The Wardman Wire

In the midst of all the scrummage going on in Westminster about the “42 day detention without charge” debate, an important report about BBC News has been published and taken on board by the BBC about it’s news coverage in Wales/Scotland.

Sanddef Rhyferys has kindly written a guest article looking at some of the implications.

The King Report on BBC Coverage of the Celtic News

In anticipation of the King Report on the BBC’s coverage of the Celtic nations, Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price
had this to say:

All the indications are that the report is going to be pretty critical of the current regime. Mark Thompson’s commitment that 5% of BBC network production will be made in Wales by 2016 - confirmed before the Broadcasting Committee at the Assembly by Menna Richards - may be something of a pre-emptive defence. Maybe my threat last summer to withhold my licence fee had some effect after all. Sadly, I think threatening to stop watching Coronation Street is unlikely to have the same effect on Michael Grade.

As a modern European nation, with a fledgling democracy, it really is vital we stop seeing the world through the wrong end of someone else’s telescope. We also need to see our reality reflected on our television, computer and iPod screens. London-centricity is a little like a neurological disease - it infects all those who work in the media metropolis. But that doesn’t mean the rest of us have to accept it.

In a Plaid press release following the report’s publication, Mr Price added:

There needs to be a significant increase in the number of network journalists based in Wales and we also need to see a higher number of domestic news stories emanating from Wales getting a deserved place on network news.

I also think its time for a distinct though integrated Welsh Six o’clock news made in Wales, and also a Welsh opt out for Newsnight, just like the Scottish one.
The fact that the fate of Shambo received more coverage than the fate of the Welsh government last May and July says it all really.

Elsewhere on the Welsh blogosphere, the BBC’s Betsan Powys notes:

136 stories on health and education analysed during a four week period - every single one dealt with England alone. 208 Westminster MPs interviewed in stories relating to devolved issues, 27 Scottish MSPs, one AM.

The report lets some of the more stark statistics do the talking.

Ordovicius, new guest poster Twm Bach notes at least one “ray of hope”:

The report does have a ray of hope though arguing that the digital switchover will create the option of a Welsh opt out for the main UK bulletins. Citing the role of Good Morning Wales Prof. King argues that “…the relevant technology will soon be in place and, once it is, it will seem strange, even perverse, not to provide television viewers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with the choices that radio listeners in those three nations have already enjoyed for years.” It might be being over hopeful but a Welsh six o’clock news and a newsnight opt-out might be a bit closer to reality today than it has ever been before.