A Case for Cornish Public Service Media

Lead image credit: Sonosynthesiser © Matt Cannon/Emily Sorrel 2020

Minority languages in Europe have become increasingly visible, connected and legally protected over the last few decades, leading to the formation and evolution of minority language Public Service Broadcasters. The Welsh language channel S4C launched in Wales in 1982, and has inspired BBC ALBA in Scotland, TG4 in Ireland and globally indigenous television movements such as Māori Television in New Zealand.

Cornwall is the only national minority and only indigenous language in the UK without its own media service.

With guidance and encouragement from the network of established Celtic minority language broadcasters, and in response to favourable aligning trends, it is timely to propose the formation of a Cornish PSM – an engaging new model, harnessing technological developments with regenerative, social and environmental principles at its core.

The main opportunity the project presents is the formation of a Cornish Media Service: Gonis Media Kernewek creating an original and authentic voice, driving growth, developing skills and improving cultural participation in the region's creative economy.

Kernewek is a living language with several hundred fluent speakers, and with a wider community of around 10,000 who would like more opportunities to use the language - people with a direct interest in or who are studying the language, alongside those who want to use some Cornish phrases in everyday life.

This will create a flagship example of Cornwall leading from the edge, demonstrating a progressive, world leading technological, environmental and socially responsible future PSM model.

This will respond to and redress over 100 years of picturing Cornwall on screen which has elided the Cornish voice, experience and culture, and it will invoke a self-determined, vibrant new place-myth reflecting the language, culture, innovation and diversity of Cornish life.

A Cornish PSM would give a voice to the communities of Cornwall, create a shared cultural expression and connections across a dispersed rural community. Investment in a Cornish PSM would have a significant positive economic impact both through direct activity and indirect and induced multipliers, generated through direct employment, commissioning of content and services, the related supply chain of mostly SMEs, micro businesses and freelancers, and spill-overs into the wider regional economy.

The project recommends that there is: provision of transitional arrangements delivering high quality content and serving Cornish speaking audiences alongside securing a Cornish PSM for the future that delivers a minimum of 200 hours of original content per year.

Denzil Monk was the Principle Investigator for this research project. Professor Rachel Moseley, Florence Browne and Mandy Berry also worked on the project as Co-investigator, Research Assistant and Specialist Consultant, respectively.

This research project and ongoing campaign to establish a Cornish PSM have been and continues to be supported by the following partners:

• The Department of Meaningful Cultural Stuff helped to deliver the initial research project and scoping report.
• Screen Cornwall worked as the delivery partner of the summary report and follow up stakeholder engagement.
• Sustainable design company Leap was tasked with the design of the scoping study and summary report.
• Indpendent production company Bosena has supported the Case for Cornish PSM providing a web page and curating a collection of Cornish content.
• The University of Warwick provided departmental support for research project Co-investigator

This project has been further supported by senior executives at BBC Alba, S4C, TG4 and France 3 Bretagne, the Celtic Media Festival, the BFI, staff from Falmouth University, The University of Warwick, University of Exeter, Cardiff University, University of the Basque Country, from officials in Cornwall Council, the Welsh Government, Scottish Government, and the British Irish Council.

This projects has been supported by grant funding from the following funding bodies:

Cornwall Council have funded this project with a £35,000 commission for Ragdres Hwithrans Darlesor Gonis Poblek Kernewek Agwedh Onan – Studhyans Arhwilas | Cornish Public Service Broadcaster Research Project Phase 1 – Scoping Study.

Cornwall Council have since provided a further £6,500 to Screen Cornwall to produce a summary document and engage with key stakeholders to build support for a Cornish PSM.

Project value

£41,500

Outcomes

The project team set out to describe a new blueprint for PSM, designed to harness the opportunities of the future. Ownership of IP in some of the content would create an opportunity to sell on ideas, programmes and formats both in the UK and internationally, particularly through the Celtic nations and global Cornish Diaspora. Impact would not only be in the directly related sectors of media, film and TV, arts, culture and entertainment but also heritage, tourism and hospitality.

A Cornish PSM could model and help establish a set of standards to better reflect the society we live in and that raises the bar of expectation for a fairer, greener Cornwall to which all stakeholders aspire.

Published by Cornwall Council, the report's recommendations are impacting local government industrial strategy and have been presented at the inaugural UK National Minorities Summit and at international conferences on minority language media.

Outputs

• Cornish Public Service Broadcaster Research Project Phase 1 – Scoping Study Report
• The Summary report 'Kas Rag Media Gonis Poblek Kernewek | A Case for Cornish Public Service Media'
• The  Cornish Public Service Media campaign page
• Tyskennow Kernow showcase