THE opening line was simple: “Welcome to STV2, Scotland’s brand new TV channel.” And so Scotland’s newest channel – billed as the first commercial channel with a distinct schedule for Scotland – took to the airwaves.
STV2 features a live daily magazine show and a soap, local sport, UK and international drama and films, along with an enhanced hourly news service and, of course, STV News Tonight – a half-hour mix of Scottish, UK and international news from a Scottish perspective.
The first programme on Monday night featured live reports from Paris on the presidential run-off, Nicola Sturgeon and Jeremy Corbyn’s appearances at the Scottish TUC in Aviemore and an in-depth report on the cholera outbreak in Somalia. In all, it left many people wondering why nothing like it had been attempted before.
Elaine C Smith, vice convener of the Scottish Independence Convention told The National: “It was lit well, the studio looked good and we had a correspondent live from Paris – why couldn’t we do that before? I think STV have bitten the bullet and it’s a really good step in the right direction. They have made a good start... The studio backdrops looked better; they’ve got their production values right and I think they’ve done it really well.”
Smith added that the reception for the programme’s first airing did not mean they had set the bar too high: “It doesn’t matter if you set the bar too high. Keep it high and show where you’re aiming. Some nights it will be great and other nights it won’t – that’s just the nature of the beast and we have to be more accepting of that.”
Julie McDowall, The National’s TV critic, said it was a cheeky move by STV: “While the BBC were dithering, this new channel has whipped the rug out from under their feet.
“It’s a cheeky move from a newcomer but the positive viewers’ response suggests it desperately needed to be done. STV Glasgow was never impressive, being far too lightweight, so its new incarnation as STV2 with its strong news show, plus the other promised current affairs output, suggests the trivial days are behind them.
“STV2 is getting serious, and in our tumultuous political times, Scotland should be glad of it.”
The response on social media to the first Scottish News Tonight was overwhelmingly positive, and Dr David Archibald, senior lecturer in Film and Television Studies at the University of Glasgow, told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, he was not surprised: “I think the producers this morning will be very happy. I’m not surprised to hear the response was positive on Twitter.
“In terms of production values, it was a significant step up from the Glasgow and Edinburgh STV programmes that there were before and there was an interesting mix of Scottish stories, a UK round-up, but an international angle.
“It wasn’t international stories with a kilt on.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “We welcome any increase in output in Scotland as it’s good for the creative sector, including news.”
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