BBC Scotland to launch two new shows after ditching flagship news programmes

TWO new titles have been added to BBC Scotland’s flagging news output.

The broadcaster announced that its portfolio will expand in the New Year with the addition of Reporting Scotland: News at Seven, a 30 minute week-night programme, while Martin Geissler, 53, will front current affairs podcast series Scotcast.

Launching on January 6, Reporting Scotland: News at Seven will come live from Studio C at the BBC’s Pacific Quay headquarters in Glasgow.

The show will be fronted by one presenter each night, with Laura Maciver, 48, and Amy Irons, 33, sharing out the days across the week.

Laura said: “I’m looking forward to sharing the stories that our news teams will be bringing from communities across Scotland.

“We’ll be spending time talking to people at the heart of the news in their area and bringing different stories, faces and voices to the programme.”

Amy added: “It’s great to be joining the presenting line-up and team of this new programme.

“I’m really excited to be seeing out 2024 with the Hogmanay show and starting 2025 with News at Seven.”

The current affairs podcast series Scotcast will launch on Monday January 13.

It will be published four days a week, Monday to Thursday across five platforms – BBC Sounds, BBC Scotland, BBC One Scotland, BBC iPlayer and BBC Radio Scotland.

Martin said: “When it comes to podcasts, I was an ‘early adopter’.

“I love the medium and can’t wait to help deliver a podcast for Scotland that’s sharp, clever and fun.”

The fresh efforts to boost content come after the broadcaster axed a raft of programmes amid woeful viewing figures.

Among the shows slashed was The Nine, the station’s flagship series which averaged around 10,000 viewers per week towards the end.

The corporation is also cancelling entertainment news show The Edit and weekly news review Seven Days.

While The Seven has also been scrapped as part of the programming overhaul.

The BBC Scotland channel was watched for less than two hours a week as fewer than one in eight Scots tuned in last year.