Wednesday 3 April 2019

The representation of Wales on TV



It's intriguing that the Welsh Assembly Culture Committee has, after many meetings in 2018,  still not reported on its investigation of film and high-end TV in Wales. They have a committee meeting this very morning at the Senedd, and item 3.1 on "Correspondence from the BBC regarding the representation of Wales" is being discussed in private, with no streaming media coverage.

Very strange -- this is item 7. Film and major television production in Wales: Discussion of draft report
Reason for the exclusion of the public?
Answer:  By Virtue of Paragraph iv (Discussion in public of a particular item of business would be likely to cause harm to the health or safety of an individual, the public, or the environment.)

Good gracious!  That all sounds a bit dramatic -- who, or what, is being threatened?!!!

But it does look as if the Draft Report is ready, and simply requires some minor tweaking.  But it must be very critical of the BBC, if the top brass have been invited to make a further last-minute, submission.........

http://senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=445&MId=5346&Ver=4

PS.  The Committee has clearly been chasing BBCWales on the matter of "Pitching In" and about concerns about the representation of Wales in its recent output.  A letter in response has clearly been received from Rhodri Talfan Davies, but that is not yet on the record.

This is ba quote from the letter to Rhodri written by the Committee Chair, Bethan Sayed, in February 2019:

I am writing after a number of people raised concerns with me about the portrayal of Wales in the comedy programme ‘Pitching In’. I would like to take this opportunity ask for an update on the work BBC Cymru Wales is doing to improve representation and portrayal of Wales both on BBC Cymru Wales and BBC network.
With this in mind, I would be very grateful if you could provide the following information.

1. In February 2017 the BBC announced “an additional £8.5m p.a. of new funding” for English language programming for Wales. What is the current level of investment against this target?

When this funding was announced, the BBC said that it would:

• Deliver more than 130 hours of additional programming each year across BBC One Wales, BBC Two Wales and BBC iPlayer.

• Generate at least a further £5m of on-screen investment through co- production agreements with other broadcasters and producers.

• Provide a full mix of programming to inform, educate and entertain – including additional comedy, drama and entertainment.

• Support a new BBC Wales iPlayer channel – providing a new home for Welsh programming available across all devices and in all parts of the UK.

• Boost portrayal and coverage of Wales on the BBC’s network channel – with the aim that at least half the additional programming should also be broadcast on the BBC’s UK network channels.

• Provide a major financial boost to the Welsh production sector with all new television funding open to full competition.

Please could you provide an update of current progress towards these aims?

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