Bethan Jenkins AM, Chair of the National Assembly’s Culture, Welsh Language and Communication Committee, has issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the BBC today concerning local reporters:
“Our report on broadcasting, published yesterday (Wednesday) strongly warned against the unintended consequences of embedding BBC journalists in local news organisations, and strongly suggested that the BBC critically review its plans, because the committee believed it could lead to a further reduction in reporters in newsrooms across Wales.
“We really need to see more detail on this proposal, to decide whether it has addressed the concerns we have raised. We suggested instead a ‘wire’ type service that could be provided to local media organisations in matters where local reporting has declined, such as in court and councils. We would like to see whether the BBC would actively consider this proposal before rolling out this initiative.”