´óÏó´«Ã½ in the news, Tuesday
| 08:47 UK time, Tuesday, 17 October 2006
The Guardian: "The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is to increase its spending on Welsh-language programmes for S4C by £3m in the run-up to digital switchover in Wales in 2009." ()
The Times: Reports that a ´óÏó´«Ã½ executive has mocked claims that website clips (such as those found on YouTube) will replace television. ()
Comments
I wouldn't be surprised that a ´óÏó´«Ã½ executive mocked YouTube. If everyone stopped watching television, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ would go broke due to lack of licence fee payers.
Hijab is a personal issue, and a spiritual quest for those who choose to adopt! so leave us alone.
Why waste money on welsh programs? I don't get the welsh thing. Lets ne honest here what purpose does the welsh language serve?
None because eveyone in wales speaks english, there isn't a single person whos only langauge is welsh or even a person whos first language is welsh in Wales. And outside of Wales nobody in the world speaks it. So why is tax payers money being wasted teaching welsh to high school kids who could be spending the same time learning a worthwhile langauge like French or German or Spanish.
And so why waste license payers money on Welsh TV? We don't need it, its pointless. Stop the policially correct crap and spend licsense/tax payers money on things that are actually worthwhile.
Sam:
What purpose does the Welsh language serve? Well, for starters, its serves as a very useful and meaningful communication tool among Welsh speakers. It has been the cultural cornerstorne of the Welsh for centuries (the Eisteddfod is, essentially, a celebration of the language as a symbol of Welshness), surviving manifold attempts to eradicate it since the conquest of 1282. As a Welshman (but admittedly, a poor Welsh speaker) I am insulted and surprised to see somebody actually expressing this opinion.
A few facts for you.
Welsh is spoken by plenty of people in Wales - serving as the FIRST language for many (your claim that nobody speaks Welsh as their primary language is both gross and ignorant: at least 69% of Gwynedd are fluent and primarily Welsh speakers).
The number of people speaking Welsh in Wales has increased - 582,000 according to the 2001 census, compared to 503, 500 in 1991. Welsh is now a compulsory language in all schools in Wales, so this fgure will continue to rise.
The demand for Welsh media will also increase as the number of speakers grows.
There is now more employment opportunities for Welsh speakers, providing greater motivation for Welsh kids to learn.
And finally (although this list is not nearly exhaustive enough) Welsh speakers pay their license fees therefore, by rights, they deserve to have the choice of Welsh-language programming.