THE BBC says it will report on Saturday's Rangers game using agency journalists as it stands by its decision to boycott Ibrox.

Their action is in response to the banning of the public service broadcaster's senior sports reporter Chris McLaughlin from the club ground.

Rangers have said the BBC know they are more than welcome to attend.

The Herald:

The BBC dropped a nearly month-long boycott of Ibrox in August after Rangers agreed to drop a ban on the reporter following talks.

The BBC reimposed the boycott after the broadcaster was told three weeks ago that the Mr McLaughlin was again not welcome at Ibrox.

The BBC have said there will be no reporter at Rangers' Scottish Championship game against Falkirk at Ibrox as the issues surrounding Mr McLaughlin have not been resolved.

One source said: "No-one will be there and we’ll take agency copy."

The BBC say no journalists will go to Ibrox to cover matches or attend press conferences until the issue is resolved.

Fans previously lodged their concerns about a previous BBC boycott which began with the club's 3-0 victory over Peterhead at the beginning of August.

Mr McLaughlin was told he was not welcome after being accused of filing misleading and unbalanced reports by Rangers.

The Herald:

Some fans protested to the BBC and to the communications regulator Ofcom saying the BBC actions were indicative of what they felt was a continued bias against the club.

Rangers said after details of the boycott emerged: "This is about balance and fairness. It is Rangers' view that after having asked for, and having been promised, exactly that - nothing more, and certainly not favour from this or any other reporter - it has not been forthcoming.

"The BBC know they are welcome but once again they, in their wisdom, have chosen not to attend Ibrox thereby denying licence payers the opportunity to see and hear from Rangers on a publicly-funded platform which is supposed to be for everyone. Rangers fans are entitled to ask if this is an abuse of the BBC's privileged position."

BBC Scotland say the ban on Mr McLaughlin is "unjustifiable and that "we stand by the integrity and the quality of our journalism."

Rangers previously said its concerns with coverage came to a head after a BBC report 'unfairly focused' on the arrest of Rangers fans after the club’s 6-2 win over Hibs.

Some Rangers fans complained about the previous boycott saying that the BBC actions were indicative of what they felt was a continued bias against the club.

In response, complainers were told by a BBC complaints representative that BBC Scotland felt the ban on Mr McLaughlin was unjustified.

Two years ago, Rangers banned BBC journalists Chris McLaughlin and Chick Young from the club's stadium and training ground after the broadcaster revealed a leaked document which indicated a plot to sack manager Ally McCoist.

In July 2011, the Beeb were banned and later issued an apology to McCoist over their reporting of his views on football violence and sectarianism.