A SENIOR BBC Scotland journalist is facing questions over impartiality after describing The National as "propaganda" multiple times live on air.
During a broadcast of BBC Radio 4's Media Show with Ros Atkins this Wednesday, BBC Scotland's business and economy editor Douglas Fraser joined the panel to discuss challenges facing the Scottish media.
After Atkins asked how Scotland's political changes had affected media output, Fraser brought up the country's only pro-independence daily newspaper - attacking its output in the process.
Fraser suggested that with recent controversies surrounding the SNP, and the party's poor General Election result, the constitutional question has less impact on media engagement than previously thought.
"It's not so clear that the big issues like [independence] have been as important to selling newspapers and indeed subscriptions for news publishers," he told the host.
"One title with a strong propaganda approach to supporting independence, The National, a sister paper of The Herald, based in Glasgow, makes some waves politically through its propaganda" he continued.
"But it doesn't suggest there's much to be gained commercially from taking sides in that debate."
Presenter Atkins did not push back against Fraser's description of the newspaper.
His comments come a month before The National will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
The BBC has been approached for comment and explanation on how Fraser's commentary meets impartiality guidelines.
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