SALMOND: WE'LL AXE THE BBC; Scots face massive hike in licence fee - and adverts during programmes - as SNP vows to create Scottish Broadcasting Corporation; SNP's pledge to scrap the Beeb; Plan could mean higher licence fees - and adverts.

Byline: Alan Roden Scottish Political Reporter

ALEX SALMOND would scrap the BBC in an independent Scotland and replace it with his own state-run broadcaster, it was revealed yesterday.

Television viewers could be forced to pay higher licence fees and taxes to watch home-grown shows on the new channel - complete with adverts.

The state broadcaster would only have around [pounds sterling]300million to spend, leaving it unable to afford the best BBC programmes.

That means viewers could miss out on the BBC's biggest hits, such as Strictly Come Dancing, Doctor Who, Casualty and EastEnders.

In their place, the SNP wants to show more Gaelic programmes, women's football and provide a 'Scottish perspective' of world news.

Over on Channel Three, at present used by STV, a new broadcaster - STV or a rival bidder - would be completely independent of ITV and be forced to buy shows on the commercial market.

But a cash crisis at STV has already seen Scottish viewers miss out on programmes such as The Bill.

And under independence, other shows such as The X Factor, Emmerdale and Coronation Street are likely to be too expensive.

Yet even though viewer choice would be slashed, the SNP would still force every household with a TV to pay a hefty licence fee, and may even use general taxation to prop up the state One broadcaster, meaning Scots could pay more than viewers in England but for a poorer service.

BBC Scotland would be dismantled, with its staff and functions switching to the new channel .

But, facing a backlash from viewers, the SNP yesterday. tried to reassure Scots that English channels such as BBC One or ITV1 could still be found on settop boxes, such as Freeview.

The digital signals from BBC and ITV would carry over the Border - at least to southern Scotland - in the same way that Irish viewers can access TV from Northern Ireland. However, with no cash going to English broadcasters from Scottish licence payers, the BBC would react furiously to its channels being shown for free - and could demand public funds in return.

The disclosures could turn thousands away from independence, leaving Mr Salmond's separatist dream even further from reality.

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill said: 'There is a pattern here - the SNP wants to have its cake and eat it.'

The BBC has a licence fee income of [pounds sterling]3.6billion but an independent Scotland's new broadcaster would have little more than [pounds sterling]300million to spend.

Tory culture spokesman Ted Brocklebank said: 'The SNP is going through contortions to make Scotland's TV fit into its nationalist views.

'It speaks volumes that the SNP rushed to reassure viewers that they could still watch the BBC's UK output.'

The proposals are contained in the SNP's latest one-sided National Conversation on Scotland's future.

Culture Minister Mike Russell said independence would 'give Scotland an opportunity to set priorities attuned to the needs of viewers in Scotland'.

That includes news bulletins with a 'Scottish perspective' on world events - losing the BBC's respected foreign correspondents - and World Cup qualifying matches played by the Scottish men's or women's football teams.

But broadcasting expert David Whitton, who was head of public affairs at STV before becoming a Labour MSP, said the Scottish Football Association would want the same level of cash it receives from Sky to televise games.

He added: 'How the SNP expects a Scottish broadcaster to compete with the BBC and ITV is a mystery.' Mr Whitton said there would be major financial problems for the commercial broadcaster on Channel Three.

He added: 'If you had an independent broadcaster trying to put together a schedule something like what we get from ITV now, it would cost many millions of pounds.

'You have to support that with advertising revenue - does Mike Russell really think the advertising revenue from Scotland alone could do that?'

In its National Conversation paper on independence, the SNP claims: 'It is envisaged that the existing assets, staff and expertise of BBC Scotland would be used as the basis of a Scottish national broadcaster.

'This could be funded either by the licence fee, a broader media licence fee, or general taxation, industry levies or commercial revenues.' It then compares Scotland's 'Channel Three' with TV3 in Ireland, stating: 'TV3 makes programmes but also purchases ITV, BBC, Channel 4 and American programmes.

'Under this scenario, Channel Three in Scotland would negotiate to purchase the rights for programmes from broadcasters in other countries rather than receiving programmes as part of a franchising agreement with ITV.'

The SNP claimed Channel 4 and Five would remain as UK-wide broadcasters.

Mr Russell said: 'Audiences in Scotland are not receiving the services they deserve. A Scottish government with responsibility for broadcasting would be much better placed to realise the potential of the Scottish broadcasting industry and overcome its current difficulties. For example, there is significant support for the screening of Scotland's football qualifiers in the World Cup on free-toair television. That is something the Scottish government could take action on if it had the powers.'

Even without the proposed changes, Scotland's broadcasting industry is in serious trouble.

STV could be forced out of business by a [pounds sterling]38million legal battle over its decision to dump prime-time ITV shows in favour of home-grown programmes, it was claimed yesterday. ITV is suing STV, claiming the decision has cost it millions in lost revenue. STV's share price plunged by more than 11 per cent yesterday. when the news broke, pushing its market value - [pounds sterling]36million - below the amount for which the company is being sued.

STV bosses accused the station's rival of withholding millions of pounds in advertising revenue and said it was considering legal action of its own.

But Mr Whitton warned that a court wrangle could ruin the cash-strapped Scottish broadcaster.

He said: 'If you are asking me, do I think this threatens the existence of STV, the answer is yes.'

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INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND'S RADIO AND TV...

ALEX SALMOND'S vision of broadcasting in a breakaway Scotland would involve: [bar] BBC Scotland being dismantled and its staff and assets transferred to a new national broadcaster.

The new channel could be funded through a mix of licence fees, general taxes and advertising revenue.

The state broadcaster would include home-grown programming, Scottish news bulletins, Gaelic services, Scotland football matches and radio transmissions.

An independent Channel Three would no longer be part of the ITV network and would be forced to pay millions of pounds for popular shows from south of the Border.

Channel 4 and Five would remain cross-Border channels.

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