21st August 2007
The deconstruction of Britain
My threat to place myself at the mercy of the local magistracy for non-payment of my TV license has provoked the usual torrent of gentle chiding and downright abuse (the prize goes ‘a view from Penarth’ for ‘what a bankrupt shower our Welsh nationalists really are’ - not much room for agreement there) but it has spurred on a necessary debate. Which was the point, of course. Republicanos attacks it as yet another gimmick - but modern political communication is all about finding new and compelling ways of encapsulating political arguments. In government, when you have the entire machinery of power at your disposal, this is relatively straightforward - Alex Salmond could announce a commission on Scottish broadcasting and it was instant headline news. In opposition you have to be more creative and this often means the language of political protest which has been a rich part of our tradition in Wales. I doubt if Meredydd Evans or any of the other members of Plaid Cymru who refused to pay their TV licenses a quarter of a century ago felt as if they were engaging in ’student politics’. They were actually engaging in politics, full stop: ideas, debate, action.
Nobody has tried more than me to engage with the UK media and, at times, I achieved some success - Mittal, Iraq, ASW etc. Over the years, however, I noticed that UK journalists were simply not interested in stories with an overtly Welsh angle. As Peter Black argues, maybe the BBC are not the worst offenders in this regard - but, as a public service broadcaster financed in equal measure by Welsh license fee payers, we should expect better from them in any case. The position as regards drama production within the BBC has improved massively since the appointment of Julia Gardner as Head of Drama at BBC Wales and now Controller of Drama Commissioning for the BBC as a whole. Not only is there more drama production ion Wales as a result (Doctor Who, Life on Mars etc) but Welsh stories, Welsh accents, Welsh locations are beginning to break through into the mainstream (Gavin and Stacy, Torchwood).
If only the same could be said for factual programmes and news and current affairs. David Dimbleby’s sumptuous series on “How We Built Britain” devoted an entire programme to Scotland, and even managed to cross the border to the Republic of Ireland - but hardly mentioned Wales at all (apart from a brief reference to the Menai suspension bridge). Maybe I mention this because Question Time itself is symptomatic of metro-centric attitudes to Wales: don’t allow too many Welsh politicians or too many Welsh questions on the programme in case they switch off in Hampstead.
The ‘Britain’ which Dimbleby admires from his Landrover no longer exists. It’s a fiction perpetuated by the BBC to hide the real ‘Britain’ where political power has been devolved but cultural and economic power remains steadfastly the preserve of the metropolis. And it’s not just me, saying that, but the outgoing Labour leader in Scotland, Jack McConnell. Maybe Labour in Wales should listen - if they want a political future, for themselves and for ‘Britain’ - whatever that now means.
3 Responses to “The deconstruction of Britain”
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alanindyfed says:
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:30 pm
“‘Britain’ - whatever that now means”
There is no Great Britain, only Greater England.
There is a Britain in name only, and the label “British” is meaningless, particularly to the people of Scotland and Wales, though many believe in it.
I have just written on this in my blog:
(Independence Cymru)
http://alanindyfed.blogspot.com/
“The Argument for Ending the Union”
Iago ap Steffan says:
September 10th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
I totally agree with this. I watch the UK news nearly everyday and have noticed that even though Wales has now got devolved powers, it is rare to hear about Wales. It is always English schools, hospitals, etc; why would this interest Welsh, Scottish or Irish viewers, yet we have to watch it. Where is Wales on the news? It bores people? Well their stories which don’t include us bores me; but something needs to change. Devolve broadcasting to the nations so that we can have our own 1, 6 and 10 o’clock news, kind of like Neweddion ar S4C.
ryanmt says:
September 12th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I agree with you in regards to Broadcasting as a whole. The BBC does have a new system of governance now and we heard recently about the overwhelming complaints from the BBC Wales Audience Panel. The real challenge will be how to get other Broadcasters, BSkyB etc to give better coverage of Wales.