Television in Scotland needs to become more local, at city and regional level, according to an MSP who has been a senior figure in the industry.

Ted Brocklebank, Tory MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, yesterday told a broadcasting conference in Edinburgh that the lack of local output is "the biggest single failing of British public service broadcasting".

The MSP, who was a senior executive at Grampian Television, said local news is suffering as ITV reviews its news output, rationalising it in fewer centres. And he argued that the Gaelic digital channel, which has been given the backing of the BBC Trust, could be the platform for local English-language news around the country.

He said there must be incentives to put some of the 25 wavelengths being auctioned by the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, to local use.

There was a suggestion local and city newspapers could expand their news output to television programming.

He told the nations and regions conference of Ofcom: "Local regions or cities could opt in and opt out of the Gaelic digital channel's output with localised news and current affairs programming of their own, thus transforming local coverage throughout Scotland."

Mr Brocklebank spoke out against the idea of "the Scottish Six" - an hour-long mix of Scottish, UK and international news to replace the current UK news on BBC1 at 6pm, followed by half an hour of Reporting Scotland.

"A more direct answer in our view is better education by the BBC of its bulletin editors, and especially of which issues are reserved and which devolved in the new UK set-up.

"Clearly, we want to see accurate coverage of Scottish affairs on our national channels, but we are equally convinced of the desire for strong local coverage."