BBC Cymru Wales Annual Review 2007-2008
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BBC Cymru Wales Annual Review 2007-2008 24 Content 26 Controller’s Introduction 29 The Board of Management 30 Highlights across our services 48 BBC Cymru Wales on Network 54 Communities 56 Diversity and Partnerships BBC Children in Need BBC Welsh language scheme 58 Awards 2007-2008 60 Facts and Figures 62 Getting in touch with the BBC 25 Controller’s Introduction A rollercoaster election campaign, a Christmas Day blockbuster that entranced over thirteen million viewers, and a little boy who didn’t like piggies... There were many highlights in 2007, for the first time, a live texting but perhaps our coverage of the service from all the counts. Once Assembly Elections, the continued again, our coverage proved that success of Doctor Who and the audiences turn to the BBC for the extraordinary Coal House project stories that matter. More than 50% best embodied the ambition, scale of viewers and listeners told us that and success of so much of BBC they relied on BBC Wales’ election Wales’ output this year. coverage to keep them abreast of all the campaign developments. The Assembly elections were a real test of our journalistic mettle. Not While news remains at the heart content with an arduous campaign, of our public service in Wales, it the politicians then embarked on was a real thrill once again to see long weeks of intense negotiation BBC Wales engaging with millions before the final emergence of the of viewers across the UK through Labour-Plaid coalition. It was an the strength of our Network endurance challenge our journalists programming. Doctor Who relished across television, radio and returned for a triumphant third online – in both languages – and series and Cardiff continued to BBC Wales was the first to reveal bloom on Torchwood, with the that Labour was considering a deal alien investigators switching from with Plaid Cymru. BBCTHREE to BBCTwo. Both series attracted record viewing, There was innovation in our with Kylie Minogue’s Christmas Day coverage too – the ‘BBC Wales dalliance with the Doctor topping 60’ brought together a cross- the festive charts with more than section of our audience to debate 13 million viewers and a staggering and explore the key issues, and 52% of the audience. our comprehensive coverage on election night extended to S4C, It should have surprised nobody both our national websites and, that these twin successes would 26 not prove sufficient to sate the Coal House’s greatest triumph was In reality, broadcasting in Wales and creative appetites of executive the light it threw on the pressures across the UK is one continuous producers RussellT Davies and of family life today.We will return ‘change programme’ these days, Julie Gardner.And so in the early to the Coal House later in 2008. driven by our changing audiences autumn, a third element of the now and rapid technological development. global ‘Who’ franchise emerged - Sadly, BBC Wales also lost a dear The new BBC iPlayer download with The Sarah Jane Adventures friend in 2007, with the untimely service has already changed the debuting on the children’s channel and sudden death of Ray Gravell. way a significant portion of our CBBC. Predictably but magnificently, Ray was a public servant in audiences watch television, and it proved a huge hit with its young every sense. He enriched every digital switchover will be upon audience, and will return to the conversation he joined, he shared us all in a few short months. screens for a second series in 2008. his enthusiasms and prodigious talents generously, and he loved It can seem bewildering for In any other year, these his country and its people without many but I am confident BBC programmes might have condition. In the face of so much Wales is well placed for this new overshadowed all comers. But grief and sadness among his many digital landscape, so long as we this was the year when a tale of friends and colleagues at BBC continue to invest in the very three families who travelled back Wales, I would like to pay tribute best talent and ideas for our to 1927 to experience the realities to their resolute professionalism audiences. Far from fearing change, of colliery life hooked a nation. in reporting his death and the we are already setting the pace. Coal House was a phenomenon. Its extraordinary public commemoration After all, who would have thought ambition, its scale, its intimacy, its of his life at Stradey Park. that the three most popular sense of place and history: all these programmes on the BBC iPlayer ingredients were brilliantly blended The achievements of our teams during its first few weeks would by series producers, Indus Films. this year – in television, radio all be BBC Wales productions? and online – have taken place The on-screen drama at Blaenavon against an uncertain backdrop, Menna Richards was supported across our services, as the consequences of a lower with extensive radio and online than expected licence fee have Controller coverage and a wealth of resulted in a substantial internal BBC Wales supporting programming. It was change programme. It is to their proof, if it were needed, of the immense credit that they have audience impact that BBC Wales raised the creative bar yet again can generate when our services in such testing circumstances, come together to explore and and I would like to express my debate Welsh life.And in telling the sincere thanks for their relentless story of our shared history, perhaps energy and creativity. 27 28 The Board of Management 1 Menna Richards 1 6 Controller BBC Cymru Wales 2 Cathryn Allen Head of Broadcast Development 3 Rhodri Talfan Davies Head of Marketing Communications and Audiences 2 7 4 Jude Gray Head of Human Resources and Development 5 Clare Hudson Head of Programmes, English 3 8 6 Keith Jones Head of Programmes, Welsh and New Media 7 Mark O’Callaghan Head of News and Current Affairs 4 9 8 Gareth Powell Chief Operating Officer 9 Nigel Walker Project Leader: Change and Internal Communication 5 29 Highlights across our serv- ices Political stories play a key role in News output and coverage of the Assembly Election in 2007 was undoubtedly BBC Cymru Wales’ most ambitious and successful political venture to date. News broke several stories during the election campaign and there was keen audience participation in the television election debates around the country. Election night saw the most comprehensive Welsh results service ever, with television programmes on both BBC One Wales and S4C throughout the night and similar services on Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, Online and Arlein.Television news, using eighteen outside broadcasts, covered twenty-eight counts. Post election, News reported on that of the deaths of a number tone and language in all output. some of the most extraordinary of young people in the Bridgend In addition to the usual editorial and historic events in Welsh county borough.These disturbing discussions, News held briefings politics.They culminated in the events became increasingly with health professionals and One Wales coalition between controversial amid claims that a seminar in Cardiff on the Labour and Plaid Cymru which the media and journalists were coverage, organised with the was covered as breaking news implicated in the story.The BBC College of Journalism. and in live special programmes pressure for measured and on both radio stations and on responsible reporting was intense Another story from Wales which BBC One. News programmes and daily and weekly output made an impact across the world, continued to investigate and endeavoured to produce items was that of Ama Sumani, the report on events at the Senedd which reflected what had terminally-ill African woman who and in Westminster, with Betsan happened, while avoiding was removed from a Cardiff Powys’ and Vaughan Roderick’s sensationalism, investigating the hospital by immigration officials blogs adding an extra dimension wider implications of each tragic and sent back to Ghana because to coverage. case and providing links to her visa had expired.This account helplines.Throughout, BBC Cymru and Ms Sumani’s subsequent One of the most challenging and Wales kept in close contact with death, aroused strong emotions, sensitive stories of the year was Network News to discuss terms, with The Lancet calling the 30 1 removal “atrocious barbarism” and the Archbishop of Canterbury describing it as “humiliating”.This view was shared by much of the audience, who contributed to a fund for her treatment, though others questioned why British taxpayers should foot the bill. The first Week In Week Out special was a powerful story about a “transplant tourist” - a Welsh kidney patient who travelled to the Philippines to search for a live donor after spending more than four years on the UK transplant waiting list. This controversial report was picked up by other media and ran extensively on Network News and in local and UK newspapers. There was a magnificent response to If I Ruled Wales – an opportunity for people to put forward ideas that they would like to see made law under the Assembly’s new powers: banning plastic bags topping the poll.The Your Stories strand on Wales Today proved very successful, with one viewer’s tale of a community without broadband developing into a lead story on the programme as people across Wales told BBC Cymru Wales about the problem. 1 NiaThomas and Garry Owen 31 “News reported on some of the most extraordinary and historic events in Welsh politics. They culminated in the One Wales coalition between Labour and Plaid Cymru which was covered as breaking news and in live special programmes on both radio stations and on BBC One.” 32 The untimely death of Ray Gravell founder Simon Nixon.