Welsh musicians ‘are right to strike’/ Cerddorion Cymreig ‘yn iawn i streicio’
Posted on Monday, December 19, 2011 at 1:10pm
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Cerddorion Cymreig ‘yn iawn i streicio’
AC Plaid yn cefnogi’r streic ac yn galw am newid gan y BBC
Mae Bethan Jenkins AC yn cefnogi penderfyniad cerddorion Cymreig i streicio am dri diwrnod o 19-21 Rhagfyr oherwydd ni fydd y BBC yn talu’r un swm i ddefnyddio eu caneuon ar Radio Cymru ag ar gyfer breindaliadau drwy gyfrwng y saesneg ar Radio Wales yn ol system taliadau PRS.
Ar y raddfa bresennol o 49c y funud, mae ugeiniau o gerddorion Cymreig yn honni eu bod yn gwneud colled o’r hyn a elwir yn y system PRS, ac yn credu, trwy eu gwaith, eu bont yn buddsoddi yn Radio Cymru. Maent yn streicio er mwyn tynnu sylw i’r mater yma, ac mae cannoedd o gerddorion Cymreig yn cymryd rhan.
Dywedodd Bethan, sy’n llefarydd Plaid Cymru dros yr Iaith Gymraeg, Treftadaeth a Chwaraeon:
“Mae gan cerddorion Cymreig yr hawl i gymryd camau ar y mater hwn. Mae’r hyn maent yn derbyn ar hyn o bryd yn gwbl annigonol, ac yn cymryd mantais o’u hymrwymiad i radio drwy gyfrwng yr Iaith Gymraeg. Rwy’n galw ar Ymddiriedolwyr y BBC, a chynrychiolydd Cymru ar yr Ymddiriedolaeth yn benodol,i fynd i’r afael a hwn fel mater o frys.”
Dywedodd Dafydd Roberts, o Sain: “Gwraidd y broblem yw na all y system taliadau ymdopi â cherddoriaeth lleiafrifol. Rhaid i’r BBC derbyn ac ymarfer y cyfrifoldeb sydd ganddynt i sicrhau y bydd taliadau’n cael eu dosrannu yn deg.”
Dywedodd y cyfansoddwr Deian ap Richard: “Mae’r diwydiant cerddoriaeth Cymru wedi dioddef iselder difrifol am dros bedair blynedd o ganlyniad i benderfyniadau a wnaed gan y PRS. Mae dyfodol gerddoriaeth fasnachol yng Nghymru mewn trafferth heb fuddsoddiad cyson. Rydym yn galw ar y BBC fel corff cyhoeddus i bwyso ar y PRS i newid. Mewn cyfarfod y llynedd dywedodd y BBC y byddai’n ymyrryd yn y broses pe byddai’r PRS yn trin cyfansoddwyr mewn modd annheg, ac rydym yn disgwyl iddynt weithredu.’
Dywedodd Gai Toms, cyfansoddwr: “Mae’r gwahaniaeth mawr rhwng BBC Radio Wales a Radio Cymru yn dangos diffyg dealltwriaeth y PRS o’n sefyllfa diwylliannol yma yng Nghymru.. Mae diffyg ymwybyddiaeth yn effeithio ar fusnesau bach ac unigolion creadigol.”
Press Release. Datganiad i’r Wasg.
Plaid. www.plaidcymru.org
For immediate release – December 16, 2011
Welsh musicians ‘are right to strike’
Plaid AM backs action and calls for BBC changes
Bethan Jenkins AM is backing a three-day action by Welsh musicians, who are striking from December 19 to 21 because the BBC will not pay the same amounts to use their songs on Radio Cymru, as paid for English language royalties.
At the current rate of 49p per minute, scores of Welsh musicians claim that they are making a loss from what is known as the PRS system, and believe that through their work they are investing in supporting Radio Cymru. Almost 100 Welsh musicians are taking action by striking.
Bethan, who is Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on Heritage, Language and Sport, said:
“Welsh musicians are right to take action on this matter. What they receive at present is totally inadequate, and takes advantage of their commitment to Welsh language radio. I call on the BBC’s Trustees, specifically the BBC’s Welsh representative on the Trust, to address this deficiency as a matter of urgency.”
Dafydd Roberts, of Sain, said: “The root of the problem is that the payments system cannot cope with minority music. The BBC must accept and practice the responsibility they have to ensure that payments will be apportioned fairly.”
Composer Deian ap Richard said: “The Welsh music industry has suffered severe depression for over four years as a result of decisions made by the PRS. The future of commercial music in Wales is in trouble without consistent investment. We call on the BBC as a public body to press the PRS to change. We were promised by a meeting last year that the BBC would intervene if it believed that the PRS treated composers unfairly, and we expect them to act on their words.”
Gai Toms, a composer, said: “The huge difference between BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru payments show the PRS’ lack of cultural understanding of our situation here in Wales. The lack of awareness affects small businesses and creative individuals.”
DIWEDD/END
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