Welsh newspaper firm to continue

The newspaper was to have launched last March

Shareholders in a company which wants to set up the first daily paper in Welsh have voted to keep it going.

The decision was taken at Dyddiol Cyf's annual general meeting in Aberystwyth on Saturday following a postal vote.

A year ago the company abandoned a plan to publish Y Byd (The World) saying it did not have enough financial backing.

After the vote, Dyddiol Cyf's chair Ned Thomas said: "The result is evidence of the strong support that exists for quality journalism in Welsh."

In a statement issued after the meeting, the company said 85% of shareholders had cast their vote to continue trading.

Other options of winding up the company or to continue operating on a low key were rejected by most of the members.

Unambiguous result

Instead the company "is to remain active, campaigning and preparing to publish a multi-platform newspaper when this becomes possible".

"The most important thing of all was to get a clear and unambiguous result like this," said Mr Thomas.

"We shall now be writing to all our shareholders, re-establishing our office and website and renewing contact with our supporters' club.

Last February the company said it was abandoning plans to set up Y Byd, which was to have launched on 1 March, St David's Day.

Last May the assembly government decided to award the £200,000 grant to Golwg, the Welsh language weekly news magazine, to help them provide a news service in Welsh both in print and on the internet.

Dyddiol Cyf had hoped to get £1m in financial backing to set up the newspaper.