成人快手 funding switch to Wales call to avoid TV 'crisis'

Image caption, The IFA said 成人快手 Wales' output has fallen by 18% since 2003

A think tank is calling for the 成人快手 to redistribute funding to allow for a better English-language television service in Wales.

The Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) is calling for an immediate cash injection of 拢5m to improve the service.

It claims English-language television in Wales is "in crisis" following the reduction of ITV Wales' output and cuts at the 成人快手.

Neither the 成人快手 centrally or 成人快手 Wales would comment on the IWA's call.

The IWA's call comes in a report in response to the 成人快手's current strategy review which has attracted publicity for threatening cuts, including the closure of 成人快手 6 Music, the Asian Network and half of the corporation's websites.

'Greater equity'

The IWA, chaired by former 成人快手 Wales Controller Geraint Talfan Davies, argues that ITV Wales' output in English has "collapsed" and that of 成人快手 Wales has fallen by 18% since 2003.

It says the 成人快手 spending should be "re-balanced" by halting cuts in 成人快手 Wales and switching 拢5m to Wales to fund an additional two hours of new programming a week.

The IWA's report says 成人快手 Wales' 拢23m English-language TV budget should progressively grow to around 拢40m to provide better provision in drama, music, arts, factual and light entertainment programming.

It insists, however, that it is not demanding a bigger licence fee, but a "re-balancing" of spend within the 成人快手's current income.

It said: "This re-balancing should be achieved over a three-year period by halting the present budgetary cuts within 成人快手 Wales, and beginning with a switch of not less than 拢5m into Wales to allow for an additional two hours per week of new programming.

"The 成人快手 should continue to enhance its contribution to Welsh culture and society, and has a particular obligation to do so, now that ITV Wales output has collapsed."

Radio coverage

The report says the 成人快手 "must provide an English-language service that delivers demonstrably greater equity between the two languages in Wales".

It also calls for urgent action to ensure that Radio Wales and Radio Cymru enjoy the same transmission coverage in Wales as the 成人快手's UK services.

It says Radio Wales gets to only 62% of the audience in FM and less than 50% on DAB. UK services have 88% of coverage.

The 成人快手 Trust said: "We are not going to comment on individual responses to the strategy review consultation. All responses to our consultation will be taken into consideration."