Enterprise and Culture Committee, 17 Jan 2006
Meeting date: Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Official Report
281KB pdf
Scottish Media Industry
Item 4 is our final agenda item. Members know the background to it. We have heard two sets of evidence from the BBC and we have had meetings with the Office of Communications—Ofcom—on what is happening in public service broadcasting. We have received representations from a number of organisations, such as the National Union of Journalists, about what is happening in the print media, in Scottish television from the Scottish Media Group and on the broad issue of the future of the media industry in Scotland.
We now have to make a strategic decision about what we want to do in this sphere. We do not have the time to do a full-scale inquiry, even if we want to do one. Given the scale of the problem that is emerging—the situation is changing in the print and the televised media—we might want to take more evidence or have more hearings before we decide whether we want to do anything else or whether there is any issue on which we believe we should comment particularly.
Given the representations that have been made—I know that members have been approached by a number of organisations—I have put the item on the agenda so that we could have a brief chat to work out what we want to do. We must be clear about what we will do. There is obviously a lot of concern.
The committee should not get involved in individual redundancy situations or other such matters because that is not the committee's role. However, a pattern of fairly radical change is emerging in the media sector. From an enterprise and culture point of view, that is obviously a matter of concern to the committee.
I have to say that I am becoming a little concerned that we are picking up related issues one by one without any clear idea of why we might want to do the work or what outcome we might be looking for. I am reluctant to agree to a hearing on the basis of this request.
Only yesterday I read an item about the changes in news, in the way that people access news and the results for the rolling news channels; for example, the ITV News Channel is now defunct. Two main rolling news channels are left and they are struggling for audience share. Many of us get our news from texts, the internet or some other form of electronic media from which one can get instant updates and extensive background analysis, if that is what one wants.
If we are to do anything at all—I would like more time to consider the matter—the future of the news media in Scotland is something that we should consider. When representatives of Ofcom came to the committee we talked about the future of communications. I have taken up the issue as an individual MSP following the request from the NUJ and I am sure that other members have also done so. At this stage, if we accede to the NUJ's request we will get into the minutiae of employer-employee relations. What will happen when the next such request comes, and the next one? I am more than happy to consider examination of the media. I made a similar comment on a previous occasion.
My biggest concern about the matter goes back to the comment that the convener made about our heavy work schedule. The difficulty would be to try to fit such an investigation into our programme, given our commitments, particularly with the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc (Scotland) Bill.
There is also a danger in focusing on one industry. From time to time there are concerns and job losses in different sectors. The committee must be careful that we do not just respond to a news agenda that says that all of a sudden there is a crisis in a particular sector, so we must investigate it. We must be careful about getting sucked into that sort of approach, particularly given the committee's other current commitments. That is my reservation about what is suggested in the note from the clerk. I might be more relaxed about the matter if we were going to do work that was short and tightly focused.
I concur with the comments that have been made. When we investigate such issues we should take a big-picture view of the wide issues, such as the impact on Scottish culture, skills and training and so on. We touched on those matters when we dipped into broadcasting, but we did not do justice to the issues, even those that are specific to broadcasting. Therefore, given the context that we absolutely do not have the time to do justice to the bigger strategic issues that need to be considered, I have a real concern about engaging in an inquiry that we are unable to carry out properly.
I also share the view that there would be serious issues about the committee's role if we were to allow our agenda to be driven predominantly by issues of ownership and control and of internal industrial relations. I would be concerned if those issues were the starting point for such an inquiry.
I have nothing to add to what has been said other than that I concur with the views that have been expressed.
I think that we all agree that we should not get involved in individual issues, but the question is whether we might want to consider some media issues at a future date. For example, would it be useful if we asked SPICe to produce for next month a briefing to provide an overview of what is happening in the media and creative industries in Scotland? Once the briefing was circulated to members, we could take an informed decision on whether we could add value in any areas. In other words, as Susan Deacon suggested, that would be a strategic overview rather than a report on individual issues.
I would like the briefing to include the effects of the Ofcom review, if possible.
The briefing would be on the whole media and creative industry sector. I hope that it will allow us to put individual issues into the context of what is happening in the medium and longer term. We can then decide whether we have the time to carry out an inquiry, and what issues we should consider. Is that a reasonable suggestion?
Members indicated agreement.
That is the end of our meeting. I look forward to seeing members at 2 o'clock next Tuesday.
Meeting closed at 16:32.