BBC Scotland’s shame

The Nuzhound Northern Ireland news service has picked up a number of interesting GB articles lately.

One is this story from Scotland on Sunday on the recent Panorama documentary on West of Scotland sectarianism. Apparently, it has sparked something of an internal controversy at the BBC.

I have to admit I had my reservations about the programme. Capturing footage of Rangers and Celtic supporters singing The Sash and The Soldiers Song doesn’t strike me as a huge journalistic achievement.

Another major element of the programme involved going into a young offenders institution and asking the inmates what role the sectarian environment played in their crimes. Naturally they got the answers they wanted.

The programe was effective when it focused on the reality of sectarian violence, but it needed a deeper analysis.

One person contacted by the programme told me they got the impression the makers wanted to make things as simple as possible for English viewers. Perhaps they would have been better off if they credited their audience with a little more intelligence.