About the Audience Council Scotland
The Audience Council Scotland is part of the BBC's new system of governance which took effect from January 2007.
At its head is the BBC Trust, which replaced the former BBC Board of Governors, and is designed to ensure greater transparency in how the BBC conducts its business.
The BBC Trust consists of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and ten members, or Trustees. Their backgrounds and experience are wide, ranging from broadcasting, regulation, competition, business, the public sector and engagement with the public, to programme-making and journalism. They are appointed by the Queen on advice from ministers following an open appointments process. There are Trustees for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland who have special responsibilities towards the four nations of the UK.
The purpose of the BBC Trust is to work on behalf of licence fee payers, ensuring the BBC provides high quality output and good value for all UK citizens, and it protects the independence of the BBC. To achieve this, the Trustees must keep in close contact with licence fee payers, being aware of and understanding their expectations of the BBC. They do this via research, direct engagement with the public and through the work of the BBC Audience Councils, such as the BBC Audience Council for Scotland.
The ACS replaces the Broadcasting Council for Scotland. The Council meets monthly with BBC managers to discuss issues concerning BBC programming and services from the perspective of audiences in Scotland.
It is chaired by the BBC Trustee for Scotland. It consists of 11 members who bring a range of interests, experience and perspectives to the work of representing the audience in Scotland.
The Council engages with audiences in a range of ways. It monitors comments made by audiences to the BBC, reviews audience research, and may commission its own. It engages directly with members of the audience via focus groups and a range of audience events.
The Council reports to the Trust monthly on issues of concern to licence payers in Scotland and presents an annual report to the Trust. It monitors the performance of the BBC against the Public Purposes set for it in the Royal Charter and Agreement. It sets priorities and assesses the performance of the BBC against them. It publishes an account of its activities and assessment in the BBC Scotland Annual Review. You can learn more about the regulatory framework at the BBC Trust website