Capital Radio North Wales is being abolished – but people are fighting back

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has called on officers of the commercial radio company Global Radio to reverse its decision to abolish Welsh language provision of Capital Radio North Wales, and has asked the regulatory authority for telecommunications, Ofcom, about its part in the decision.

Capital Radio North Wales: not going down without a fight

Global seems to have made the decision following the introduction of the Media Act (2024) by the parliament in Westminster last year. The new law abolishes any regulations on the content and formatting of commercial radio stations.

According to the organisation, this confirms the need to devolve powers over broadcasting from Westminster to Wales.

In the letter to Ofcom over Capital Radio North Wales, Carl Morris, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s Media Group, wrote:

As you are aware, the proper coverage of the nations and regions in the UK by broadcasting and media organisations is a key part of government policy, and a particular responsibility of Ofcom. So too is government support for the Welsh language across radio and other forms of communications.

We were therefore dismayed and deeply concerned to learn of Global’s plans.

The letter calls on Global not to continue with its intention and on Ofcom to stop such a decision because of its impact on the Welsh language and communities:

Capital provides Welsh-language provision and music to an audience that would not necessarily choose to listen to the BBC’s Welsh-language provision. Bringing it to an end would undermine the ideal of plurality in the Welsh medium broadcasting. In addition it will be a blow to local communities in north Wales, and lead to the loss of jobs and other opportunities. Your decision would therefore be extremely damaging, linguistically, on a community level and economically

Carl Morris added:

It is clear that neither politicians in Westminster or Ofcom are interested in the benefits of the Welsh language and our communities, and that the Welsh Government needs to get on with the plans to establish a Broadcasting and Communications Advisory Body for Wales as a first step towards the devolution of broadcasting.

Welsh language version

Mae Cymdeithas yr Iaith wedi galw ar swyddogion cwmni radio masnachol Global Radio i wrthdroi ei benderfyniad i ddiddymu darpariaeth Gymraeg Capital North Wales, ac wedi gofyn i’r awdurdod rheoleiddio ar gyfer telethrebu, Ofcom, am ei ran yn y penderfyniad.

Mae’n debyg i Global wneud y penderfyniad yn sgil cyflwyno Deddf Cyfryngau newydd gan Senedd San Steffan y llynedd, wnaeth ddiddymu unrhyw reoliadau ar gynnwys a fformatio gorsafoedd radio masnachol.

Yn ôl y mudiad, mae hyn yn cadarnhau’r angen i ddatganoli grymoedd dros ddarlledu o San Steffan i Gymru.

Yn y llythyr at Ofcom, ysgrifennodd Carl Morris, Cadeirydd Grŵp Digidol Cymdeithas yr Iaith:

Byddwch yn ymwybodol bod darpariaeth briodol ar draws cenhedloedd a rhanbarthau y Derynas Gyfunol yn rhan allweddol o bolisi llywodraethol, ac yn gyfrifoldeb penodol i Ofcom.
Felly hefyd mae cefnogaeth lywodraethol i ddarpariaeth Gymraeg ar y radio a’r cyfryngau yn ehangach

Rydym felly yn hynod siomedig a phryderus o glywed am gynlluniau Global.

Mae’r llythyr yn galw ar Global i beidio parhau â’i fwriad ac ar Ofcom i atal penderfyniad o’r math oherwydd ei effaith ar y Gymraeg a chymunedau:

Mae Capital yn dod â darpariaeth a cherddoriaeth Gymraeg at gynulleidfa na fyddai o reidrwydd yn dewis gwrando ar ddarpariaeth Gymraeg y BBC. Bydd yn tanseilio’r delfryd o blwraliaeth darlledu yn y Gymraeg. Yn ogystal bydd yn ergyd i gymunedau lleol yn ngogledd Cymru, ac yn arwain at golli swyddi a chyfleoedd eraill. Byddai’r penderfyniad yn hynod niweidiol yn ieithyddol, yn gymunedol ac yn economaidd.

Ychwanegodd Carl Morris:

Mae’n amlwg nad oes gan wleidyddion yn San Steffan nac Ofcom ddiddordeb ym muddiannau’r Gymraeg a’n cymunedau, a bod angen i Lywodraeth Cymru symud ymlaen â’r cynlluniau i sefydlu Corff Cynghori ar Ddarlledu a Chyfathrebu i Gymru fel cam cyntaf tuag at ddatganoli darlledu.

Featured image via the Canary