The future of the BBC under its charter renewal process is both an opportunity and a challenge for Scotland.

The BBC’s annual report shows that 97 per cent of people in these islands use their services. The corporation is part of the fabric of our society.

However, to continue to play a meaningful role in Scottish society the BBC needs to become more relevant. Today the BBC and the UK Government are selling Scotland short on broadcasting.

More than half the people in Scotland do not believe the BBC properly reflects life in our nation – a sad state of affairs at a time when people throughout the land have never been more alive to the importance of politics and current affairs or more eager to consume high quality journalism.

In the past year, when the eyes and cameras of the world turned to our nation, Scotland’s share of network production actually fell – fewer programmes were made in Scotland than the year before. This should have been a platform for excellence.

It’s clear the BBC is letting Scotland down - but through charter renewal this can be addressed. This process, in which Scotland will play a formal role alongside the UK Government for the first time, gives the Scottish Government a critical opportunity to drive bold and ambitious reform which helps the BBC better reflect the rich varied political realities in the UK, achieves the best possible outcome for viewers in Scotland, and also, vitally, protects the corporation’s independence.

As set out by the First Minister this week, we believe the BBC should move to a federal structure, with separate boards for each of the nations and each of the national boards represented on a UK board. We must also consider how the TV and Radio channel structure in Scotland can empower our creative industries and ensure that high quality Scottish-produced content adds value to the UK network as a whole.

Earlier this summer the Scottish and UK Governments, the BBC and the Scottish Parliament signed a memorandum of understanding guaranteeing the Scottish Government’s role in the charter renewal process.

The ink was scarcely dry on this agreement before the UK Government failed to seek the Scottish Government’s view on either the licence fee settlement or its advisory panel on charter renewal. This represented a clear breach of the Smith Commission agreement on the BBC. It shows that Scotland will need to continue to work hard to ensure our compelling vision for change is recognised, both by the UK Government and the BBC in London.

Earlier this month I met Ministers of Wales and Northern Ireland. We agreed a shared vision for what a public service broadcaster should deliver, and we committed to working together to hold the UK Government and the BBC accountable to the continued delivery of these principles, ensuring that they are delivering a truly representative service to the nations and regions.

I reiterated these points to the UK government's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in our first meeting this week. And in her speech to the Edinburgh International Television Festival on Thursday, the First Minister made clear that the process of charter renewal must deliver radical reform that serves Scotland’s interests.

We want a BBC that properly represents life in Scotland. We want to ensure a reasonable share of its programming is made here, using Scottish talent. The case for an hour long Scottish Six is irresistible but that alone is insufficient. The BBC should be able to provide a fuller space for Scottish life, experiences and our outlook on the world to be seen.

A new channel offers much more potential than increasing opt outs. Why should programmers choose whether we can watch Scottish or UK-wide content? With a new channel this can be a choice for viewers. There is a demand from the public for a better BBC in Scotland - it is incumbent on us to make that case.

Over the next few months I will continue to consult widely across Scotland about what the people of this nation want and need from the BBC

We await the responses to the UK Government’s Green paper on BBC Charter renewal and encourage everyone in Scotland to use this consultation as an opportunity to make your views on the BBC heard. I will set out my vision for the BBC in Scotland in late September.

When the Green Paper consultation closes, we will continue to represent Scotland’s interests, as is our entitlement under the Smith Report and our memorandum of understanding. By holding the BBC and the UK Government to account, we will ensure the corporation better represents life in Scotland.

These changes will not just benefit Scotland – my work with my counterparts in Northern Ireland and Wales will ensure that charter renewal process creates a stronger BBC for everyone in these islands.