The BBC covered far fewer stories about Scotland this year compared to 2015, new analysis shows.
A two-week snapshot study of BBC television and radio news coverage found that while the corporation had improved labelling of devolved stories, reporting from Scotland more than halved.
Cardiff University academics analysed the BBC's coverage compared with independent networks for four weeks in 2015 and two weeks in 2016.
The report found: "The combined proportion of reporting about (or in) Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland fell significantly across BBC outlets. So, for example, on BBC television news outlets there were more than twice as many items from Westminster as items about any topic reported from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
"The proportion of items about devolved issues also fell significantly, with stories about England dominating the domestic agenda. Devolved politics outside England represented just 1% of the overall news agenda.
"Although the BBC communicates news about the four nations with greater regularity and clarity than commercial television, overall devolved politics continues to represent a fraction of UK network news."
Items about Scotland, excluding Westminster and UK-wide items, increased in 2015 to 14.4% but have since more than halved to 7.1% of output, with English items increasing from 78.4% to 85.8%.
A total of 78% of stories on devolved issues made clear what part of the UK they applied to, the highest level to date and ahead of other broadcasters.
The researchers warned percentage point changes should be "cautiously interpreted" since raw comparative numbers are "relatively low", and said the news about Scotland may have dropped because the 2015 sample period coincided with the SNP conference.
They said the analysis "does not imply coverage should be driven by quotas or numbers of references".
The report highlighted a "striking" reliance on Conservative sources, stating: "The dominance of Conservative sources increased in 2016, both at the UK level and with Conservative councillors in England becoming the third most quoted source on BBC outlets.
"Since the Conservatives are in power in only one of the four nations, this is striking, reflecting in part the increased preponderance of English stories."
The BBC Trust commissioned the analysis to look at coverage of the nations and regions.
Bill Matthews, BBC Trustee for Scotland, said: "Throughout this charter period the Trust has monitored the BBC's reporting of an increasingly devolved UK, recognising that audiences expect their news to be relevant, accurate and representative. This is an area where all broadcasters face challenges and whilst the BBC has clearly made improvements, it is disappointing that there is still work to be done.
"I welcome the increased obligations placed upon the BBC for audiences in the nations and regions by the new Charter, and hope that the new governance structure maintains a high level of focus on this issue."
The BBC Executive pledged to give high priority to reporting the news from across the UK and outlined improvements already made, including the introduction of a 'nations news belt' on the News at Six and the appointment of a Scotland editor.
It warned that content analysis risks "news by tick-box impartiality" and welcomed the researchers' statement on quotas.
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