BBC chiefs pull plug on controversial Scots channel amid £500m cuts drive

The BBC plans to close its Scottish digital TV channel as part of a wider £500 million savings drive, shifting the BBC Scotland brand and its programming to iPlayer from next spring. The change reflects a shift towards online viewing, but it also ends the nightly News at Seven programme and has renewed debate over the value and future of Scottish television production.

The BBC says more than one million signed-in accounts access BBC Scotland content each week, up 70 per cent over four years. Around 10 posts are expected to be cut, on top of 60 job losses in Scotland announced earlier this year; BBC Scotland has a £10 million savings target, though the corporation says the channel change will save relatively little. Scottish programming is also expected to appear on BBC One Scotland and a revamped BBC Two Scotland, while BBC Three and Radio Four Extra are moving online.