Devolution of broadcasting powers gets cross-party support

Whether more powers over broadcasting should move from Westminster has been a debating point for decades

Calls for more powers over broadcasting to be devolved to Wales have been backed unanimously by a cross-party Senedd inquiry.

The Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee's report says Wales should have more say on how broadcasting is funded and regulated.

The report makes 10 recommendations to "materially improve" media in Wales.

Committee chair Bethan Sayed said Wales currently lacks "the media it needs to function as a successful nation".

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Ms Sayed said people in Wales "don't have the provision of news and current affairs that Wales needs and other areas - such as children's content, comedy and drama - are also underrepresented, meaning we do not see ourselves reflected on our screens".

"The growth of global streaming giants has brought a boom to productions made in Wales, but it has done little to increase programming that portrays the lives of the people of Wales specifically," she said.

"The committee agrees that Wales needs more power over broadcasting, to ensure that we can develop the media we need as a nation; some favouring the full devolution of broadcasting powers to the Senedd, and others more limited new powers in specific areas."

Streaming giants have done little to increase the portrayal of people's lives in Wales, Bethan Sayed says

The 10 recommendations include:

• Enhanced broadcasting responsibilities for the Senedd and Welsh government, with the Welsh government, UK government and regulator Ofcom setting out how the provision of media content for audiences in Wales can be improved

• The Welsh government should establish an ongoing central fund to support news journalism, with arms-length delivery and accountability to secure impartiality

• While the current arrangements remain, an independent funding commission should be established with distinct Welsh representation, with decisions by such a body seeking consent from representatives of all UK nations

• The UK government should devolve powers over S4C and other public service Welsh language broadcasting matters to Wales

• A requirement for the Channel 3 licence (held by ITV) in Wales to produce a greater proportion of network content in Wales, and an enhanced role for the Welsh government in setting the terms of the next Wales Channel 3 licence

• The BBC should provide a better forum for the views of audiences in Wales to be gathered and contribute to the development of BBC policy

The report also calls for UK ministers to regulate global streaming services to "strengthen the public service media ecosystem".

Such regulation could include levies to fund public service content, or requirements to carry public service content, the committee says.

The report and its recommendations are due to be debated by Senedd members on 24 March.