List of Welsh-language media facts for kids

This article tells you about all the cool ways people in Wales share news, stories, and entertainment in the Welsh language. This includes TV, radio, newspapers, and even computer games!

Television in Welsh

Welsh TV Channels

S4C is a special TV channel that broadcasts only in Welsh. It gets about £100 million each year to make its shows. Before S4C started in 1982, channels like BBC Wales and HTV showed some Welsh programs. Today, these companies still make shows for S4C, along with other independent groups. S4C is watched by about 3% of people in Wales. This is similar to TG4, a channel in Ireland that broadcasts in Irish.

Other TV Services

S4C has a service called Clic. It's like the BBC iPlayer, but for Welsh programs. You can watch your favorite S4C shows again whenever you want! Many S4C programs are also available on BBC iPlayer.

The BBC sometimes offers Welsh language comments for sports events. You can often choose this option on BBC One Wales and BBC Two Wales using the red button on your digital TV.

Radio in Welsh

Radio Stations Just in Welsh

• BBC Radio Cymru broadcasts mostly in Welsh for about 18.5 hours every day. It offers news, current events, music, sports, and cultural programs. It's a bit like RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta in Ireland. When it's not broadcasting, it sometimes plays English programs from BBC Radio 5 Live.
• Cymru FM is an online radio station that only broadcasts in Welsh. It's a community station.
• Radio Beca sometimes makes Welsh programs for the internet. This station once planned to broadcast on FM radio in places like Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and Carmarthenshire. However, it lost its special radio license in 2015.

Bilingual Radio Stations

• Capital Cymru broadcasts across Gwynedd and Anglesey. It plays Welsh language programs from 6 AM to 7 PM on weekdays. On weekends, Welsh programs are on from 9 AM to 4 PM. You can hear Welsh music on this station 24 hours a day!
• Môn FM is a local radio station for Anglesey and north Gwynedd. It broadcasts about 90 hours a week. Its programs are in Welsh, English, or a mix of both.

Radio Stations with Daily Welsh Programs

• Greatest Hits Radio South Wales has a Welsh language show on Sunday to Friday nights. It also gives bilingual news updates on weekday nights.
• Capital North West and Wales has a special service for the North Wales Coast on 96.3 FM. It plays a one-hour Welsh language program every weekday.
• GTFM is a community radio station in Pontypridd. It broadcasts Welsh programs on Tuesday and Sunday evenings, and Saturday mornings. It also shares daily Welsh news from BBC Radio Cymru.

Radio Stations with Weekly Welsh Programs

• BRfm is a community radio station in Brynmawr. It broadcasts a one-hour Welsh program on Monday afternoons.
• Radio Carmarthenshire and Radio Pembrokeshire share a one-hour Welsh program together on Sunday nights.
• Radio Tircoed is a community radio station in the Swansea Valley. It broadcasts a Welsh program on Monday evenings.
• Sound Radio is a community radio station in the Vale of Clwyd. It plays a Welsh language music show on Monday evenings.
• Storm FM is the student radio station for Bangor University. It broadcasts weekly news, music, and fun programs in Welsh.

Printed Media in Welsh

Newspapers and Magazines

• Y Cymro was a weekly newspaper (it stopped printing in 2017).
• Golwg is a weekly magazine with news and current events.
• Barn is a monthly magazine about current events.
• Y Faner Newydd is an independent magazine. It covers topics like TV, books, history, art, science, and current affairs.

There were plans for a daily Welsh newspaper called Y Byd. But these plans were stopped because there wasn't enough money.

Daily Newspapers with Welsh Content

• Western Mail is a national newspaper. It often has special columns written in Welsh.
• Daily Post is a North Wales newspaper. It also has regular Welsh columns and a special Welsh section each week.

Weekly Newspapers with Welsh Content

• Tivy Side is a newspaper in south Ceredigion.
• Cambrian News has different versions along the west coast.
• Carmarthen Journal covers most of Carmarthenshire.
• South Wales Guardian has a two-page Welsh section every week. It covers the Amman, Gwendraeth, and Tywi Valleys.
• The Pembrokeshire Herald has a two-page Welsh news section each week. It mainly focuses on Welsh current events.

Weekly Welsh Local Newspapers

• Y Cyfnod covers the Bala area.
• Y Dydd covers the Dolgellau area.

Monthly Welsh Community Newsletters

These are known as papurau bro in Welsh. They are local newsletters for different communities.

• Yr Angor – For Aberystwyth, Comins Coch, Llanbadarn Fawr, Penparcau and Waunfawr, Ceredigion.
• Yr Angor – For Merseyside.
• Yr Arwydd – For the Mynydd Bodafon area, Anglesey.
• Y Barcud – For the Tregaron area, Ceredigion.
• Y Bedol – For the Ruthin area, Denbighshire.
• Y Bigwn – For Denbigh.
• Y Blewyn Glas – For Bro Ddyfi, Machynlleth, Powys.
• Y Cardi Bach – For Whitland and St Clears, Carmarthenshire.
• Y Clawdd – For the Wrexham area.
• Clebran – For Crymych, Pembrokeshire.
• Clecs Camwy - For Trelew & Gaiman, Chubut, Argentina.
• Clecs y Cwm a'r Dref – For the Neath area.
• Clochdar – For Cynon Valley, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff.
• Clonc – For the Lampeter area.
• Cwlwm – For Carmarthen.
• Dail Dysynni – For Dysynni Valley, Tywyn, Gwynedd.
• Dan y Landsker – For South Pembrokeshire.
• Y Dinesydd – For the Cardiff area.
• Y Ddolen – For Ystwyth to Wyre valleys, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.
• Eco'r Wyddfa – For Llanrug, Llanberis and Deiniolen communities, Gwynedd.
• Y Fan a'r Lle – For the Brecon area.
• Y Ffynnon – For Eifionydd, Garndolbenmaen, Gwynedd.
• Y Gadlas – For the area between the Conwy River and River Clwyd.
• Y Gambo – For South west Ceredigion.
• Y Garthen – For Teifi Valley, Ceredigion.
• Y Glannau – For Clwyd Coast and St Asaph area.
• Glo Man – For Aman Valley, Carmarthenshire.
• Y Gloran – For the head of the Rhondda, Ton Pentre, Rhondda.
• Y Glorian – For the Llangefni area, Anglesey.
• Y Goriad – For Bangor and Felinheli.
• Yr Hogwr – For the Bridgend area.
• Llafar Bro – For the Blaenau Ffestiniog area, Gwynedd.
• Llais – For Swansea Valley, Swansea.
• Llais Aeron – For Aeron Valley, Ceredigion.
• Llais Ardudwy – For Ardudwy, Gwynedd.
• Llais Ogwan – For Ogwen Valley, Bethesda, Gwynedd.
• Llais yr Andes - For Esquel & Trevelin, Chubut Province, Argentina.
• Llanw Llŷn – For Llyn Peninsula, Pwllheli, Gwynedd.
• Lleu – For Nantlle Valley, Caernarfon.
• Y Llien Gwyn – For Fishguard area, Pembrokeshire.
• Y Lloffwr – For Dinefwr area, Carmarthenshire.
• Nene – For Ponciau, Penycae, Johnstown and Rhosllannerchrugog, Wrexham.
• Yr Odyn – For Nant Conwy, Llanrwst, Conwy.
• Papur Dre – For Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
• Papur Fama – For Mold area, Flintshire.
• Papur Menai – For the banks of the Menai from Penmon to Dwyran, Anglesey.
• Papur Pawb – For Tal-y-bont, Taliesin and Tre'r Ddol, Ceredigion.
• Papur y Cwm – For the Gwendraeth, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.
• Y Pentan – For Conwy Valley and coastal area of Conwy.
• Pethe Penllyn – For the Bala area, Gwynedd.
• Plu'r Gweunydd – For Y Foel, Llangadfan, Llanerfyl, Llanfair Caereinion, Adfa, Cefn Coch, Llwydiarth, Llangynyw, Dolanog, Rhiwhiraeth, Pontrobert, Meifod and Welshpool, Powys.
• Y Rhwyd – For North west Anglesey.
• Seren Hafren – For the Newtown area, Powys.
• Sosbanelli – For Llanelli.
• Tafod Elái – For Taff Ely, Pontypridd Gwefan Tafod Elai.
• Tafod Tafwys – For Welsh learners in London.
• Y Tincer – For Genau'r Glyn, Llangorwen, Tirymynach, Trefeurig and Borth, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.
• Tua'r Goleuni – For Rhymni Valley, Caerphilly.
• Wilia – For the Swansea area.
• Yr Wylan – For Penrhyndeudraeth, Porthmadog, Beddgelert areas, Gwynedd.
• Yr Ysgub – For Ceiriog, Tanat and Cain valleys, Powys.

Special Magazines

• Addysgydd was a children's magazine published monthly in 1823.
• Barddas – A magazine about poetry, published every two months.
• Bore Da – A magazine from Urdd Gobaith Cymru for primary school kids learning Welsh.
• Cadwyn – A magazine for people learning Welsh.
• Y Casglwr – For people who love collecting books.
• Cip – For primary school-aged children who speak Welsh.
• Cristion – A magazine about the Christian faith.
• Cyfrwng – A journal about media in Wales.
• Y Cylchgrawn Efengylaidd – An evangelical magazine.
• Lol – A funny, satirical magazine published once a year during the Eisteddfod week.
• Yr Enfys – The journal of Undeb Cymru a’r Byd (Wales International Union).
• Fferm a Thyddyn – About the history of farming.
• Gair y Dydd – Daily religious readings, published four times a year.
• Y Gwyliedydd - A magazine published every two months by the Welsh Wesleyan Methodists.
• Iaw! – A magazine published every two months for Welsh learners by Urdd Gobaith Cymru.
• Lingo Newydd – A magazine published every two months for Welsh learners.
• Llafar Gwlad – A magazine about country life, traditions, and old stories.
• Y Llan – The journal of the Church in Wales.
• Llên Cymru – An academic journal about Welsh literature from the University of Wales Press.
• Y Naturiaethwr – A magazine about the natural world.
• Y Papur Gwyrdd – An ecological magazine.
• Y Selar – A quarterly magazine about the Welsh language music scene.
• Y Tafod – A magazine published every two months by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg.
• Taliesin – A literary magazine.
• Y Traethodydd – The oldest magazine in Wales, started in 1845.
• Tu Chwith – An art magazine for younger people.
• Y Wawr – The publication of Merched y Wawr (a Welsh group similar to the WI).
• Wcw a'i Ffrindiau – A magazine for children.

Welsh on the Internet

Lots of websites are now available in Welsh or in both Welsh and English. Some important ones include:

• Golwg360 (external link), which is Golwg's Welsh language news website.
• BBC Cymru's Welsh language news website.
• maes-e, a popular online discussion forum that is only in Welsh.

Many popular internet sites like Google, Facebook, and Wikipedia (which is called Wicipedia in Welsh) can also be used in Welsh. Most public organizations in Wales and many private companies have websites that are in both Welsh and English.

Computer Games in Welsh

More and more computer games are becoming available in Welsh! Here are a few examples:

• Shooty fruity
• Marvin
• Anifaeliad
• Alto's Adventure
• Master reboot
• Talesinger: Voice of the Dragon

On April 21, 2016, Pro Evolution Soccer released the first ever Welsh language video game cover. It was for Euro 2016; PES 2016. You couldn't buy it in shops, but you could download it for free to replace the English cover.

Mobile Phone Technology in Welsh

In August 2009, the mobile phone company Samsung (with the provider Orange) showed off a new Welsh language mobile phone. It became available in September 2009. This phone had Welsh language menus and predictive text.

In June 2016, RWG Mobile launched the first mobile phone service based in Wales. It offers services in both Welsh and English. In July 2016, the company promoted their service at the Royal Welsh Show.

Software in Welsh

Microsoft software like Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Microsoft Office can be used with Welsh language settings. Most Microsoft Office programs also have a spell check for Welsh.

There is also free software available in Welsh, such as OpenOffice.org, Mozilla Firefox, To Bach, and uTorrent.

Bangor University created a software package called Cysgliad. It includes Cysill, which checks Welsh spelling and grammar. It also has Cysgair, a Welsh-English dictionary.

Welsh Publishers

Many publishing companies mainly publish books and other materials in Welsh. Some of these include:

• Gomer Press based in Llandysul, Ceredigion.
• Y Lolfa based in Talybont, Ceredigion.
• Gwasg Carreg Gwalch based in Llanrwst, Conwy.
• Gwasg Cyhoeddiadau Modern Cymreig based in Allerton, Liverpool.
• Gwasg Gwynedd based in Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
• Gwasg y Dref Wen based in Cardiff.

Welsh Record Labels

Several record labels release music in the Welsh language. Some of them are:

• Anhrefn Records, based in Llanfair Caereinion, released underground Welsh music from 1983 to 1990.
• Ankst, an underground label that was very active in the late 1980s and 90s.
• Copa, a sub-label of Sain, which focuses more on youth music.
• Docrad, based in Cardiff.
• Fflach, based in Cardigan, Ceredigion.
• Gwynfryn Cymunedol, based in Caernarfon, Gwynedd.
• Placid Casual, a Cardiff-based label owned by the band Super Furry Animals.
• Rasp, a sub-label of Fflach.
• Sain, based in Llandwrog, Gwynedd, is the biggest Welsh language record company.
• Slacyr based in Garndolbenmaen.

Some bands also release their music on their own labels, like Frizbee's Recordiau Cosh and Bryn Fôn's laBelaBel.

Welsh Films

Some films made in Welsh have become famous around the world. The most well-known are Hedd Wyn and Solomon a Gaenor. Both of these films were nominated for Oscars in the 1990s!

Welsh DVDs and Videos

You can buy a small number of Welsh language videos and DVDs. These often include children's TV programs like Sali Mali, Tecwyn y Tractor, and a Welsh version of Bob the Builder (called Bob y Bildar). Other popular DVDs include the comedy C'mon Midffîld!, which has ten DVDs. The 1980s children's TV show Syr Wynff a Plwmsan also became very popular and has DVDs.