Having been away in Prague last week, I missed the announcement that Golwg, the Ceredigion-based magazine group, had been awarded £600,000 over the next three years to develop a Welsh language news service that will reinforce existing print provision whilst developing the potential of new multimedia technology.
I am sure that many will wish Dylan Iorwerth, the editor of Golwg, every success in this new venture. It will not be an easy task, especially given that there will be many critics ready to haul him down, but I believe his vision of journalistic excellence combined with the accessibility of web-based technology can create a new dawn for Welsh language publishing.
Given the revival of the Welsh language over recent years, it is about time that the new ways of developing the culture and language of this nation were supported. That is not to say that the Assembly Government should avoid censure for their obfuscation regarding this issue.
Many were rightly disappointed at the decision by the Minister for Culture not to go ahead with the original plan to fund a printed Welsh language daily newspaper, especially given the time and effort that had gone into preparing the launch of “Y Byd” by the company “Dyddiol Cyf”, under the leadership of Ned Thomas.
In many respects, the decision by the government in rejecting Ned’s business plan was the media equivalent of refusing to give Airbus any financial support for new developments until Boeing had also been given the right to bid for the same government grants!
Despite last week’s decision, I still believe that this overall saga amounts to a cop-out by the Welsh Assembly Government and, despite the spin applied to the decision by press officers, is a broken promise from the One-Wales agreement. The amount awarded to developing a Welsh language news service is derisory when compared to the money wasted every year on projects that, despite their best intentions, do little to support the Welsh language and culture.
Many will not forget that millions of pounds of public money were spent on bailing out projects such as the Millennium Centre and the Botanical Gardens because of funding difficulties, although a printed Welsh language daily newspaper was rejected on the grounds of not being financially viable. Indeed, when the same logic of financial credibility was applied to this exciting new project which, like anything entrepreneurial, contained a certain amount of risk, the Assembly reverted to its usual ‘can’t do’ approach.
Any discussion on this issue cannot be complete without recognising the origins of the battle for a daily Welsh language newspaper. The heartfelt thanks of everyone in the Welsh nation must go out to Ned Thomas and his team at “Y Byd”.
A prophet is very rarely welcome in his own country, but without the hard work, dedication and, more importantly, vision of the team at “Dyddiol Cyf”, the opportunity to have a daily Welsh language news service would have been lost.
I know that Dylan Iorwerth and Golwg will build on this vision and produce a service that is not only something Wales can be proud of, but also will be world class journalism at its best.
I am sure that many will wish Dylan Iorwerth, the editor of Golwg, every success in this new venture. It will not be an easy task, especially given that there will be many critics ready to haul him down, but I believe his vision of journalistic excellence combined with the accessibility of web-based technology can create a new dawn for Welsh language publishing.
Given the revival of the Welsh language over recent years, it is about time that the new ways of developing the culture and language of this nation were supported. That is not to say that the Assembly Government should avoid censure for their obfuscation regarding this issue.
Many were rightly disappointed at the decision by the Minister for Culture not to go ahead with the original plan to fund a printed Welsh language daily newspaper, especially given the time and effort that had gone into preparing the launch of “Y Byd” by the company “Dyddiol Cyf”, under the leadership of Ned Thomas.
In many respects, the decision by the government in rejecting Ned’s business plan was the media equivalent of refusing to give Airbus any financial support for new developments until Boeing had also been given the right to bid for the same government grants!
Despite last week’s decision, I still believe that this overall saga amounts to a cop-out by the Welsh Assembly Government and, despite the spin applied to the decision by press officers, is a broken promise from the One-Wales agreement. The amount awarded to developing a Welsh language news service is derisory when compared to the money wasted every year on projects that, despite their best intentions, do little to support the Welsh language and culture.
Many will not forget that millions of pounds of public money were spent on bailing out projects such as the Millennium Centre and the Botanical Gardens because of funding difficulties, although a printed Welsh language daily newspaper was rejected on the grounds of not being financially viable. Indeed, when the same logic of financial credibility was applied to this exciting new project which, like anything entrepreneurial, contained a certain amount of risk, the Assembly reverted to its usual ‘can’t do’ approach.
Any discussion on this issue cannot be complete without recognising the origins of the battle for a daily Welsh language newspaper. The heartfelt thanks of everyone in the Welsh nation must go out to Ned Thomas and his team at “Y Byd”.
A prophet is very rarely welcome in his own country, but without the hard work, dedication and, more importantly, vision of the team at “Dyddiol Cyf”, the opportunity to have a daily Welsh language news service would have been lost.
I know that Dylan Iorwerth and Golwg will build on this vision and produce a service that is not only something Wales can be proud of, but also will be world class journalism at its best.
Comments
My concern is whether the Golwg team is sufficiently clued up to accomplish this properly. I can't see that there is much track record here apart from print publishing the Welsh language Golwg which is nice enough but hardly something that has or is going to set the world alight.
Also as cardi bach says there needs to be a step change in the quality of writer or contributor - those with enough cojones - or nobody will engage with it.
I have a question about what all this money is going to be spent on? Is it for paying journalists, for a fancy website or what? Their office in Lampeter could certainly do with a makeover - maybe from the John Lewis catalogue?
I have another question about editorial independence. They are hardly going to bite the hand that feeds them are they.
Maybe you should write for them Dylan?
I am unconvinced that any media funded by a government can effectively fulfill that role - I don't believe the BBC is effective in that way.
Given the examples Dylan quoted, I believe there is a fair probability that the 600,000 will turn into bottomless pit and another millstone around tax payers' necks.