7. 6. Statement: Broadcasting in Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:56 pm on 21 June 2016.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 4:56, 21 June 2016

I’m grateful to the Member for the points that she makes. She is right to refer to the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee and their report published last week. I think it demonstrates the depth, as well as the breadth, of consensus, not only in this Chamber, but elsewhere, about many of the challenges that we face. The point about ‘Casualty’ is well made, and it’s a similar point, of course, with ‘Doctor Who’ and others, where you have high-quality drama being made in Wales, which is something we welcome and it’s something that we very strongly wish to see continue, but it doesn’t equate to the portrayal of Wales as a country, as a nation, and as a community. It’s not too much—. I think the days of us saying we want to have both are gone; we need to have. As a constituent part of the United Kingdom, we shouldn’t even be needing to make these points in the way that we repeatedly do. The BBC has a duty to represent the United Kingdom as the United Kingdom is today, and that means that the screens reflect the lives that we lead, and that means that we do see Gabalfa or Blackwood or Tredegar or Llanelli or—[Interruption.] Or Grangetown, yes, or even Anglesey. And, without wishing to go around the Chamber—I know Mike Hedges will make a point about ‘Match of the Day’. But it is an important point that our lives are reflected by our public broadcaster, and that is what we expect to see.

The point about the news environment is hugely important. I’ll finish on this, without trying your patience any further, Presiding Officer. The way that people access news is changing, and changing rapidly. We all know that the news environment is as influenced by social media and Facebook as it is by the 10 o’clock bulletin, and we need to recognise that. It’s certainly one of the reasons why we have a media forum and not simply a broadcasting forum, and it’s one of the things that we need to look at. But all broadcasters have an absolute responsibility to ensure that, at the time that we’re facing at the moment—we’re facing a huge decision on Thursday—the people who will be voting on Thursday are well informed and not misled as to the issues that they are discussing and voting upon, and that is something that I would like to see in the run-up to the next Welsh parliamentary election as well. Thank you.