MG Alba providing 'economic and cultural' benefits but admit funding challenges

The chair of MG Alba insists the Gaelic broadcaster is providing significant economic and cultural contributions to Scotland but admits that funding remains an ongoing challenge.

John Morrison admitted searching for a sustainable funding solution will continue to be battle but their annual report noted a number of notable successes.

The report had been commissioned by MG Alba from Ernst & Young to examine the case for investment and the economic impact of Gaelic media. The report found that it had created 340 jobs, with 200 of them in the Highlands and Islands.

It also revealed they had worked with 26 different production companies, has operated efficiently and managed its cost base in line with its static funding position and noted that funding hasn’t risen in line with government spending.

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MG Alba will require a further £13.8million to unlock a sustainable future for Gaelic media and they say that due to inflation, their funding will be worth just half of what it was when they launched in 2008.

There has been plenty of success too though and in the music scene in particular with good viewership of their coverage of the Tartan Heart Festival at Belladrum, the trad awards, Hoolie at the Hydro and others.

A second series of An Clò Mòr was aired while a new sitcom entitled Glan Fhèin was launched alongside various sporting events and documentaries.

Mr Morrison said: “We have enjoyed a successful year with many notable achievements in terms of high quality Gaelic content for audiences across a number of genres from music to drama, documentaries and sport. We were also particularly pleased to have secured a new drama for BBC ALBA which is currently in production.

“At MG ALBA, we fully recognise the pressures that exist on public finances and we are grateful to the Scottish Government for maintaining their support to us of around £13m per annum. Our partnership with the BBC has also been renewed and we welcome the additional commitments that have been made by the corporation to BBC ALBA.

“However, static funding is having a significant effect on our audience reach, as despite holding our ground with the national audience, our reach into the core audience diminished. This can also be attributed to a number of factors: the general trend away from linear broadcasting towards on-demand consumption; the difficulty of finding Gaelic content on digital platforms; our inability to spend large sums on marketing; and the further reduction in new hours of Gaelic content.”

Donald Campbell, chief executive of MG ALBA, said: “Despite desired amendments not coming to fruition in the recently passed Media Act, which we fought tirelessly for, the new government will present new opportunities to pursue a sustainable funding model for Gaelic broadcasting.

“We want to stress that our proposals are not for restoration but for investment to help create economic growth, jobs, impact and value, as part of the solution for the fulfilment of public policy outcomes such as depopulation and entrepreneurship that Gaelic broadcasting supports.”