S4C: 'clueless' Minister claim

ed-vaizey.jpgCymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg has called Culture Minister Ed Vaizey 'clueless' after hearing his evidence to MPs today.The Minister, who is responsible for S4C, admitted to the Welsh Affairs Committee he had never watched the channel and that there are no guarantees the channel will be funded after 2015.Bethan Williams, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, said:"It's amazing that someone so ignorant can be responsible for S4C. He's never watched S4C, never spoken to the leader of the Welsh Conservatives about it, hasn't asked for legal advice about the plans and didn't consult with anyone about a BBC takeover. He hasn't got a clue.""He was laughing so often, he obviously finds the situation amusing. It's not. The future of our only Welsh language TV channel hangs in the balance - a direct threat to the language itself. It faces cuts of over 40% in real terms; a takeover by the BBC; and powers in the hands of Westminster Ministers to get rid of S4C completely. It's a critical situation; that's why we are pleased that so many people have started to stop paying the TV licence. The Government is actually saving 94% of the money they used to pay to the channel, a completely unfair cut. And after 2015, there's no certainty of any money at all."It's also clear that the BBC are responsible for the problems - the Minister admitted that if the BBC had refused to use the licence fee, S4C would have received the same financial settlement without the threat to its independence. So, the BBC were extremely misleading when they claimed that they had 'saved' the channel."Cymdeithas yr Iaith is holding a series of public meetings - "S4C a'r Dyfodol" (S4C and the Future) - to dicsuss the way forward for the channel.