The Intermittant Blogger

Back to the keyboard - after missing a day. A few more missing days coming up before Xmas. Long day yesterday, down in the Welsh Capital for the Annual Care Conference for Wales 2009, held at the Millennium Stadium. Health related subjects are taking an increasing amount of my time. So much to learn. And then it was up to the BBC at Llandaff to learn a bit more about the role that is and should be played by the BBC. I'd asked for a briefing to aid the development of my opinion. I used to enjoy having a bit of a kick at the Beeb from time to time, but the fun's gone now that everyone's at it. When Labour's 'Culture Minister, Ben Bradshaw decided to put the boot in recently, I knew it was time for wise people to stop.

I've always thought that the BBC is more important to Wales than she is to the rest of the UK. Her responsibilities are much more complex - because Wales is a bilingual country. And because Wales is a nation, rather than a region - with its own devolved Government. And the 'regional' content provided by independent broadcasters is fast disappearing. This matters to a 'nation'. So pruning BBC Wales, to allow space for 'independent' regional English Language production doesn't seem attractive to me. So from now on, I'm going to become a cheerleader for BBC Wales - within reason anyway.

While I was at Broadcasting House, I was able to contribute to tribute programmes in memory of Patrick Hannan, who died so suddenly earlier this week. Caught up with a few friends not seen for a while, as a few of Patrick's regular guests had been rounded up to do the same thing. Met George Wright (first time for 20 years), Helen Mary Jones, and sister Myfanwy (all of us ex-Caereinion High School in Montgomeryshire), Siobhan McClelland and Mike German. No idea which clips will be used, but I hope its me saying how much I enjoyed being interviewed by Patrick. He was always able to give an historical perspective to an event, and was able to make links between issues that gave context. He was gentle, yet tough and competitive. But he never wanted to humiliate his guests. It was enough to win the argument. I reckoned that the degree of aggressiveness he adopted was proportional to his judgement of his guest's ability to cope. He wouldn't have liked being referred to as the 'media star' he certainly was.

Been up to Liverpool today, on 'care' business, so struggling for time. Every bit that's spare has been devoted to practising going through two Welsh Language scripts I'm reading tomorrow morning. One is for a podcast about the life of another 'media star' Wynford Vaughan Thomas, and for a 'guide' around the Wynford 'trail' beginning at his Memorial, near Staylittle. One is for the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, and the other for the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales. I'm hoping to adopt a Wigley-esque, or even a Burton-esque tone by dropping my voice an octave. Hope it doesn't sound stupid.

There' ll be a few blogging breaks up to the end of November. After that its a new family arrival, and build up to the General Election.