BBC Radio Wales coverage of Swansea City matches

Hi everyone, I haven't posted for a while but I've been reading what you all have to say about the goings on this fantastic season. Despite us having a fantastic season Radio Wales doesn't broadcast Swansea games anywhere in Wales save the Swansea area. I live in Pembrokeshire and as I run my own business it's often hard to get back to Swansea for the matches and when I'm on the road I often tune in to hear the match only to end up hearing coverage of Cardiff. I find it so short sighted that BBC Wales are broadcasting Cardiff in the West when Swansea is in South West Wales and Cardiff in the East. Anyway, I sent in a complaint to the BBC about this and here is my complaint and they're reply. I'm yet to reply to the BBC yet but I'd be interested to hear what you all say and think before I do reply.

My Complaint

Feedback Summary - The poor and biased coverage of football in Wales.

Feedback Description - Before Swansea City were promoted to the Premiership I was astounded by the lack of coverage given to them by BBC Wales and the amount of coverage given to Cardiff City. I was perplexed that Cardiff would be given priority even in Swansea City's promotion season. I expected though that this would change on Swansea City's promotion to the Premier League but unfortunately I was wrong yet again.

Today while traveling through Pembrokeshire I expected to be able to listen to coverage of my football team on Radio Wales but alas the BBC had deemed Huddersfield vs Cardiff City of far greater importance than Swansea Vs QPR in the Premier League. I was infuriated when the presenter kept on announcing that coverage of the Cardiff game was being broadcast all over Wales except for in the Swansea area. What reason and thinking can be behind broadcasting a lower league match to the whole of Wales and only broadcasting the only Premier League team in Wales' to the Swansea area. Considering the Premier League is a global brand which is known world wide surely it makes sense to broadcast the most high flying team in Wales at the time? Unfortunately for the Cardiff fans at BBC Wales Swansea is that team at the moment and Swansea deserves decent coverage. I've even tuned in when there is no Cardiff game on to listen to Swansea commentary while traveling to find that BBC Wales has snubbed Swansea again to broadcast a Welsh Premier League game. I await your response and hope to hear your remedy.


The BBC's reply

Dear Mr Anthony,



Thank you for your message regarding our coverage of Swansea City. Please be assured that your concerns were noted and brought to the attention of the editorial team.



In a deal with the Premier League and Swansea City, BBC Radio Wales has rights to broadcast every one of the team's Premier League games on FM in the Swansea area.



The Swansea area is covered by the Carmel, Kilvey Hill and Varteg Hill transmitters. Unfortunately, we've had to restrict our coverage beyond this, so listeners in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and southern Gwynedd will now receive our choice of the day's games that we have rights to broadcast across Wales.



We're able to broadcast Swansea City games across Wales when the BBC national rights holder, BBC Radio 5 Live, is also covering that match live across the UK.



Finally, Carling Cup and FA Cup games are covered by separate deals so we will take a decision on where we broadcast those matches, in addition to the Swansea area, on a case by case basis.



I hope this clarifies the situation somewhat.



Whether it’s positive or negative, audience feedback is very valuable to us and helps us make decisions about future editorial decisions. I would therefore also like to assure you that I have registered your complaint on our internal report of audience feedback, which we compile for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC and their senior management. It ensures that details of your complaint are available for consideration across the BBC.



Thank you again for taking the trouble to contact us.



Yours sincerely,

 

They make no mention of whether or not they TRIED to acquire broadcasting rights for the Swans across Wales. If they did, what was the reason they failed? Was it cost? If so, how much was involved?

It has always been the case that the BBC make a token effort in situations like this because they are not that fussed about covering the Swans anyway. Had it been their beloved Cardiff City, no effort, or expense, would have been spared to make sure that their games were inflicted on the rest of us.

 

Yep spot on whats the betting that if Cardiff make the Prem next season, their games will still be broadcast all over Wales as the BBC would have aquired the rights to do so

 

They can transmit across the whole of Wales any redtit game but we're restricted to three transmitters & only when 5 live are broadcasting our game
will the rest of the Principality be able to listen to the game .if you think it's bad now wait until the tits go up

 

I know Bonymaen. It's ridiculous, I'm going to be making a point about that in my reply.

If anyone can think of any points regarding this complaint they'd like me to put across then just post here and I'll try and voice your opinions.

 

I could but it would be slanderous , good luck but don't hold your breath

 

Hi The Union Jack. Im from Swansea I thought Swansea sound broadcast matches live, not sure if you can receve S/Sound down in Pembroke, but as you say there seems to be only 1 team in Wales and that aint us its the red robins up the RD. So if they do go up it will be all cardiff on tv & radio which is all wrong

 

It's a matter of pleasing the masses I guess. It's not always right but it's how the media works.

 

Well all I can say i their easily pleased

 

I thought with you guys it was a matter of pleasing the Malaysians, not the masses

 

TUJ well done for pulling them up on this, but your wasting your time, if you want to register a complaint, then go to your MP, and put the farce to him, clearly if the BBC can broadcast the Redtits on all transmitted then they can do the same for Swansea, it's a political editorial decision, and nothing else, they simply do not want to promote Swansea the same as Kairdiff, so don't wast your time with the BBC, put the facts to your Local MP!...............

 

The cardiff based editorial team at the beeb are all cardiff fans methinks

 

Amateurs the lot of them

A mate worked at the BBC for a while and he was telling me how they got all their sports news by watching Sky Sports News. Also how Cardiff City gave those same journalists free season tickets.
That's all they are concerned about too the Cardiff based media are an absolute joke.
Personally I couldn't care less what they think. I do feel sorry though for people who can't get coverage of our games because of the pathetic biased attitude of BBC Cardiff. To be fair I do know a few genuine Cardiff fans that are really embarrassed by things like this, they feel that with attitudes like this then the general bad feeling between both sets of fans will not change.

Perhaps we should tell then to get stuffed and from Wales only let the local press inside the stadium, along with the national media (Sky etc of course).

 

The point has been made above, how hard did they try to acquire the right to broadcast the Swans games across Wales - not very I would suggest. If we make Europe next season then these probably wont feature on Radio Wales either!

 

Kevin

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Radcliffe should be banned from commenting on Swans matches. Talks ****e in a high pitched scouse whinge.

 

I think the 2 points to focus on - are 1. like you said, this was the case whilst we were in the championship too... 2. ask them what their response will be next season if the blurbs are premier league too and are broadcast in the same way...