Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg has responded to the recent comments by BBC Wales boss Rhodri Talfan Davies about Welsh language broadcasting.

Greg Bevan, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg broadcasting spokesperson, commented: “This is the latest example in a series of what appear to be a pattern of cynical attacks by BBC managers on S4C and the Welsh language. We fear these minutes were not brought to public attention by coincidence or by accident. Our concern is that the BBC is trying to undermine S4C in order to justify further cuts to the channel in the near future. Naturally, releasing this one statistic about S4C’s audience, which doesn't take into account online growth, is going to raise concerns. But what are we to expect after the channel suffered massive cuts to its budget as a result of the dirty deal made by BBC bosses and the Tories in London back in 2010?

“There need to be alternative funding sources and frameworks for S4C and Welsh language broadcasting generally so more is invested in its programmes. With cuts of over 92% to the Government grant to the channel, it’s not a surprise that S4C is facing a challenge. Investment in Welsh language broadcasting needs increasing, rather than this path of further cuts, so S4C can take Welsh language programming to new platforms.”

He added: “We cannot trust the BBC. There are number of people very supportive of the language who do, and have previously, worked for the corporation, but there is a structural problem which prevents the growth and development of Welsh language services there. A new multimedia Welsh language broadcaster, free of the BBC, needs to be established.”