The BBC Audience Councils agree joint priorities from the perspective of audiences in their nations. Seven joint priorities were proposed to the Trust in 2010/11. Audience Council Scotland drew two further priorities to the attention of the Trust. Universality of access Councils were concerned about access to BBC services by some audiences who are unable to receive them, particularly on some digital platforms. There were particular concerns about the quality and extent of DAB coverage. In addition, Councils would also like to see a coherent UK-wide strategy on the roll-out of nations and regions programming in HD. The Audience Council Scotland (ACS) expressed concern that, in spite of the addition of new DAB transmitters for network services, a significant proportion of the Scottish population could not receive DAB radio. In addition, the Council believes the impact of BBC Radio Scotland would be increased if it were to be available on a single FM wavelength across Scotland. Stimulating citizenship and civil society The Councils believe the BBC should play a stronger role in facilitating public debate with informed coverage of issues across the UK, and an increasing depth and breadth in the BBC’s international reporting. The ACS would like to see deeper analysis and a stronger sense of challenge in coverage of nations’ issues such as sectarianism or alcohol abuse (at nations and network level), and a response to the problem of finding the right balance of coverage between Scottish and England only-issues in news. Content research undertaken by the Trust demonstrates a continued bias on network news towards stories about England. Portrayal and network supply The Councils ask the Trust to continue to challenge the Executive to produce tangible enhancements to the full, authentic and accurate portrayal of different communities and identities across the UK. The ACS welcomes the increase in Scottish drama on the networks and looks forward to further progress in the year ahead. Strategy Review and licence fee settlement The Councils want to ensure that value for money is pursued fairly for all audiences across all strands of work, particularly as difficult decisions are made as a result of the licence fee settlement. Promoting education and learning The Councils welcome the BBC’s strategy for formal and informal learning, and look forward to understanding how it will impact on diverse audiences such as older audiences, those not in employment, or learners in the devolved nations where different circumstances apply. Quality and distinctiveness The Councils welcome the commitment to quality and distinctiveness in the BBC Strategy Review and want to see the tangible benefits for audiences in BBC services at network, national and local levels. In particular, audiences wish to see consistent standards of quality being met in both network and opt out programmes. Older audiences The Councils raised concerns about how well the needs of older audiences were being met, and how any gaps might be addressed. BBC ALBA The ACS noted audience appreciation of the quality of BBC ALBA content, and some concerns about how it can be maintained in the longer term as the inherited programme stock is depleted and the level of originations falls. BBC content for audiences in Scotland The ACS’s submissions to the BBC Radio 3, 4 and 7 and nations radio service reviews highlighted that there is a wealth of BBC content scattered across BBC radio schedules that is culturally relevant to audiences in Scotland. The Council suggested that the Trust ask the Executive to consider how best to commission, schedule and distribute such content to maximise its reach, impact and public value for audiences in Scotland, particularly in the light of the constraints of the licence fee settlement.