LL-L "Language promotion" 2010.01.03 (02) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 03 January 2010 - Volume 02
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From: M.-L. Lessing <marless at gmx.de>
Subject: LL-L "Language promotion" 2010.01.02 (04) [DE-EN]

Very interesting, Sandy! I immediately wikipeded S4C and found this:


During the 1970s, Welsh language activists had campaigned for a TV service
in the language, which already had its own radio station, BBC Radio Cymru.
Both the Conservative and Labour parties promised a Welsh-language fourth
channel, if elected to government in the 1979 General Election.[8] Shortly
after the Conservatives won a majority in the election, the new home
secretary Willie Whitelaw decided against a Welsh fourth channel, and
suggested that, except for an occasional opt-out, the service should be the
same as that offered in the rest of the UK. This led to acts of civil
disobedience, including refusals to pay the television licence fee, thereby
running the risk of prosecution or even a prison sentence, and sit-ins in
BBC and HTV studios. Some took more extreme measures, including attacking
television transmitters in Welsh-speaking areas. In 1980, the former
president of Plaid Cymru, Gwynfor Evans, threatened to go on hunger strike
if the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher didn't honour its
commitment to provide a Welsh language TV service.[9] The channel started
broadcasting on 1 November 1982, the night before Channel 4's opening.


Wow! The Welsh seem to have been quite militant. I don't think you will see
such resolution, even violence among Plattspeakers... But all you write
sounds very good. Another question please: Wikipedia tells us there is
advertising on S4C. Is it profitable? Is Welsh activism -- or Welsh
conscience, or whatever you call it -- an economical factor (in the region)?
How many % of S4C's funding is advertising, do you have any idea?

Thank you!

Marlou

From: Sandy Fleming <sandy at fleimin.demon.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language promotion" 2009.12.29 (04) [EN]

Having seen the start and subsequent development of Welsh TV I do think
there is a big advantage in having a language represented on such a
passive medium.

Some of the history of Welsh TV as I remember it:

A new channel (C4) is introduced to the UK, and it's decided (I'm not
sure how) to make this into a Welsh-language channel called S4C (Sianel
4 Cymru) in Wales.

•

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