Future of the Welsh media report

The Assembly's inquiry into the future has reported back -
with some interesting suggestions.
(Pic : Wikipedia)

It's a point raised time and time again – does Wales have the media necessary to hold our civic institutions to account?

With pressure being exerted on Welsh media outlets - for various reasons - it's vital that the perceivable decline is halted and turned around. No media. No accountability. No democracy.

The cross-party Task & Finish Group on the "future outlook for the media in Wales" reported back last week.

There were 23 recommendations, summarised as:

• The establishment of an independent media forum, drawing on expertise from across the sector, to advise on all matters relating to the Welsh media. The devolution of broadcasting should be "kept under review". The forum should also consider alternative business models for the Welsh print media.
• The Welsh Government should fully engage with the UK Government on matters such as the Communications Bill and non-devolved broadcasting issues - including introducing specific Welsh-language duties to Ofcom and laws relating to intellectual property rights.
• The Welsh Government should make representations to the UK Government regarding the Channel 3 (ITV) licence, with the existing requirements to be kept as an absolute minimum for any company to be awarded the licence. The introduction of a Wales-specific Channel 3 licence should be considered.
• The Assembly should keep the amount of political coverage provided by BBC Wales, and the funding arrangements for S4C, under review.
• The Welsh Government should ensure, via the UK Government, that there is 97% digital radio coverage in Wales before any switchover, and they should continue to support community radio stations.
• The Welsh Government should work with universities to foster innovation, define a purpose for the Creative Industries Sector panel and continue to implement the recommendations of the Hargreaves Review (about gaps in the creative industries sector).

Many of the responses to the group reveal interesting nuggets of information and ideas, including :

• Issues surrounding the "fragmentation of audiences" with innovations like Smart TV
• Broadcasting hasn't kept pace with the realities of devolution
• The lack of accountability with regard the media in Wales
• The negative impact of budget cuts at the BBC and changes to the running of S4C

Print Media

A lot of the publicity around this report surrounded the future of the print media. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) were pessimistic, saying Welsh newspapers were "fighting for survival". There were a wide range of views from publishers, some suggesting reading habits have simply changed, while others trumpet weekly local newspapers as the future. Cymdeithas yr Iaith continue to call for a daily Welsh-language newspaper.

There were concerns expressed that newspapers have been far too optimistic when chasing online revenues, so consumers have now come to expect "free media".

Bloggers - sorry, "citizen journalists" - get a nod. We're "inadequate", and will never have the ability to "replace professional public interest journalism." I agree with that. Hobbies never trump something you get paid to do.

Golwg360 say that they aim to try and "combine professionalism with citizen journalism" and provide a "multi-media platform". That would be fantastic for the Welsh-language media, but we really need a counterpart (or several counterparts) in English.

The NUJ suggests that newspapers be considered "public assets" to which the Welsh Government can step in to rescue when threatened with closure. Bethan Jenkins AM (Plaid, South Wales West) suggested something similar on Wales Home, which prompted my last piece on this. Something I suggested then – a public subsidy for the press based on the Norwegian model – is given short shrift by the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, Huw Lewis (Lab, Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney), who says it would be a "difficult arena to become involved with." However, he doesn't rule it out, saying it could be "possible in the future."

Cuts, Broadcasting & Devolution

Could a Wales-specific "regional" ITV
licence be making a comeback?
(Pic: TV Ark)

On budget cuts, Huw expressed his concerns that the BBC's local services in Wales are under a "potentially disproportionate threat" in the broadcaster's "Delivering Quality First" initiative. More interestingly, he doesn't believe that the development of a media hub in Porth Teigr is "justification" for this reduction in investment.

There were particular concerns raised about S4C, Huw Lewis calling for a joint Welsh-UK independent review into the channel (not an entirely unwarranted suggestion), but remaining sceptical of "local TV", saying that it "detracts from what should be the centre of our concerns (national coverage)."

On accountability, many witnesses believed that it was important that public service broadcasters reported to the Assembly (it's suggested annually).

The recommendation of "keeping the devolution of broadcasting under review" is something of a cop-out. The NUJ expressed tacit support, Prof. Tom O'Malley (Media Studies, Aberystwyth University) called for the devolution of "a large part" to the Welsh Government, Prof. Ian Hargreaves (Digital Economy, Cardiff University) talked of a "federal opportunity" to reflect the "fact of devolved governments". Tinopolis' Ron Jones said that "meaningful and expressive scrutiny is best achieved at a local level". In his oral evidence, however, he said that devolution of broadcasting was, "not going to be politically deliverable" but that the current arrangements could be modified over several years in a way that "works for you (Assembly)".

Huw Lewis remained coy on the prospect of the devolution of broadcasting, giving a rather verbose deflection, tying the issue up in knots with typical Labour finesse without directly saying that he didn't want the powers (page 19 of the report) – Who? What? Where? Why? When? Johnny Ball reveals all.

A lot of what Huw Lewis said or suggested became recommendations in the report. For example, it was his suggestion that there needed to be 97% digital radio coverage before any switchover, and that the current minimum provisions in the Channel 3 licence should remain as a condition for licence renewal.

The suggestion of a Wales-specific ITV licence is interesting. It happens in Scotland and Northern Ireland (STV and UTV respectively), it's long overdue in Wales. Could the old HTV be making a comeback in the long term?

Creative Industries and the Economy

Could Porth Teigr in Cardiff compete with Media City UK?
(Pic : Porthteigr.org)

Wider economic issues are also addressed in the report, mainly referencing what the previous Welsh Government did regarding creative industries. Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid, Ynys Mon) established a Digital Wales Advisory Board, a Creative Industries Sector Panel (as part of the Economic Renewal Plan) and a Creative Industries Team to take this work forward. All this was largely in response to Prof. Ian Hargreaves report (linked above in the summary of the recommendations) which identified gaps in Welsh creative industries.

Many witnesses are described as being "concerned with the progress made by the Welsh Government". Cube Interactive said that the "pace of change has been slow by private sector standards." The lack of support for the Welsh film industry is also highlighted, with calls for an independent production fund. The current Business Minister, Edwina Hart (Lab, Gower) highlighted several of her own priorities for the creative industries in Wales, largely ensuring there was "bang for buck" from investment.

Edwina also said that the Welsh Government's high-speed broadband scheme was at the procurement stage, but that it should ensure 30Mb across Wales instead of "being sidetracked....into an immediate need for 100Mb."

The Institute of Welsh Affairs and Huw Lewis seemed excited by the possibility of a single "media hub" at Porth Teigr in Cardiff Bay, suggesting that it needs to be more than just "bricks and mortar" and needs to become a "critical mass" comparable to Media City UK in Manchester. There were reservations from Ron Jones, implying that media companies shouldn't be forced to base themselves in a single place because the government tells them to.


Conclusions

Co-operatives like Port Talbot Magnet prove
that alternative models of media ownership are viable.
(Pic : blogs.journalism.co.uk)

This is a pretty extensive, detailed and highly readable report. I recommend that if you want more expansion on my own summary, and other bits I haven't covered, then you should read it yourselves to make up your own mind.

Most of the recommendations are positive. The Assembly is now taking the issues and problems affecting the Welsh media much more seriously than any of us probably expected them to. There's broad agreement that "something needs to be done" and many of the witnesses - in particular Golwg360 and the Port Talbot Magnet - have shown that alternative models of media ownership are completely viable.

What I hope though, is that the Assembly and Welsh Government don't consider this report as "job done".

A lot of it comes down to money. Huw Lewis said himself that Wales is likely to be "disproportionately" affected by cuts to BBC local services. If anything, that should be a motivator for the devolution of broadcasting in the medium term. But as I said, the committee seemed reluctant to come out and say it, preferring instead to "keep it under review".

We also have to remember that "creative industries" and the "media" encompasses much more than TV, radio and newspapers. It includes films, gaming (which I've blogged about before), music/music production, advertising, general web design and classics such as magazines and literature. Those areas probably should have been included in more detail within the scope of the report.

The Welsh are a relatively creative people, but sadly we've always looked eastwards for vehicles of delivery, or to seek justification or approval. That doesn't mean that there needs to be a drawbridge mentality when it comes to the Welsh media. I think what we want most of all is to be noticed. It's a pretty damning indictment that nobody from the "British" print press - by which most Welsh people get their news - seems to have been called, or responded, to the committee.

Until the realities of devolution are acknowledged at the UK level, I don't think we'll ever get the kind of coverage we need to hold the Assembly, or other civic institutions, to account. Therefore, like many other things, we're probably going to have to do this one ourselves. That's better than waiting forever and a day for validation from the London Bubble, but it brings its own set of problems and issues that need addressing before we can think about devolving broadcasting or separate Channel 3 licences.

This report could - in the medium to long term - form the foundations for a Welsh broadcasting and media policy, but as always it comes down to will, incentives and innovation – both political and economic.