BBC news 'biased towards England'

THE BBC's UK-wide network news coverage is slanted towards England, according to the monitoring body that examines how the corporation is serving licence fee payers.

On the day that the BBC published its annual review, a report by the Audience Council Scotland (ACS) said that there was a "bias" towards stories about England on the UK network.

The suggestion of a bias towards England led to the SNP renewing its calls for broadcasting powers to be devolved to Scotland.

SNP culture spokesman Pete Wishart said: "Scottish audiences should not have to get all their national news read through a London-based agenda.

"Coverage may have increased recently but we should not be in a position of every year having to tell the BBC that it isn't doing enough and that viewers continue to feel disenfranchised.

"The BBC's failure to provide Scottish services on HD, including Scottish news, shows how little thought the BBC in London has given to the nations it should represent. Even during the recent elections anyone watching on HD in Scotland would not have seen any Scottish coverage."