BBC Trust to review impact of BBC Alba

The BBC Trust has signalled its intention to review the impact and reach of Gaelic TV channel BBC Alba, including options to make the service available on Freeview.

In its latest review, the governing body will assess how broadly the channel appeals to non-Gaelic speaking viewers and how effective it is at educating people about the Gaelic language.

The Trust will also consider options for making BBC Alba available on Freeview to compliment its existing reach on Freesat, Sky and live via the BBC iPlayer.

Shortly after BBC Alba launched last September, MG Alba chief executive Alasdair Morrison called on the Trust to back carriage of the channel on digital terrestrial television.

However, it is understood that any such move would result in the BBC's main radio networks - Radio 1, 2, 3, 4, 5Live, Radio Scotland and World Service - not being available on Freeview between 5pm and 11pm every night.

In Scotland, BBC Alba currently has a weekly reach of 4% of the viewing audience, with an average of 220,000 people regularly tuning in to watch its programming.

When combined with its selected programming also shown on BBC 2, BBC Alba attracts a total audience of 860,000 in Scotland, or 21% of the total adult population, most of whom are based in communities in the Highlands and Islands.

Commenting on the review, BBC national trustee for Scotland Jeremy Peat said: "BBC 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 BBC Alba should be on Freeview instead of the BBC'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 BBC 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."

From today, the public consultation will remain open until January 18, 2010. Following this deadline, the Trust will publish the results of its review before the digital switchover starts in central and northern Scotland in April next year.