Broadcasting Committee – Report Recommendations
On 5 March 2008, the National Assembly for Wales established a Broadcasting Committee to investigate and report on:
·The future of public service broadcasting in Wales in the English and Welsh languages; and
·The impact of digital switchover and the creation of new delivery platforms, on the production and availability of programming and digital content from Wales and in Wales.
On Wednesday, July 9 the Broadcasting Committee tabled its report. This occurs within the context of Ofcom’s Review of Public Service Broadcasting, and against a backdrop of concerns about the future of ITV Wales, and the provision of plurality in Public Service Broadcasting in Wales.
The report highlights the importance of the provision of public service broadcasters’ accountability to the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government, but does not recommend a change to the current legislative arrangements for the regulation of Public Service Broadcasting in Wales.
It recommends that the Welsh Assembly Government expedites the development of a communications strategy across areas within its remit that deal with broadcasting policy, Creative Industries policy, language and culture and broadband policy;
The Committee also recommends that the National Assembly for Wales establishes a Committee on Communications responsible for scrutinising the work of the Welsh Ministers in relation to broadcasting and related cultural and creative industries; the development of broadband, IPTV and associated technologies.
To follow is a summary of the main Recommendations from the Report:
Recommendations - National Assembly for Wales and WAG
That the National Assembly for Wales should establish a standing committee on communications, responsible for scrutinising the work of the Welsh Ministers in relation to broadcasting and related cultural and creative industries; the development of broadband, IPTV and associated technologies.
The Welsh Assembly Government should develop a communications strategy that should include those policy areas within the Welsh Assembly Government that deal with broadcasting policy, creative Industries policy, language and culture and broadband policy; and they should be brought together as one formal cross-cutting policy unit, working across the present departmental structure.
That the Welsh Assembly Government should develop closer links with the broadcasters and regulators. It should work collaboratively with other organisations, including specialist broadband and IPTV companies, and higher educational institutions, to develop a better understanding and to intervene effectively in the development of the broadcasting sector, creative industries and the effective use of new technologies.
Both the National Assembly and Welsh Assembly Government should monitor Ofcom’s PSB consultation process, and provide timely responses to Ofcom’s ongoing review of Public Service Broadcasting during the next year.
At present, the Welsh Assembly Government is represented by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the UK Government’s Convergence Group, which is currently reviewing the whole of broadcasting and regulation in the UK. We recommend that the Welsh Assembly Government should have direct representation on the Convergence Group, as a matter of urgency.
Welsh Ministers should have a separate Memorandum of Understanding in place with Ofcom, similar to the memorandum of understanding that is in place between Ofcom and the Scottish Government.
The Welsh Assembly Government should work closely with broadcasters and the independent sector in Wales to identify and encourage talent in Wales and the development of independent production.
The Welsh Assembly Government should commission an annual assessment of the portrayal of Wales on network output by each of the main PSB broadcasters, including news provision.
The Welsh Assembly Government should consider the BBC senior management’s response to the King report; and regularly monitor the implementation of the BBC’s action plan. The Welsh Assembly Government’s monitoring report should be published.
Recommendations - BBC
We have been encouraged by the response of the BBC in agreeing to measurable targets for network production from Wales, between now and 2016, amounting to a minimum of 5% of qualifying production, and a value of at least £50 million on that programming.
Ofcom and the Welsh Assembly Government should monitor progress towards the BBC’s 5% network production target. Targets should also be set for all remaining PSB channels.
The growth in network production for the BBC in Wales should not be confined to in-house BBC production but should also contain a measurable commitment to the independent sector throughout Wales.
The £130 million which is currently identified as the element of the licence fee allocated to the BBC’s work in facilitating the digital switchover process be used from 2012 to part-fund PSB provision across the UK, with an appropriate proportion assigned to a mainstream service in Wales, similar to Channel 3’s present service for Wales.
Some of this funding should be made available for PSB content in other media and suppliers including supporting an independent radio news service for commercial radio in Wales. We agree that there will be a need to fund public service broadcasting beyond the BBC after 2012.
At present, the BBC Trustee for Wales is appointed by Order in Council, but there is no Welsh representative on the BBC’s executive board. The BBC Trustee for Wales should be appointed by the appropriate Welsh Assembly Government Minister, and the appointment approved by the National Assembly for Wales.
We recommend to BBC Management that Wales’s senior manager should be a member of the BBC’s executive board.
S4C
We believe that S4C should continue as a predominantly Welsh language broadcaster. At present we do not believe there is a case for changing the funding arrangements for S4C.
We welcome every attempt by S4C to broaden its appeal to non-Welsh speaking viewers, including twin voice tracks for sports programming, and subtitling.
However, given the worsening pressures on English language broadcasting from Wales in Wales, and S4C’s strong and secure funding, we believe that S4C should consider how its resources can aid the sustaining of English language public service broadcasting provision in Wales, including the sharing of facilities such as back office functions and transmission.
At present, the Chair of the S4C Authority is appointed by the Secretary of State for Media, Culture and Sport, with the advice of the Secretary of State for Wales.
The Chair of the S4C Authority should be appointed by the appropriate Welsh Assembly Government Minister, and the appointment approved by the National Assembly for Wales.
Ofcom
Ofcom should have a representative from Wales as a member of its Board. We recommend that the member should be appointed by the appropriate Welsh Assembly Government Minister, and the appointment approved by the National Assembly for Wales.
Regarding Ofcom’s four models, we propose an alternative option that would concentrate on ensuring the continuing viability of an alternative PSB provider to the BBC in Wales, by providing that ITV Wales continues with its present PSB commitments – in both news and non-news – until 2012, at least.
ITV
We urge Ofcom to ensure that the present level of service, in terms of hours, scheduling and funding, is maintained.
That Ofcom ensures that ITV plc’s present level of programming for Wales is maintained. We request ITV to improve the portrayal of Wales on ITV network services and increase the commissioning of productions from Wales.
The UK Government, in its forthcoming communications legislation, should create a licence for Wales, separate from the ITV licence for England; and we recommend that the possibility of creating an affiliated licence for Wales is considered further by Ofcom and ITV. We believe in those circumstances that Ofcom should ensure that a PSB content fund, administered by an authority or agency, be created in order to address the withdrawal of PSB programming by ITV.
Channel 4
Ofcom should require Channel 4, as a public service broadcaster, to achieve a minimum target of 5% of network production from Wales by 2012. Channel 4 should also commit to improve its portrayal of Wales in its news and non-news programming, and Ofcom should hold it to account to do so.
Digital Switchover
That Ofcom ensures that S4C services are continually available on digital platforms throughout the switchover process throughout Wales.
Radio
The committee is concerned that digital switchover in radio in the foreseeable future would mean that listeners in Wales would be disadvantaged by the lack of coverage for Radio Cymru and Radio Wales on Digital Audio Broadcasting.
That Ofcom implements the Digital Radio Working Group’s recommendation - that no switchover should take place unless there is a guarantee of at least 97% coverage for DAB throughout Wales.
That Welsh Ministers, in conjunction with Ofcom, review the possibility of devolving the allocation of commercial and community radio licences in Wales.
Broadband
We are concerned at the poor quality of broadband throughout many areas of Wales, and that this inhibits the growth of the use of the internet and IPTV as an extension of conventional broadcasting. The poor quality of broadband access and lack of bandwidth is a major disincentive for the development of PSB content on these platforms; and undermines the principle of universality of access to PSB content.
The Welsh Assembly Government should commission an independent investigation into the physical and financial practicality of the different options and combinations for the future development of broadband in Wales.
Subtitles and Sign Language
Although we did not receive a great deal of evidence on the provision of services for deaf people, we feel that this is an important issue, worthy of serious consideration by public service broadcasters; and by Ofcom.
All PSB broadcasters should deliver a consistent standard of services for deaf people. We recommend that Ofcom should monitor delivery of services to deaf people by broadcasters; and ensure that broadcasters have procedures in place to deal with complaints in a transparent and timely manner.