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| 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:
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
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| 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
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| Could Porth Teigr in Cardiff compete with Media City UK? (Pic : Porthteigr.org) |
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
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| Co-operatives like Port Talbot Magnet prove that alternative models of media ownership are viable. (Pic : blogs.journalism.co.uk) |
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.
A seperate Channel 3 license would do a world of good and go a lot further than any newspaper subsidy. ITV Wales is embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about that, Anon. I think you're being a little harsh. The "domestic" politics coverage on ITV Wales has improved significantly over the years and can go toe-to-toe with anything BBC Wales can do. Last year's Assembly election coverage was arguably better than the BBC.
ReplyDeleteITV Wales' problem is that their "opt out" work is easily submerged in all the main ITV network crap in a way that doesn't happen in Scotland at least. A strong commercial rival to BBC Wales is an absolute must.
Cardiff-centricity is already a perceived problem with the 'Welsh' media. Putting all - or even most of - the eggs into the Porth Teigr basket will only increase this perception.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I was completely underwhelmed by the recommendations of the T&FG. I’m sure they are all very worthy ideas but what I found shocking was the absence of any commentary on the sheer CRITICALITY of this issue and the need for urgent, and radical actions. It felt like the committee itself was resigned to the almost inevitable impossibility of actually changing anything, as if nobody is prepared to stand up and say “we are in an absolutely terrible place here, possibly the worst of any mature democracy in the Western world”. Is this over-playing it? I don’t think so.
ReplyDeleteThe national parliament and government elected by the people of Wales have very wide authority and control over practically all spheres of public life. They can exercise that authority through spending decisions of c. £15bn, the execution of policy agendas in the administration of public services, and the creation of binding laws over the citizens and corporate bodies of Wales. Furthermore, there is the very real prospect that the scope of this authority and control will be extended in the next five years to areas such as the administration of justice, our police forces and natural resources, and the responsibility for the overall tax burden levied upon Welsh citizens. By any measure this is a tremendously important polity and it is not too controversial to say that it will very much approximate a federal state within a federal union before very long.
However, the public scrutiny of and engagement with that polity is practically non-existent today and certainly not commensurate with other polities of a similar status, either here in the UK or elsewhere. What’s worse is that as citizens and politicians we cover ourselves with the fig leaf of nominal BBC Wales, ITV Wales and S4C current affairs broadcasting and the Western Mail whilst we ignore the elephant in the room of a UK media that is ignorant of, and indifferent to (though not maliciously) its scrutinising obligation. The scale of this imbalance is mind-boggling and one only has to look at it on a purely simplistic level to demonstrate the basic situation:
There are approximately 60 channels on network (freeview) tv nowadays available in Wales. Only 2 of them provide any kind of nominal engagement with Welsh affairs in English. 1 is entirely Welsh focused (S4C) but understandably can only ever reach 20% of the Welsh public. There are c. 40 radio channels on digital media available in Wales and only 2 are dedicated to coverage of Welsh politics. There are c. 10 daily newspapers available in Wales and only 1 has any kind of focus on Welsh politics and has an insignificant distribution.
Without doing a line-by-line analysis of output of all media available for consumption in Wales I’d guess it is fair to say that 95% of it or more has an entirely UK (and often totally English) focus. And yet our separate Welsh polity controls 50%, 60%, 70% perhaps (put whichever figure you like in there) of matters that affect our daily lives and that we have a right, and perhaps an obligation, to understand, scrutinise and engage with it. This is a deficit of public scrutiny of public life of truly alarming proportions.
It is of course manifested in painfully low turnout for “Welsh” elections, one party hegemony, ignorance of who’s responsible for what, and possibly worst of all ignorance and indifference to what is being done in our name.
Devolution of power is a good thing for democracy. Devolution and exercise of power without the commensurate level of public scrutiny and engagement is an aberration of democracy and a national disgrace for both politicians and citizens. It is that important. And it is time that the polity took real leadership in addressing this, even if it means cracking a few eggs and standing on a few toes. Their democratic integrity is at stake and in question. Continuation of this national disgrace does not have to be “inevitable”.
Thanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteJac - Swansea is one of the initial pilot areas for "Local TV" if I remember correctly. Could a "Jack TV" help prevent Cardiff-centricity?
Phil - Thanks for the detailed comment.
I think there is a general sense of "resigning to fate" across the Assembly, not just in this committee, if I'm completely honest.
I agree whole-heartedly with what you say on public scruitny. Sadly, news coverage appears to come down to sexiness nowadays and debating badger culls and the like is nothing compared to the "big boy" stuff.
There are two things, IMO, that can give the Assembly enough character to generate headlines:
1. Affecting incomes (tax varying & tax creating powers)
2. Passing criminal laws
Once the Assembly has levers on these, people WILL want to know what's going on and all of us should expect detailed coverage and analysis. The UK wouldn't get away with creating a new tax or passing a law that vould result in a lengthy prison sentance without public knowledge.
Then again, as you allude to, if the Assembly got these powers without the media changes and public scruitny, it's a recipe for disaster.
A good review and i find myself in agreement about the timidity and lack of ambition in the report. It’s another opportunity missed, how many more chances will we get to salvage the situation before it really is too late to do anything.
ReplyDeleteThe point about scrutiny is vital, take this Tuesday for example there were opposition press briefings and FMQ’s among other things, yet the Western Mail’s Senedd Correspondent chose to write about a petition for a possible sheep statue that had capture the Welsh press packs imagination.
And this the problem in a nutshell, all manner of issues could have been raised by the politicians in the two forums, yet unless you are at the press conferences or read the record of proceeding which very few do, the public only hears about a sheep statue which in turn affects people’s attitudes towards what goes on in the Assembly, i know they’ve got paper to sell but this is ridicules.
Meanwhile BBC Wales and ITV Wales focus on the Keith Davies fall out which amounted to a slap on the wrist and Owen Smith becoming SoS its newsworthy, but why is it anymore so than other issues raised this week?
Owen/CofP
ReplyDeleteI agree with you both of course and certainly tax varying and criminal law powers would be game changers, though I don’t see much prospect of the latter any time soon. But I guess my point is that right now, today, this week, last week there are issues of real “national” importance being debated within the Welsh polity, decisions being made, negotiations conducted between Welsh/UK governments. We are not “some way off” from being a political community, we are one. For example…
Funding – Wales is, and has been for many years, underfunded to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds a year through the Barnett formula. This has a direct impact on the services people receive and the level of public investment made in the economy. Is it any wonder that Wales falls further back each year in relative GDP/GVA per capita analyses when the back stop of public expenditure is getting relatively smaller and smaller? In order to improve, we’re effectively asking the private sector economy to grow relatively more than in England (and Scotland). It’s a structurally embedded blocker to prosperity and growth. The WG is in talks with the UK government to look at this. The progress of these negotiations, for example, should be public issue number 1 in Wales, pursued daily/weekly by an aggressive press and media. Can you imagine the furore in the London press if this kind of structural imbalance was happening in relation to the UK/Europe financial settlement?
Borrowing – we are deep in a stagnant recession and the Welsh government has absolutely no levers (even modest, prudential levers that local governments have) to invest in major capital programmes that could (modestly) stimulate the economy. We’re not talking radical, crazy spending sprees here, just modest amounts of debt, funded through revenue (with the consequential tough decisions on lowering some current revenue streams) within a macro-economic framework set by the Treasury. This is a major issue, the benefits of which could really kick start the private sector in many areas. Again, it should be pursued doggedly by the press and media, and would be in London if it were a UK/England issue.
Purely from an economic (and let’s face it a Welsh self-interest) perspective these two areas merit massive press and public engagement. In England the Sun would be running daily stories and public campaigns if the UK government were disadvantaged in this way. It would be a national debate. Here? They hardly make the WM’s or BBC’s editorials once or twice a month, considered too “technical” or “constitutional” for public interest. They are not. They are black and white, bread basket issues.
When you add in potential health service reforms, the state of education, the inability of the Welsh government to effectively manage the energy sector, not mentioning the detailed day-to-day work of NGOs, Assembly committees, commissioners, ministers, etc. etc., there is a huge number of tremendously important issues being bandied about in the Welsh polity.
As I said before, my acid test is just to take the issue in hand and ask yourself if this were being discussed/considered in and for England what relevance would it have in the London print and broadcast media? The answer is almost always “significant” because they ultimately determine the relative prosperity, health and wellbeing of the English nation. We simply don’t have a media that reflects or responds to the real politick of the world we live in; a Welsh polity that already controls, and should be held to account for on a daily, broad and deep basis, 50%/60%/70% (or whatever) of the “why things are the way they are” in Wales. Just because the ultimate decision over funding and borrowing rests with the Treasury, for example, I still want to see the Welsh Government taken to task week in, week out on if it is succeeding or not in its obvious duty to rectify this.
I never thought I’d hear myself saying this but… I’d walk over hot coals for a properly independent edition of the “Welsh Sun” (or equivalent) at the moment…
I agree with Phil really. The report is nice enough, but there is simply no recognition that there is a crisis of accountability and scrutiny. I am certain most of the AMs involved mean well, even people like Huw Lewis. They do care for Wales in their own way. But it is not really going to harm their positions if Welsh coverage erodes further.
ReplyDeleteI thought this report was going to be radical and deliver some massive, eye-catching solutions that maybe could inspire people. Instead it's another missed opportunity and actually a waste of time. If you knew me you'd know i'm not a cynical person at all. I really want to see a healthy democratic culture in Wales. I don't mind if one party dominates Welsh politics if that's what the people want. I just want more and better coverage of what is going on and how these politicians are spending our money and delivering services.
I'm not convinced there is going to be a financial settlement for the Assemblt that will be a game changer. Labour and the Tories will compromise over some very lukewarm or watered down proposals on local authority-style borrowing powers and possibly landfill tax. There won't be anything on income tax and therefore nothing that will dramatically change the role of devolved government.
Also sorry, but you can forget criminal justice. There is no desire from the UK Government to devolve it and none from Labour in Wales to make the case.
Thanks for all of the additional commentary, everyone.
ReplyDeleteI can empathise somewhat with the likes of the Western Mail and BBC focusing on "fluff" stories like Keith Davies. I wouldn't like to think that AM's would be able to get away from scruitiny like that. However, as Phil aludes to, there are so many other big issues out there that need proper coverage, Wales is in danger of being led effectively blindfolded into serious things that could affect the lifeblood and livlihoods of people up and down the country.
I think the media, Welsh and British, underestimate the Welsh electorate, thinking all "we" want to hear are stories like the sheep statue and that we might click on a link, or turn the page, onto a serious piece on the Welsh economy for example. While, as Phil says, we need a "Welsh Sun", we also need a "Welsh Guardian/Independent", a "Welsh Newsnight" and probably an English-language "Welsh Question Time" too. Until we have a culture that has the opportunities to look at Welsh issues in far more detail, and with far greater publicity than blogs like this one, we'll be stuck with the height of public debate being stereotyped as old blokes in pubs moaning about the "Arsembly" over a pint of Dairk.
I also agree with Anon 16:37's insinuation that some AM's might hope for an "erosion" in Wales-specific coverage. It keeps them off the hook if all the media in Wales focuses on two-party Anglo-Welsh politics instead of holding the Welsh Government to account. However, all in all, I think Huw Lewis has said the "right things".
Sadly, what Wales had got down the years with regard devolution are trudging, cumbersome, "compromises" instead of, as you say Anon, more radical constitutional changes that could empower Wales within the UK. That's the British way of doing things and it's why the British "unwritten" constitution is actually a library that only law makers truly understand, not an accessible document for all.
If Wales wants parity with Scotland within a Federal UK, then Labour are going to have to make the case for devolving criminal justice. If a separate legal jurisdiction is created via the current consultation, EnglandandWales won't (really) exist anymore. Criminal justice powers following would be, not inevitable, but highly likely.