Students asked for views on Welsh broadcasting

Students from Gower College Swansea recently enjoyed a lively discussion with members of the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee.

The Gorseinon Campus hosted the roundtable meeting between learners and Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Swansea West; Stephen Crabb, Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire; and Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion.

The Welsh Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into broadcasting in Wales. It has a broad remit that includes such topics as how to ensure a successful and dynamic broadcasting sector in Wales; the future of public service broadcasting, and the place of free-to-air sports broadcasting in Wales.

The aim of the recent meeting at the College was to examine the role of Welsh broadcasting as seen from the perspective of young people. First up was a presentation on how select committees work. This was then followed by small group discussions on the broadcasting in Wales inquiry which was led by the MPs.

The aim of the day was to hear a wide range of perspectives and experiences around broadcasting in Wales, which will help shape the Committee’s thinking as they progress with this inquiry. The students, from a range of A Level and vocational courses including law, English, government and politics, and creative media, were encouraged to talk about their own experiences of both traditional and online media.

“Gower College Swansea students gave a clear picture of how young people consume lots of media alone which can have implications for family cohesion and social skills,” says Geraint Davies MP.

“What came out of the discussion was a demand for homegrown content like the recent In My Skin, and the dangers of becoming addicted to social media channels such as TikTok which can reinforce rather than broaden views and experiences.

“It’s important that the Government listens to these voices, supports local media production, and helps young people to thrive in an environment that provides reliable information as well as responsible entertainment.

“It was a joy to spend time with these students and their feedback will make such a difference to our inquiry.”