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This appointment has been made in response to the call by the National Assembly’s Communities and Culture committee in their report on Public Service Broadcasting for an independent review of the Welsh Assembly Government’s activities in the field of creative industries.

The review will include a broad exercise of market sizing, the market opportunity for Wales for all segments of the creative industries sector, consideration of the Welsh Assembly Government’s internal and external linkages, skills and a review of the IP fund.

Professor Hargreaves will be seconded part-time from his current position as Strategic Communications Director at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to undertake the review.  His previous appointments include Editor of the Independent, editor of the New Statesman, deputy editor of the Financial Times and director of BBC News and Current Affairs.  Professor Hargreaves is also a former director of the Centre for Journalism Studies at Cardiff University.

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said:

“I am very pleased to welcome Professor Hargreaves and look forward to supporting this review of our creative industries in Wales. Today’s announcement marks another big step forward in delivering our vision of a vibrant economy with opportunities for all – one in which creative business in Wales will play a major role. We must continue to invest in the future of our creative industries – potentially one of the most successful and fastest-growing sectors of our economy.”

Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones added:

“With a wealth of experience of the media both in Wales and beyond, Professor Hargreaves’ insight will allow Wales to derive the most benefit from this vital sector

Other recommendations made by the Communities and Culture committee which were also accepted, included:

• Procuring expert advice to review whether more could be done to maximise the potential of the creative industries to the Welsh economy.
• That Ofcom holds the main PSB providers to minimum targets of network output from Wales of 5%.  The Welsh Assembly Government also believes that the BBC’s commitment to deliver 17% of network programming in the nations by 2016 should be brought forward to 2012.
• Working with Ofcom and the UK Government to ensure that DAB is available across 90% the whole of Wales, and that BBC Wales services are available on DAB throughout 90% of Wales, before the analogue signal is switched off.  The Welsh Assembly Government has already made it clear that one of the fundamental criteria driving digital radio switchover should be that the coverage in Wales is no less than that in the rest of the UK.
• Working with broadcasters and independent producers, to work with the BBC in developing a creative hub for media – a ‘Media Capital’.  The Assembly Government welcomes the announcement that the BBC is considering establishing a "drama village" in Wales and relocating Casualty to South Wales.  A major production centre such as this would help to develop a sustainable production base in Wales.  

The Heritage Minister continued:

“The Welsh Assembly Government has consistently referred to the importance of plurality in English language television in Wales as a key aspect of meeting the needs of viewers in Wales. Because of the relative weakness of the print media in Wales it is even more important that public service broadcasting provides a comprehensive news service from more than one perspective.   We have also stressed the importance of plurality in general programming aimed at Welsh viewers.

“The Welsh Assembly Government stressed the importance of plurality of programme supply both in our response to the Ofcom review of public service broadcasting and in responding to the draft Digital Britain report. More recently we made clear our concerns about the latest restructure of ITV Wales with regards to the erosion of ITV Wales’ independence and programme-making capacity.  We fully agree with the Committee’s view that Wales needs a strong independent voice in broadcasting to provide a counterbalance to the provision of programmes by BBC Wales.”

On the issue of the establishment of a Welsh Media Commission, the Minister said:

“The Committee’s proposal in relation to the establishment of a Welsh Media Commission is dependant in the main on resources being made available by the UK Government. That has not happened.

“We continue to believe that the establishment of a Wales Media Commission, as suggested by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Broadcasting Advisory Group, would be the most effective means of responding to the needs and interests of viewers in Wales.”

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