The Institute for Welsh Affairs has warned that Wales could become virtually invisible on television schedules unless Government money is pumped into broadcasting.
Currently, less than one in every 2,000 hours of television broadcast in the UK consists of English-language programming made for Welsh audiences but the IWA believes that this level, amounting to 0.048%, will shrink to almost nothing without Government intervention to ensure more programmes are made in English that cater directly for Wales.
Figures produced by Ofcom in 2008 indicated that, of the 2,483,495 hours of television broadcast in the UK, only 1,193 were made in English for the Welsh audience – equivalent to one hour for every 2,081 hours broadcast.
Since 2008 production of general programmes for Wales has declined even further as a result of cuts in ITV Wales’ output in January this year and further reductions at BBC Wales.
The IWA’s warning echoes those of the Assembly’s Broadcasting Sub-Committee and many other expert commentators and reflects the crisis facing Welsh broadcasting and the failure of commercial television in particular to adapt to devolution and a growing Welsh identity.
In part the crisis though is not of the sector’s making as they are struggling to deliver traditional programming against the backdrop of declining advertising revenues and the growth of multi-channel and multi-media entertainment.
IWA Chairman Geraint Talfan Davies, a former Controller of BBC Wales, said: “Any mature, modern society needs a full reflection of its democracy, activity, interests and talents on its main means of mass communication. It nurtures a society’s self-respect and is a vital aid to its social coherence. We are not talking about a luxury, but a basic means of connecting people together.
“The internet and online services will play a big part in future and we must invest in them, but it is far too soon to be shutting down the traditional television service. Wales will disappear from view in the timing gap.”
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