The future of broadcasting

With the BBC celebrating 100 years in Scotland, it’s a reminder that television viewing used to involve an entire nation watching the same programme at the same time. What are the challenges for public service broadcasters, commercial streaming companies, and for us the audience, in this new era of multi-television and screen watching? 

Who will provide trusted news programmes in an era of disinformation, and does it matter?

Chair: Clare Adamson MSP, Convener, Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Panellists:

Luke McCullough is a Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Policy for the BBC in Scotland. A former commercial radio Managing Director, Programme Director and radio broadcaster and journalist, Luke joined the BBC to lead the Digital Switchover in Scotland and has also worked in a commercial role for the BBC’s Licence Fee Unit, as well as his recent post of Corporate Affairs Manager and Senior Policy Adviser. 

Linda Grimes Douglas is STV’s head of News and Current Affairs with responsibility for operations in broadcast and digital across 5 local newsrooms in Scotland. Linda joined STV almost 30 years ago and sits on STV’s Diversity and Inclusion Group and is committed to ensuring STV News represents Scotland’s many voices and communities. Her team delivered 50:50 gender representation on news programmes in 2022. 

Stewart Kyasimire is a BAFTA-nominated director whose films include BBC Scotland’s Black and Scottish, a seminal identity-defining film gathering prominent black Scots from all generations. In 2019, Stewart set up ‘Create Anything’, the first BAME production company in Scotland and now produces content for major broadcasters such as Amazon, BBC, and Channel 4. 

Philip Schlesinger is Professor in Cultural Theory at the Centre for Cultural Policy Research, University of Glasgow, and Deputy Director of CREATe, the UK Copyright and Creative Economy Centre. He is researching the regulation of internet platforms and the challenges to sustaining a democratic public sphere. Philip is a former member of Ofcom’s Content Board and a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Academy of Social Sciences. 

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