Welsh Language, Its Survival and the Role of Broadcasting

The first BBC broadcast from Cardiff took place in 1923. Since - more or less - then, the broadcasting industry has included Welsh elements. A national broadcasting sector in Wales emerged, with Welsh channels and BBC Cymro Wales (two televistion channels, three radio stations) being the main public service broadcaster there. There is also S4C, the only Welsh-language TV channel.

The public service broadcasting (PSB) model is built on channels with "a distinctive and strong Welsh flavour" and is "an important asset for the Welsh population". Welsh broadcasting is vulnerable to the changing patterns of media consumption taking place on a global level. The PSB's decline (due to the changes in broadcasting and the tougher environment) threatens the foundations of Welsh broadcasting. Digital platforms, video-on-demand, more choice and competition but also developments in audience patterns have changed the media landscape. Some criticise streaming services for hardly offering local content and point out the lack of cultural references and regional accents in Netflix programmes that are produced in the United Kingdom. As a consequence, Welsh lives and experiences are not represented. And the more the global perspective of streamers dominates, the more Welsh-language broadcasting will be marginalised (via). 

Quoting The Guardian:

One of Europe’s oldest languages will only thrive if its place on radio and TV is retained and its online presence greatly expanded. (...) Welsh has largely been a success story over the past 40 years, greatly helped by the launch in 1982 of S4C – a free-to-air television channel aimed at Welsh speakers. S4C was crucial in revitalising the language and making it relevant to a rapidly changing Wales. But how much longer will that be the case? (via)

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photographs of Richard Burton (The Villain, 1971) via

Epilepsy Misunderstood

In the 21st century, ancient myths about people with epilepsy are still believed. Most of the people affected are "normally intelligent" and can - or could - be integrated into the workplace easily. In addition, it is a neurological disorder that in many cases can be treated. Nevertheless, people with epilepsy are likely to be discriminated against. According to an Austrian survey among 2000 persons, 80.4% of Austrians are in favour of integrating children with epilepsy in school; in the Western neighbouring countries it is 90%. Only 47.8% would not mind their child marrying a person with epilepsy.



Comparing Austria with Switzerland is rather interesting ... and saddening. While in Switzerland about 4% believe that epilepsy is "a mental illness", in Austria the percentage rises to 10%. In Switzerland, only 2% of parents are concerned about their children playing with children who suffer from epilepsy; in Austria 11%.  In Switzerland, 5% of parents are strictly against their children marrying a person with epilepsy; in Austria 14%. A great many people still label the neurological disorder as "a mental illness". Particularly very young and elderly people have this perception. Among those over 70 years, one in five believe it to be a mental illness.
According to international studies, 0.5 to 0.8% of the population is affected by the neurological disorder. Translating percentages into figures means that in Austria between 35.000 and 70.000 persons are affected (via).
And Richard Burton? On Wikipedia, it can be read that he had "alcohol withdrawal seizures" which resembled epileptic seizures (via). According to other sources, he was said to equate epilepsy with madness and to have "cured" epilepsy with drink. However, since he did not really trust doctors and avoided them, there is no official diagnosis (via).



photographs of Richard Burton (1925-1984) and Ava Gardner (1922-1990) via and via