Monday, August 20, 2007
Another pointless protest
Plaid Cymru MP, Adam Price, threatens to withhold his licence fee this morning unless the BBC put him on Newsnight and the UK National News more often. Oops, that should have read 'improve their poor coverage of Welsh affairs on network news programmes'.
It is a bizarre position for a nationalist MP. He wants an Independent Wales and yet he also wants to dictate the policy of the BBC and other broadcasters in England. For the record I do think that Mr. Price has a point but it is not the BBC who are the main offenders. National newspapers such as the Guardian are notorious for their ignorance of Wales.
When the role of a broadcaster is to educate and inform it is obvious that they will not use stories about Wales over the border unless there are strong jounalistic reasons for it. Items on Shambo the bull and the outrageous attack on a resident of Pontarddulais by a gang of youths stand on their own as strong news stories that resonate across the UK. A nationalist taking public office in Wales for the first time, although historic, has more relevance in Wales than outside our borders.
In return for paying the licence fee we get some very strong Welsh news coverage on a dedicated channel as well as access to many other programmes from the BBC and others. Although I think that the licence fee itself needs to go, I do not accept the argument that we are served less well than other parts of the United Kingdom for it. I say that despite the fact that Adam Price seems to have more success getting in the Western Mail than he does on the Six O'Clock News.
Update: Bethan Jenkins AM, acting in her capacity of Adam Price's representative on earth (just joking, Bethan) takes on Labour MP, Chris Bryant on Radio Wales. They agreed (I think) that S4C's budget should be devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government and that there should be more Welsh BBC journalists covering Parliament. All this consensus politics cannot be good for us so it is just as well that they gave the impression of being on opposite sides of the argument.
It is a bizarre position for a nationalist MP. He wants an Independent Wales and yet he also wants to dictate the policy of the BBC and other broadcasters in England. For the record I do think that Mr. Price has a point but it is not the BBC who are the main offenders. National newspapers such as the Guardian are notorious for their ignorance of Wales.
When the role of a broadcaster is to educate and inform it is obvious that they will not use stories about Wales over the border unless there are strong jounalistic reasons for it. Items on Shambo the bull and the outrageous attack on a resident of Pontarddulais by a gang of youths stand on their own as strong news stories that resonate across the UK. A nationalist taking public office in Wales for the first time, although historic, has more relevance in Wales than outside our borders.
In return for paying the licence fee we get some very strong Welsh news coverage on a dedicated channel as well as access to many other programmes from the BBC and others. Although I think that the licence fee itself needs to go, I do not accept the argument that we are served less well than other parts of the United Kingdom for it. I say that despite the fact that Adam Price seems to have more success getting in the Western Mail than he does on the Six O'Clock News.
Update: Bethan Jenkins AM, acting in her capacity of Adam Price's representative on earth (just joking, Bethan) takes on Labour MP, Chris Bryant on Radio Wales. They agreed (I think) that S4C's budget should be devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government and that there should be more Welsh BBC journalists covering Parliament. All this consensus politics cannot be good for us so it is just as well that they gave the impression of being on opposite sides of the argument.
Comments:
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isn't this just Plaid parroting - yet again - the latest ideas of the SNP?
what a bankrupt shower our Welsh nationalists really are.
what a bankrupt shower our Welsh nationalists really are.
# posted by 
: 6:28 PM
: 6:28 PM
Witholding the TV License Fee was partly in a small way successful in helping to set up S4C TV. However, the main driving forces then were the serious threat to hunger strike to death by Gwynfor Evans and that in those days Plaid Cymru had some very staunch members. The present cohort in Plaid Cymru are not fit to call themselves Welsh patriots (Gwladgarwyr) or to play the "Patriot Game". Owain Glyndwr; Rhys Ap Gethin; Buddug; Gwenllian; Saunders Lewis and Gwynfor Evans must all be writhing in their graves. Who in London cares if Adam Price MP does not pay his TV License?
A good analysis of Price's latest protest. What does he hope to prove or improve by his actions? Have posted myself on this today.
An interestin item on Radio 4 yesterday evening looking how sales of cigarettes have slumped since Englandandwales became smoke free just over a month ago!
Adam Price had a point about the national news ignoring the err, ummm "negiotiations" leading up to the formation of the current government.
I had to turn to the "blogosphere" to find out what was going on.
I don't agree with his protest though
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I had to turn to the "blogosphere" to find out what was going on.
I don't agree with his protest though
# posted by : 8:41 PM
: 8:41 PM<< Home
