2021 – The World is tuning in to Doric TV

by | Apr 13, 2021

By Ellie McDonald
Thursday, 8th April 2021, 6:00 am

From being Scotland’s ‘little known fourth language’ to gaining an interview with ABC Australia, the Doric language is reaching a global audience.

A local online TV station has reached a global audience as one of the presenters conducted an interview with ABC Australia on Saturday 27th March.

Jill McWilliam, a local videographer of Cruden Bay, has run the channel since August 2019 with Gordon Mackay. Since then, she has interviewed a wide variety of stars, including singer Iona Fyfe, and ‘Kilted Chef’ Craig Wilson, and recorded walks all over the Buchan coastline.

On Saturday’s interview with ABC Australia, Jill spoke to host Susanne Hill about the Doric language and her own roots growing up in the North East. Jill described the platform in the interview as a place where “Everything and anything happens”, where people from all over the North East can come together, whether they still live in the area or not.

Jill went on to describe how the online TV channel has given the North East a new platform to represent those who live here and help teach the younger generation about the language. She said, “I see that we’re living in a fast-moving society and I just think we need to bring something back of the old ways and old times.
“Not to dismiss the young scene at all because it’s vibrant and exciting, but somehow we need our youngsters to learn about the past, how we spoke, and what it means to us and to them now”.

The interview also discussed how the culture of the North East has changed following the discovery of North Sea oil which led to an influx of people moving to the area from all over the world, and the importance of keeping the language and culture of the area alive.

Jill has since welcomed her first two postgraduate journalism students from the Robert Gordon University, Ellie McDonald and Ewan Blacklaw, on a 4-week placement. The students will be helping Jill widen the reach of Doric TV throughout Aberdeenshire and to bring in more viewers to the channel.

Tune into Doric TV now on Facebook and YouTube or to the Doric Future Website for the latest updates, images and videos throughout Aberdeenshire. For more information visit www.doricfuture.co.uk.