The Media

Part of 6. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:24 pm on 15 July 2020.

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Photo of Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas Independent 3:24, 15 July 2020

(Translated)

Thank you very much for that question. The independence of journalism is crucial, first of all, and I've always had some doubts about state or governmental involvement directly in the media, because I don't think that is appropriate. I've had cause to regret on a number of occasions the unwillingness of media to be independent of their funders, and being independent of Government is just as important—if not more important for me—than being independent from Rupert Murdoch, as has been the case in the past. And therefore, I do commit to seek various ways of operating, but we must seek to operate with haste in this area, and that's why I look forward to meeting officials from unions representing journalists, and I also commit to ask for a meeting with the management of Reach, and I do want to ensure that we have at least two daily newspapers in Wales, in north and in south Wales, the Western Mail and the Daily Post, which are at least national Welsh newspapers.