BBC Audience Council Wales audience outreach event with members of the Maesgeirchen, Wednesday lunch club, Ysgol Glancegin,Bangor

This was one of a series of events arranged by the Council to gather the views of audiences on the BBC’s national radio stations in Wales and its provision of news of Wales. This is in preparation for the BBC Trust’s forthcoming Service Review of the BBC’s output aimed specifically at the devolved nations. The event was initially arranged through the good offices of Gwynedd Communities First Team and took place thanks to the kindness of Ysgol Glancegin’s staff. The discussion took place in two groups; one in Welsh and the other in English.

Radio

A number of those present listened to Radio Cymru, with the Saturday night and Sunday schedules particularly popular. The late weeknight show on Radio Cymru was also popular. One participant said that she sometimes listened to BBC Radio Merseyside, since she liked to keep up with what was going on in that area and another said that she occasionally listened to commercial radio station Heart FM since it provided background music while she was doing housework.

Television

Drama, and period drama in particular, was very popular amongst those present, with the other key genre being quiz programmes. Specific drama mentioned included Poldark, Jamaica Inn and Downton Abbey. Popular continuing drama included Pobol y Cwm, Casualty and Holby City. Amongst the favourite quiz programmes were Mastermind and University Challenge.

The Sunday evening drama strand was very popular with some, with Gwaith Cartref and Parch mentioned as having been very enjoyable. Other popular Sunday night programmes included Songs of Praise and Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol.

Another popular genre was the BBC’s wildlife and countryside programming, with Iolo Williams and Derek Brockway being popular presenters. Countryfile was mentioned by a number of participants as an appointment to view with the programme’s weather forecasts considered to be particularly good.

BBC Sport was also considered a cut above other broadcasters with one participant saying “It just isn’t the same on non-BBC channels” though there was a welcome for the recently announced BBC/ITV partnership to broadcast the Six Nations Rugby Tournament. As one participant put it, “far better for the BBC and ITV to be in partnership than for coverage of the tournament to be lost to pay-to-view broadcasters”. The BBC’s coverage of cultural events was appreciated by a number of those present with the recent BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition having been enjoyed greatly.

News and Current Affairs

A significant proportion of the discussion was taken up by news and current affairs with a high proportion of the participants relying heavily on the BBC for their daily news. When asked about other sources of news, none of those present bought Fleet Street newspapers and only a small number bought or received free local newspapers. The exception was the local ‘papur bro’ with some of the participants buying more than one of these local Welsh language newspapers, and Y Goriad and Llais Ogwan were mentioned specifically. The Bangor Chronicle was popular amongst those who received it, and its coverage of local children and their achievements praised.

Some relied on the BBC’s Twitter news service to stay abreast of news on their mobile phone and praised it for its timeliness.

The BBC produced Newyddion on S4C was praised for its mix of local, national, British and international news, and the presenters were considered to be both authoritative and informal.

Some felt that news could be too sensationalist, but the BBC Breakfast News was considered to be a good example of a news programme that balanced positive and negative stories in its output. However, it was felt that this programme – along most other BBC Network News programmes – failed to give enough attention to news stories from Wales, and that it would be good if the Wales bulletins during the programme lasted a bit longer.

BBC Wales Today was thought to be good on the whole, and while some felt it lacked in its coverage of north west Wales, others recognised that the more populated areas of Wales were bound to generate a higher number of news stories.

The BBC’s coverage of the recent UK General Election at both UK-wide and national level was considered to have been good, with the Leaders Debates having been enjoyed, and considered informative, by a number of those present.

BBC Wales’ Week In Week Out programme was considered essential viewing by many and praised for exploring difficult subjects. As one put it – “It shows life as it is – and often isn’t an easy watch”.

General issues

The iPlayer was used by some participants to catch up on TV programmes they had missed when first broadcast.

The participants were concerned at the recent UK Government announcement that the BBC would in future be responsible for funding the TV Licences of those people over 75 years old and said that they would be very willing to pay the licence fee since they considered the Licence Fee to be very good value.