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Published Date: 13 July 2009
By MARTYN McLAUGHLIN
A NATIONALIST MSP was last night accused of "talking rubbish" after branding as excessive media coverage of the Ashes Test series.
Sandra White has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament deriding the airtime given to the series on terrestrial channels.

The MSP for Glasgow said there is no appetite for the game in Scotland, and such scheduling decisions show the need fo
r a separate Scottish television channel.

Although the five-Test series is being broadcast live on Sky Sports, it has featured prominently in news and sports bulletins on terrestrial channels as well as on radio programmes.

Ms White compared Scottish interest in cricket to English interest in minority sports such as curling, and has claimed the imbalance must be addressed.

She said: "I don't think that in Scotland cricket merits the same support that it does down south. I would certainly support the case for our own broadcasting company that would give priority to Scottish sport.

"Those who want to see the cricket can get Sky. I do think it gives more grist to the mill for our own broadcasting company."

Ms White, whose website supports the charity UnLtd, which helps communities organise indoor cricket mini-world cups, was supported by her SNP colleague, Bill Wilson.

The MSP for the West of Scotland argued that the coverage was as incongruous in Scotland as World Cup campaigns by the England football team.

However, Jamie McGrigor MSP, the Scottish Conservatives' spokesman for sport, said: "I think Sandra White's talking rubbish and her comments are out of order.

"She may not be aware, but more people in Scotland play cricket than rugby.

"Were the game forced down people's throats, she may have a point, but it is not. It's not even live on terrestrial television."

Roddy Smith, chief executive of Cricket Scotland, dismissed Ms White's motion as a "storm in a teacup" and told The Scotsman there was a growing number of cricket fans north of the Border.

He said: "There has been great interest from Scots in the Ashes. As far as we are concerned, the more cricket that is on television to promote interest, the better. Ms White's comments are a storm in a teacup, to be honest."

Pointing to the 18,000 pupils across Scotland's schools who play cricket, with a further 12,000 members playing at club level, he added: "There is a huge amount of interest in cricket among Scottish people spread across the country. You only have to look ahead to next month, when BBC Scotland will broadcast the one-day international between the Scotland team and Australia."

Four years ago, Christine Grahame dubbed prominent BBC news coverage of England's Ashes victory as "insulting" to the world's poor and starving.





The full article contains 464 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 12 July 2009 9:16 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Scottish National Party
 
1

S'me,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 00:16:04
this article sums up petty minded nationalism.... I know plenty of other Scots who enjoy cricket... give it a rest, you're an embarrasment.
2

Fletty73,

Stirling 13/07/2009 00:30:12
Morris dancers playing rounders.
Would sooner watch paint dry...
3

Edward,

13/07/2009 00:35:02
You know something Sandra White is absolutely right, coverage of cricket is over the top and is totally out of proportion to the support and following it has in any of the countries that make up the UK
It really is a minority support. The problem is its the minority in the media that push it down our throats!
Its gets nightly coverage on BBC News programs without exeception
4

Ugly George,

Edinurgh 13/07/2009 00:37:59
3 Fletty 73
I didn't know that they do Morris dancing in Austalia, NZ, South Africa, West Indies, India, Pakistan etc.

It would appear that there are also 30,000 active Morris dancers in Scotland.
5

frank mcbride,

lusitania 13/07/2009 00:46:06
#5, UG.

You, obviously, have never indulged in Morris Dancing nor have you played cricket!

You will notice that real Kiwis, for example, do the Haka not the Morris shuffle.
6

redcliffe62,

13/07/2009 00:48:14
when scotland competed in the world curling championships, it got minimal coverage, yet this cricket was on every bulletin. that part is true.
but the bbc and the old school tie are synonymous, and so coverage of what greater england wants is always going to happen on the greater england broadcasting corporation.
perhaps the bbc should have covered the roar versus celtic, there were a lot more people at that than at the cricket. or would that show an interest in giving people what they want? being the bbc that would be a novelty.
7

Electric Hermit,

13/07/2009 00:51:04
4
Edward

"...coverage of cricket is over the top..."

I don't care about the coverage of the cricket. What the Tory/BLP alliance and their mouthpieces in the press are missing is the broader point about greater control of broadcasting in Scotland.

The cricket thing may be trivial. But it is being used to m ake a very serious point.

8

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 00:51:28
3 Fletty 73

You think that cricket is "Morris dancers playing rounders" but have you had a hard ball fired at you at 90+ mph

The Melbourne Cricket ground holds 90,000 spectators and is often full for Australian games. I would not advise tou to offer your description of cricket to those Aussies.
9

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 00:56:48
6 frank
I admit that I have never done Morris dancing but I have played cricket which is why I made comment #9.

10

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 00:56:56
Any excuse to exacerbate anti-Englishness... and the snearing, belittling "morris dancing" comments above show that as a tactic it works. Pathetic.
11

,

13/07/2009 01:00:27
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
12

hoblar,

13/07/2009 01:01:48
"It would appear that there are also 30,000 active Morris dancers in Scotland."

It would appear that somebody is imagining things more like, otherwise Brian Taylor the portly and cuddly reporter wouldn't have had to travel to England to give us Scots the Morris, er, 'experience' courtesy of bbc Scotland.

He would have merely needed to have pointed the cameras oot our windaes!
13

Brianwci,

13/07/2009 01:03:59
Ignoring the fact that I personally have been getting great enjoyment from hearing the current test scores (not watching obviously) I believe Sandra White is quite right.

The EBC assumes that the entire population of the UK just dotes on all things English and would be most disappointed if English events were not televised day and night.

Whereas each REGION realises that their own third rate drivel would be of interest only to themselves and happily accept limited coverage even within said region.

Clearly we need the license money raised in Scotland to run an Independent SBC. Problem solved.
14

Electric Hermit,

13/07/2009 01:07:06
11
AM2

"Any excuse to exacerbate anti-Englishness..."

What "anti-Englishness"? This is about control of broadcasting in Scotland.

15

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 01:07:12
12 sctnotbrit
What do you mean by "saturation coverage" The cricket was show on one of Sky's channels and there are literally hundreds of digital channels to chose from.

Apart from that there was a couple of minutes in news programmes. Hardly saturation coverage.
16

Electric Hermit,

13/07/2009 01:08:21
14
Brianwci

"Clearly we need the license money raised in Scotland to run an Independent SBC. Problem solved."

In a nutshell.

17

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 01:10:21
#15 Electric Hermit

No it isn't. It's about trying to make people in Scotland feel culturally oppressed.
18

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 01:11:32
14 Brianwci
Another person whose comments bear no resemblance to the reality of the situation. The BBC did not show the cricket - it was on Sky.

So the BBC did not show the cricket "day and night" as you suggested. Please take the trouble to find out what is going on before you indulge in a rant.
19

Electric Hermit,

13/07/2009 01:11:41
16
Ugly George

"The cricket was show on one of Sky's channels..."

Forget the cricket. This isn't about the cricket. The issue of cricket coverage was merely a device to raise awareness of the lack of control of broadcasting in Scotland.

20

Electric Hermit,

13/07/2009 01:15:23
19
AM2

"It's about trying to make people in Scotland feel culturally oppressed."

The term "culturally oppressed" is a ludicrously gross exaggeration, of course. But people in Scotland are certainly culturally disadvantaged by the centralisation of control of mass media in London.

21

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 01:24:11
17 Cyncus
What "saturation coverage" - one out of literally hundreds of digital channels and a couple of minutes in the evening news?

I suggest you consult a dictionary to fnd the meaning of saturation.
22

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 01:28:29
#21 Electric Hermit

Oh, really? So what about the Sandra White press release which claimed that “most Scots” refer to the Union Flag as the “butcher’s apron”? What was the clever underlying message there?!

Or Bill Wilson kicking up a fuss about blackberries not being labelled “brambles” in supermarkets. The word “blackberries” is too English, apparently. Yet he doesn’t seem to be bothered if we don’t know our bhoona from our biryana. Why’s that?

Or Christine Grahame wanting to move the England/Scotland border south and annex Berwick. Interesting that she no problem with our maritime boundaries with other countries, isn’t it?

Admit it: cricket was targeted because of the English connotation. See also Scottish Parliament motions S2M-3274 (Christine Grahame) and S2M-3284 (Roseanna Cunningham) of September 2005. This is just the latest chapter in quite a long-running anti-English cricket campaign.
23

Fifi la Bonbon,

13/07/2009 01:37:06
Sandra White MSP might be getting her wish. STV is going to stop showing The Bill. Instead, we in Scotland will be geting our own programmes.

The first programme to replace The Bill, on Thursdays at 9pm -

DOCUMENTARY: Made in Scotland
On: STV
Date: Thursday 23rd July 2009
Time: 21:00 to 22:00

Actor John Michie takes to the road to explore Scottish icons that are celebrated the world over. In this edition, John designs his own tartan - and discovers a skeleton in his family closet. David Hayman visits Islay to sample the creme de la creme of malt whiskies. Lorraine Kelly is in her adopted home town of Dundee to find out just how inventive the City of Discovery is, and Sanjeev Kohli aims to uncover the secret of Scotland's other national drink at the Barr's factory in Cumbernauld.

Whoopdebloodydoo.

Armando Iannucci's take on this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7scMC7YSDQ
24

Electric Hermit,

13/07/2009 01:38:02
24
AM2

Like all ideological unionists, you are simply incapable of comprehending criticism of or opposition to the status quo to which you are immovably wedded.

That you don't understand the "game" of politics just adds to your difficulties.

25

Am Fògarrach,

13/07/2009 01:38:40
Where was the BBC during the Dalry fire last night?
26

frank mcbride,

lusitania 13/07/2009 01:42:30
Since the great AM2 has decided to break cover at this time and, is back on his racism hobby-horse, I have to assume that there is a very imminent election.
27

Electric Hermit,

25 Fifi la Bonbon 13/07/2009 01:45:21
25
Fifi la Bonbon

"STV is going to stop showing The Bill. Instead, we in Scotland will be geting our own programmes."

Pretty much anything would be better than The Bill.

But this is actually about money. STV Group just don't want to pay £30,000 per episode for what is, at best, a second-rate drama.

28

,

13/07/2009 01:51:04
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
29

Fifi la Bonbon,

13/07/2009 01:51:43
Instead, we will get to see Lorraine Kelly and Sanjeev Singh Kohli wittering on about Irn Bru. That is for showing at 2pm, not prime time telly. I would complain if they stopped Taggart to show a programme at 9pm about methods of manufacturing lobster creels.

"And that's except for viewers in Scotland, who have their own programmes" - make sure you see the Armando Iannucci clip to see what I'm banging on about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7scMC7YSDQ
30

Conan the Librarian™,

13/07/2009 02:12:00
I think cricket is great.For inducing a zen like state it cannot be surpassed.
Not even by Trooping the Colour or the Oxbridge boat race.
31

drunken proffet,

Tassy 13/07/2009 02:13:26
I do not know how many people play cricket in Scotland, however I would have thought that it is the number of spectators who watch the matches that are in short supply. I would suggest that until the game gets a bit more popular in Scotland, it should be part of a Community Service order that minor miscreants are obliged to follow their local team for a full season. Not an impossible idea to get a good side up and running to beat the English. You have plenty Scots from Pakistan, great cricketing nation. Global warming, and last but in no way least, Freuchie, now everyone enjoyed their success. As far as I remember, Scotland has had a cricket team for at least fifty years. It is just I never saw them mentioned in the papers too often.
32

Fletty73,

Stirling 13/07/2009 02:18:19
I'd still rather watch Lorraine Kelly after the watershed than the Morris dancing. Well done STV.
33

doublescotch,

USA 13/07/2009 02:27:41
I think some of the comments are really sad. When I was growing up in Scotland all the boys went to a cricket club near Larbert. The boys when missing a man would let us girls play:) Always in the street though never at the club.
34

Ewan Randall,

13/07/2009 02:36:14
Is it not true that any subject repeated over and over again which an individual may dislike for any specific reason could be classed as possible over coverage?
35

Mercutio,

FALKIRK 13/07/2009 04:28:29
The great thing is that the views expressed by the cybernatzis are minority ones!
36

The New Scirocco,

Lost 13/07/2009 06:07:08
#36

I knew at least 2 boys who didn't so I don't believe you
37

steve 1511,

aberdeen 13/07/2009 06:27:46
you have to wonder why grown men get so excited about hitting a ball with a stick,is it an english fertility dance,and why do cricketers not have bells on ther sticks like morris dancers
38

Mercutio,

FALKIRK 13/07/2009 06:36:22
#41 I presume you feel the same about Golf and Shinty?
39

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 06:45:24
I think that Sandra White has a valid point although she may not have necessarily expressed it properly.

Although I have no interest in the game as such, I have no objection to the coverage it receives on subscription television.
If cricket fans wish to pay Mr Murdoch for the privilege of watching paint drying then that is entirely up to them.

However, it is the prominence given to the English national cricket team, to the exclusion of home based sports by the BBC in Scotland which can give rise to some irritation.
For example, the recent Scotland rugby win at the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest rated hardly a mention whereas we are treated to regular features on the latest state of the draw between England and whomsoever they happen to be playing this month.

I do not dispute that many individuals may play at cricket in Scotland, but then again so do many play at hockey.

If BBC Scotland concentrated on giving us regular updates on the progress or otherwise of say, the Netherlands international hockey team, would this be seen as being acceptable?
40

Jardine,

13/07/2009 06:58:00
Scotland has contributed a great deal to the development of cricket. For example, the Dukes of Richmond and Lennox were the earliest patrons of the game. Scots played for England as early as 1879 while Douglas Jradine captained the Bodyline tour to Australia.
41

Jardine,

13/07/2009 06:58:42
Er, that should be Jardine!
42

Unionist Voice,

13/07/2009 07:00:57
11. AM2 - great post! we unionists should always focus on the big issues! It is a total disgrace that people would be "belittling morris dancing" as you point out -clearly this is a hideous Nat plot.

Your 24, "cricket was targeted because of the English connotation" while being at total odds with the MSP Sandra White's support of a charity that organises cricket for kids, is a spectacular of invention and supposition, so well done and keep it up.

I feel the more we Unionists get hysterical and confabulate in our righteous, loyal anger at nasty slights to morris dancing and cricket, the less people will wonder why we don't support our own Calman recommedations and why we do support the sleazy, trough swilling mess that is our great Britanic Westminster parliament!
43

jane shore,

13/07/2009 07:10:12

Well as Harold Pinter said...... Cricket is the thinking mans game. Scots cant cope?

Morris is a bit of a larf, I would agree, but then so are Jocks in Frocks Stripping the Willows.
44

,

13/07/2009 07:21:34
Comment Removed By Administrator
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45

Tynietiger,

13/07/2009 07:21:51
Heard the boorish English cricket supporters booing the Australian captain when he received man of the match award.

However bigger issue is the lack of coverage of live Scottish sport by the BBC. They can spend £40 million a year on Formula 1 and £45 million on live English Championship (Old Div 2)football but don't even bid for live SPL coverage thus pushing the price paid by Sky down to the detriment of Scottish football.
46

EPH,

Kent 13/07/2009 07:46:42
The English pay the most towards license fees far more then the Scottish so England can have what it wants and lets face it what the Scottish produce on TV is a load of rubbish.
47

Phil C,

13/07/2009 07:52:07
Loads of people don't like football or golf or rugby or snooker....They just watch another channel. I love sport on telly but not all the time. I have even enjoyed cricket when there's a tight finish or Botham at his best. Normally the game is a load of sh*te, but each to their own.

Cricket is seen as the quintisential English game played out in genteel villages. Violent but gentle. Many Scots do enjoy the game, but though it is a game from the days of Empire, it is not really British.

After all as #48 states "Cricket is the thinking mans game. Scots cant cope". It was a laugh when Freuchie from Fife caused many to splutter their Pims at Lords when they took top British village honours.

Time we daft, moaning, money-grabbing Scots were cut loose, even those who like cricket! Time we let England get on with it's own affairs. Where would they be without Gordon and Alistair?

I do think that Sandra White is wrong here, but she's just speaking for many. Most of the many would say there's too much sport on telly, full stop, not moan just because it's English.

48

john z,

edinburgh 13/07/2009 07:54:14
Cricket, truly the most boring game ever devised. The only consolation is that england invented it, went on colonial conquest missions promoting it, and now are regularly gubbed by Australia, Pakistan, the West Indies etc..

Last night we were treated to the EBC cooing about how they (meaning england) had managed a draw against Australia, by what can only be called really unsporting means (cheating). Wow, guys, what an achievement!!

I could not agree more that the coverage is completely over the top. First item on the news, endless inane comment by the EBC home counties sports presenters.

9% of license revenue is raised in Scotland yet only 3% is spent on Scotland. Surely that can't be right. Oh, but then we get treated to anglicised gems like the grossly inaccurate, near hysterical 'history of Scotland'.

The BBC Scotland office on the banks of the Clyde looks impressive, but the reality is, that ALL editorial decisions for Scotland MUST be approved by London.

The BBC is the EBC, of that there is no doubt, and it will never change, whilst Scotland remains as the personal lapdug of england.

Could you imagine the outrage, if the english home counties were given the Shinty scores on every news bulletin, as the first item. They would rightly say, we have no interest in this. Well the Scots feel the same about the extremely boring game of cricket.

The EBC and endless cricket. Another great benefit of the undemocratic and wasteful english union.

Where is the Shinty, or Scottish football, or curling,.... any answers EBC?????

Still no Scottish football from the EBC. A *bleep* disgrace.


Now, where can I get an Australia flag.??
49

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 08:06:05
54 john z
Yet another rant that bears no resemblance to the facts with your comment of te "EBC and endless cricket"

For the umpteenth time, the cricket was shown on Sky - not the BBC. The only coverage on the BBC was a few minutes in news bulletins. Your comment is demonstrably patent nonsense. Like so many others on this thread why let the facts get in the way of an ill-informed rant.
50

gus1940,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 08:11:35
It's not the cricket coverage that bothers me it's the obsession with football and in particular Rangers and Celtic. If coverage of football were to be reduced by 90% there would still be too much.

Can anybody remember there ever being a 6.30 Scottish News Bulletin without some mindless cr-p about Rangers and/or Celtic. It must be a sacking offence in BBC Weegie not to include such rubbish in every bulletin.

As regards cricket those complaining about excess coverage should consider themselves lucky as it's not so long since every UK National BBC News Bulletin included a report on every single English County Cricket Match.

51

Ugly George,

Edunburgh 13/07/2009 08:20:28
54 john z
PS
"Well the Scots feel the same about the extremely boring game of cricket."

What gives you the right to speak for all 5 million people living in Scotland? You may not like cricket but many people in Scotland watch it. Unfortunately, like so many others on these threads, you feel that all Scots must think as you do.
52

The Ayrshire Bard,

13/07/2009 08:30:32
The fact remains that licence payers in England outnumber us by 5 to 1, so it is really a case of the BBC catering for the majority. However, like most Scots, I find cricket very boring but concede that I don't understand the game, whereas my brother, born and bred in Leith, went along to Raeburn Place every weekend to watch cricket and went to London to watch test matches.
But, in the midst of all this anti-English jingoism, the BBC gave full coverage to the Scottish Open showing wonderful shots of Loch Lomond, and will be at Turnberry to cover every minute of the Open this week.
What a miserable wee country Scotland is becoming under the influence of the Nats. Moan, groan and whinge, the new Scottish battlecry! They're all out o' step except my wee Jimmy!
53

Auld Twa,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 08:43:23
Watched the end of it on Sunday night, England 12 ahead and less than an over to go, riveting stuff.
Only discovered later that they were playing for a draw, the 12 runs somehow saved them from an innings defeat.
54

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 08:46:35
#54 john z

Your post provides a perfect example of why this anti-English cricket campaign is so irresponsible.

You obviously think Scotland should become an independent country. Fair enough. But your promotion of anti-Englishness by claiming that “the BBC is the EBC”, that Scotland is the “personal lapdug of england” and referring to Britain as the “undemocratic and wasteful english union” merely undermines any case you may have.
55

,

13/07/2009 08:46:37
Comment Removed By Administrator
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56

billalba,

fife 13/07/2009 08:55:09
am2...if you watch the BBC in Scotland you may just be convinced that the bbc is the ebc and the case you quote only confirms the case it doesnt undermine it..
Ayrshire....that the licence payers outnumber us 5 to 1 only confirms that the bbc's interest is to serve the majority and makes the case that the bbc should be split up and we in Scotland should get rid of the bbc.
ps I don't know anyone who likes cricket.
57

blackley,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 08:55:11
Yesterday's game was a fantastic advert for cricket. It's not cricket as we knew it as kids but who can say it was boring?
58

Grahamski,

Falkirk 13/07/2009 08:55:14
The more the SNP come away with this kind of girning, petty and downright bitter nonsense the better for the rest of us. Civic nationalism? Naw, still the same old anti-English bigots wrapped up in chippy, and parochial irrelevant greeting.
I bet Kevin Pringle is thrilled........
59

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 08:57:01
Hi janis,

what a finish eh, we did`nt deserve the draw, we were outplayed in every session but three, Collingwood was the star, but Monty and Anderson get the credit, old Pontings mush was a picture at the end, bit rich his remark I thought.
"We will do everything we can to play within the rules and spirit of the game. It's up to them to do what they want to do".

Aussies invented sledging, and are very good at it, but is it really within the spirit of the game ?

The Socks are a bit upset with themselves this morning eh, the fact that cricket is played and followed by cricketing countries whose population exceeds 1.6billion people world wide is lost on them.

Is it time yet ?
60

Jimmy Le Pie,

13/07/2009 08:58:30
When are we having Comrade Broon's 'Britishness Day" so we can all show our support for cricket, morris dancing and all things 'British' while swearing allegiance to the Butcher's Apron???

I've got my Butcher's Apron bunting all ready and have learned the words of Rule Britannia of by heart!!!

Bring it on Comrade
61

Grahamski,

Falkirk 13/07/2009 09:09:42
66
Hey Mr Le Pie you're number sixty sixty....1966 such a glorious year, eh?
Anyway, good to see that you "have learned the words of Rule Britannia of by heart!!!" since it is such a guid old Scotch song written by a Scotchman for Scotchmen to sing.....
62

,

13/07/2009 09:15:45
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
63

EmbraJack,

13/07/2009 09:19:02
Of course, plenty of Scots have played cricket for England in the past, and at least two actually captained them. No Scots in the side at the moment, unfortunately.

Bearing in mind that in the last ten years we've got a better record of qualifying for the cricket world cup than the football world cup perhaps we need more cricket coverage and less football?
64

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 09:22:44
66 Jimmy Le Pie

This “Britishness” Day sounds like fun!

Do we get to drink warm beer(!) whilst cycling across the village common, waving our Butcher’s Apron on our way to evensong?

Ah the sight of skylarks swooping in the sky and the sound of leather upon willow upon a Summer’s eve, whilst the WRVI are selling sponge cakes and mulled wine from a marquee and the local “vicar” is being beneficent towards elderly widows and small well-scrubbed children.....................

The only fly in the ointment is that the local Orange flute band is warming up in the background.
Aided and abetted by their friends and colleagues from the BNP, they are already practising their hymns of hate and displaying their inferiority complexes for all to enjoy and celebrate.
65

Grahamski,

Falkirk 13/07/2009 09:29:30
70
Arf arf arf...this petty-minded parochial chuff is catnip to you nats...just can't help yourself with those national stereotypes, can you?
Next you'll be saying how tight the Scotch are.....no wait a minute next you'll be slavering about how tight the Englsih are and whit a damt disgrace it is that these poncy southerners accuse us of that...I was on holiday and this Englishman never bought a round wance...........
66

jane shore,

13/07/2009 09:41:04

Hi Peter Didnt watch the end of Test Match yesterday. Northern English husband was getting very excited about it all, & also jubilant that Middx (which I support) is bottom CC League.

I think that the fact is Australians (very hard sportsmen) love cricket so much is the best endorsement for the game.

Shame we have invented all these games but are so grotty at them.
67

ExpatBackinScotland,

Carnoustie 13/07/2009 09:41:53
The Ashes, like the FA Cup, England World Cup Games, 1966 etc is broadcast in scotland but scottish fayre is seen as regional and only broadcast in scotland.

As for the cricket, Lidl in arbroath are selling Ashes Beer complete with painted fan in st georges cross, with the slogan "not for australians". I say "not for scotland either"

Do you think Germany has beer in its supermarets dedicated to Polands World Cup campaign or broadcasts the french fa cup to all homes? No

The fact is, we do have england thrust on us ALL the time, but scottish fayre is not good enough for them down south.

Cricket is deadly boring anyway, but we really do need an SBC
68

,

13/07/2009 09:47:31
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69

GM,

13/07/2009 09:48:19
AM2 v Electric Hermit


I've been waiting on this for months.

Go Hermit!
70

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 09:56:25
71 Grahamski

There are various descriptions I might apply to “Scotch”.

Peaty, smooth, oily, bland, oaky, “sherryish”, redolent of honey, seaweed inspired, astringent, fruity, represent but a few.

I have no idea what a “tight” whisky tastes like.
71

Yonthing!,

13/07/2009 09:57:33
Why should Scotland take over the BBC?

If the Scottish Parliament want a Scottish TV channel, there is NOTHING stopping them.

OK, there is one thing - money. So they expect the UK government to pay for their minority channel.

GET REAL - Put up the money or shut up.

Given Scots make up <10% of the UK, I think we get a fair crack at the whip with the current mix of National and regional programming. We've already got STV adding to the BBC regional content, and BBC Alba is on air, which by it's very name is a SCOTTISH CHANNEL!
72

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 09:59:56
Surely if these MSPs complain about the coverage of the cricket on the BBC, they should also be complaining about other minority coverage.

How about BBC Alba for example? £15m of taxpayers' money a year wasted on a channel that only 1.1% of Scots can understand!
73

Auld Twa,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 10:03:33
Let's be fair. BBC Scotland has been responsible for some quality programmes, for example Waterloo Road, a drama set in an English school which was broadcast nationally.
74

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 10:05:58
77 You knownothing,

Broadcasting is a “reserved power” and not within the remit of the Scottish Parliament as it is currently constituted.

However, following Independence of course it would be.

Next question?

75

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:07:16
#73

"The Ashes, like the FA Cup, England World Cup Games, 1966 etc is broadcast in scotland but scottish fayre is seen as regional and only broadcast in scotland."

1. All world cup games are shown on TV, not just England games. Would you prefer the world cup to only be shown in Scotland when Scotland qualify for it?

2. The SPL was available to view across the whole of the UK on Setanta, it will probably be on Sky or ESPN next season, it isn't 'only broadcast in Scotland'

3. If you are referring to terrestrial tv only then the FA Cup was not shown on terrestrial tv in Scotland last season

4. There is a lot of interest in the EPL, the FA Cup etc in Scotland - many Scots have an English team they also support - there is far more interest in the EPL in Scotland than there is in the SPL in England

5. La Liga (the Spanish football league) is also shown in Scotland, as are various other foreign leagues and foreign sports - would you only like to see 'Scottish' sports shown?
76

P Rayner.,

UK 13/07/2009 10:07:21
EXPAT. Quite a number of Scottish products, including excellent beer, prominently showing the St Andrews cross are sold in supermarkets throughout England without murmur. Surely common sense and decency might best be the order when reciprocated north of the border by English products? Incidentally, a common complaint of a few Scots concerns TV exposure of Englands world cup triumph of 1966. But from my experience there is even more exposure, in England, of Celtics European Cup triumph to say nothing of Scotland, a marvellous achievement enjoyed by me as much as any rabid Scot.
77

radge dug,

13/07/2009 10:07:43
Virtually no one in Scotland watches cricket. Keep it off our tellies.

Funnily enough, more countries play curling than cricket but we don't hear that very often.

Yeah 1, at least Gaelic is our language and of more use than a foreign game. More cash to BBC Alba.
78

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 10:09:18
78 Yeah1

Are you unable to understand the BBC Alba coverage of “T in the Park”?
79

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 10:12:55
janis,

I agree the Aussies are incredible sportsmen, and their boys deserved to be one up, Pontins leadership was flawless, our boys need to give their heads a shake, especially the `batters` or this is going to be a long summers cricket !
I think Yorkshire were getting tonked off Durham over the weekend, is hubby a Lancashire supporter ?

73 Expat,
Come on, even you Scots must be able to see the funny side of the beer promotion "Not for Australians", besides if it was strong enough, and cheap enough, you would drink it if it handthe mark of the devil on it !( Oh, it already has, I hear you say) Cheers!

By the way, have I missed Sky Sports coverage of the Highland games this year?
80

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 10:18:26
82 Yeah1

The English FA cup final was available on terrestrial TV in Scotland.

I watched it!
81

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:22:56
#85

"Are you unable to understand the BBC Alba coverage of “T in the Park”?"

I didn't watch the BBC Alba coverage - I watched it on BBC 3.

If the coverage was presented in gaelic then no, I , like 98.9% of Scots, wouldn't be able to understand it.
82

Darien,

Panama 13/07/2009 10:23:35
This is an auld argument yet still the EBC ignores Scottish wishes. The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It has absolutely no relevance to Scotland. Majority of Scots have no interest in it.

Jamie McGrigor MSP, said: "...more people in Scotland play cricket than rugby"

Aye, and thats not very many, and mostly the public school brigade too. That's why Scottish rugby is so poor - it disnae appeal to the masses. Cricket is by and large not a Scottish game. That's why there is no 'British' cricket team (although England has historically assumed that mantle on our behalf, not that we were asked).

Bottom line here is the vast majority of Scots (probably 99%, maybe even more!) have absolutely no interest whatsoever in cricket so it does not merit very much if any tv air time north of the border. It is very much a minority sport in Scotland, and when played here it is to a significant extent not played by Scots but played by those who have origins elsewhere (and good luck to them!).

The Ashes is not relevant to Scotland, and neither is cricket, so EBC, please get it off the Scottish tv.
83

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:25:32
#84

"Yeah 1, at least Gaelic is our language and of more use than a foreign game."

Whose language? Its not my language, and its not the language of 98.9% of other Scots.

What use is gaelic? Anyone who speaks it can also speak English anyway.

Why should my taxes fund a channel that virtually no one in Scotland can understand?

I can guarantee now that far more people in Scotland would watch the ashes if it was on terrestrial tv than watch any of those gaelic programs they show on BBC 2.
84

drunken proffet,

Tassy 13/07/2009 10:25:40
I agree with you, cricket should be a major sport in Scotland. You just have to pick somewhere warm and dry to play it. Eh!
85

Jimmy Le Pie,

13/07/2009 10:26:46
What about a Great British cricket team at the Olympics, Comrade Broon??
86

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:27:36
#87

"The English FA cup final was available on terrestrial TV in Scotland.

I watched it!"

No it wasn't - it was on ITV 1 in the rest of the UK but STV didn't have it.

You presumably watched it either on Setanta, or on ITV London or another regional ITV channel.
87

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:28:35
#93

"Chelsea v Everton
Kick-off: Sat May 30, 3.00pm, Wembley Stadium, London
TV: Setanta Sports 1, ITV 1 (EXCLUDING SCOTLAND), ITV HD, Setanta Ireland
Radio: BBC Radio Five Live"
88

Winters,

Glasgow 13/07/2009 10:29:35

Am Fo`garrach

Where were you yesterday.
The Dalry tragic fire received huge coverage on the BBC news channel. There were statements from chief fire officers and interviews with neighbours who had to evacuate their homes and they gave the name of the firefighter who lost his life.
89

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:30:51
#89

Bottom line here is the vast majority of Scots (98.9%) don't speak gaelic so it does not merit very much if any tv air time in Scotland. It is very much a minority language in Scotland.
90

buzzer,

Aberdeen 13/07/2009 10:30:52
As a nationalist I love test match cricket and will watch it because of my interest in the sport. I will also support England as I have always done as they are more familiar to me for obvious reasons.

My desire would be to have more money put into Scottish cricket so I can enjoy the game and support my own country.
91

letmein,

paisley 13/07/2009 10:32:45
The cricket is on Sky not the ebc, why is she complaining. England are also getting humped. We all know that the ebc favour the people from south of the border, but as long as you have nuliebour it wont change.
92

Bejjy,

Europe 13/07/2009 10:34:59
89 Darien

Your post is absolute rubbish from start to finish. Take it from a foreigner that Scotland does have a national cricket team (and a fairly good one at that) and that there are more cricket clubs per capita situated in Scotland than there are in England. And as others have pointed out and which you can't seem to head your head around, the England v Australia test games are not being shown on the BBC (except as a news item) but are being broadcvast on Sky Sports.

93

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 10:40:24
88 Yeah1

A curious but nonetheless informative response.

Do you decline to watch any sporting or musical event because you disapprove of the language spoken by the presenters?

What a parochial and insular individual you appear to be.

Let me guess, you are a British Unionist?
94

Bejjy,

Europe 13/07/2009 10:40:33
89 Darien

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_national_cricket_team
95

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:50:12
#100

"Do you decline to watch any sporting or musical event because you disapprove of the language spoken by the presenters?"

I wouldn't watch the coverage because I 'disapprove' of the language spoken by the presenters - it would be because I don't understand it.

You may like watching events in languages you don't understand but I personally don't.

If I have a choice of watching T in the Park in English on BBC 3, or T in the Park in gaelic on BBC Alba I would of course chose the former because I understand the language. I am sure the 98.9% of Scots who don't speak gaelic would also do likewise.
96

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 10:58:10
#89

"The Ashes is not relevant to Scotland, and neither is cricket, so EBC, please get it off the Scottish tv."

Firstly the Ashes is shown live on Sky - it isn't on the BBC.

The only coverage of the Ashes on the BBC is in news bulletins - and then only on the national news - the Ashes isn't covered on the BBC Scotland news, or any other Scottish programs.
97

dunedin bully wee 1877,

13/07/2009 11:00:58
101 Bejjy

I have no particular objections to the game of cricket per se.

Where the objections lie is the coverage given to the English national cricket team by BBC Scotland, to the exclusion of Scottish sport, and that incidentally included Scottish cricket.

Of course the fortunes of non-national sporting teams should be reported upon, but not to the exclusion of what is happening at home.

In this country we already have access to the English based BBC’s view upon the performances of the various English sporting teams, what Sandra White and others are asking for is for the same respect to be afforded to our team’s performances.

Hence the call for a Scottish Broadcasting Corporation.

What would be wrong with that?
98

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 11:02:59
Darien, 89,

The Ashes are on Sky Sports 1, you dont have to even watch it, the updates and scores are on BBC news like most of the leading sports, I`m not a huge fan of golf, but I dont whinge about the news coverage of it, what is the matter with some of you, just how small a bubble do you really want to live in ?
99

reincarnated,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 11:05:46
Curious thing this. There are a surprisingly large number of Scottish people interested in cricket.

And without exception the ones I know all support the England cricket team.

Listened to two colleagues earlier this morning (both od whom are avid Scotland fitba and rugby supporters) wetting themselves about how well England did yesterday.

I can take or leave cricket, but still always want England to get stuiffed, for the sake of it.
100

reincarnated,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 11:13:05
97 is an example of this strange phenomenon.
101

Bejjy,

Europe 13/07/2009 11:13:17
104 dunedin bully wee 1877,

Nothing whatsoever. Where I live we have our own national television stations but are also able to pick up on various TV stations from both other European and some Arabic countries which allows us choice of watching either national or foreign programs. The people of Scotland should have the same options.
102

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 11:13:51
#105

"I`m not a huge fan of golf, but I dont whinge about the news coverage of it"

Exactly - there was copious coverage of the Scottish Open golf over the weekend, but there haven't been English MPs lodging motions complaining about the coverage of a sport in Scotland in the rest of the UK.

These MSPs are pathetic getting involved in something like this - don't they have anything more important to do?
103

JenJen,

13/07/2009 11:29:39
#54 "Now, where can I get an Australia flag.??"

Who's going to tell him he'll find a union jack on it ...

Not sure the Aussies value sooks like you. Better to stick to sports that Scotland are involved in.
104

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 11:35:59
#84

"Funnily enough, more countries play curling than cricket but we don't hear that very often."

Interestingly you are infact wrong. According to the International Cricket Board they have 10 full members and 35 associate members, as well as 59 affiliate members.

The World Curling Federation have 44 associate members.

Therefore not including cricket's 59 affiliate members it has a total of 45 full or associate members whereas curling has 44.

The most recent world cup/championship in each sport also had 16 teams taking part in cricket's world cup and only 12 in curling's world championship.

So no, more countries don't play curling than cricket.
105

JenJen,

13/07/2009 11:36:56
Nelson ...
106

AJ Fife,

13/07/2009 11:44:26
It was a great anti-sporting moment - listening to England scraping nad scratching their way to a draw, through a mixture of unbelievable jamminess and cheating. Who'd ever have thought Panesaar could even old a bat and what about the 12th man shennigans?

The Welsh crowd must've been so disappointed!
107

Wyrdtimes,

Land of fools... 13/07/2009 11:59:09
When will you lot vote for independence? Come on get it done!
108

For Shore,

13/07/2009 12:02:15
Good point #109

I was subjected to a Saturday afternoon of the Scottish Open on BBC1 Yorkshire when I was down south this weekend with no Sky to watch the cricket. No English MPs whinging about Scottish sport on English BBC channels.....

Think this MSP has more important things to be wining on about
109

,

13/07/2009 12:02:52
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
110

JenJen,

13/07/2009 12:05:02
#113. Sure, you can whinge about the 12th man thing along with Ponting and ignore the fact that he'd have done exactly the same thing. (Nice of you to listen though.)

But you're simply wrong about the Welsh people in the crowd. I know it's disappointing but the English and the Welsh do get on terribly well together at the cricket and have done for many years. No-one's pretending it wouldn't be totally different for any other sport, but that's the way it is for cricket. Lovely atmosphere and tremendous fun. You should have been there.
111

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 12:09:11
#116

"if it is as popular as A M 2 supposes i will stop my neighbours at ramdom and ask them to explain it to me ."

Perhaps you could also stop your neighbours at random and ask them to explain the rules of 'Scottish' sports like shinty and curling.

I would suggest no more of them will know the rules of those sports than know the rules of cricket.
112

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 12:11:29
Hi AJ,

Imagine, you interested in cricket !!

Why would the Welsh crowd be dissapointed mate, its England and Wales together ! We managed to scrape a draw from certain defeat, the Welsh would have been as pleased as we English, but dont take my word for it JenJen was there !
The twelfth man `shinnanigans` are within the rules, and believe me the Aussies would have done the same, dont fall for old Pontin`s `butter wouldnt melt in my mouth` look, he was rightly gutted for letting the tail off the hook!
Why would you not expect Monty Panesar to be able to hold a bat ?
113

For Scotlands Future,

Vote for the SNP 13/07/2009 12:20:24
The reason you got so much cricket coverage was because the "Old Dunkirk" spirit was rekindled in the SE of England. England was slaughtered in that match, but because of the quirky rules of the 5-day version of the game, if England could just stay in and bat, the score doesn't matter, and it becomes a drawn match. England, once again, in the face of an overwhelming defeat, scramble a draw and the media call them hero's.

Has Maggie Brown phoned them up to congratulate them yet??

I dislike the 5-day form of cricket, it seems an immense waste of time and effort. Much prefer the ODI's on a nice summer night in SA. Starts at 2pm, ends about 11pm, great family and friends outings with a braai and a few beers. Temp about 25C at that time of night. Kids sleep going home in the car

Used to like the T20 matches, but they have now become "formula" cricket: fast bowlers for the 6-over restriction then the spin bowlers to slow the run-rate, and then throw a few fast bowlers in at the end to finish off the tail-end.
114

Opening batsman,

Edinburry 13/07/2009 12:34:10
I enjoy cricket but many of my friends and colleagues do not. Several, however, agree it to be less boring than the incoherent rantings of Sandra White who is only a List Member of the Scottish Parliament. One of White's other interests is a fondness for 'fact finding' missions to the Middle East.
115

Gruntfuttock,

13/07/2009 12:37:31
Perhaps all non-Scottish sports could be banned including the ethnically unpure 'Tour de France' which is obviously foreign rubbish. In fact this principle could be applied across the board; all international news could be banned including news from south of the border as not self-respecting Scotsman would wish to sully his brain with such muck. Furthermore, we should go the whole hog and ban TV except for the purpose of broadcasting the celebrations for John Calvin's 500th birthday party.
116

Jaimeson,

13/07/2009 12:38:42
To Chief King Bonga (and H Pinter wherever you may be)
Cricket is the National Sport of the English aka the Ingers or Inger Mingers. It is a game for the slow witted since a match lasts at least four days and most of the time is taken up walking about doing nothing, chatting to each other or going off for a cup of tea or to shelter from the rain. And there is invariably no result. However it suits the English who are naturally slow witted and they confirm this deficiency by trying to play the game in a country which is always wet and where the sun don't shine. Because of the boredom, their supporters drink and get drunk and disorderly on cheap booze, much to the chagrin of a another type of English cricket follower who though no better than the others thinks he is.
117

JT,

13/07/2009 12:43:22
You could always switch the tv off! just an idea....
118

Highland Hibby,

Inverness 13/07/2009 12:45:27
#120 Given that the "England" team play under the auspices of the England and Wales Cricket Board I would fully expect the Welsh to be happy with the draw.

I'm not sure about the tactics England used, but if it upsets Ponting it's good enough for me.

#124 I take it you're a 90 minute nationalist who can't cope with games lasting any longer. Here's a thought: if the English are slow witted for needing 4 days for a game, how thick are those stupid Europeans, Americans, Aussies and the rest for needing 3 weeks for a bike race over in France?
119

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 12:47:29
121 For Scotlands Future ( Heaven help you if you are typical.)

"The reason you got so much cricket coverage was because the "Old Dunkirk" spirit was rekindled in the SE of England".

You really have to run that past me again, what are you on about man, it was a cricket match !


At the end of the day the best team in the world could not get the English tail enders out, its not quirky, it was dogged resistance against decent attack.
Did we deserve a draw !! No, but thats the rules.
120

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 12:51:23
124 Jaimeson

Phillistine!
121

For Scotlands Future,

Vote for the SNP 13/07/2009 12:52:44
Perhaps because it takes 3-weeks to bike over such distances.
122

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 12:54:14
#123

"Perhaps all non-Scottish sports could be banned including the ethnically unpure 'Tour de France' which is obviously foreign rubbish."

Yes perhaps only Scottish matches at the various world cups should be shown - so as soon as they go out (or don't qualify in the case of football) no other games are shown - I mean these SNP MSPs wouldn't want Scottish people watching games between 'foreign' teams like Spain and Italy would they.

Maybe instead of showing the rest of the world cup games Scottish TV could show shinty matches or some other 'pure' Scottish sport - I'm sure there would be a huge appetite for that - who wouldn't want to watch Fort William v Nairn in the Shinty league rather than Brazil v Spain in the world cup final!
123

Geomac 1,

Scotland 13/07/2009 12:55:04
What petty, petulant and parochial drivel from what passes for an MSP. Sad!
Why didn't she record episodes of River Shi**y so she could watch that when the cricket was on??
This sort of thing makes me embarrassed to admit to being Scottish.
FYI - I personally am not a cricket fan but I respect the rights of others to have broadcast access.
I shudder to think what a so called Scottish TV channel would contain? Endless so called Glesca humour, fitba and then mair fitba.
124

For Scotlands Future,

Vote for the SNP 13/07/2009 12:55:28
Sorry #129 was for #126
125

Brianwci,

13/07/2009 13:01:37
#51 Tynietiger says: "The BBC can spend £45 million on live English Championship (Old Div 2)football but don't even bid for live SPL coverage thus pushing the price paid by Sky down to the detriment of Scottish football."

But Tynie, English sport is of major BRITISH interest i.e. we all have to put up with it, whereas Scottish sport is only of REGIONAL SCOTTISH interest.

As for Ugly George, whereas the cricket is currently being shown on Sky it is still all over the BBC news, including the weather forecast and presenters of any programme manage to get it in at every opportunity.

The other week major world film star Sean Connery opened the Edinburgh Film Festival with not so much as a BBC Brownie Box Camera in sight....meanwhile over 400 BBC personnel were down at the Pop Festival in Glastonbury.

To add insult to injury BBC Scotland made great play of the 'World Paper Comb Music Festival' a few days ago just to remind Scots of how trivial and parochial our lives are. Quaint? I should coco.
126

,

13/07/2009 13:02:16
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
127

letmein,

paisley 13/07/2009 13:04:21
Yeah1,
The reason no one complains about the golf is because it always shows Lee Westwood or Ian Poulter or any other english player who happens to be in the event, to the point of embarrassment. So stfu
128

Highland Hibby,

Inverness 13/07/2009 13:09:44
#129 Read the post I was replying to. As evidenced by the match (and plenty more I have seen) it can take 4 days to play 4 innings. So to paraphrae you "Perhaps because it takes 4 days to play 4 innings"
129

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 13:13:31
133 Brianwci,

So the weather girls mentioned it was going to rain/ be sunny in Swansea for the Ashes, stop being so....precious.

What are you grizzling about woman, `T` in the Park was on BBC Scotland on Saturday, missed all but the killers at the end, maybe the old Ham actor should go there next year instead.
130

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 13:17:06
136 letmein, Mate, where`s all the Scottish golfers gone then ?
131

AJ Fife,

13/07/2009 13:30:43
Big Chief Bongodrums,

Quality sport is quality sport and cricket falls into that category as far as I'm concerned.

However, what gives cricket a little edge for me is England's penchant for bawzing up tests on a fairly routine basis. The lamentable efforts in the West Indies in the 70s and 80s spring to mind, as does the regular and predictable failure against the Aussies.

Makes for great viewing though, and I sincerely hope the BBC and Sky keep up the current blanket coverage. This current Ashes series has all the hallmarks of potential English humilation, especially with the South African KP about to implode!

132

EmbraJack,

13/07/2009 13:33:48
Can somebody tell me where I can watch this blanket coverage on BBC? Coz I haven't got Sky and the only coverage I can see on the Beeb is about 2 minutes on the news at most. Obviously I'm missing something, it seems as there must be a BBC channel showing it non-stop that I'm unaware of.
133

bus user,

edinburgh 13/07/2009 13:37:42
I grew up next to Richmond Park across from Glasgow Green and right next to the Gorbals, in the early 1960s. If cricket was so unpopular I'm amazed that there were so many matches between flannelled fools there during the Summer.
This is the worst kind of anti-English nonsense and has nothing to do with control of Scottish broadcasting. When I was younger I hated the English focus of sport coverage and still do, when people who should know better assume that England = UK. However, the highest level at which a Scottish cricketer can play is for England and many have. Yes, I know migrant Scots might play for a number of the other Cricket countries, but England is the aspiration for most - just ask Gavin Hamilton, the current Captain, who had the misfortune to play for a lousy England team that lost in South Africa by an innings.
Given England's great escape yeasterday, they could consider using the tactics of another Scot [by descent], Douglas Jardine, whose leg side field tactics gave us whingeing Aussies, just as Ricky Ponting was yesterday.
I'm just sorry there isn't any live terrestrial coverage of the Ashes.
I could do with less coverage of all the rock festivals, because there's less music than there is moronic talking heads trying to be trendy and relevant, and I read that there were 300+ of a BBC TV crew at T in the Park - on my licence tax.
134

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 13:57:11
AJ,

Win or lose, once again England play the best in the world at cricket, meanwhile, Socks grizzle, complain and show the world what a dark dismal little place full of paranoid and insecurity they live in. You must be proud.
135

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 14:00:28
#143

Re: “Socks grizzle, complain”

Ease up! The ‘cybernats’ aren’t in the least representative.
136

,

13/07/2009 14:01:25
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
137

Geomac 1,

Scotland 13/07/2009 14:08:59
#141 Embra jack.
No jack, you're not missing anything - there were only tiny highlights on news bulletins. This is simply a dumb (what other kind are there??) MSP making noises for the sake of it and doing it our expense, as taxpayers! It's really sad that we have such people purporting to represnt us at Holyrood - first they snubbed the Queen and now they are sniping at the English in general - sick!
Just think how much sport would be on a Scottish TV channel if all these MSPs wanted was Scottish participants who live in Scotland?? Parochialism rules!!
138

Highland Hibby,

Inverness 13/07/2009 14:09:11
#143 Ignore them. Bigots and racists are everywhere.

Of course, the only reason they hate the English is that they're lazy and you do make it easy to hate you sometimes ;-)
139

Geomac 1,

Scotland 13/07/2009 14:10:11
#145 Nova
You state that this MSP must be real thick - most MSPs are real thick!!!
140

AJ Fife,

13/07/2009 14:14:51
Bonga,

Who's complaining? Cricket is great like I said. It's just that you have your favourite teams when you don't live in a top drawer cricketing country, so I just happen to support anybody England happens to be playing !! :)

btw, as an Irishman, AM2 will have even less of a clue about cricket as he does about the SNP!
141

Pete R ,

13/07/2009 14:15:17
MSP says too much Ashes cricket on terrestrial TV?

I didn't see it, which channel was it on?

I thought it was only on Sky.
142

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 14:33:44
#149 AJ Fife

Btw, as someone who can't understand dual Scottish-British identity, AJ Fife will have even less of a clue about those of us with an even more subtly layered senses of who we are. Yes, I was born in Ireland. And two of my grandparents were English. I have French ancestry too. What exactly is your point?
143

person who's right,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 14:34:39
I agree... with both sides of this argument.

- I don't think an SNP MSP covers herself in glory by making these statements. It's not the biggest issue in town and in my opinion it makes her (and by extension her party) look parochial and petty (which in general her party is not).

- Having said that, this is just a symptom of a wider malaise; the fact that Scotland has its media largely imposed upon her from elsewhere. If we had our own media, like every normal country, then this kind of debate just wouldn't exist - we might mention the Ashes very very briefly because there are a very small number of people interested in this minority sport being played between two other countries.
144

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 14:40:00
#133

"The BBC can spend £45 million on live English Championship (Old Div 2)football but don't even bid for live SPL coverage thus pushing the price paid by Sky down to the detriment of Scottish football"

The average attendance for the English Championship last season was 18,026 - the average attendance for the SPL was 15,537 (dropping to well under 10,000 if you take out Celtic and Rangers).

This suggests that there are alot more people in Britain interested in the English Championship than there are in the SPL.
145

Alastair the First,

13/07/2009 14:42:24
I agree that the amount of coverage given on the so-called "national" news to cricket is excessive as it's not actually a national story. However I would prefer to take issue with the BBC for showing live coverage of England football internationals, including meaningless friendlies, in Scotland. That is just plain offensive. I could understand it if they also showed all the other nations' games, but they don't. I suspect a lot of the BBC high heid yins don't actually see any great difference between England and the UK, and aome of them probably consider Scotland to be a region of England.
146

Fletty73,

Stirling 13/07/2009 14:52:18
Whinging Poms struggling to take the banter I see.

One should keep a stiff upper lip old boy.

Us subjugated colonies are only having a laugh.
147

bluepict,

13/07/2009 14:57:05
I'm a Scot and a Nationalist but I love cricket,however,every country has its own sports preferences and Scotland should be treated no different. If curling was as big in Scotland as Cricket is in England,would it be given the same coverage in the UK? methinks not!

It's simply not cricket my dear chaps and chapesses!!
148

Liz,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 14:57:43
#153
I didnt realise the BBC were going to show some Championship games - I hope they are on up here! The Championship is a far better league to watch than either of the E or SPL. At least there is still some competition about who wins it. There is nothing more dull than all the mindless drivel spoken about the Old Firm each season. The top leagues in England and Scotland are rather predicable, the Scottish League is basically about the four Rangers vs Celtic matches and the English one down to whoever has the biggest chequebook.
149

Jaimeson,

13/07/2009 15:02:31
The Australians are not the best cricketers in the world! And the mingers are an envious shower who can’t bear to see other groups prosper particularly the Australians at cricket, the Scots at anything and the Germans at football. They are the great unwanted (and unwashed) of the world, no one likes them, nor wants them living or holidaying nearby. A shame because they have some good points, namely...........er, none.
150

EmbraJack,

13/07/2009 15:06:02
A quick google will reveal that by the time of the last UK Ashes test in 2005 over 500,000 viewers in Scotland were watching. A minority, yes, but a sizeable one. Maybe this MSP should be complaining about insufficient terrestrial cricket coverage instead of too much?
151

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 15:27:25
#160 EmbraJack

Well spotted! This is from Scotland on Sunday, 18/9/2005, talking about viewing figures from Channel 4:

“Official viewing statistics show that up to 18% of its UK audience was north of the Border ... Scotland has just 8.5% of the UK population.”

So Scottish interest in the 2005 Ashes was twice as high as in England!

http://tinyurl.com/cricketscotland
152

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 15:38:44
#154

"I would prefer to take issue with the BBC for showing live coverage of England football internationals, including meaningless friendlies, in Scotland. That is just plain offensive."

What is 'offensive' about it? I would imagine a lot of Scots like watching England football matches, even if it is to support whoever they are playing.

"I could understand it if they also showed all the other nations' games, but they don't."

The BBC couldn't afford the cost of paying for the rights to all the home nations' football matches. Consequently they presumably bid for the rights to the one which they think will be watched the most - which is obviously England since they have a far bigger population than Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland put together.
153

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 15:41:36
#161

"Official viewing statistics show that up to 18% of its UK audience was north of the Border ... Scotland has just 8.5% of the UK population"

Fascinating fact - perhaps Sandra White should be forced to issue an official apology for stating that there is 'no appetite for the game north of the Border' and for wasting Parliamentary time and taxpayers' money on this pathetic piece of anti-English frippery.
154

Stephen B,

Inverness 13/07/2009 15:45:37
159 - Nothing like externalising your own demons, is there?

155

Jimmy Le Pie,

13/07/2009 15:51:00
What about the viewing figures for Ireland????
156

AJ Fife,

13/07/2009 15:53:00
Is it a crime to support anybody or anything when they take England on at sport? I've always enjoyed the spectacle, but I've always appreciated English resolve against a world that seems to hate them so much.

The Aussies, Kiwis, French, Jerries, Italians, Morrocans, Egyptians, the rest of Africa, Irish, Scots, Welsh, Scandinavians, South Americans, all of Asia and the Middle East(amongst others), all seem to have a passion for resenting the English when it comes to sport.

I wonder why? Maybe it's because Bobby Moore nicked a bracelet from a jewellers in South America!

157

Jimmy Le Pie,

13/07/2009 15:53:49
#165

Silly me - yesterday was bowler hat, butchers apron and silly walks day!!!!!
158

Jimmy Le Pie,

13/07/2009 15:55:08
#166 AJ

I think the world wide resentment of England comes from the glorious Imperial days!!!
159

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 15:58:43
#164

"What about the viewing figures for Ireland????"

What about them?
160

New Town Resident,

13/07/2009 16:01:38
Some stats from Google;

Percent of Gaelic speakers in Scotland = 1.5%
Percent of English born people living in Scotland = 9%

So if you want to play the game of segregated TV channels, then there is clearly a case and maybe need for a minority TV channel in Scotland showing nothing but cricket, morris dancing and english footie with a budget say five times of BBC Alba?
161

AJ Fife,

13/07/2009 16:06:40
Jimmy#167,

Do you mean when one third of the world atlas was coloured pink?

Perhaps it was this insulting colour which grated the senses of the average macho citizen of the Empire. Does the colour pink and the sport of cricket have some sort of semi-hidden connection?
162

,

13/07/2009 16:13:28
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163

,

13/07/2009 16:15:32
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164

New Town Resident,

13/07/2009 16:16:40
~170

Note the R%A Turnbury "official Ralph Lauren polo shirt" at only £60 is a rather gharish pink. So I'd say its not just a cricket issue, but also maybe a St. Andrews problem as well?

Its true Middlesex do now play in pink as part of their breat cancer appeal. To be fair there was an attempt by some Saltire supporters at the recent Scotland/Middlesex game to tie up the tail of the Middlesex Pink Panther mascot to some railings by the bar. So perhaps this proves your point? Not sure.
165

,

13/07/2009 16:19:31
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166

,

13/07/2009 16:22:27
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167

Stephen B,

Inverness 13/07/2009 16:22:35
"The Aussies, Kiwis, French, Jerries, Italians, Morrocans, Egyptians, the rest of Africa, Irish, Scots, Welsh, Scandinavians, South Americans, all of Asia and the Middle East(amongst others), all seem to have a passion for resenting the English when it comes to sport."

And many of them channel that supposed resentment into great national sides. Why not Scotland?

Must admit the Scandinavian hatred was a new one to me but I do hear the penguins of Antarctica hate the English too and wish them dead.
168

,

13/07/2009 16:30:56
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169

AJ Fife,

13/07/2009 16:37:41
#176,

Scotland always produces a team or an individual sportsman who can duff the English equivalent up. However, as a much smaller nation, these occasions aren't always as frequent as we'd like. At least we have a true world class star in Andy Murray at the moment.

As for the Scadinavian point, it goes back to the days of Gustav Adolphus.
170

,

13/07/2009 16:37:50
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171

EmbraJack,

13/07/2009 16:42:07
#171 If you think you watched the Ashes on BBC1 Scotland yesterday afternoon (and proper coverage, not just two minutes on the news) then can I borrow your magic telly for the next test please?
172

donnelly,

Dundee 13/07/2009 16:43:44
all I can say is ...its pretty grim when in your national sport ( England) and while playing home advantage ...you have to cheat to only get a DRAW !!!!
173

,

13/07/2009 16:44:08
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174

AJ Fife,

13/07/2009 16:44:10
#173,

The R&A and the MCC at Lords are virtually made up of the same type of people. The colour pink seems to be the natural choice for these last bastions of public school reared unionist bumchum establishments.
175

,

13/07/2009 16:45:50
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176

,

13/07/2009 16:48:23
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177

Yeah1,

13/07/2009 16:49:10

Us taxpayers are forced to contribute £15m towards the cost of BBC Alba - a tv channel which only 1.1% of Scots can understand.

If the SNP support such a channel they don't really have the right to complain about a few minutes coverage of cricket on the news bulletins.

18% of those who watched the Ashes in 2005 were Scottish - a far, far higher number of people than will ever watch anything on BBC Alba.
178

EmbraJack,

13/07/2009 16:54:22
#184 If you watched live Ashes coverage on BBC1 Scotland yesterday then you need to contact Sky TV right now because BBC1 do not have the rights to live coverage and are therefore breaking the law.

Oh, and contact Channel 5 as well, they have the rights to extended highlights; not the BBC. They'll be interested in hearing from you as well.
179

New Town Resident,

13/07/2009 17:03:47
#186 Yeah 1. Exactly. That was my very point on post ~169.

So, as you say, a spend of arround £100 million p.a. for a minority Scottish channel featuring only morris dancing, re-runs of England footie victories and Ashes cricket seems to be more than justified. There is clearly a need.

Maybe throw in some Balti cookery tips, plus coverage of the London rasta scene and racing pointers from Alex Salmond at Newmarket and you've covered all the bases?

#183. A.J. Fife. Don't forget to include the Leander and Garrick clubs. Also I think Juventus used to play in pink?
180

Arthur G,

Glasgow 13/07/2009 17:24:01
Well, then, Ms White, I am a fully paid up member of the SNP and an 'Out-Match' member of the Marylebone Cricket Club, too. Please do let me know which of these memberships I should give up to satisfy your narrow wolrld view?

Honestly, I do despair of this woman, at times. Perhaps she should consider joining the Labour Party, where, at least, the damage she does will be to the advantage of the Scottish nation!
181

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 17:33:56
AJ,

I didnt realise your resentment of the English was class based, how interesting.
182

Jim P,

13/07/2009 17:39:43
To my mind there is no question that the BBC presents international cricket with no sense of balance and frequently to the complete disregard for other sports. The BBC has more or less totally ignored progress in the Tour de France in most of its broadcasts, preferring to talk tactics of "possibility of rain" resulting in a draw. Even the fiicking weather forecaster was at it, hoping for rain, krysake.
183

New Town Resident,

13/07/2009 17:46:54
#191. Yep. and its not just the BBC. For example I recently noticed Hitchcock was at it as well in the lady vanishes.
184

Alan B,

13/07/2009 18:57:30
Part of the underlying issue is. If scotland was interested in a sport, doing well in it or whatever would national news etc carry it at the same level. We all know the answer is no.

The wider issue is the uk terrestrial tv is very insolar. And as such scotland tend to focus too much on what england is doing rather than looking beyond.

Personally i think terrestrial tv news should be devolved. That would cut much of the problems out. As such scottish editorials would decide the relative merits of cricket versus other sports. And also reporting cricket internationally as opposed to an english focus on english progress within specific tournaments.



185

Qaisar,

Oregon, USA 13/07/2009 18:58:56
I have a solution for it: Make a Great Britain cricket team, and then no one complains ( I hope :) )
England and Wales are already part of the current team, and all you need to add is Scotland.
186

SweatyJ,

London 13/07/2009 19:00:16
Maybe they should pull the World Cup and European Championships off the air, as this rarely applies to Scotland either.
187

Alan B,

13/07/2009 19:03:51
An couple of examples i remember of the issue with london control news and sports reporting.

1)scotland and england were both playing southern hemisphere opposition. The news reported the english game with highlights and did not even mention scotland were playing.
2)scotland were playing friendly international (kirin cup) and national news talking of the FA cup final and ignored scotlands international. In scotland you would expect a brief report of the result in national news.

But scotland is seen as a regional issue and english sport is seen as something all the uk should know about. Off course the news should report english sport but not to the exclusion of what happens up here.

England are simply not interested in what happens in relation to scotland. That is the core reason scottish sport is relatively ignored. We have to deal with that apathy and that is why a scottish edition of terrestrial news is important.
188

Lee John,

13/07/2009 19:04:42
Silly season a bit early.
189

Bill from Barnet,

Barnet 13/07/2009 19:09:00
Hey, The Ashes is great drama and at least (unlike Scotland) the fans can be trusted to have beer!
190

SweatyJ,

13/07/2009 19:12:30
Did Andy Murray get enough coverage?
191

Truely English,

13/07/2009 19:17:46
What a sad day this is for us all. The greatest sport in the world and all the Scots can do is try and belittle it. Cricket is part of our British Heritage and played from Thurso to Aberdeenshire to the Border lands in Scotland and through the rest of our Kingdom.

It is all part of our shared English cultural heritage which makes the Scots proud to be British.
Indeed in many Far East countries it was the Scots who introduced cricket and not the English.
192

The Unforgiven,

Scotland 13/07/2009 19:20:24
What a lot of nonsense.

An out of touch politician, what a surprise.

The SNP anti happiness committee is good voice just now obviously.

On a day where it is reported that 1% of Scots are drug addicts and many more have alcohol problems what are the SNP doing? Drumming up some anti English feeling via cricket. Still much easier to do that than tackle a real problem which is probably beyond their abilities to cope with.

Oh and it distracts people from Mr. Potato Head look alike Alex Salmond's problems.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6695694.ece


193

Lee John,

13/07/2009 19:23:39
It wasn't even invented in England.
194

Alan B,

13/07/2009 19:23:50
#SweatyJ

Would Murray get the same coverage if England was not so into Wimbledon. How much tennis coverage for the grand slam events is shown when it is not in england.

Golf is bigger sport in scotland but how much coverage of the winners of the majors is shown. There is a lot of parochialness.

How much coverage was Peter Nicol given when he was world champion? The refusal of uk corporations to sponsor him meant that he started competing for england.

We have seen the same thing in boxing. We are more likely to here reports of nobodies like Audley Harrison than world champions like Scott Harrison (before he went into self destruct).
195

Bill from Barnet,

13/07/2009 19:27:29
Yeah Scott Harrison. See "beer" above. Post 198.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
196

Lee John,

13/07/2009 19:28:09
The Unforgiven

"Oh and it distracts people from Mr. Potato Head look alike Alex Salmond's problems."

Brilliant! Such insight! A coup de grâce if you will. Master debater of the year you are son. Any more gems?
197

The Unforgiven,

13/07/2009 19:36:17
# 205. I'm glad you liked it, if a little surprised that you understood it.
198

SweatyJ,

13/07/2009 19:36:52
#203

All grand slams are shown on Sky/Eurosport, as well as all the Masters tournaments, so it does look a bit OTT when Wimbledon is on. It's just the Beeb showing off one of the five things they still have the rights too.

I don't really think using someone from the world of Squash is the best example. He'd be mostly ignored if he was English apart from at the Olympics.
199

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 19:49:53
Perhaps, if they have any sense of reason, Sandra White and some of the strident posters on this thread, might take a step back, try and think about what they have said and realise that they are making complete fools of themselves with hopeless tirades that bear no relation to the facts.

Sandra White complained about the coverage on terrestial TV and others waded in with their, now tediously, tiresome anti BBC rants. But let's look at the facts. Live coverage of the cricket was not shown on BBC who only broadcast for a couple of minutes during news bulletins. Meanwhile the BBC broadcast several hours on several days of the Scottish Open Golf. Anybody can check the schedules, BBC iplayer or anything they want and they will find that the coverage by the BBC of the golf was much, much greater than the coverage of the cricket. So what is the nature of the complaint?

Yes Sky showed the cricket(on one of more than 200 digital channels available) for those who are prepared to subscribe but they also broadcast live cricket, rugby, football, motor racng etc. from a host of countres all over the world where no UK nation is involved. Is Sandra White suggesting that we be banned from watching the Ashes cricket on Sky? If not, there is palpably no substance to her complaint.

On Reporting Scotland tonight Sandra White complained of "wall to wall coverage" of the Ashes. How can this possibly be construed as anything like an accurate description? It is patent nonsense.
200

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13/07/2009 19:59:25
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201

Idi Amin,

Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa 13/07/2009 20:03:31
#152

Why bother taking Celtic and Rangers out of any figures when they are part of the thing?

Also England to Scotland population ratio is approx 10:1, so the average attendance of the SPL would be 155,370 versus 18,026.

Celtic's attendance alone would be 600,000 at home every game with a similar sized population.
202

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:06:42
Oh, the horror of having to listen to Radio 4 on FM, instead of LW.

Never mind, it is all worthwhile to learn that "Christine Graham dubbed prominent BBC news coverage of England's Ashes victory as "insulting" to the world's poor and starving! She may be a slavering Spartist, but at least she is hilarious with it, although probably unintentionally so.
203

Alan B,

13/07/2009 20:07:43
#SweatyJ

I am only talking of terrestrial news coverage. I do not have any problem with Wimbledon.

Do you seriously think UK news is ok. It is really international and english news. If it was british news then we in scotland would have more of an insight of what is happening in wales or NI.

England understandably is not interested in what is happening in Scotland. But Scotland is force fed a diet of what is happening in England and the reason for that is Scottish UK unionist politicians that believed that scottish editorial news would mean that Westminster would be more distant. As such English education and health is uk national news and scottish education and health is regional.

Listening the UK news it is very difficult to know what effects scotland and what does not and what scotlands alternatives are.

This issue round sport is just a way of politicians taking forward this underlying issue.

I do not have much of a problem with cricket reporting but not when the underlying issue means that scottish sport and achievement is sidelined. Where the sports chosen to be highlighted are the ones that england decides are worthy and has appeal in england.

While squash may not have appeal as a spectator sport scotland having a world champion in any sport is something worth reporting.

My examples other if you read above was related to both football and rugby where scottish international matches were ignored but reported english games in the same bulletin. Or with boxing where world champions can be ignored but certain boxers who have achieved nothing but whose face fits are reported.
204

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:08:33
...And there was me thinking that people starved in Africa because I didn't eat all my potatoes when I was young.
205

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 20:10:13
181 Donelly

"all I can say is ...its pretty grim when in your national sport ( England) and while playing home advantage ...you have to cheat to only get a DRAW"

I know you are not interested in a balanced debate as this does'nt fit in with your anti-English viewpoint, however, had the twelth man coming on been cheating, the umpire would have stepped in, so we have to assumne it was within the rules of the game.

Did you also know that Ponting ordered his bowlers to bowl a full over (thats six balls to you),'underarm' (assuning you know what bowling underarm means)in a final over to stop New Zealand from making the winning runs,in a recent match, so as you see the Aussies are not shy of applying the rules to their advantage when it suits them.

Aussie bowler Nathan Harowitz has also admmitted he would also bring on the twelfth man to waste time if they were in the same position, and it meant saving the match.

So basically, you dont know what you are talking about !
206

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 20:17:01
209 Angus
I don't think that many would dispute that football is the most popular sport worldwide but that is not really the point. Different sports have different skill factors, different attributes and different subtleties.

As your figures show, cricket has a large following(particularly in the Indian sub-continent) and many appreciate the nature and merits of the game. That is why some of the earlier posts (referring to it as "morris dancers playing rounders") merely show an objectionable form of pejorative dismissal towards the merits of something either because they are unwilling or incapable of appreciating it.
207

Alan B,

13/07/2009 20:18:08
#Ugly George

Are you seriously trying to suggest that UK news reports all nations within the uk equally. Gives equal precedence. There is a reason that we know from national news little of what occurs in the uk outside london and england. That is because welsh, NI and scottish issues are not seen as of interest to the largely english audience.

The solution is either to have genuine UK news where there is an even handed approach. Personally i do not think that would fly as england are not interested in watching non english issue by and large. And i am not blaming them for that. And are we seriously interested in what is happening in detail regarding wales etc.

As such having devolution of editorial content for news seems the most sensible approach. Having the scottish parliament responsible would then put some democratic accountbility behind it.

Remember broadcasting was meant to be devolved as per the constitutional convention. But was pulled by Blair as mps like Darling and Reid campaigned that it would undermine the union. We need broadcasting as of benefit to scotland not broadcasting to ensure scots vote for the union.
208

Chief King Bonga,

13/07/2009 20:18:10
Idi, go see th whitch doctor, you are delirious!!
209

Calum Crubag,

13/07/2009 20:18:15
Ban cricket in Scotland. Or force them to watch shinty and curling.
210

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:18:19
#211 AlanB

It will all be worthwhile when the SBC buys it's international news reporting from the BBC, and views Lebanon through the eyes of London... Or perhaps you would prefer Fox News' coverage? Yee-ha
211

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:19:51
#216 King Bonga

It is believed the Ida Amin had the largest testicles of any known dictator.
212

JC1,

Glasgow 13/07/2009 20:24:59
Cricket is very popular in Scotland, once again the nats are out of touch with the public as their facade slips to reveal their petty minded anti Englishness.
213

JC1,

Glasgow 13/07/2009 20:26:20
of course, I'm sure salmond would be converted to it if their was a star Scottish player, just as he was a sudden tennis fan due to Andy Murray's popularity
214

Alan B,

13/07/2009 20:27:43
#Tin Man

You obviously did not understand or read my post.

I did not advocate a SBC. I said devolution of editorial content.

It is about choosing the stories that are important and how you present them.

It is about national news talking about news that effect scotland rather than ignoring it and reporting the english health system and education etc. Where you end up with so much that is either inaccurate as it is reported as british or you do not know what is happening correspondingly in scotland.

It is about having scottish sport and achievements reported and not ignored.

As i said there are 2 options as far as i am concerned. A genuine uk news. But i do not think that would happen as we have been round and round this course before. Or devolution of editorial content.

Personally i would rather bbc and itv news was abit more depth and not so insolar. But that is a different issue. Channel 4 news is the only one i regard as being worth anything.
215

Ugly George,

Edinburgh 13/07/2009 20:28:01
213 Chief King Bonga
You are quite correct. The underlying anti-English sentiment of some posters leads them to distort the reality.

We all know that in football at team wich is winning 1-0 or holding on for a draw with two minutes to go will bring on a sub, hold the ball by the corner flag rather than seeking to score and generally try to slow the play down. Since when were these tactics described as "cheating". The principle is the same.
216

Alan B,

13/07/2009 20:30:39
#Tin Man

I was not talking about international news. But as it is integrated with uk national news then it makes sense if we are going to sort out the mess that we currently have if that is part of a scottish national news.

Although i would be happy with a separate international news before going to separate english, scottish, welsh and NI national news.
217

Fifi la Bonbon,

13/07/2009 20:30:46
I watched Ms White on the television news earlier today. It seems to me that her agenda is simply to look for ways to divide English and Scottish people. In this instance, to suggest, in the face of lots of evidence, that cricket is a sport of no interest to people in Scotland and that it should be marginalised.

Now I am not interested in sport of any kind, and would rather not watch it at all - golf, soccer, cricket, curling, shinty, the lot. But many of my friends and family are very interested in sport, including cricket, and for example, are constantly tuned into Radio 4 long wave - sometimes staying up all night if it's on overnight.

Now I recognise that my sports loving friends should have access to coverage of their interests on TV and radio just as I should be able to watch and listen to things I'm interested in.

Ms White, on the other hand, wants to stop those of my friends and family who love cricket from enjoying the limited coverage they crave - just because the sport is associated with England. And India. And Pakistan. And the West Indies. And Sri Lanka. And Partick.

I'm not sure if there is such a word as "little Scotlander," but if anyone deserves that opprobrium, she does.


218

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:35:06
#222 Alan B

You may not approve of it, but switching off the BBC is what is proposed in the Golden Dawn. Anyway, although I do not listen to it, I believe that there is such a thing as BBC Scotland news. At least I suppose the radio will still be available on the internet, although iplayer TV progs are not available internationally.
219

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:36:50
#225 Fifi

You can't have watched her on the news, because Scottish news is not reported, apparently.
220

Ugly George,

13/07/2009 20:37:16
215 Alan B
"Are you seriously trying to suggest that UK news reports all nations within the uk equally."

I don't know which of my comments lead you tio this question. I was merely pointing out the discrepancies in previous comments.

The problem you refer to is also matter of proportion of relative size of population as much as anything else. But the BBC services in NI, Scotland and Wales have their own news services and have the facility to redress the balance with their own bulletins for their particular audiences.
221

Alan B,

13/07/2009 20:40:39
#Tin Man,

It is the failure to sort out issue like News reporting that causes problem for the union. UK news treats the nations that are not england as 2nd class citizens.

Deal with some of the resentments and you will reduce some of the reason for ending the union.

The way i see it scottish resentment towards england is largely due to the arrogance and 2nd class treatment of scotland both politically and by tv over the years. It is nothing to do with the people who get on well.

If the unionist parties cared about the union they would try to deal with the problems rather than just continuing as if they did not exist.
222

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:44:48
One of the best national news services is provided by Radio Oman, with the lead story usually along the lines of 'the Sultan has sent a letter of fraternal birthday greetings to the president of Ethiopia' (reply to headline tomorrow). They even have Big Ben, just like real news programs.

http://www.oman-tv.gov.om/rdeng/
223

Alan B,

13/07/2009 20:45:19
#228 Ugly George

So why should UK news be English news?

Either english, scottish, welsh and NI issues should be reported equally for education, health, politics or we should have separate editorial news.

The idea that because England is larger that means English education, English health and English politics is more important is the heart of the problem. And is what causes resentment.

Also if we want UK news surely we should be interested in UK issues be they Welsh or NI and not just English.

I have not problem with listening to english sporting events reported but not where scottish are then ignored or given short shift.
224

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 20:53:25
#229 Alan B

Your dislike of the BBC does not tally with your approval of Channel 4 news, which is almost completely bereft of Scottish reporting. I suspect that's because the BBC has the word 'British' in it. Eeek - the Horror!
225

Alan B,

13/07/2009 21:06:59
#Tin Man

I do not dislike the BBC. I dislike the UK news reporting.

The point I made about channel 4, as i pointed out above was a different issue. It was about the depth of news. To me bbc and itv news lacks abit of depth in its reporting. Channel 5 is just completely dumped down. Channel 4 to me is worth watching when discussing issues. Particularly international issues and problems.

But as i said the level and depth you pitch news is a different issue.

To an extent it is because of the internet as you will be aware the news headlines before you watch the tv news.

226

Alan B,

13/07/2009 21:11:18
#Tin Man

"I suspect that's because the BBC has the word 'British' in it"

One of your more daft comments.

I already said I am happy for the continuance of the BBC and have no desire for a SBC.

All i would like is more devolution of broadcasting in areas of News and would like the BBC to spend a proportionate amount of the licence fee north of the border.
227

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 21:12:00
The Sheridans are off to court, don't panic about pig fever in Scotland, John Hartson has cancer, and something about 'Jacobites'.

All these pressing issues should receive far, far more news-time on our screens than they already do. All the stuff that hardly anyone is interested in is easily covered on 'Newsnight Scotland'.

228

Alan B,

13/07/2009 21:14:59
#Tin Man

I think Britain should be more of a social union rather than a political union.

If there is a political union it should be confederal with individual sovereign states being members of the UK union similar to the way the EU is formatted.

But with the EU the uk union has become obsolete and does not really offer scotland much benefit in my eyes.

So it is abit of scotland would be better governing herself making her own political and economic decisions along with the failure repeatedly of the uk to reform itself to make it work for it component parts.

229

Observer,,

Glasgow 13/07/2009 21:15:38
This is all very boring
230

The Tin Man,

13/07/2009 21:22:16
#237 Observer

That is a disappointing attitude when, apparently, BBC cricket coverage is linked to mass starvation.
231

Observer,,

Glasgow 13/07/2009 21:26:17
238 This is a stupid thread about a stupid bill. But Sandra White is a bit, how shall we say, eccentric ? It doesn't actually mean that all nationalists hate England, or that we are being culturally oppressed because there is cricket on the news.

I hate sport. I love handbags. There are no handbags on the news. Am I being oppressed.

There may be an argument about Scottish broadcasting but IMHO it doesn't involve bleedin' cricket.
232

Duncan McAlister,

Ayr 13/07/2009 21:31:24
Get a grip cybernats, it's 2 and a half minutes on the evening news! Buy the Daily Record and you can have endless football transfer news to your heart's content.
233

AM2,

Scotland,UK 13/07/2009 22:01:17
#239 Observer

Re: “This is a stupid thread about a stupid bill.”

He epitomises the ScotNat cringe, but I wouldn’t call Bill Wilson stupid.
234

Ned_Kelly,

Melbourne 13/07/2009 23:05:20
This is a joke, right? My Dad came from Glasgow and he use to love watching the Aussies tonk the Poms around the park.

Q: What do you call an Englishman with 100 runs to his name?
A: A bowler!
235

,

13/07/2009 23:28:12
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
236

redcliffe62,

14/07/2009 05:23:51
with 9% of funding and only 3% of programmes, this cricket comes from the other 97% that ctaers for the ebc, and scotland has to put up with it.
as mentioned above, no shinty, no curling, no scottish football, ittle scottish rugby, but 30 hours of cricket, so these are the areas that if funding went from 3% back to a pro rata 9% i would expect to ipmprove sportswise.
but we need that 97% of spend to cover big bonuses and all the junkets the ebc run, so scotland will stay on 3% or maybe 4 or 5% max for along while yet. NO DRAMAS!
237

donald,

glasgow 14/07/2009 07:36:49
The "Scottish" Office bats for the other side.
238

James at Perth,

14/07/2009 13:27:16
Another day brings another grievance. The facts are not material.

Around 28,000 people play cricket in Scotland and the number continues to rise. After football and rugby, cricket is the game most played in Scotland. On a global basis the popularity of cricket is immense and it seems reasonable that the BBC report the outcome of major international cricket competitions. This may be of interest to the many Scottish citizens who follow cricket, especially to those who's lineage derives from a keen cricketing country they might still support.

The SNP bitch about cricket whilst the Welsh successfully stage the first Ashes match in Cardiff and support it with pride and courtesy. The Welsh make far more TV programs in Wales compared with Scotland whilst the SNP whine about the 3% licence sum spent here.

The SNP pokes sticks in the eyes of cricket, the BBC, the English, morris dancers, or whatever, in the endless pursuit of grievance and the endless fostering of national victimhood. On cue our cybernats join the fray. Some deploy their Jackson's Entry scripts and others a tongue they cannot speak but to lisp at rallies. Some defend our honour with the dignity of a drunk head-butting a lamp post made in England and some display hatreds that disgrace us all.

That National identity should grow as we assert control of our governance is to be welcomed. That this should be achieved by fostering resentments more at home in 1939 than 2009 is not.
239

Jofrad,

20/07/2009 11:11:10
During the 2nd world war the Vichy Government banned the sport of Rugby League in France from which the game in that country has never properly recovered.
When Scotland gains her rightful independence perhaps she can do the same with the game of cricket, a ridiculous English waste of time.

 

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