TO some extent, I share the cross-party welcome for the BBC proposal to introduce a Scottish digital television programme (“‘Scottish Nine’ will lean new £30m BBC channel”, The Herald, February 23). As noted by many of those welcoming this innovation, news on BBC radio and television and on Channel 4 that purports to be about the United Kingdom is primarily about England.

The Anglo-centricity of news programmes was very evident in reports and commentaries before and after the EU referendum. No interviewer whom I heard ever picked up on politicians who referred to “our country” when the context of what they were saying made it clear that they really meant England. A particularly egregious example was Nigel Farage saying gleefully that “we’ve got our country back”, when I felt mine had been stolen from me. But he is far from alone. The same is also plain when the Prime Minister refers to “the nation” (having “spoken”), although there is no British nation – only a British state.

However, I can see one serious risk. This is that viewers in England will be told less and less about important matters in Scotland, as producers come to assume that the need for news about Scotland is covered by the new channel. However, some developments in Scotland (and Wales and Northern Ireland) are of import to the constitution of the United Kingdom as a whole. The late Professor Bernard Crick and I found ourselves in an uphill battle in conversations with Andreas Whittam-Smith, the first editor of the Independent, about the constitutional significance of the growing demand in Scotland in the 1990s for devolution. His newspaper carried analysis of this only in the Scottish magazine supplement. He could not be convinced that this was United Kingdom news. I fear that the same blindness will prevail on television.

Professor Elizabeth Meehan,

Flat 1, The Linton, Main Street, West Linton, Peeblesshire.

WHY is it that the Anglified BBC believes that it always know best? Lord Hall and his management team only had to listen to the request for a Scottish News at Six. We really do not want our key 6pm news programme dominated by solely English news such as their health service as the main item.

Six pm news for the UK should be international or at the very least about items that affect the whole of the UK. If the BBC wants a pan-England news programme it should have this for the English BBC after an international/UK programme before going to their regions. So 15 minutes of international/UK news then over to the UK countries for their own programmes. What is so difficult to understand about that?

Dave Biggart,

Southcroft, Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm.

I Don't think that there is a need to alter the current news programming in Scotland; however, if this must come about, I'd rather that the BBC does it – but keeps the six o' clock time-slot – because my fear about the previously suggested Scottish Six was that it would be hijacked by the SNP as a convenient propaganda arm in its continuing obsession with Independence at any cost.

Philip Adams

7 Whirlie Road

Crosslee, Renfrewshire.

THE prospect of a new Scottish BBC TV channel and its associated new jobs is great news. We can all look forward to fresh talent and a broad range of new programme making. And it is certain to be better than the dire Scotland 2014/15/16.

The complaint that some are making regarding the lack of a Scottish Six on BBC1 is also misplaced: most people have a recording or streaming device which will allow them to watch the new Scottish Nine at any time, without missing their favourite drama which is broadcast at the same time (or vice- versa.)

I am also reminded of the film Goodbye Lenin, where former East German citizens create "news" videotapes to hoodwink a sick person over the fall of the Berlin Wall. If people are so keen to have a Scottish Six, they could record the Scottish Nine O'Clock news, and play it at 6pm the next day. (Just a suggestion ...)

Peter A Russell,

87 Munro Road, Jordanhill, Glasgow.

I WELCOME the news that the BBC will feature a new channel dedicated to Scottish programming.

Hopefully uninspiring political broadcasts can be spiced up with the SNP's Blog It, the Tories with The One Show and Labour, Pointless.

For the others, Who Do You Think You Are? would fit the bill.

R Russell Smith,

96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.