This is from a post that I put up in http://ctd.6.forumer.com

VLV - Voice of the Listener and Viewer - "represents the citizen and consumer interests in broadcasting. VLV is free from political, commercial and sectarian affiliations and supports the principles of public service in broadcasting. VLV does not handle complaints." Clearly they must be unaware of what a huge political issue broadcasting is in Wales - yet they are holding a conference here in Cardiff. Surely one of the things being discussed in this conference must be the TVWF Directive - "Television without Frontiers" - that is being considered by the European Commission. This could have a dramatic impact on broadcasting in Wales, and as a consequence upon Welsh-medium broadcasting, because companies from other countries could be broadcasting into Wales and they will be even less sensitive to our minority culture within Europe than they are to our minority culture within the UK. eg given the treatment of the Bretons, French broadcasters etc are unlikely to be sympathetic to us. Without the support of public broadcasting monies, Welsh will disappear from the airwaves because the advertisers know that we all speak English - after all they don't bother to label the food in Welsh even if some supermarkets do put up signs in Welsh to coax people inside to begin with.

Read about this sort of thing on their site - http://www.vlv.org.uk - or better still shell out £5 for students, £12 for individuals, £15 for volunteers and get a ticket from Linda.Forbes@vlv.org.uk ( 01474 352835 ) and go to this :

THE FUTURE OF BROADCASTING IN WALES : Radio, Television and Public Service in the Digital Age - Thursday 16th March 2006 - 09:30 ~ 16:00 - Committee Room 1, Glamorgan Building, Cathays Park Campus, Cardiff University.

Speakers - Aled Glynn Davies ( Editor, BBC Radio Cymru ) Julie Barton ( Editor, BBC Radio Wales ) Andrew Jones ( Community Radio Station Manager GTFM ) Huw Roberts ( Head of Public Policy, BBC Wales ) Prof. Elan Closs Stephens ( Chair, S4C ) Roger Lewis ( Managing Director, ITV Wales ) Rhodri Williams ( Director, Nations Wales, Ofcom ) Wyre Davies ( BBC Wales ) Amanda Powell ( News, New Media, BBC Wales ) Jenny Randerson ( Assembly Member ) Nick Speed ( Political Correspondant, ITV Wales ) Prof. Kevin Williams ( Swansea University ) Andy Carter ( Managing Director, Real Radio ) Huw Roberts ( Head of Public Policy, BBC )