Meetings

5.1 The Committee discussed the evidence

Lord Hall of Birkenhead CBE, Director General

Rhodri Talfan Davies, BBC Cymru Wales

3.1 The Committee received evidence from the BBC Executive.

Lord Patten, BBC Trust

Elan Clos Stephens, BBC Trustee for Wales

2.1 The Committee received evidence from the BBC Trust.

Rhodri Williams, Director, Wales

Claudio Pollack, Group Director, Content, Consumer and External Affairs

John Davies, Chair, Ofcom’s Advisory Committee for Wales

Glyn Mathias, Content Board Member for Wales

4.2  The Committee received evidence from Ofcom.

·         copy of their consumer guide on digital TV reception in north-east Wales.

Huw Jones, Chairman

Ian Jones, Chief Executive

2.1 The Committee received evidence from S4C.

Phil Henfrey, Head of News and Programmes

Huw Rossiter, Public Affairs Manager

3.1 The Committee received evidence from ITV Wales.

3.2 ITV Wales agreed to provide a note on ITV reception in North Wales.

NDM5041 Ann Jones (Vale of Clwyd)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the Report of the Communities, Equality and Local Government media Task and Finish group on the Future outlook for the media in Wales which was laid in the Table Office on 10 May 2012.

Note: The response of the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage to the report was laid in the Table Office on 11 July 2012.

Supporting documents:

Report of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Media Task and Finish Group

Response of the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage

The item started at 15.26

NDM5041 Ann Jones (Vale of Clwyd)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the Report of the Communities, Equality and Local Government media Task and Finish group on the Future outlook for the media in Wales which was laid in the Table Office on 10 May 2012.

Note: The response of the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage to the report was laid in the Table Office on 11 July 2012.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The Committee noted the report.

Media(4)-06-12 : Paper 2

Ron Jones, Chair of the Creative Industries Sector Panel

Natasha Hale, Head of the Creative Industries sector

The Group heard evidence from Ron Jones, the Chair of the Creative Industries Panel and Natasha Hale Head of the Creative Industries Sector.

Media(4)-06-12 – Paper 1

Rhodri Williams, Ofcom’s Wales Director

David Mahoney, Ofcom's Director of Content Policy

Glyn Mathias, Chair of Ofcom’s Advisory Committee for Wales

The Group heard evidence from Rhodri Williams the Director of Ofcom Wales, David Mahoney, the Director of Content Policy at Ofcom Wales and Glyn Mathias the Chair of Ofcom’s Advisory Committee for Wales.

Ofcom agreed to provide more information on the renewal process of the Channel 3 licences.

The Clerk agreed to send the unasked questions to Ofcom for a written response.

Media(4)-06-12: Paper 4

Nick Capaldi, Chief Executive

The Group heard evidence from Nick Capaldi, the Chief Executive of the Arts Council for Wales.

Media(4)-06-12 : Paper 3

Huw Lewis AM, Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage

John Howells, Director of Housing, Regeneration & Heritage Department

The Group heard evidence from Huw Lewis, the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage and John Howells, the Director of Housing, Regeneration & Heritage Department.

The Minister agreed to provide an update on the steps that have been taken with the UK Government to establish strong links between S4C, other broadcasters, and the Assembly.

The Minister agreed to provide the Committee with a copy of the consultation response to the DCMS on the Communications Review for the Digital Age.

Media(4)-05-11 : Paper 1

Edwina Hart AM, Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science

Natasha Hale, Head of Creative Industries BETS

Ron Jones, Chair of the Creative Industries Panel and the Executive Chairman of Tinopolis PLC

The Group heard evidence from Edwina Hart, the Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science, Natasha Hale, Head of Creative Industries division and Ron Jones, Chair of the Creative Industries Panel.

The Minister agreed to keep the group updated on the developments of the UK Communications Bill.

Correspondence from Media Wales to the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on the future outlook for the media in Wales

Correspondence from the Chair of the Task and Finish Group on the future outlook for the media in Wales to Media Wales

Media(4)-04-11 : Paper 4

Bethan Williams, Chair

Colin Nosworthy, Communications Officer

Dr Simon Brooks, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

The Committee heard evidence from Bethan Williams, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, Colin Nosworthy, Communications Officer of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg and Dr Simon Brooks representative of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg.

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Aled Eirug, representing Institute of Welsh Affairs

Hywel Wiliam, representing Institute of Welsh Affairs

The Task and Finish Group heard evidence from Aled Eirug and Hywel Wiliam from the Institute of Welsh Affairs.

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Bev Thomas, Managing Director, Tindle Newspapers

Barrie Phillips-Jones, Editorial Director, NWN Media

The Task and Finish Group heard evidence from Bev Thomas, Managing Director of Tindle Newspapers and Barrie Phillips-Jones, Editorial Director of NWN Media.

Alan Edmunds, Managing Director

The Task and Finish Group heard evidence from Alan Edmunds, Managing Director of Media Wales.

Alan Edmunds invited the group to visit the Media Wales Offices.

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Gwyn Roberts, Director, Cube Interactive

Owain Schiavone, Chief Executive, Golwg 360

Richard Turner, Head of Marketing and External Relations, Global Academy Innovation Programme

The Task and Finish Group heard evidence from Gwyn Roberts, Director, Cube Interactive; Owain Schiavone, Chief Executive, Golwg 360; and Richard Turner, Head of Marketing and External Relations, Global Academy Innovation Programme

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Martin Shipton, Chair, Cardiff and South East Wales Branch of the National Union of Journalists

Meic Birtwistle, representing Wales on National Executive Council of the National Union of Journalists

David Donovan, National Officer for Wales, BECTU

Gwawr Hughes, Director of Skillset Cymru

Dr Andy Williams, Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies

The Task and Finish Group heard evidence from Martin Shipton, Chair, Cardiff and South East Wales Branch of the National Union of Journalists; Meic Birtwistle, representing Wales on National Executive Council of the National Union of Journalists; David Donovan, National Officer for Wales, BECTU; Gwawr Hughes, Director of Skillset Cymru; and Dr Andy Williams, Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies

Media(4)-02-11 : Paper 1

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Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director, BBC Cymru Wales

Phil Henfrey, Head of News and Programmes, ITV Wales

Huw Jones, Chairman, S4C

Terry Mann, Station Manager GTfm, Community Radio Wales

The Chair welcomed Rhodri Talfan Davies from BBC Cymru Wales, Phil Henfrey from ITV Wales, Huw Jones from S4C and Terry Mann from Community Radio Wales

Media(4)-02-11 : Paper 5

Media(4)-02-11 : Paper 6 – paper not received

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Iestyn Garlick, Chair, TAC

Gareth Williams, TAC

John Geraint, Creative Director, Green Bay

The Chair welcomed Iestyn Garlick, Gareth Williams from TAC and John Geraint from Green Bay Media.

Media(4)-01-11 : Paper 1

Professor Ian Hargreaves

Professor Steve Blandford

4.1 Steve Blandford agreed to provide a note on the research into media in other small nations.

2.1 The Chair welcomed the witnesses: Professor Ian Hargreaves from Cardiff University, Professor Steve Blandford from University of Glamorgan and Euryn Ogwen Williams.

2.1 Members noted that the Committee had resolved, in private session in its last meeting, to establish a Task and Finish Group to consider the outlook for the media in Wales. The Task and Finish Group would hold its first meeting on 13 October.

 4.1 The Committee agreed the following resolution, in accordance with Standing Order 17.17:

“The Equality, Communities and Local Government Committee resolves to establish a task and finish group, in accordance with Standing Order 17.17, to consider the future outlook for the media in Wales.

The membership of the task and finish group is as follows: Ken Skates; Janet Finch-Saunders; Bethan Jenkins and Peter Black.

The Chair of the task and finish group shall be Ken Skates.

The remit of the task and finish group is to consider and report to the Equality, Communities and Local Government Committee on the future outlook for various media platforms in Wales by undertaking an inquiry into:

The current state of the media in Wales and how new technology and other developments are impacting on this, in the context of continuing concerns about the future of the Welsh broadcast and print media;

What the priorities should be from a Welsh perspective as the UK Government brings forward proposals for its Communications Bill;

The opportunities for new media business models to be built in Wales; and 

What the Welsh Government is doing to implement the Hargreaves report recommendations and what other steps could be taken to strengthen the media in Wales in terms of content and plurality of provision.   

The task and finish group shall cease to exist on 31 January 2012, or when it has reported, whichever is the earliest.”

4.3 The Chair of the Task and Finish Group thanked Bethan Jenkins, who had made the original request to establish the group, and her staff, who had assisted the clerking team in advance of the establishment of the group.