Adam Fleming, political reporter at Daily Politics and Sunday Politics has investigated some of the guidelines BBC programmes are following during the EU referendum campaign. We've collected his films below. They're also available on the Daily Politics website. 

Twenty years after the launch of the BBC’s helplines, BBC programmes, and drama in particular, have had a significant impact in encouraging people to seek help for a wide range of problems, such as domestic abuse, debt, and mental health issues. More than 1 million people have sought help via the BBC Action Line and its online support webpages since 2012.

Part of the BBC’s public service role is to report on difficult issues and how they affect people’s lives. Sometimes we dramatise them, showing the dilemmas they can raise in realistic situations, to bring them to wider public attention. Seeing how alcoholism or debt can affect people and families, either fictionally or for real, doesn’t just help explain the experience but also explores some challenges which face us all.

It can also share and demystify the experiences and show how other people survive them, or at least kindle an awakening that others have been through this too, that we are not the first to face or fear them alone when crises strike.

Bringing real issues to life on-air engages the interest and concern of viewers and listeners. It ranges from Radio 1’s weekly The Surgery to dementia as dramatised in Holby City, or the experience of having a stroke in EastEnders. Or it can be initiatives such as BBC Three’s recent Mental Health season, and of course the regular investigative journalism of BBC News and programmes as Panorama.

Our programmes and producers cover these topics, day in and day out, as a regular part of the BBC’s work. Indeed many other radio or TV channels just don’t explore such difficult issues in their output, often it’s not their commercial model. It can make for very uncomfortable listening or viewing. And it can really touch a nerve if you’re affected, so you may need confidential help. How do we support you when that happens?

Last year the team at the BBC that deals with all feedback from audience members, appropriately called Audience Services, embarked on a project to test out different ways of responding to audience questions. One year on, head of the department Sam Smith reports back on the experience and shares some of her findings.

In a keynote speech late last year Tony Hall, Director General, outlined his vision of the BBC’s relationship with its audience. He said that he wanted a “closer, warmer relationship with our audiences…” one where “people would think – not ‘the BBC’, but ‘my BBC, our BBC”. For an organisation that reaches 96% of the population each week, this can sometimes seem like a challenge. We asked ourselves, was there a way of developing the style of our responses to people’s questions in a way that developed this “closer” relationship? My team and I decided to find out.

The question sounded simple enough: could we try and adopt a more personalised approach in our communications? Easy enough surely, until you realise that the BBC receives an incredible 180,000 enquiries every single year, ranging from “who was that person on BBC Breakfast this morning?” to “what are the lyrics to that Morecambe and Wise song?”.

So, in order to deliver a more human touch in a way that wouldn’t lead to a backlog of letters as tall as New Broadcasting House, we began with a trial. Two agents on our ‘call floor’ were freed from their usual guidelines and encouraged to respond ‘with a more personal touch’, allow their personalities to shine through, and have a bit of fun doing it. 

As an example, Paul, one of the agents, answered a lady who wanted a “Trinny and Susannah” style makeover from the BBC with a long discussion about how his wife always swore by the “little black dress” when she wasn’t sure what to wear. The lady was grateful for the exchange and gave Paul 10 out of 10, declaring “nothing can be improved, excellent response, thank you”.

Audrie specialises in tailored sign offs – when she received a question about Morecambe and Wise, she not only gave a full and detailed answer, but signed it off with “I hope this answer brings you sunshine”. The lady who’d enquired was delighted “A personal acknowledgement and shout out must go to Audrie, who was extremely helpful (and possibly another Morecambe and Wise fan!)”.

Now this was just an experiment, but the results surprised everyone. Customer satisfaction scores rose in a matter of weeks. Something was working. But, as the old saying goes, numbers only tell half the story. The true success of the trial can be seen in the messages that were sent back to the team once an enquiry had been answered, from some very happy people indeed.

“The response to my enquiry was timely, accurate and humorous. I loved it and I'd like the person who replied to know that!” said one. “Absolutely brilliant reply which gave the link to the site but also a typed copy of the recipe. Well done and thank you so much. “Excellent” said another.

This new approach has been fully rolled out to all enquiries. The feedback from audience members is still amazing, with so many of them thanking us for the human way in which they were spoken to and more than half of them giving their experience ten out of ten.

The experience has been hugely positive. We know the BBC belongs to our audiences. It feels right that when people take the time to ask us something, they should get a response that reflects the effort they’ve taken. From what we’ve seen so far, audiences love this new approach. Whilst this work only applies to enquiries sent into the BBC, we are currently looking at how to roll it out more widely and apply the lessons to other areas in which the BBC speaks directly to its audience.

Sam Smith is Head of Audience Services

Changes to BBC Radio Cymru's daily schedule come into force on Monday. In this post, BBC Radio Cymru editor Betsan Powys introduces those changes to listeners of the station. An English translation appears at the end of this post. 

Wrth i BBC Radio Cymru lansio amserlen newydd fore Llun, Mawrth 10, dyma'r Golygydd Rhaglenni, Betsan Powys yn edrych ymlaen at bennod newydd.

Pan ddaw bore Llun, fe fydd pethau’n newid ar Radio Cymru. Fe fydd rhai lleisiau’n mynd, eraill yn dod ac ambell lais cyfarwydd iawn yn trio rhywbeth newydd sbon.

I ddechrau felly, diolch. Diolch i’r lleisiau sydd wedi bod yn gwmni i fi ac i chi dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Diolch i Dafydd a Caryl, i Iola a Nia am bopeth maen nhw wedi’i roi i Radio Cymru, am eu holl raglenni a chyfraniadau. Mae’r gwrandawyr wedi cael cyfle i ddweud diolch o galon, a dyma nghyfle i felly i wneud yr un peth. Diolch - a diolch am bob cyfraniad eto i ddod yn y dyfodol.

Diolch hefyd i Heledd Cynwal a John Hardy sydd wedi camu i’r orsaf dros dro - gyda steil. Fyddan nhw’n sicir ddim yn ddieithr.

Y sylw dwi wedi’i glywed amlaf am Radio Cymru yw un sy’n swnio’n llawn cydymdeimlad. “Does dim modd i chi fod yn bopeth i bawb” ac eto, dyna beth y’n ni’r Cymry’n ei ddisgwyl gan Radio Cymru. “Allwch chi ddim ennill,” meddai sawl un. Ond y feirniadaeth oedd ein bod ni’n dal i drio bod yn bopeth i bawb trwy’r amser ac felly’n cynnig gormod o’r un peth i’r un gynulleidfa, yr un math o sgyrsiau, yr un math o gerddoriaeth, yn anelu gormod i gyfeiriad un math o wrandawr.

O ddydd Llun ymlaen fydd hynny ddim yn wir. Y nod fydd peidio bod yn bopeth i bawb ond i gynnig rhywbeth i bawb ryw ben bob dydd. Fe fydd rhai’n ffafrio rhaglen lawn dop Dylan Jones ar ôl y Post Cyntaf yn y bore, eraill yn edrych ymlaen i ymuno’n y sgwrs a chân ar Bore Cothi gyda Shân Cothi, eraill yn mwynhau dadl ddifyr, bigog weithiau ac ymateb bywiog ar ein rhaglenni newydd sbon ni amser cinio ac ar Taro’r Post fydd yn fyw am un. Ddaw eraill ddim at Radio Cymru tan bod Tommo o ddydd Llun i ddydd Iau a Tudur Owen ar ddydd Gwener yn rhoi tan ’dani yn y pnawn falle.

Ond mi fydd pawb sydd ar yr orsaf yn hoff lais i rywun, gobeithio, a’r gwir yw bod lle iddyn nhw i gyd ar orsaf sy’n falch o gael bod yn Llais Cymru.

Fe fydd un llais newydd iawn i’w glywed. Guto Rhun, o Fachynlleth yn wreiddiol, yw’r cyntaf o’r criw talentog a brwdfrydig ddaeth i’r golwg drwy’n hymgyrch ‘Cais am Lais’ i gael ei glywed yn gyson ar yr awyr. Os ydych chi’n un o’r criw sy’n dod ar draws Radio Cymru ar y daith ysgolion ac yn barod i roi cynnig ar wrando mwy, yna mi fydd Guto ar yr awyr am awr bob nos Lun a nos Wener am 9.

Gobeithio byddwch chi i’ch clywed ar yr orsaf yn gyson hefyd. Ry’n ni’n anelu i siarad am y pethau sy’n berthnasol i chi, dathlu penblwyddi, genedigaethau a llwyddiannau gyda chi - a bob nos am 6, fe fydd un o’n gwrandawyr ni’n dethol Fy Rhaglen I. Nhw fydd yn dewis eu hoff bytiau o sgyrsiau, straeon a chaneuon i’w rhannu â chi.

Mi fyddwn ni’n darlledu bob dydd yn ystod yr wythnos o Fangor, Aberystwyth, Caerfyrddin, Abertawe a Chaerdydd - dipyn o gamp. Mi fyddwn ni’n ymdrechu i ymweld â’ch ardal chi’n amlach. A byddwn, mi fyddwn ni’n ceisio ehangu apêl Radio Cymru, yn ceisio denu pobol sy’n osgoi gwrando ar y radio’n Gymraeg, sy’n clywed nemor ddim cerddoriaeth Gymraeg o gwbwl, i wrando arnon ni. Ond roedd eich neges chi’n glir: gorsaf ddylai chwarae cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn bennaf yw Radio Cymru. A dweud y gwir, fe fyddai croeso mawr i fwy o gerddoriaeth Gymraeg, hen a newydd a gwirioneddol amrywiol arni. Falle bod lle i beth cerddoriaeth Saesneg hwnt ac yma, meddech chi, ond dim gormod. Felly bydd hi.

Pan ddaw bore Llun, pob hwyl i’r criw i gyd fydd yn rhan o Radio Cymru - i bob un llais fydd arni, i bob un fydd y tu ôl i’r gwydyr yn trefnu a hybu - a diolch i chi, bob un, fydd yn gwrando. Ac unwaith eto, falle bod y Sgwrs ffurfiol ar ben bellach ac amserlen newydd yn ei lle, ond fe fydd Radio Cymru'n parhau i wrando, ac fe fydda i'n parhau i drafod gofidiau - a chanmoliaeth, gobeithio - gyda'r criw i gyd.

***

When Monday morning comes, things will have changed on Radio Cymru. Some voices will have gone, there will be some new ones and some very familiar voices will be trying something completely new.

So - thanks. Thank you to the voices that have kept me and the listeners company over the past few years. Thanks to Dafydd and Caryl. To Iola and Nia for everything they’ve given to Radio Cymru, for all their programmes and contributions to programmes. The listeners have had a chance to say a big thank you, and here’s my chance to do the same. Thank you - and thanks, too for all the content still to come in the future.

Thanks also to Heledd Cynwal and John Hardy who filled in for us temporarily - and did so with style. Certainly they won’t be strangers in the future.

The comment I’ve heard most often about Radio Cymru is one that is full of sympathy. “You can’t possibly be all things to all people”, and yet that is what we expect from the station. “It’s a no-win situation,” some have said. But the criticism was that we were still trying to be everything to everyone all the time and therefore offering too much of the same content for the same audience, the same kind of conversations, the same kind of music, aiming too much towards one sort of listener.

From Monday that will not be the case. The aim is not to be everything to everyone but to offer something for everyone at some point every day. Some will favour Dylan Jones’s packed programme after Post Cyntaf in the morning, others are looking forward to joining in with the conversation with Shân Cothi on Bore Cothi, some will enjoy the entertaining, sometimes prickly debate and lively responses on our brand new lunchtime programmes and then on Taro’r Post, which will be live at 1pm. Others will not come to Radio Cymru perhaps until Tommo is on from Mondays to Thursdays and also perhaps Tudur Owen on Fridays - both dedicated to ‘giving it some welly’ in the afternoons.

But we hope everyone on the station will be someone’s favourite - and the truth is, there’s room for them all on a station that’s proud to call itself “Llais Cymru” - the Voice of Wales.

There will also be a chance to hear a very new voice. Guto Rhun, from Machynlleth originally, is the first of a bunch of talented and enthusiastic new presenters to come through our ‘Cais am Lais’ campaign for new voices. If you're one of those who have encountered Radio Cymru on our schools tour and are willing to give us a try then Guto will be on air for an hour every Monday and Friday at 9pm.

I hope listeners will also be regularly heard on the station. Our aim is to talk about the things that matter to you, to celebrate birthdays, births and successes with you - and every night at 6pm one of our listeners will choose their favourite snippets from the day’s conversations, stories and songs to share with you.

We’ll be broadcasting every single weekday from Bangor, Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Swansea and Cardiff - quite an achievement. We’ll endeavour to come to your part of the country more often. And yes, we're seeking to broaden the appeal of Radio Cymru, trying to attract people who avoid listening to the radio in Welsh, who hear almost no Welsh music at all, to listen to us. But your message was clear: Radio Cymru is mainly for Welsh music. In fact, many would welcome more Welsh music, old and new, and a truly diverse selection on the station. Perhaps there’s room for some English music here and there, you may say, but not too much. And so it will be.

So when Monday morning comes, good luck to everyone who’s part of Radio Cymru - to each and every voice we’ll hear, to those behind the glass organising and promoting - and thanks to all who’ll be listening. And even though the formal consultation is over and a new schedule is in place, Radio Cymru will continue to listen, and I will continue to discuss people’s anxieties - and praise, I hope - with the whole team.

Betsan Powys is Editor, BBC Radio Cymru

• Learn more about how audience research shaped plans for BBC Radio Cymru's new schedule in a post written by Betsan in November 2013.
• Read the press release from November 2013 in which Betsan first announced the new vision for the station
• Listen live to BBC Radio Cymru via BBC iPlayer Radio
• Follow @BBCCymru on Twitter 

Oliver Postgate with Bagpuss in 1974

It started with a conversation and some hard listening. It was followed by analysis and some tough decisions. Now it’s time to act.

As BBC Radio Cymru’s Programme Editor I’d like to say this.

During the ‘Sgwrs’ – the national conversation we’ve been having with Radio Cymru listeners, which coincided with the biggest ever radio research project in Wales - I heard many key messages that went beyond Radio Cymru’s schedule. To be honest they went beyond views about the voices and names of Radio Cymru. The persistent criticism was there was “too much of the same” on the station. People were saying that something fundamental had been lost in the relationship between the station and its audience and this needed to be addressed.

The hard truth that we at Radio Cymru have to accept is that too many of our listeners feel that they no longer have any ownership of the station. They told us they wanted a station which had a broader appeal, nurtured talent, played good music and spoke Welsh naturally, as they spoke it – and they wanted all of this on a national station which was confident and of the highest quality, not somehow too regionalised or whimsical in its content.

So what next?

Radio Cymrus’ presenters and voices, like all other radio stations, will come and go. The schedule will change now and again, with a different stamp being put on the day’s listening pattern. That’s how it is. But yes, the people will have ownership of the station, all of the people, those who listen now, those who we need to attract back to the station and those who, hopefully, will listen for the first time.

Reflecting the richness of your lives, the range of your opinions and tastes will be the aim of Radio Cymru, and as they are – thankfully – broad, we have to now make a start on broadening the appeal of the station.

In future, this will be Radio Cymru’s message to you: if you want to hear something new about the Wales you live in, and the world it’s part of, turn to Radio Cymru in the morning. Listen to us at lunchtime so we can challenge and enrich what you already know. There’ll be an important place for questioning and probing - another valuable echo from the past – which will be the station’s sound over lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll have some fun with competitions, music, comedy and laughs. After an hour of news – and the best bits of the day’s broadcasting – come and try something new, specialist, appealing, before spending the night with the familiar.

So, we’ll be broadening the appeal and accepting that not every programme will be to everyone’s taste. But every programme will be there for a reason and for someone. There’ll be a range of voices on the station, each one someone’s favourite, and each one speaking someone’s Welsh.

If we can persuade you to stay with us throughout the day, as we broadcast from Bangor, Cardiff, Carmarthen and Aberystwyth – then that’s a bonus! We’ll do our best.”

What about the music on Radio Cymru?

During peak hours Radio Cymru will play the best of Welsh language popular music from the 60s to the present day.

With a helping hand from the Radio Cymru team, I want to see the station nurture a ‘music sound’ that’s consistent not monotonous, varied but not random and uncomfortable to listen to. This was a strong message that came from the Sgwrs. Radio Cymru will continue to be the destination of choice for those who want to hear new music, but only the best – and those songs will be played and celebrated during the daytime hours. Beyond the peak hours we will be specialising, innovating and offering a different musical experience.

The Sgwrs findings agreed that Radio Cymru should play mostly Welsh language music. You said there was room for some English language music but not too much. So that’s how it will be.

The digital future:

I’ve given serious consideration to another question that arose during the Sgwrs – is there a need for a second Welsh language national station?

Personally, I believe that a second Welsh language national station – whether the BBC has a part to play in setting it up and running it or not - would be of benefit to Radio Cymru. But it’s better to be honest and straight about this from the start. BBC Cymru’s budget to broadcast in both Welsh and English has reduced substantially, and even though DAB - digital radio - is gradually reaching more and more communities and offering an opportunity to split the service every now and again, that technology doesn’t offer an easy answer. Most people listen to Radio Cymru on FM and that’s unlikely to change for some time to come. If this offered a solution to the challenge of offering listeners a choice then no one would be happier than me.

So, if the purpose of a second station would be to offer choice to the listeners – well rather than lose heart, is there another way of offering that choice? In a word, yes.

The first step is this: BBC Wales will be launching a brand new Welsh language digital service early in 2014. The hope is that the service, ‘Cymru Fyw’, will bring the best of the BBC’s digital content to you – including news and other stories and that content will be available on computers and mobile devices such as phones and tablets. Radio Cymru will be reflected by Cymru Fyw. Yes, it’s a happy and productive coincidence. We’re working on this now, and alongside the new ‘Cymru Fyw’ team, we’re trying to understand the creative possibilities and potential to strengthen Radio Cymru that will come with the new digital service.

Listening over the web also offers a choice. With this in mind, I’ve started examining whether it would be possible to create a ‘jukebox’ of Welsh language music on the web – a one stop shop for the best of Welsh language music, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

If Radio Cymru listeners feel that they have ownership of the station in the future that to me will be an important measure of success. 

Details of the new Radio Cymru weekday schedule to be a launched in the spring:

• 5am – 6am: Various programmes
• 6am – 8am: Post Cyntaf with Kate Crockett and Dylan Jones
• 8am – 10am: Dylan Jones
• 10am – 12pm: Bore Cothi with Shân Cothi
• 12pm – 12.30pm: Programmes that question and debate
• 12.30pm – 1pm: Features/Drama
• 1pm – 2pm: Taro’r Post with Garry Owen
• 2pm – 5pm: Tommo (Monday to Friday) and Tudur Owen (Fridays)
• 5pm – 6pm: Post Prynhawn with Dewi Llwyd
• 6pm – 6.15pm: Pigion
• 6.15pm – 7.15pm: Documentaries/Features
• 7pm – 10pm: C2
• 10pm – 12am: Geraint Lloyd
  
  

Betsan Powys is Programme Editor, BBC Radio Cymru

Welsh language version:

Gynta'r Sgwrs a’r gwrando. Wedyn y dadansoddi a'r penderfynu. Nawr y gweithredu.

Fel Golygydd Radio Cymru, ga i bwysleisio un peth felly?

Yn ystod y Sgwrs fe glywes i sawl neges allweddol oedd yn mynd y tu hwnt i amserlen Radio Cymru. Roedden nhw mewn gwirionedd yn mynd y tu hwnt i leisiau a rhaglenni Radio Cymru hefyd, a’r feirniadaeth gyson bod ‘gormod o’r un peth’ ar yr orsaf. Roedd pobl yn awgrymu bod rhywbeth mwy sylfaenol wedi mynd ar goll yn y berthynas rhwng yr orsaf genedlaethol a'i chynulleidfa, a bod angen adfer y peth hwnnw.

Ond y gwir caled i ni, y criw sy’n gweithio i Radio Cymru, ei dderbyn yw bod yna ormod o bobol Radio Cymru yn teimlo nad nhw oedd piau'r cyfrwng erbyn hyn. Roedden nhw am i’r orsaf apelio’n ehangach, magu personoliaethau, cynnig cerddoriaeth dda a Chymraeg naturiol, y cwbwl ar orsaf genedlaethol, safonol, hyderus, nid un ranbarthol, fympwyol rywust.

Beth am ddweud hyn felly? 

Fe fydd lleisiau Radio Cymru, fel pob gorsaf radio arall, yn mynd a dod. Fe fydd yr amserlen yn newid o bryd i'w gilydd, stamp gwahanol yn cael ei roi ar batrwm y dydd. Felly mae hi. Ond ie, y bobol biau’r cyfrwng, y bobol i gyd, y rheiny sy’n gwrando nawr, y rheiny sydd angen eu denu nôl, a’r rheiny ddaw, gobeithio, aton ni o’r newydd.  Adlewyrchu cyfoeth eich bywydau chi, ystod eich barn a'ch chwaeth chi fydd nod Radio Cymru, a chan fod hwnnw - diolch byth - yn ystod eang, mae’n rhaid mynd ati nawr i ehangu apêl Radio Cymru

Yn y dyfodol, dyma fydd neges Radio Cymru i chi o ddydd Llun i ddydd Gwener: os y'ch chi am glywed rhywbeth newydd am y Gymru ry'ch chi'n byw ynddi, a'r byd mae'n rhan ohono, dewch at Radio Cymru yn y bore. Dewch aton ni amser cinio i herio, neu gyfoethogi'r hyn ry'ch chi'n gwybod yn barod. Fe fydd lle pwysig i holi, a phrocio - adlais arall gwerthfawr o'r gorffennol - yn sŵn yr orsaf dros ginio. Yn y prynhawn, joiwch gyda ni. Dewch i gael dipyn bach o sbort, cystadlu, canu, dychan a chwerthin yng nghwmni Radio Cymru. Ar ôl awr o newyddion - a phigion y gorau o ddarlledu'r dydd - dewch i drio rhywbeth newydd, arbenigol, apelgar, cyn noswylio gyda'r cyfarwydd.

Ehangu’r apêl amdani felly, a derbyn na fydd pob rhaglen yn apelio at bawb. Ond fe fydd pob un yno i bwrpas, i apelio at rywun. Fe fydd pob math o leisiau ar yr orsaf, pob un yn hoff lais i rywun, a phob un yn siarad Cymraeg rhywun.   

Os gallwn ni'ch darbwyllo chi i aros gyda ni drwy'r dydd, wrth i ni ddarlledu o Fangor, Caerdydd, Caerfyrddin ac Aberystwyth - Bonws! Fe wnewn ni’n gorau.

Beth am y gerddoriaeth ar Radio Cymru?

Yn ystod yr oriau brig fydd Radio Cymru’n chwarae'r gorau o gerddoriaeth Gymraeg boblogaidd o’r 60au hyd at heddiw.

Gyda help llaw tîm Radio Cymru, dwi am weld yr orsaf yn magu 'sain gerddorol' sy'n gyson, heb fod yn undonog, yn amrywiol heb fod yn fratiog ac anesmwyth i chi sy'n gwrando. Roedd honno’n neges gref ddaeth o’r Sgwrs hefyd. Fe fydd barn gan gyflwynwyr am gerddoriaeth ac apêl eang i'r hyn sy’n cael ei chwarae. Fe fydd Radio Cymru'n parhau i fod yn gyrchfan i'r rheiny sydd am glywed cerddoriaeth newydd, a'r gorau - a dim ond y gorau - o'r caneuon hynny’n cael eu cyflwyno i chi, a’u dathlu yn ystod y dydd. 

Y tu hwnt i’r oriau brig fe fyddwn ni'n arbenigo, yn arloesi ac yn cynnig rhywbeth cerddorol gwahanol

Gyda llaw, byrdwn y 'Sgwrs' oedd y dylai Radio Cymru fod yn orsaf sy'n chwarae cerddoriaeth Gymraeg yn bennaf. Mae lle, meddech chi, i beth cerddoriaeth Saesneg ond ddim gormod. Felly y bydd hi.

Y dyfodol digidol

Dyma un cwestiwn mawr arall i’w daclo: i ba raddau all technoleg newydd roi cyfle i Radio Cymru gynnig mwy o ddewis i gynulleidfa sy'n crefu amrywiaeth?

Byrdwn gynnar gen i fel Golygydd Radio Cymru oedd nad penllanw'r 'Sgwrs' fyddai sefydlu ail orsaf genedlaethol, Radio Cymru 2. Yn bersonol, dwi o'r farn y byddai cael ail orsaf genedlaethol Gymraeg - o ba gyfeiriad bynnag y dele honno, boed y BBC â rhan yn ei sefydlu a’i rhedeg hi ai peidio - yn llesol i Radio Cymru. Ond waeth bod yn onest a chlir o'r dechrau. Mae cyllideb BBC Cymru i ddarlledu yn Gymraeg a Saesneg wedi crebachu'n sylweddol, ac er bod DAB, sef radio digidol, yn raddol gyrraedd mwy a mwy o gymunedau ac yn rhoi cyfle i ni rannu’r gwasanaeth bob hyn a hyn, dyw’r dechnoleg honno ddim yn cynnig ateb hawdd. Drwy donfedd FM mae trwch gwrando Radio Cymru yn digwydd, a’r tebyg yw mai fel hyn y bydd hi am beth amser i ddod. Pe bae e’n ateb yr her o gynnig dewis i wrandawyr yn y dyfodol fyddai neb yn hapusach eu byd na fi. 

Os mai pwrpas ail orsaf fyddai cynnig dewis i'r gynulleidfa - wel yn hytrach na digalonni, oes yna ffyrdd eraill o gynnig y dewis hwnnw? Mewn gair, oes.

Y cam cyntaf yw hyn: sef y bydd BBC Cymru yn lansio gwasanaeth digidol Cymraeg newydd sbon yn gynnar yn 2014. Y gobaith yw y bydd y gwasanaeth hwnnw, ‘Cymru Fyw’ yn dod â‘r gorau o gynnwys digidol BBC Cymru i chi – yn gynnwys newyddion a straeon cyffredinol a’r cynnwys hwnnw ar gael ar  gyfrifiaduron, ffonau symudol a thabledi. Bydd gweithgarwch Radio Cymru yn cael ei adlewyrchu gan Cymru Fyw. Ydi, mae’n gyd-ddigwyddiad hapus a chynhyrchiol. Ry'n ni wrthi nawr, ar y cyd a thîm newydd sbon Cymru Fyw, yn trio deall y posibiliadau creadigol, a'r potensial i gryfhau y Radio Cymru ddaw'n sgil y gwasanaeth digidol newydd. 

Yn olaf, ond nid yn lleiaf, mae gwrando dros y we yn cynnig dewis. Gyda hynny mewn golwg, mi rydw i wedi dechrau archwilio a oes modd creu ‘jiwc-bocs’ cerddoriaeth Gymraeg ar y we – un porth i’r gerddoriaeth Gymraeg orau, bedair awr ar hugain y dydd, saith diwrnod yr wythnos.   

Os bydd pobol Radio Cymru’n teimlo mai nhw piau’r cyfrwng yn y dyfodol, dyna i fi fydd mesur pwysig iawn o lwyddiant.

Manylion amserlen newydd BBC Radio Cymru, o ddydd Llun i ddydd Gwener, s’yn dechrau yn y gwanwyn:

• 5am – 6am: Rhaglenni amrywiol
• 6am – 8am: Post Cyntaf gyda Kate Crockett a Dylan Jones
• 8am – 10am: Dylan Jones
• 10am – 12pm: Bore Cothi gyda Shân Cothi
• 12pm – 12.30pm: Rhaglenni sy’n holi a phrocio
• 12.30pm – 1pm: Rhaglenni Nodwedd/Drama
• 1pm – 2pm: Taro’r Post gyda Garry Owen
• 2pm – 5pm: Tommo (o ddydd Llun i ddydd Iau) a Tudur Owen (dydd Gwener)
• 5pm – 6pm: Post Prynhawn gyda Dewi Llwyd
• 6pm – 6.15pm: Pigion
• 6.15pm – 7pm: Rhaglenni Dogfen/Nodwedd
• 7pm – 10pm: C2
• 10pm – 12am: Geraint Lloyd
  
  

Many of us probably have a strong hunch on what LGB people watch on TV – fuelled by personal experience or broad assumptions.  But there has never been any comprehensive research to support or disprove our hunches. Until now.

Why does it matter? Because LGB people are licence payers too, and the BBC, as a national public service broadcaster, has a duty to serve all audiences.

Before we get into the research, I’ll explain how we got here. Three years ago, the BBC undertook a big project looking at how lesbians, gays and bisexuals are portrayed on TV and radio.  Diversity is moving up the agenda in broadcasting, and as the leader of the BBC’s LGBT staff network BBC Pride, I’m pleased to report that the BBC has been leading the way (in recent years, the BBC has carried out similar research on age).

As part of that project, we carried out a large survey asking what people thought of LGB portrayal on TV and radio. The scores we got back were the equivalent of a poor to middling school report – improving, but could still do a lot better. LGB audiences wanted not only more portrayal, but also for that portrayal to be more authentic. 

The smart people in the BBC Audiences team realised that we’d have an even richer understanding of LGB audiences’ views if we could analyse actual viewing and listening habits, in addition to perceptions of representation and portrayal. So they made a small tweak to a standard BBC survey to ask people about their sexual orientation. This survey regularly captures the views of 20,000 people – and just over 1,000 of that sample have identified as LGB, spread across the UK.

As a result, we can capture and analyse every programme that this LGB sample have watched or listened to – and also ask how much they’ve enjoyed them.

The main headline isn’t going to set the world on fire – when it comes to the biggest shows, we are no different to the rest of the population. The big soaps dominate our consumption – Corrie, Emmerdale and EastEnders.

However, dig a little deeper and some interesting differences do emerge. LGB audiences seem to be a little bit happier with what they watch – when it comes to appreciation of all TV programmes, on average we tend to score them a little bit higher than straight audiences of the same age (this was true for all LGB groups except younger lesbians).

Compared to the population as a whole, we watch more arts, entertainment and music programmes – but are less enthralled by children’s, current affairs, news, religion and sport.

Having this scale of data means we can really dig down, letting us look at the differences between gay men and lesbians, and also segment it by age. This is really useful for making meaningful comparisons – for example, young gay men against young straight men – to see what difference being gay makes to consumption.

The results make for fascinating reading. They confirm that LGB audiences are drawn to LGB (or gay-friendly) talent and portrayal – whether as presenters or contestants (Great British Bake Off, Alan Carr, Celebrity Big Brother), subjects, actors or characters (Downton Abbey, Being Human, Modern Family, Vicious, Glee, Kenny Everett and the soaps). While we can all probably hazard a guess as to why ITV’s celebrity diving show Splash! proved such a hit with gay men of all ages, the reasons behind lesbians’ apparent fondness for panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI may not be quite so obvious. The high percentages simply mean that these programmes appealed much more to lesbians than to straight women of a similar age. While the research can’t explain what drives people’s programming preferences, the beauty of using the panel for this research is that we will keep on accumulating examples, enabling us to gain over time an ever deeper understanding of LGB audience behaviours and tastes.

All credit to my colleagues in BBC Audiences – particularly David Bunker and Emily Fletcher, under the guidance of BBC Audiences head James Holden – for pursuing this pioneering research. I gather that the “T” of LGBT will also be covered in a major piece of work on gender being undertaken in 2014.  We’re keen to share this insight with other broadcasters too, which is why we first revealed these findings at a cross-industry Intermedia event at the BBC last month. See for yourself some of the detailed analysis here and keep watching and listening to see how well we’re representing all of our lives on air.

Adrian Ruth is Chair, BBC Pride.

• Read a blog about the 2010 Report about LGBT portrayal on TV by About the BBC Editor Jon Jacob
• BBC Pride on Facebook
• Follow @BBCPride on Twitter

What do you get if you take 70 young people and put them in a room for 3 hours?

The answer to this is not a protest, a civil uprising or even a hint of trouble. In fact what we got was a diverse range of views, thoughts and opinions and perhaps even a small step towards a rebranding of the much-maligned 'youth of today'.

As digital switchover continues apace the audience can choose from lots of different channels and technologies to consume television programmes, with some having access to over 500 different channels.

As the number of channels grows we at the BBC believe it is important that viewers can quickly identify when they are watching a BBC service. That is why the BBC, like many other broadcasters, insert channel identifiers for dedicated digital channels. The identifier, called a Digital On-Screen Graphic (DOG), is normally at the top left-hand part of the picture to avoid clashing with subtitles or captions.

You may ask the question why don't we show on screen graphics on BBC One and BBC Two as well. The reason we don't is that they are very well established channels that always appear on positions 1 and 2 of the EPG. Our digital channels are much newer and are on different numbers, depending on what platform you're watching on, be it Freeview, Freesat or one of the subscription options available, and DOGs allow viewers to identify the channel instantly.

DOGs have always been subject to wider public interest and every now and then we're asked why we use them. Over 48 million people watch the BBC's television channels each week and it's natural that, within a group that large, people will have differing views about DOGs. With that in mind, we commissioned a detailed piece of research to gain a deeper understanding of how the public at large feel about Digital On-Screen Graphics.

The research was carried out by Ipsos MediaCT using in-home interviews, amongst a nationally representative sample of 1031 people across the UK. The research took place from 5-11 March 2010 and we would like to share some of those findings from the research with you.

Download the research summary by Ipsos Mori (PDF 1.4MB)

Do people notice DOGs?

Very few of the people interviewed spontaneously noticed the DOGs on screen, even when prompted. The DOGs aren't the first thing the eye is drawn to, even on a TV screen that was not very busy. Our research found that the majority of people tend to agree that they 'don't really notice them'.

Do people find DOGs helpful?

Despite this claimed low awareness, DOGs are the most commonly cited aid in helping people identify the channel they are watching. This puts it ahead of the EPG and other methods in claimed use for channel identification. A majority (6 in 10) agree that DOGs are a quick and easy way in which to identify the channel they are watching.

How do people feel about DOGs?

Despite the fact that they are rarely noticed and their usefulness in identifying the channel, the research did show that the audience have mixed views about DOGs:

• around a quarter of all TV viewers hold negative views about DOGs
• a similar proportion (27% ) are broadly accepting of them
• around half of do not have consistently strong views either ways

The research also shows that even amongst those who dislike DOGs, many still agree (4 in 10) that they play a helpful role in identifying the channel; so, although they may irritate, they can at least see the point of them. A minority of people (11%) both don't like them in principle and don't find them useful .

DOGs are changing

As of 4 April 2011 we'll be moving our DOGs to help improve your viewing experience. Read on to understand more.

What has changed?

The BBC has moved the Digital On-Screen Graphics (DOGs) on its digital channels to a wide-screen (16:9) position further towards the top left hand corner of the screen. Up until now DOGs have been set for old-style (4:3) sets which meant that on wide-screen TVs they appeared closer to the centre of the screen.

Why has it changed?

We moved the DOGs to this position on our HD channels at the start of 2011 and received positive audience feedback on the improved viewing experience. Internal BBC surveys indicate that over half of all TV sets are now widescreen, though that rises to over 80% of TVs in the living-room. So in order to ensure the best possible viewing experience for audiences in the future we feel that now is the time to make this change.

What do I do if the DOG on my screen is obscured?

Don't worry. This will be because you have a digital TV box linked to an old style (4:3) TV and have the viewing option set to "centre cut-out". All you need to do is reset your viewing options to "letterbox". This way you will also be able to see more of the picture too.

I hope that helps explain the thinking behind why we have DOGs, and the way in which we tailor our services in a way that ensures they cater for the BBC's large and varied audience in the best way possible.

Helen Normoyle is Director of Marketing and Audiences

One of the reasons the BBC exists is to unite audiences at moments of national celebration or reflection. Yesterday, we announced our coverage of two massive, yet very different, summer events - the 116th BBC Proms and our coverage of the 19th football World Cup. Both inspire incredible passion in a uniquely British way.

The ongoing election coverage and the extraordinary impact of the Prime Ministerial debates, has demonstrated the power of television, wherever it comes from and reminds us that the BBC is not the only broadcaster that can provide coverage of great national moments. But three things make our approach different. First, we will always bring you the big national events which form part of our heritage without needing to consider whether they are commercially attractive. From the Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph to the State Opening of Parliament, our motivation is simple: we exist to bring people those events that resonate across the whole country.

Second, the BBC brings new audiences to these great national events. For example, the Olympics. Your first memory may depend on your age - was it Linford Christie's glory in 1992, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett's battle in 1980 or Dick Fosbury's unique jumping style in 1968? Whatever the memory, it was the BBC that brought these moments to you. We are always looking to find ways of opening up these events to new audiences. The enthusiasm and tradition of the Last Night of the Proms brings young and old together- 4.5m of you last year - in a celebration of music that has become a highlight of our cultural calendar. To help ensure this tradition endures, this year BBC Three will be showing its first Prom, a Doctor Who special, which will provide an introduction into the world of the Proms for many of its audience.

Finally, the BBC provides for audiences for whom these events can be a springboard to curiosity and new knowledge. This summer BBC Four will be exploring the history and culture of South Africa, which will attract new audiences initially interested because of the passion and drama of the action on the football field. This reflects our core mission of informing, educating and entertaining.

Our latest announcements promise more such wonderful moments this summer. It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the Proms, and this year's line-up looks set to be the best yet, with numerous highlights on Radio Three and BBC Two and Four over the two month programme. For me, Paul Lewis playing Beethoven's Piano Concertos with the BBC Symphony Orchestra will be a particular highlight. Meanwhile, I hope our coverage of Africa's first-ever World Cup will produce lifetime memories - and not just for the England fans following the competition.

These are the iconic events that the BBC exists to cover and excels at covering. Bringing our audiences the World Cup, the Proms, and the other landmark events that really resonate with everyone, is one of the five editorial priorities that we have set for the BBC. These are events that attract huge viewing figures - more than 16m people watched some of the Proms last year, while four-fifths of the population watched some of the last World Cup. But even more important than the size of the audience is the value they place on such events. Research shows 84% of people see sport as a vital way of bringing society together, while 82% feel entitled to watch key national events free-to-air because they have paid the Licence Fee.

While we're talking about value, all too often the BBC is accused of profligacy in a simplistic debate around staffing numbers for these great events. Yes, we must deliver value for money, and we have planned carefully to ensure spend on major events this summer is kept as lean and efficient as possible to guarantee our coverage does achieve great value.

But at the same time, this determination must never be at the expense of the quality experience Licence Fee payers demand and expect. It would be a complete false economy to cover these events half-heartedly. The viewer does not expect one of the world's greatest sporting occasions presented from some windowless room in the basement of Television Centre. They want iconic moments brought through knowledgeable top quality broadcasting. These are their events and the BBC has duty to them to deliver the goods. We are not going to short-change the audience.