BBC Wales to invest £2million in five local online sites for WalesBBC Wales Controller Menna Richards today announced a £2 million 18-month programme to develop five local online sites across Wales - one at Wrexham which was already operating, and four others all to be brought into service by early 2003.
New jobs will be created by the venture, which will bring BBC Wales closer than ever before to the communities it serves.
In a keynote speech to the conference of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer in Cardiff, Menna Richards reminded the audience that the BBC had an increasingly vital role to play in the nations of the UK - Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
She said it had already invested heavily in a new digital service for Wales, developing online sites that would feature one of the most exciting digital projects in the whole of the BBC.
She forecast that in 10 years time the BBC would be more important than it is today because of market fragmentation - the commercial market would not be able to provide some of the services it had produced historically. More would be expected of the organisation, not less. It was underlined by the fact that some 35 million people in the UK tuned into the BBCs radio and television news services on September 11th.
She observed that the BBCs achievements were only possible because it was publicly funded. Additionally, a fortnight ago, it had launched two new digital channels for children, CBBC and CBeebies, driven by original UK production.
She said: "No other broadcaster plans to provide this type of quality, interactive, all-round education and entertainment for children. They will be subscription free - so no child will be deprived. They will offer unique programming, like a three times daily news service for children. And they will be totally advertising free - and parents wont find that anywhere on the commercial channels."
On Saturday 2 March 2 the BBC would also launch the service that allows everyone "a place to think" - the digital channel, BBC FOUR, she said. BBC Wales would be at its centre as a regular producer of programmes, to include next Sunday a screening of the Welsh National Operas production of Madam Butterfly.
Over the next weeks and months arts and music programmes from BBC Wales will form a regular contribution to BBC FOUR - transmitting artistic excellence from Wales throughout the UK.
Last November had seen the launch of BBC 2W, BBC Waless own digital service in response to demand from audiences for more programmes for and about Wales. The foregoing research had reflected what the viewers did and did not wish to see.
"They dont want introspection self-obsession or anything too Welshy as they put it. They want to see a Welsh dimension within our programming but they also want programmes that are as good as anything broadcast elsewhere. Viewers recognise that network TV services have neglected Wales in the past - and this is why were listening and responding to their demands for more programming about Wales," Menna Richards said.
In a world of increasing competition it was very important to be consistent and coherent, which was why BBC 2W was scheduled every weeknight for 90 minutes from 8.30 pm.
It was also worth remembering that the digital take-up in Wales, at 40%, was higher than the rest of the UK.
BBC Wales was also developing a partnership with Cardiff University and the University of Berkley, California in a pioneering initiative using digital technology, which at the same time created stronger links with communities - called digital storytelling - a central part of a new project Menna Richards was delighted to announce to the conference.
"Over the next 18 months BBC Wales will be connecting with the communities of Wales by launching five local online sites called Where I Live. These will be in the north-east, south-west, north-west, south-east and the middle of Wales.
She added: "These sites will include local news, information on events in the area and stories about local history - and the really exciting thing is that the people of each area will be contributing directly to the sites to give them the sense of ownership that is such an important part of the BBCs work in this day and age."
Wrexhams Where I Live site was already operating, with the local community contributing 50% of the site which, she said, was true collaboration.
Menna Richards explained that each site would also webcast short films made by members of the public called digital stories because they would use the latest digital technology.
Since last summer BBC Wales had been training volunteers from different backgrounds and geographical areas to make the stories. The results had been rich, varied and creative, with one important element in common - they gave a very personal insight into the lives of individuals of Wales. They were remarkable, she said.
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