[LargelyALurker]

As well as The Edit and Seven Days. A shame in some ways, but probably inevitable at the same time. Pres-wise it’s always been really nice, but it’s never managed to really set the agenda and the time slot is probably just too competitive.

A half hour bulletin at 7pm is to replace it, will be interesting to see how it’s branded.

(Hope this is OK to post as its own thread).

Link: www.bbc.co.uk 

BBC Scotland to scrap news programme The Nine - BBC News
The corporation says it will be replaced by a new 30-minute news programme on th…
  Source: www.bbc.co.uk

[Allanbuzzy]

A half-hour news programme at 7pm? Anyone getting a sense of de ja vu from that? What are they gonna call it, the 7 'O' Clock News?

Doesn't surprise me. The cost of running a separate news programme felt like an expenditure that was being wasted on dead ears, especially when there were many ways those stories were presented and probably on a better channel. Does make me wonder what purpose BBC Scotland has now given what was meant to be touted as "the answer to the Scottish Six" has all but basically been scrapped.

[ACTV]

I imagine they will simply recycle “The Seven” branding for the new half-hour programme, and possibly could tie itself in closer with Reporting Scotland, as it'll be starting right as that programme finishes.

[Stooky Bill]

An example of something that was demanded by some in the political world for years, and then it turns out that no one actually wanted it.

As a news programme it's actually quite good, and it's on at a time when no-one else (apart from the rolling news channels) is doing news. Problem is that at 9pm the other channels have their big hitters on. At least this will let the channel compete for prime time viewers

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I imagine they will simply recycle “The Seven” branding for the new half-hour programme, and possibly could tie itself in closer with Reporting Scotland, as it'll be starting right as that programme finishes.

It says on the article that part of plan to make up for the loss of The Nine is to have occasional hour long Reporting Scotlands.... but that of course means clashing with the new The Seven. I wonder if they mean that there'll be half hour Reporting Scotland on BBC1 and then occasionally a second half on BBC Scotland?

[RhysJR]

Only 6 000 viewers last night. With that, you can see why it's gone.

twitter.com 

[Keith]

Presumably at least part of the reason for the change is cost cutting. I'm guessing moving to 7pm means they may be able to reuse some reporters and location crews who may have still been set up from the 6pm national news. Also, by being only half hour long it means fewer reports are required to fill the time.

I do wonder whether this change might even be the first step towards an eventual closure of BBC Scotland channel. A straight off closure would have been highly contended. Instead, first reduce the channel's news content and move it to a timeslot nearer the BBC One news, so it's less high profile.

Then if the BBC decides to close BBC Scotland (channel) they could offer an hour long news bulletin on BBC One Scotland that came entirely from Scotland, featuring a mix of Scottish and national news. It could potentially have some of the national news between 6.30 and 7pm, if they needed to reuse a reporter who doing a live for the national bulletin. (Definitely different from the "Scottish Six" politicians once called for, and some viewers actually wanted.) It would also allow for BBC Two Scotland to be reinstated for additional opt-outs.

[James2001]

An example of something that was demanded by some in the political world for years, and then it turns out that no one actually wanted it.

Isn't that pretty much the case for BBC Scotland as a whole?

[Brekkie]

Just can't see what purpose a 7pm edition serves.

[Stooky Bill]

Isn't that pretty much the case for BBC Scotland as a whole?

Well possibly, and of course it's been tried before by both STV and Sky. But it's worth remembering that it's essentially just BBC2 Scotland without the network programmes.

The same could be said for most of what BBC Wales, S4C or Northern Ireland put out, it's just that Scotland has it on a seperate channel so it's more noticible

[lookoutwales]

Sounds like another fudge to avoid the 'Scottish Six'.

In truth, the demand for extra Scottish channels in a multi-channel age has never really been there.

STV had its hands burnt numerous times trying (Sky Scottish, S2, STV Glasgow / Edinburgh, STV2) and the Beeb had tried once before with BBC Choice Scotland and 'Newsline' at 10pm - granted those were the early days of digital but the end result then, as now, was inevitable.