50 Welsh language campaigners could be jailed over TV licences

UP to 50 Welsh language campaigners could face jail due to their refusal to pay their TV licences.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg has launched a campaign to devolve control over broadcasting to Cardiff Bay.

The pressure group want decisions over broadcasting to be made in Cardiff Bay to allow Welsh language services to be expanded, with around 50 understood to be taking part in the civil action.

But the pressure group has also expressed concerns over a ‘democratic deficit’ in Wales, accusing broadcasters of treating the nation as a region of England.

Heledd Gwyndaf, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, is one of the those who are refusing to pay their £147 a year licence fee until the powers are transferred.

Fully accepting she could face jail for her actions, she said: “We’ve had enough of a media which ignores the Welsh language and Wales’ democracy,” she said.

“It’s really encouraging that more and more people from every part of the country are taking a stand against a system which deprives us of a media which reflects Wales’ needs and aspirations”

S4C is currently answerable to the Westminster Government’s Department of Culture Media and Sport, which last year announced it was going to protect the channel’s funding.

But Cymdeithas want responsibility to be transferred from London to allow Welsh language services to be expanded, with the existing S4C Authority to become a Broadcasting Authority for Wales to replace current regulator, Ofcom.

Cymdeithas are also critical following the recent announcement of a brand new £30m BBC TV channel in Scotland, with no equivalent proposals in place for Wales.

The mother of three from Talgarreg in Ceredigion, added: “From the lack of Welsh language presence on commercial radio, local TV and the serious cuts to S4C to the lack of Welsh content in the media, it’s clear that London does not run the media for the benefit of the people of Wales.

“We need the decisions over the media in Wales to be made by the people of Wales. It’s time to devolve broadcasting.”

“It is also clear that Wales has a severe democratic deficit: the British broadcasters confuse people by reporting on all the decisions that affect England only.

“Now is the time to ensure that we in Wales control our media for the benefit of the language and all the communities of Wales.”

According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, they cannot respond to Cymdeithas’ comments due to the impending general election.

But in January, the UK Government said that a debate about devolving broadcasting is “inevitably” going to be part of the S4C review to be held later this year.

Such calls already enjoy the support of Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.

Welsh Government minister Alun Davies, responsible for the broadcasting brief, says he favours greater accountability – but not full devolution.