BBC audiences 'want modern Wales'

The BBC Audience Council for Wales also expressed "frustration" about how the Welsh assembly is sometimes reported by BBC network news programmes.

In its first annual review, the council praised the successes of programmes such as Doctor Who and Torchwood.

The council replaced the Broadcasting Council for Wales on 1 January.

The 11-member body was set up to represent the views of people in Wales to the BBC Trust, the corporation's governing body.

The review said it:

• Strongly supported a free-sat digital TV service to tackle the lack of access to digital TV in Wales
• Made sure that solving the problems of availability of digital radio in Wales were "high on the Trust's agenda."

  It said BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru were not available on DAB to half the population and an estimated 70% of Welsh-speakers can't get Radio Cymru.

• Highlighted the "importance for Wales" of the BBC's education services in Welsh and English and "expressed concern" over the BBC Trust's suspension of BBC Jam.



• "Voiced the frustration felt by many in Wales" that BBC network news "doesn't always report properly" on issues devolved to the Wesh assembly.
• "Strongly backed programmes that ensure that the UK sees and hears much more of modern Wales" in BBC network's output.

The council also gave its view of BBC Wales' performance, including the "significant successes" of BBC Wales-produced programmes such as Doctor Who and Torchwood.

Janet Lewis-Jones, national trustee for Wales and chair of the audience council, said she was grateful for the "immense amount the new council has so far done in 2007".

She said: "I now look forward to seeing the continuing successes resulting from the council's determination to ensure that the interests of audiences in Wales lie at the heart of all that the BBC does."

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