BBC Alba is to launch a women’s sports show in a Scottish first.
Football, rugby, shinty and other sports will feature as the broadcaster seeks to position itself as “the home of Scottish women’s sport”. The move comes after the broadcaster announced it is to double its coverage of women’s domestic football over the next season.
But the new magazine show, titled 360, will only be available online.
Presenter Iona Ballantyne, 26, commented: “It’s very exciting to be involved with this pioneering new programme from BBC Alba, which is the first of its kind in Scotland.
“Hopefully 360 spurs things on for women’s sport in Scotland so that it gets the platform it deserves. Change is definitely happening now and it’s wonderful to be part of it.”
The first episode will be available from 8pm on Thursday via youtube.com/bbcalba and on the BBC website.
It will include a focus on Glasgow City FC and their upcoming fixture against Wolfsburg in the Uefa Women’s Champions League quarter-final. The match will be shown live on BBC Alba the following day.
Viewers will also hear from Angel City, the newly formed National Women’s Soccer League team in LA, and South African captain Janine Van Wyk. Gemma Fay, former Scotland goalkeeper and head of women and girls rugby at Scottish Rugby, will be in the studio.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here