Cymdeithas yr Iaith is holding a National Assembly election debate about the Welsh language in Pantycelin Halls in Aberystwyth today.
‘Creating a million Welsh speakers is possible with a new active Welsh government’ campaigners will argue.
Here is the WalesOnline article:
Now, here’s the question: Native Welsh people who speak Welsh or people who speak Welsh in general? I believe it’s the first one option which is meant here (or I’m mistaken?).
And I like this part “Welsh-medium education for all” the most.
Oh, and @faithless78, no offence but here’s the direct link to the article: ‘Reaching a million Welsh speakers is within our reach’ Campaigners call for Welsh Government drive to bolster language The one you’ve posted is ready tweet for retweeting and you have to copy-paste the link from that tweet to actually reach the article (link is not clickable).
So now you have all …
Yeah, I was reading the article from Facebook and that was the link it gave me when I copied it! Don’t know why it was linked to Twitter, but hey! Technology eh??
Because that one who posted it has Facebook and Twitter connected together (just like I have) so if he/she posts on twitter the things are posted on Facebook too and oposite way. Then there’s a choice one can make on twitter whether they’d publish only pure tweets of their own or they’d publish also re-tweets and similar stuff.
I for one have set that I publish all - re-tweets and tweets. If FB publishing is within the range of 140 characters (including links you might publish) then you aren’t even aware on twitter that you actually read FB post and not tweet, however on FB the thing is a bit different and it’s always marked if the post comes from twitter or so especially if links and re-tweets are involved.
But, no problem, it’s not hard for me to put links here as I know sometimes technology can be tricky thing to handle. One tiny difference and you’re in another “area”. 
And a tip: If I’m on computer I always tend to test the links and where they actually point to before I pulish them. On tablets and phones I experienced this is very difficult to do so that’s why I so much hate posting anything from tablet if those are not my own writings and without links. Handling with this forum is hard in particular (at least my experience is such) but not because of SSi forum but because of software on its own.
OK … but this is another (off topic) story (again). Let’s see if one has the answer to my previous (on topic) question …
I think the total population of Cymru is only about 1.5 million. So I suspect the meaning is all, everywhere, but it would be good if 1 million actually in the country spoke it!!
3 million. ish.
absolutely 1 million ‘should’ be reachable. I would like to see if they could come up with any initiatives to promote the language abroad. Admittedly this would likely be mostly limited to people such as myself - Welsh heritage but the language has been lost. But how many millions more people like this are there around the world that may be encouraged to re-learn the language, and help grow it that way??
Not sure where else to put this! I heard that the Tory/DUP government has instructed the BBC to give some Licence Fee money to other channels to make new programmes for children. I heard no mention of S4C. If everyone on the Forum who lives in Wales wrote to their MP mentioning the Million Speakers project and asking for S4C to have a fair share of this money, it mught do some good! And letters to AM’s might help too! I have written to one Welsh MP who has been helpful in the past, but living in Yr Alban means I can do little else.
Edit:- @Deborah-SSi, @aran could this be mentioned in the n/l?
Do you have a reference for this @henddraig, so that people can read more about it and take action if they wish? If they do feel they want to write a letter about it, it would make a stronger case if they could make direct quotes from the source.
Government announces £60 million for children’s broadcasting… dated about 4 days ago. Can’t copy links on ipad. Will try tomorrow on laptop!
Here’s the link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/60-million-boost-to-uk-childrens-television
It does say this though:
"The fund is still in development, but would be available for content broadcast on commercial Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs), as well as for other free and widely available channels and on-demand platforms, and potentially also online.
The pilot is also aimed at stimulating greater variety in a market where the BBC is often the dominant buyer and broadcaster of children’s content. In 2016, the BBC accounted for 87% of all first run UK originated children’s programming by PSBs."
and then this:
The UK’s public service broadcasters are the BBC, ITV 1, Channel 4, Channel 5 and S4C.
So from what you’ve quoted there, it would appear that there is nothing to stop S4C getting a share to develop its children’s programmes.
That’s my understanding. Unless they count S4C in BBC percentages because it’s available through iPlayer. The above suggests otherwise to me
It also states that programmes from diverse backgrounds and the nations and regions will be of particular focus. If anything, to me that implies S4C will be at the forefront
Excellent news! Thanks for the research @AnthonyCusack. S4C has developed some brilliant children’s programmes so let’s hope we see some more.
I totally agree with all the above, as far as it goes. As reported in press and TV, however, S4C was not mentioned and it would not be the first time that it lost out. It seemed a good idea for those in Wales to ask their MPs to chase this up and ensure that S4C gets a fair share, especially when the Million Speakers Project is taken into account!
OK, I am of the generation that well remembers the amount of effort, protest, demonstrations and green paint required to get S4C in the first place. Maggie Thatcher promised and then backed off! Things may have changed, but I wouldn’t risk counting on that!
It wouldn’t surprise me if they just didn’t bother to mention S4C though. The press doesn’t always take Wales into account when they’re playing to a Britain-wide audience.
We need to be careful not to create battles though. I appreciate the history of Welsh language broadcasting, but below are two quotes from Right leaning newspapers reporting this initiative:
From the Times: "The money can be used to fund children’s programming on the four commercial public service broadcasters (ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 and S4C), and other “free and widely available channels and on-demand platforms”.
From the Express: “It follows a decline over the last decade in UK children’s TV output.Spending on the market by commercial Public Sector Broadcasters - ITV 1, Channel 4, Channel 5 and S4C - has dropped by £55million over the last decade.”
And one other website used Sam Tan as the photograph for the article.
Oh, true. Unforunately, the UK Government tends to behave likewise. Reminding them of S4C’s existence does no harm, surely? Especially when Scotland is difficult for them to ignore and the DUP is part of the Government, de facto! Also, as far as I can make out, there is no longer a Plaid Cymru member of the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport. Liz Saville Roberts will speak up for the language at Welsh Affairs Select Committee, but I’m not sure how often it meets and what other concerns may take precedence. Aran wanted ideas to help with the Million Speakers and a letter on S4C funding for children’s programming can be sent by e-mail, so not much effort, but some potential results.