BBC Scotland 'ready to meet the challenge'

the organisation as a whole was outlined.

The Controller of BBC Scotland, Mr John McCormick, said he is in

charge of the only broadcasting service offering the whole of Scotland

radio and television coverage and this unique service will continue and

be built upon.

He was speaking as the document Extending Choice, a vision for the BBC

after the renewal of the Royal Charter at the end of 1996, was launched.

Mr McCormick stressed the importance of a vigorous debate involving

everyone in Scotland over the future of broadcasting, so that the BBC

can move forward guided by its viewers and listeners.

He said: ''Knowing the Scots as I do, I am in no doubt that the debate

will be both vigorous and wide ranging. That is vitally important

because if, as seems clear, our operation will continue to be funded by

the licence fee we must have input from every household in Scotland as

to what they want.''

The document and summary leaflets in English and Gaelic will be widely

available in Scotland.

While the BBC document should not be seen as a complete response to

Tuesday's Government green paper, its timing is no coincidence and it is

the corporation's first step in stimulating public debate.

Mr McCormick welcomed the broad tenet of the document, particularly in

its references to the fact that it remains the British Broadcasting

Corporation, and not that of London and the South-east.

In response to this he promised Scotland would remain a production

centre of excellence, not just making programmes for Scottish

consumption but for wider use on the network and beyond.

''While it is true that every controller has to fight to get his

programmes on the network, I am confident that we have an organisation

packed with the kind of talent that is capable of taking on and beating

the best in the business. Just watch the network in the coming year to

see my point graphically illustrated,'' he said.

The Scottishness of the BBC was also touched on by its national

governor, Professor Sir Graham Hills, who said: ''It is in the charter

of the BBC that there should be a Broadcasting Council for Scotland and

that is something which will not change. It is also something we should

cherish.''

Mr McCormick stressed that BBC Scotland will respond to the pledge in

the document that there should be more programmes reflecting the things

that make the regions different -- such as politics, arts, and sport --

and that there will be support of creative arts and Gaelic broadcasting.

There is a strong feeling that if, as seems likely, funding of

orchestras must be jointly funded with such as the Scottish Arts Council

then a firm arrangement must be worked out.

BBC Scotland has a budget of #55m to serve its viewers and

listeners -- who watch on average four hours of television a week more

than the UK average.

Mr McCormick said that while jobs may still be lost in this

''dynamic'' industry he promised a bright future for the bulk of the 950

employees, even though the producer choice in the document will lead to

some 25% of non-news output coming from outside agencies by early next

year.

A news conference launching the document was attended by the outgoing

director-general, Sir Michael Checkland, his successor John Birt and

chairman Marmaduke Hussey.

The Government's green paper on the future of broadcasting will not

get ''an overnight response'' from the BBC but reaction can be expected

after a few months, said Mr Birt.

''I welcome some aspects of it. It values the BBC, it is clear the

Government wishes to see the BBC make a contribution and it supports the

licence fee.''

The corporation is planning to modernise ways in which the #80-a-year

licence fee for colour TV households is collected and it is planning to

encourage people to pay monthly as a way of staggering the cost.

Mr Birt, who takes over as director-general after Christmas, said:

''The BBC in the 1990s and beyond will provide a guarantee of value for

money and it will be much more open and accountable to its viewers and

listeners.