A POST-independence Scottish Broadcasting Corporation would not have to carry adverts in order to buy in popular BBC shows, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop has insisted.
She confirmed plans to create a national, publicly funded broadcaster from the "existing staff and assets" of BBC Scotland if Scots vote Yes.
But Ms Hyslop also used a speech to industry executives to reassure viewers the new Scottish broadcaster would not have to carry commercials in order to afford and screen BBC-made shows such as Doctor Who.
She told the Salford Media Festival: "When compared to the expenditure by nations of a comparable size on their primary public service broadcaster it is clear that Scotland's currently level of licence fee would be more than sufficient to provide a high-quality service, and as such I would not envisage the Scottish broadcaster carrying advertising."
The licence fee in Scotland raises £320 million per year, nearly double the £175m the BBC currently spends in Scotland.
However the sum is a fraction of the BBC's £5 billion budget, which includes £3.6bn from licence payers, a further £1.2bn from commercial enterprises, plus additional UK Government grants.
Ms Hyslop said Scotland was "underserved" by the BBC, which in 2006 produced barely 5% of UK-wide output in Scotland. Referring to the £20m per year Gaelic language BBC ALBA channel - which the Scottish Government subsidises to the tune of £12m - she said: "That Scotland can have a nightly news programme covering international and national news in Gaelic, but not in English, defies any common sense."
She added: "There is a plainly apparent appetite for more Scottish public service broadcasting, with the success of BBC ALBA drawing in strong audiences."
Ms Hyslop said existing contracts for STV and Channel Five, due to run to 2025, would be honoured in an independent Scotland. She also said the new licence for Channel Four, currently being renegotiated with watchdog Ofcom, would also be respected.
She said: "X-Factor and Coronation Street will continue to be shown in Scotland following independence - and I'll be paying a visit to the Rover's Return this afternoon to affirm this 'Weatherfield Declaration!'"
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, a former BBC journalist, said: "The credibility of the SNP's independence plans has been stretched yet further with this claim that we can keep the BBC and set up a new Scottish broadcaster without any cost and without losing any of the programmes and services we value now."
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