New Year Live (BBC)

''Into 85'' was a classic example (like ''New Year Live 1998/99'') of the wider BBC puting pressure on BBC Scotland to alter a programme to suit the 'UK audience', thus totally destroying the concept of Hogmanay Live.

People in the rest of the UK celebrate New Year with my gusto, I would never deny that, but when it comes to New Year, Scotland is one of the top places in the world to celebrate it & this has been the case for years - a couple of years where there are fireworks by the London Eye isn't going to change that.

Theres a difference between 'C' List celebs and Scottish folk music/reflection - the latter is well placed on New Years Eve, the former is just another Saturday night. I agree that its a matter of opinion - but I would argue that not everyone in the rest of the UK would support the view that 'C' list celebs make better New Year viewing for them!

i think the english viewers would prefer c listers as opposed to the many people on that programme who i presume are well known north of the border, who are unknown down here.

i am not arguing that bbc scotland's output is any less appropriate or in anyway inferior to that of network. i am simply stating that i very much doubt the scottish production would be particularly well received in england.

celebrating scottish heritage and traditions is all well and good on tv in scotland - but it has no resonance down south. i couldn't tell you who half of the people were on that programme, they are people who are known to scottish viewers only.

i think the english view london (which includes greenwich - the home of time!) and big ben as the centre of the new years celebrations.

seems silly to suggest that the programme you obviously enjoyed for its provincial feel, should be watered down enough to have some relevance to the english.

I certainly did not suggest it should be watered down - I showed the case for exactly how this is a BAD thing.

Your messages seem to suggest a certain obsession with celebrity - that somehow Hogmanay Live wouldn't work because some of the names aren't well known down south. Apart from the ones who were, by that I mean Amy Macdonald and Marti Pellow this year, does it matter if there 'known' or not? They still provide better new year entertainment than some C list celebs - Scottish or not.

Saw this on the iPlayer.. to be expected really. I mean, lets face it, you can't expect top quality broadcasting when everyone's getting drunk and merry. Still, it achieved best ratings out of the other channels.

For comparision:
Times Square on NBC
Sydney's display on ten

Note to Mayor Ken: get some music next year!

I think there was music. Well, incidental music at least - although perhaps wasn't loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

Or over that annoying, pointless commentary.