Articles revealed in The Eye are written by a crew of contributors and edited by the multi-award successful former BBC information and present affairs reporter, Phil Parry.
Main information a couple of web site’s closure and withdrawal of taxpayer funding for it which was meant to have lasted no less than one other three years, comes after disturbing revelations in regards to the man initially behind the web site by our Editor, Welshman Phil Parry who spent 23 years with the BBC.
Throughout 39 years in journalism (when he was educated to make use of clear and easy language, avoiding jargon and received quite a few awards), Phil has damaged any variety of tales.
Earlier he described how he was assisted in breaking into the South Wales Echo (SWE) workplace automotive when he was a cub reporter, recalled his early profession as a journalist, the significance of expertise within the job, and made clear that the ‘calls’ to emergency companies in addition to courtroom instances are central to any media operation.
He has additionally explored how poorly paid most journalism is when trainee reporters needed to reside in squalid flats, the important position of bills, and about one in every of his most vital tales on the now-scrapped 53 year-old BBC Wales TV Present Affairs collection, Week In Week Out (WIWO), which received an award even after it was axed, lengthy after his profession actually took off.
Phil has defined too how essential it’s truly to talk to folks, the advantage of pace in addition to accuracy, why information of ‘historical past’ is important, how sure materials was faraway from TV Present Affairs programmes when secret cameras had for use, and a few of these he has interviewed.
He has disclosed as nicely why investigative journalism is required now greater than ever though others have completely different opinions, how the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown performed havoc with media schedules, and the significance of the massively decrease common age of some political leaders in contrast with when he began reporting.
As soon as once more vital particulars have surfaced which may very well be linked to disclosures I made on The Eye.
The massive organisation Newsquest Media Group (NMG) has confirmed the closure of the ‘information’ web site Corgi.Cymru (CC), saying the challenge was not “economically sustainable”.
The termination of the service comes simply two months after NMG had additionally introduced the axing of The Nationwide Wales (TNW), a primarily English-launguage title launched on St David’s Day 2021.
Because the Western Mail (WM) reported about its demise: “There are requires a evaluation of how £100,000 of public cash was given to assist the launch of a Welsh language information service that’s to shut 5 months later”.
CC was first arrange in April by the controversial ‘comic’ and failed media ‘govt’ Huw Marshall (who was additionally concerned in beginning TNW), whereas the general public grant was made via the Books Council of Wales (BCW).
It was one in every of two grants from them to fund Welsh language digital information companies. The opposite was given to the established operator Golwg360, with every website resulting from obtain £100,000 a 12 months till 2026.
But I confirmed how Mr Marshall had made sick ‘jokes’ a couple of murdering gunman, used dangerous language to abuse outstanding Welsh politicians on social media, was positioned beneath police investigation, tried to complete off this web site, and had been formally reprimanded.
To present him numerous taxpayers’ cash with this type of background appears weird within the excessive!
I’ve no proof in any way to assist the rivalry that my publicity of those appalling particulars is linked with the withdrawal of the funds, and shutdown of CC, nevertheless the timing appears suspicious.
The revelation was made by my journalists in September, and information in regards to the axing of his one-time website in addition to the grant for it, emerged a month later.
Gavin Thompson, NMG’s regional editor for Wales, stated the writer was grateful to BCW for its assist “…which enabled the launch of Corgi Cymru earlier this 12 months. Sadly, it turned clear that even with Books Council assist and given the difficult financial setting, constructing a brand new Welsh-language proposition presently wouldn’t be economically sustainable”.
BCW endorsed this assertion, though it stated it was stopping the funding. Helgard Krause, the organisation’s Chief Government declared: “After cautious consideration and dialogue, the Books Council and Newsquest have agreed that it’s in the perfect curiosity of each events to discontinue our funding settlement and shut the Corgi Cymru digital information service on the finish of October”.
Maybe these behind these headline-grabbing occasions can have recognized that two folks had died and a police officer misplaced the sight in each eyes when rampaging gunman Raoul Moat shot them, but regardless of this on July 8, 2010 – with him attempting to flee from armed police – the person initially behind the location they gave their grant to (Mr Marshall) revealed a message on his Fb (FB) web page, studying: “Hello I’m a horny 19 12 months outdated blond (sic) from the North East of England on the lookout for some enjoyable.
Following many different offensive feedback, Mr Marshall was instructed off by Twitter as a result of an account “violated the Twitter Guidelines”, and an additional one, “Welsh Bollocks”, had additionally damaged their laws.
The abuse from him of senior politicians, got here 9 years in the past, with one in every of his remarks hurled on the Labour MS and minister Ken Skates, whereas one other was directed on the former Liberal Democrat AM Peter Black. After Mr Skates tweeted in celebration of a one-vote council by-election victory over Welsh nationalist social gathering Plaid Cymru (PC) in Ruabon, Mr Marshall (who has himself stood for PC) referred to him in his personal tweet as a “gloating t**t”, and he described Mr Black as a “humourless (sic) t..t”, in addition to a “boring, tedious t..t”.
Other than these kinds of remarks and the Twitter admonishment, it’s thought that Mr Marshall may have been liable for sending undesirable takeaways to folks’s properties, in addition to different misdeeds.
In response to the police inquiry into his actions, Mr Marshall stated on Twitter that he had instructed South Wales Police (SWP) he meant to make a grievance, nevertheless officers answered by informing him that they had a “accountability to research any reviews”.
Following The Eye bringing this out, together with a lot of Mr Marshall’s different earlier controversies, he tried to have us closed down, alleging “violent threats and harassment”, when there have been no threats of violence from my journalists, and the one harassment has come from him after he used social media to dub senior Welsh politicians “t**ts”, and me a “liar”.
However fascinating, high-profile characters backed one other of Mr Marshall’s unsuccessful ventures (TNW), even whereas there have been accusations that ‘tales’ in it had been lifted from different publications.
The headline-grabbing Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru (WP/SC) member for Blaenau Gwent, and former Welsh Authorities (WG) minister, Alun Davies, MS, proclaimed on Twitter earlier than the launch of TNW “Nicely. I want you better of luck with this initiative. Something to strengthen our information setting ought to obtain a heat welcome”.
A ‘heat welcome’ was given, too, to the ‘pilot’ for it which was additionally wished “Better of luck” by WG minister Lee Waters, though he appeared to have modified his tune when he truly learn it. Mr Waters (a former producer on the BBC Cymru Wales [BBC CW] radio programme Good Morning Wales [GMW]) said on FB: “Nicely I’ve simply purchased a replica and assume its fairly boring”.
One other reader of the paper’s first version (who can be a outstanding journalist) stated: “It (TNW) begins with worthy statements about how we deserve higher fearless, unbiased and unintimidated media in Wales and needs to be blissful to pay for it then provides us a timid, third price product stuffed primarily with political remark from compromised sources who wouldn’t know a reality if it whacked them over the top with a cricket bat.”
Clearly Mr Marshall has assist, even though he has been investigated by the police, insulted senior Welsh politicians, and tried to silence one other unbiased web site.
The senior Welsh journalist Tim Hartley tweeted: “Fairly correctly shamed into subscribing. Good luck with the marketing campaign Huw and the crew”. Mr Hartley can be a agency soccer fan (like Mr Marshall), and even recorded a tune (with others), supporting the Wales crew on the World Cup in Qatar, earlier than flying on the market, even though being homosexual is illegal within the nation
Additionally it is set towards the homosexual educational and former Welsh soccer worldwide, Laura Mcallister, being instructed to take away her rainbow bucket hat by a stadium steward in Qatar.
In a single FB submit a day earlier than the match kicked off, and together with a hyperlink to a Guardian piece that includes Daffydd Iwan’s ‘Yma o Hid’, he stated: “Individuals are lastly ‘getting’ why we bang on about soccer, Wales, identification and the language. Diolch am hyn Donald. Mr Hartley additionally modified his cowl picture to at least one that celebrated the Qatar World Cup, and posted photos on his FB web page from contained in the stadium earlier than or through the Wales sport towards USA.
In one other, although, he appeared to have grow to be disillusioned with the organisation of the World Cup, and posted: “Nice atmos within the floor however getting again was an actual drag. Resorts, costs, beer and bucket hats. I’m speaking all issues Wales Away on Radio 4s In the present day programme this morning at 0720”.
Maybe he was impressed by Mr Marshall’s grand statements, resembling this one: “A free and unbiased media is the lifeblood of any democracy…”.
Nevertheless it seems that inquiries by ‘free and unbiased’ The Eye (unsupported by the taxpayer), are unwelcome to Mr Marshall as he approached a specialist web firm in his fruitless try to shut us down.
Evidently he doesn’t know his journalist libel regulation both (which can, presumably, have contributed to the winding-up of his TNW), as a result of Mr Marshall has stated on Twitter that I’m a ‘liar’ and an “obsessive coward”, linking the wrong feedback to an earlier piece I had written in regards to the scheme. Mr Marshall has additionally known as me a “self proclaimed journalist”, which might not be libellous however is provably unsuitable as I educated to be a journalist in 1983 on the perfect newspaper course within the UK earlier than shifting into tv, and I’ve received an infinite variety of awards.
Mr Marshall has stated, as nicely, that he has quite a few completely different Twitter accounts, however stesses he reserves one for objects which can hassle me, declaring: “@marshallmedia is the place I submit Everton associated stuff and issues that upsets Phil Parry”, which was the account which “violated the Twitter guidelines”.
This isn’t the primary time that motion has been taken following my items both.
I confirmed how a PC councillor had posted an image of himself on social media brandishing a gun, saying he was maintaining out English folks, and {that a} former member of what’s now the Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru (WP/SC) (Lindsay Whittle), ‘cherished’ it.
Following the furore, and publication of a letter from the council chief accusing PC of endorsing xenophobia, the Welsh nationalist social gathering had been shamed into launching an investigation.
When the letter went public, Mr Value stated the grievance towards Caerphilly councillor Whittle would undergo the social gathering’s membership, ‘self-discipline and requirements course of’.
However this got here weeks AFTER I had disclosed {that a} senior determine in his OWN social gathering, and former member of what’s now the Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru (WP/SC), confirmed his ‘love’ of the controversial social media submit which made headlines throughout the UK.
The ‘coronary heart’ emoji (one up from a ‘thumbs-up’ ‘like’) was posted on FB by ex-leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC), Mr Whittle, and the image with accompanying message was positioned beneath police investigation.
The {photograph} he ‘cherished’, was by Councillor Jon Scriven who has formally apologised, and been suspended by PC, after publishing it on the identical website. It portrayed him on a seaside holding the rifle, saying: “Ogmore-by-Sea tonight for a fast swim and ensure there wasn’t any English folks attempting to cross the channel”.
His colleague on CCBC, Cllr Whittle, was a member of the Nationwide Meeting for Wales (forerunner of the WP/SC), representing the South Wales East area for PC, from 2011 to 2016. However the submit was extremely contentious, and got here laborious on the heels of one other enormous scandal involving the social gathering – letting again in disgraced MP, Jonathan Edwards, who was cautioned by the police for assaulting his spouse, though he determined to not take the group whip in Westminster.
The submit by Cllr Scriven of him holding a gun, which was uncovered by The Eye, brought about an infinite storm, within the media, legally, and within the political world.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats (WLD) said: “There’s a clear implication of violence and xenophobia”, and the chief of the Welsh Conservatives (WC) within the WP/SC (Andrew RT Davies) said that he was “Speechless”. Labour member of the WP/SC for Caerphilly, Hefin David, described the submit as “…extremely regarding. We needs to be searching for to unite folks and deal with actual considerations like the price of residing, not submit disturbing pictures which are calculated to divide us”.
PC pronounced grandly that the submit was inappropriate, and Cllr Scriven was certainly suspended pending an ‘investigation’. South Wales Police (SWP), in the meantime, confirmed that an allegation of “malicious communications” had been lodged. Officers stated they had been “conscious of a submit on social media that includes a person brandishing what appears like a rifle at Ogmore-by-Sea”.
Cllr Scriven stated sorry for what he had finished, and stated on-line: “I want to apologise for my now deleted Fb submit”. But regardless of this apology, the story about his submit damaged first by The Eye, was already being adopted up within the mainstream media.
Within the hours which got here afterwards, the web site WalesOnline (WO), revealed: “A social media submit surfaced on-line which confirmed Jon Scriven posing with a gun”. Different ‘tales’, although, had been deemed extra vital and given larger prominence on the location, resembling one headlined: “Three-year-old egged in face by yobs leaving her bruised and sobbing”.
The BBC stated: “Police are investigating a social media submit which appeared to indicate a Plaid Cymru councillor posing with a gun to ensure there weren’t “any English folks attempting to cross the channel””. The Guardian reported that:“Police are investigating a social media submit from a Plaid Cymru councillor apparently posing with a rifle close to a Welsh seaside and commenting that he was checking “there wasn’t any English folks attempting to cross””. The Each day Telegraph wrote: “A Welsh nationalist councillor is being investigated by police after posing with what appeared like a gun and saying he was stopping “any English folks attempting to cross” the Bristol Channel”.
LBC (Main Britain’s Dialog), The Unbiased, Sky, Mail and the Specific carried the story, with the latter’s opening paragraph being: “Officers at South Wales Police are investigating a report of malicious communications after a submit appeared on Plaid Cymru councillor Jon Scriven’s Fb web page”. Even The Bolton Information lined particulars of the extraordinary saga.
Andrew RT Davies chief of the Welsh Conservative group within the WP/SC since final 12 months, was incensed. He re-posted the {photograph}, proclaiming that he had grow to be:“Speechless. This can be a @Plaid_Cymru councillor. @Adamprice (the chief of PC) can not let one other scandal rage on with out decisive motion. This form of xenophobic angle is beneath us.”.
The scandal Mr Davies refers to, is about Mr Edwards being let again in to the social gathering following what had occurred. Quickly after this story hit the information, I confirmed that earlier than the 2015 Normal Election (GE), Mr Value’s predecessor as head of PC (Leanne Wooden), had written (on Twitter): “… Re-elect the improbable Jonathan Edwards in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr.”.
Additionally it is improbable that motion is taken following my tales, resembling stopping giving hundreds of kilos price of taxpayers’ cash to an internet site based by a person who had made sick ‘jokes’ a couple of murdering gunman, used dangerous language to abuse outstanding Welsh politicians on social media, was positioned beneath police investigation, tried to shut down an investigative web site, and was formally reprimanded.
BUT IT SHOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Particulars of Phil’s astonishing award-winning journalistic profession (together with revealing information that others would relatively preserve hidden), as he was gripped by the uncommon neurological situation Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been launched in an vital ebook ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order it now! Regrettably publication of one other ebook, nevertheless, was refused, as a result of it was to have included names.
Tomorrow – how an official report which was revealed in regards to the media in Wales, drew on the ‘experience’ of Mr Marshall, and one other who based an internet site that has been accused on-line of “bias” in favour of PC, whereas a distinct critic stated that key staff had been threatened due to what was given on it.
