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´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales today set out its initial plans for the forthcoming General Election.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ will help audiences examine the policies and manifestos of all the political parties across the UK through comprehensive and impartial coverage of the 2010 General Election.

There will be debates, analysis and special programming across TV and radio, and the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s extensive election website will provide in-depth, easily-accessible and up-to-date information on all policies and constituencies. The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s leading presenters and specialist editors will all play prominent roles throughout the election campaign.

On the election night itself, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ will deliver the most comprehensive coverage of any broadcaster. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ will be at every single count, providing comprehensive results coverage for ´óÏó´«Ã½ TV and radio, for local programmes, and for the election website.

In Wales, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales will be providing extensive coverage on TV, radio and online, as well as holding party leader election debates in both English and Welsh.

On ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Wales, Huw Edwards will be hosting the Election Night programme, joined by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales political editor Betsan Powys.

Adrian Masters and Sarah Dickins will present ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales's election coverage, with Garry Owen and Elin Gwilym broadcasting on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Cymru. Dewi Llwyd will be hosting the Welsh language coverage on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales-produced output on S4C, joined by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales's Welsh Affairs editor Vaughan Roderick.

The home of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales's election coverage online – bbc.co.uk/wales and bbc.co.uk/cymru – will provide extensive coverage and in-depth guides for the 40 constituencies around the country. The site will include constituency web pages containing unrivalled background material and up-to-date stories on the election as it happens.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales will be hosting debates in Flint, Welshpool, Pontardawe, Bethesda and Machynlleth giving the local community the opportunity to hear directly from their local representatives. It will also give them the chance to pose the questions about issues that directly affect them.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales has enlisted the help of groups across the country to interpret how General Election pledges may impact on them and their lives. Ranging from a belly dancing club in Clydach to a karate club in Wrexham, through an archive group in Denbigh and a community group in Cardiff where members speak 44 different languages, the groups will be commenting on their concerns and interests, and keeping viewers and listeners in touch with who they think is ahead in the election race.

Known as the Ten of Clubs in English and Dadl Deg in Welsh, 10 groups will be introduced on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales's English language services and 10 on the Welsh language services.

Mark O'Callaghan, Head of News and Current Affairs ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales, said: "´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales will be providing extensive coverage of the General Election across our TV, radio and online services – giving the Welsh audience all the information they need. Our content will guide voters across each of the constituencies, throughout the campaign – providing information about the issues that affect them directly. On election night itself, our experts will bring the results as they come in and will be on-hand to provide comprehensive analysis."

Notes to Editors

TV

Election 2010: Wales Debates from Flint and Welshpool on ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Wales on April 12 and 19.
Pawb a'i Farn election debates produced by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales on S4C from key constituencies of Bethesda, Machynlleth and Pontardawe on April 24, 30 and May 3
Election 2010: Welsh Leaders' Debate – with the four Welsh party leaders on ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Wales on May 2
A special Wales opt-out from Newsnight, Newsnight Wales, will follow the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Prime Ministerial debate, reporting full reaction from Plaid Cymru and other political parties in Wales
Two editions of the Daily Politics – Election Debates specifically for Wales on Wednesday, April 28 and Monday, May 3 – looking at devolution and the Welsh economy
Election Night Results programme presented by Huw Edwards on ´óÏó´«Ã½ One Wales, 9.55pm
Election Night Results programme presented by Dewi Llwyd on S4C, 10.00pm

Radio

Election Night results programme on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales with Adrian Masters and Sarah Dickins
Election Night results programme on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Cymru with Garry Owen and Elin Gwilym
Two election hustings programmes on Radio Cymru
Election tours around Wales for both Radio Wales and Radio Cymru from key constituencies

Online

Wales Election pages on bbc.co.uk/wales and bbc.co.uk/cymru
Dedicated web pages for all Welsh constituencies
Wales Live pages and Twitter feed throughout the campaign
Dedicated Welsh political blogs from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales political experts Betsan Powys and David Cornock in English, and Vaughan Roderick in Welsh

AF2/JW