Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:05 pm on 24 March 2021.
I thank the Minister Dafydd Elis-Thomas for his contribution. I thank you for outlining the fact that things have changed in terms of the Welsh Government and your thinking in this area, and, as I said at the outset, Lee Waters wrote to us as a committee yesterday, saying that they would support what we're asking for in principle in terms of creating that fund for journalism here in Wales to ensure that there is growth.
Certainly we're not asking for anything that's going to be influenced by the Welsh Government; everything needs to be on an arm's-length basis, but I think it is important that the Welsh Government does this work, even though elements of broadcasting are not devolved. Certainly there is momentum, and there is momentum for change. There is an MOU between the BBC, Ofcom and ITV here in Wales. They are willing to come to the committee to contribute and discuss issues with us. And I'd like to finish by thanking them for joining us, and I hope that there will be another committee like this in the next Senedd. This committee has had Lord Hall and Tim Davie in to give evidence, and it has held them to account for what they're doing here in Wales.
At the end of the day, our democracy is relatively new, but it is important that we are held to account and that the people of Wales have the press that they deserve and that they can read about their everyday lives in that press. We have to act, and that's why I'm so pleased to present this report to you today. Thank you very much.