Most people believe Scotland international football games should be live on free-to-view TV, a survey of viewers today found.

Most people believe Scotland international football games should be live on free-to-view TV, a survey of viewers today found.

Even a majority of non-football fans back such a move, according to the figures released by the Scottish Broadcasting Commission.

The national side's home matches are currently broadcast on subscription channel Sky Sports, while fellow pay TV broadcaster Setanta has rights to the away games.

First Minister Alex Salmond recently branded it "extraordinary and unacceptable" that the only forthcoming World Cup Qualifiers to be screened on terrestrial TV in Scotland would be England's home matches.

The Public Attitudes to Broadcasting survey today found that 53% of Scots were interested in watching live Scottish football.

Of these, 96% say that Scotland internationals should be live on terrestrial TV rather than pay TV channels.

But 70% of those with no interest in watching live TV coverage also backed this view with 61% of this group feeling strongly on the issue.

Mr Salmond demanded action from broadcasters and Westminster to ensure Scotland's World Cup football qualifiers are shown on terrestrial TV, when he delivered a keynote address to the Royal Television Society in Glasgow earlier this year.

A spokesman for the SFA said today it has "every sympathy" with supporters, but needs the funding from TV deals to develop grassroots football.

The survey saw just over 1,000 people interviewed.

The vast majority (82%) expressed an interest in a new television channel for people living in Scotland, with interest most widespread (58%) for news programmes to be broadcast on this channel.

ITV1 emerged with the highest level of satisfaction in the survey, on various aspects of programming, with just over half (55%) claiming to be very or fairly satisfied. BBC1 was not far behind on 53%.

About two-thirds (65%) also felt that the level of Scottish news coverage was currently about right.

Almost half of Scots (49%) were satisfied with the way Scotland is reported on UK news programmes while 36% were dissatisfied.

The concept of a "Scottish Six" news programme was also backed by a majority of respondents.

An evening news programme from 6-7pm covering Scottish news and UK/international news from a Scottish perspective met with the backing of 53%.

This compares with 36% who instead backed the current set-up of two half-hour news shows, with one for Scotland only and the other for the rest of the UK.

Broadcasting Commission chair Blair Jenkins said today: "The research findings published today provide us with the most up-to-date insights into what people in Scotland think about broadcasting now and into the future.

"We are very clear that our work and final recommendations must take account of what people want to see and hear."