradh oifigeil seo mun BhBC gu bhith cianail cudromach. Agus tha fhios againn cuideachd gum bi buaidh aig a seo air a’ Ghàidhlig. Mar-thà, tha Gàidheil phroifeasanta — agus feadhainn aca a th’ air a bhith gu math balbh mu na cuspairean riatanach air a’ bhliadhna sa chaidh — ag èigheach gu feum sinn dìon làidir a dhèanamh air BBC Alba agus Ràdio nan Gàidheal. Feumaidh, oir tha e cho ceart ri ceart gum bi sianal Tbh Gàidhlig làidir agus seirbheis rèidio Gàidhlig coileanta againn. Ach seo an rud: tha e furasta bruidhinn air luach nam meadhanan Gàidhlig, ach dè dha-rìreabh a tha sin a’ ciallachadh?

Oir chan e sianal Gàidhlig a th’ ann am BBC Alba ann. O thòisich an t-sianal ann an 2009, ’s e tha na riaghladairean, MG Alba agus BBC Scotland, air aobhrachadh ach lethsheirbheis Beurla-Gàidhlig. Tha BBC Alba mar sheòrsa de substitute airson Sianal Albannach. Mar gun cuireadh Barcelona air mise an àite Messi ann an gèam ball-coise.

Ann am pàipear ris an canar ‘Co-chomhairle Phoblach 2015’ a nochd bho chionn seachdain neo dhà, dh’aidich MG Alba gu robh iad a h‑aona ghnothach a’ cleachdadh Beurla mar phàirt de dh’oidhirp air an tug iad fhèin ‘normalisation’. ’S e tha seo ach sgrios nan sgriosaidhean: feallsanachd uamhasach a tha a’ leigeil le Beurla a bhith na phoileasaidh oifigeil aig buidheann a tha a’ faighinn a’ mhaoineachaidh stèidhichte air aobhar na Gàidhlig. Tha na h-uaislean Gàidhealach againn fhèin a’ mùchadh an cànan fhèin. Mar a thuirt neach-ionnsachaidh Alison Kinnaird à Dùn Èideann am bliadhna “Mar as motha de Bheurla a’ nochdadh air BBC Alba, ’s ann as làige a tha buaidh Gàidhlig anns a’ bheatha làitheil againn uile.”

Tha e na dhòchas gu bheil daoine sna coimhearsnachdan againn a’ faicinn tron sgleò. Bu chòir dhuinn a bhith moiteil às daoine òga leithid Ruairidh MacÌomhair à Leòdhas, Ishi Nicilleathain à Barraigh agus Robbie Anndra MacLeòid à Dùn Èideann, gun ghuth air Morag NicLeòid à Scalpaigh, Aonghas Dubh MacNeacail à Carlops agus feadhainn eile, a tha a’ seasamh còmhla gu làidir an aghaidh an tùil Bheurla seo. Ann an 2015, tha dearbhadh againn nach eil feum (an robh a-riamh?) air fo-thiotalan Beurla loisgte airson prògraman ùra air BBC Alba. Fhuair Lisa Storey freagairt oifigeil bho Urras a’ BhBC is iad ag aideachadh gu bheil leud-banna (bandwidth) gu leòr ann gus cothrom a thoirt do fo-thiotalan Beurla a bhith falaichte, ma dh’fheumas iad a bhith ann. An-dràsta. Tha e fìor dhuilich nach fhaic àrd-riaghladairean MG Alba agus BBC Scotland an fhìrinn ghlan a tha air am beulaibh.

Tha mi’n dòchas gun cleachd na Gàidheil cothrom-conaltraidh a’ Phàipear Uaine seo gus innse don Riaghaltas gun e seirbheis dha-rireabh Gàidhlig a dhith oirnn. Ann an dòigh àraid, seo againn cothrom toiseachadh as ùr le BBC Alba. Le sglèat ùr mar a bh’aig m’athair ’s mo mhàthair sa bhun-sgoil!

Tha Gàidhlig a’ toirt cothrom miorbhaileach dhuinn deiligeadh ri dùbhlan Whittingdale agus na Tòraidhean: ‘Questions persist  around the distinctiveness of the programmes the BBC delivers, and whether it uses its broad purposes to act in too commercial a way, chasing ratings rather than delivering distinctive, quality programming that other providers would not.’  (facal-toisich Whittingdale, am Pàipear Uaine)

Gheibhear freagairt ceart air a’ cheist gu h-àrd, ma chuireas sinn cudrom air Gàidhlig – ma dh’atharraicheas riaghladairean BBC Alba an cuid phoileasaidhean. A bhith ag aideachadh gun robh an MG Alba Experiment le Beurla ceàrr. An àite ruith as dèidh muinntir na h-Alba air fad — a bhith ag obrachadh mar BBC Scotlandshire — faodaidh BBC Alba a bhith dha-rìreabh eadar-dhealaichte.

Gàidhealach, ionadail, cruthachail agus eadar-nàiseanta. Tha BBC Alba mar a’ bhò anns an t-seann sgeulachd nach b’ fhiach a bleoghainn o chionns gun robh i fo gheasaibh: cha toireadh i dhut ach uisge, seach bainne. Bha an droch shùil air laighe oirre, ach chaidh a slànachadh aig a’ cheann thall le oba is uba is rann an ainm an Trianaid. Nach ann aca a bha an cumhachd, ’s nach sinn a dhèanadh feum air nar latha.

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Na còirichean uile glèidhte, Aonghas Pàdraig Caimbeul, 2015

West Highland Free Press 24/07/2015

Gu h-àrd, an aiste slàn a nochd sa Phàipear Bheag 24/07/2015 - www.whfp.com @whfp1  Taing airson cead a chleachdadh.

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Ceanglaichean eile

Litir gu MG ALBA agus BBC Scotland, 2015

“Chan eil mi a’ coimhead air Tbh sa Ghàidhlig airson Beurla a leughadh”  -  beachd Robbie Anndra MhicLeòid air blog (07/07/2015) MG ALBA