This is a big year for 麻豆约拍 Radio Wales. On 13 November, we celebrate the station’s 40th birthday, and this has given us an opportunity to listen to our audiences, reflect on what the station means to them, and to redefine the way we communicate with them.

On-air, that has given us the opportunity to celebrate with some special one-off events. During our birthday week in November, we’ll be taking to the roads on our 40th birthday celebration bus to meet as many listeners as we can in communities the length of breadth of Wales. We’ll also be broadcasting a number of special celebratory programmes and the centrepiece to our celebration will be a night of music and comedy at Swansea’s Grand Theatre, hosted by Owen Money.

But there are also some big changes happening off-air as we extend 麻豆约拍 Radio Wales’ reach on FM further than ever before. Over the years, audiences have told us that they are often frustrated by some 麻豆约拍 Radio Wales FM blackspots. By the end of the month we will have extended FM coverage to an additional 400,000 people across Wales, and around 550 additional miles of road. Areas set to benefit from the boost to Radio Wales on FM include Welshpool, Llandrindod Wells, Ruthin, Brecon and the A55 and A470 road networks as we bring the area of Wales where Radio Wales is available on FM up from 79% to 91%.

Changes will impact on some 麻豆约拍 Radio 3’s listeners who may have to retune or access Radio 3 digitally in order to continue to access the station.

Also in November, 麻豆约拍 Radio Wales will be part of the launch of 麻豆约拍 Sounds. 麻豆约拍 Sounds is our brand new audio app and website, bringing together live and on-demand radio, music and podcasts into a single personalised app. Your 麻豆约拍 Sounds app will be completely unique to you, as it’s designed to learn from your listening habits. Along with the FM reception extension, 麻豆约拍 Sounds is another exciting development, making it easier to access 麻豆约拍 Radio Wales and other 麻豆约拍 services.

As a national broadcaster, 麻豆约拍 Radio Wales has an important role to play in giving a voice and a platform to the people of Wales. As we celebrate our 40th birthday, we will continue to listen to our audiences and implement the changes that they want to see. And I’m pleased that as we celebrate our birthday, we have been able to make changes that if you’re at home or in the car, more listeners than ever can tune in to enjoy the unique mix of entertainment, music and sport Radio Wales has to offer.

(L-R) News presenter Heledd Si么n, Huw Stephens, Caryl Parry Jones, Dafydd Meredydd, Lisa Gwilym

On Sunday 8 October, 麻豆约拍 Radio 1 presenter, Huw Stephens hosted the 2017 British Academy Cymru Awards at St David’s Hall, Cardiff.

Here is a round up of 麻豆约拍 Wales' wins at the award ceremony, which honours excellence in broadcasting and production within film, games and television in Wales, in a year when programmes marking the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster featured highly among the nominations.

Aberfan: The Green Hollow

launched in Wales today (24 March) with a one-day festival in Cardiff.  Development Producer Rachel Williams explains what this means and some of Writersroom's plans for Wales.

I like a challenge but when we decided in February to combine the launch of  in Wales with the first , I did wonder if I’d taken on too much! But as the day of the event dawns I’m glad that we’ve made it happen so fast. We all know the writer's mantra ‘show don’t tell’ – this day long festival is a way we can show the breadth of what the 麻豆约拍 Writersroom does – with sessions on TV drama, Continuing Drama, Radio Drama, Comedy, writing for Children’s programmes and a room dedicated to digital storytelling.

But most importantly we wanted to bring the Welsh writing community together to find out – how can we help? What is needed? How can we make 麻豆约拍 Writersroom a success in Wales? This isn’t about us preaching to you – this is the start of a conversation that we want you all to be an active part of.

Wales has story in its veins; I grew up surrounded by natural storytellers and characters and we've seen some of these reflected on screen, brilliant homegrown drama from  to  to .  But there's room for more versions of ourselves – multi-cultural Wales, the urban estates, (not just rural!) North Wales, middle class Wales… drama and comedy where our Welshness can either be central or incidental. We are here to help writers tell these stories and, most importantly, get them made.

Wales is a bilingual country and the story is slightly different with Welsh language drama and comedy – co-production has opened up some real opportunities and there is already some fantastic drama on  such as ,  and . We are keen to support writers who write in Welsh and we are going to work with a Welsh language script editor who can be across submissions and help facilitate workshops and events in Welsh.

We want to show writers that there are many ways to get their story out there and it makes sense for a writer to try their hand at other forms and to experiment with different ways of telling stories. Look at the reach of radio drama like James Fritz's  (winner of both the ) or Matthew Broughton’s  (which was produced by 麻豆约拍 Drama in Wales for Radio 4). A key aim of 麻豆约拍 Writersroom in Wales is to help join up all the existing producers who are working with and developing writers and to try to create more opportunities by partnering with them. For instance, we will be working with  to run an intensive twelve-week writers’ development programme - ‘Welsh Voices’.

We're also pushing to create new opportunities at both nation and network level, places where writers can hone and develop their craft, where talent has a chance to incubate and find their voice. This year we are supporting  with a two-day script development workshop. We will also be working with  in finding and developing the next generation of comic voices for shortform content.

The Writers festival will be the first event of many events that we will put on to support and develop the Welsh writing community. 麻豆约拍 Writersroom Wales will also run sessions at the  conference at the end of March and at  in April. We also plan a fully bi-lingual launch and writing workshop in North Wales.

I'm looking forward to meeting and working with you in the months to come!

Rachel Williams is 麻豆约拍 Writersroom's Development Producer for Wales

• Read also 

Forty years ago today, – the one and only Welsh language national radio station – was born. It broke free from the world of opt-outs, where you might emerge from listening, say, to the Archers and stumble across a Welsh language documentary, before being safely returned to Radio 4 Wales. Creating a radio station that broadcast fully in Welsh was long overdue said its fans; it was in danger of becoming a ghetto for Welsh language programming said others. But while they analysed, Radio Cymru got on with it and set out to persuade its listeners that VHF - FM had a future.

If you spoke Welsh, then Hywel Gwynfryn’s breakfast show ‘Helo Bobol!’ was for you. In our house, we spoke Welsh so we listened to Hywel and to Radio Cymru – it was that simple. When there were birthdays to be celebrated, you did it with requests on Radio Cymru. When heavy snow was falling and you needed to know which shops had bread on the shelves, or waited with baited breath for news of school closures, you did it with Radio Cymru.     

News bulletins on that first morning were delivered by journalist Gwyn Llewelyn, who brought stories from every single corner of Wales, some big, some very small, local and from all four corners of the country. We still broadcast every weekday from Cardiff, Bangor, Carmarthen and Aberystwyth, not because it makes life technically any easier but because if you want to speak to the whole of Wales, you need to be there, live there and work there.

And from those early days, on 麻豆约拍 Radio Cymru, ‘麻豆约拍’ stood for ‘Y Bobol Biau’r Cyfrwng’ –‘the people own the media’.

That doesn’t mean the people have always agreed with us. Over the years both musicians and poets, who play a huge role in the station’s success, have been ‘on strike’ and refused to broadcast on Radio Cymru. The ‘B’ in ‘麻豆约拍’ has stood for considerably less complimentary words along the years. Yet as Radio Cymru turns forty, you’ll be hard pressed to find a national radio station that has more loyal listeners, or who believe ‘their’ station is more precious.

Where else would you find a programme where audiences turn up in village halls and pubs to hear teams of poets going head to head? ‘Talwrn y Beirdd’ is a jewel in our crown not just because it’s brilliant and entertaining stuff, but because no-one else does it like we do. If you’d tuned in to our digital pop-up station, RC Mwy, launched on the iPlayer Radio app to mark our 40th anniversary, you’d know that the Welsh language music scene is thriving – thanks in no small part to Radio Cymru.   

And it’s thanks to a succession of Radio Cymru commentators that the language has kept up with the changing vocabulary of football and rugby over four decades. Without them, I’m not sure  Dylan Griffiths would ever have stood in the Stade de Bordeaux last June, microphone in hand and screamed “Bale … Bordeaux … Bendigedig!”

Yet there is an uncomfortable reality to face. The Welsh language is under pressure.  There’s competition from digital stations who barely notice national boundaries. For my children and for their friends, Welsh language culture is one part of a patchwork of influences that straddle, Welsh, British and international cultures. It’s not that simple any more.

So as we celebrate, Radio Cymru will look back and make the most of forty fantastic years of archives. But more importantly, we’ll look ahead and hand in hand with our listeners, we’ll have a ball. 

Betsan Powys is Editor, Radio Cymru.

• Read '' on the 麻豆约拍 News website.
• .

麻豆约拍 Wales Football Correspondent Rob Phillips has been following the Welsh team at Euro 2016 and, when he gets a chance, he’s been writing updates for his followers and friends on Facebook. We've put together a third set of edited highlights from Rob’s week at the Wales base in Dinard, Brittany, and on the road following the team. Can there possibly be a part four? Well it is Rob's birthday today so you never know...

Sunday 3/7/16 - two days after the quarter-final v Belgium

It's Sunday… So it must be the launderette in Dinard…

You don't know how good it feels to be able to write those words. 'Phenomenal' is one of the superlatives which springs to mind. What a weekend! I expect you might have heard Wales are through to the semi-finals of the European Championships (you really don't know how good it feels to be able to write those words - 'absolutely phenomenal' springs to mind).

Friday night was yet another unforgettable experience, something which appears to be happening every few days at the moment. And it's not just we Welsh who are enjoying it. After travelling back to Brittany from Lille yesterday we had a bit of a celebration last night, which involved a decent meal, watching the penalty shoot-out, and a few drinks with the rest of the media covering Wales. There was a slight air of disbelief among us all, but the barman was convinced Pays de Galles were heading to Paris…

Fast forward to the launderette and an elderly gentleman and I had a somewhat testing conversation (since he didn't speak much England and I spoke even less French - if only I had listened more to my French teacher Mr Burns in Pontypridd Grammar). Anyway, one phrase I did manage to pick up was ''Pays de Galles - Finale!'' - which I took to mean Wales are going all the way to the Euro 2016 final in Paris next weekend. We shook hands on it (so did his partner), so it's almost official.

Today marks a month on this journey now (started at Heathrow, on to Sweden and then France) and the little incidentals take on a new meaning. Whoever would have thought I'd need more toothpaste today? Be honest, you didn't did you? Neither did I. There we go, it must be historic! (Before you ask, yes, it's the same stuff they sell in Wales... Don't be so surprised!).

Gareth Bale spotted in a shop window in Dinard, Brittany

What’s your aim for 2016? Climb Mount Kilimanjaro? Do a triathlon?Recreate a miniature Titanic using just lollipop sticks?

The new year sees many a resolution come and go so this January, 麻豆约拍 Radio Wales made it their mission to help keep one aim on track by launching ‘’.

Born and bred in Wales, I’ve often lamented that I should have learnt my mother tongue, but so often distractions and excuses have got in the way.

It was this thought - bolstered by the admissions of fellow sheepish colleagues - that made us here at Audio Always think about how we could reach out to those who felt a similar draw. And as an independent radio production company, how could we engage with this audience?

Working with , we designed a campaign to inspire, encourage and support Welsh learners by sharing simple words and phrases every day, success stories from across Wales (and beyond) and helpful hints and tips to get us all on the right track.

We heard from so many incredible Welsh learners proving that learning a new language amidst a busy lifestyle can be done. Whether they be like Hugh from Ellesmere who wanted to learn a language that harked back to childhood holidays or 99-year-old Helena who is still winning awards for her Welsh at the National Eisteddfod.

Map of Share your Welsh project

Jamie Barton, winner of Cardiff Singer of the World, pictured with her trophy at the 2013 final

麻豆约拍 Radio Cymru's giant radio

Tonight, Director-General Tony Hall spoke at the National Assembly for Wales Reception. He opened his speech by saying,听

"I have been back at the 麻豆约拍 a year today 鈥� and it has been exhilarating (well, mostly exhilarating). To be given the right to be funded by a licence fee is a tremendous privilege. And the truth is that the people of Wales 鈥� as in every other part of the UK - make a bold and generous commitment in paying for the 麻豆约拍.

They own it, they love it, and they expect only the best from it. Every day we have to show we are worthy of that commitment.

I have also returned to the 麻豆约拍 to find a Wales that鈥檚 transformed.

I was 麻豆约拍鈥檚 Director of News during the uncertain days of 1997 when the very idea of devolution in Wales was so hotly contested and divisive. Coming back now, I find a nation that exudes a self-confidence, a clearer sense of itself and its own values, and an ambition that feels very different.

But it is not just Wales that has changed. I have also come back to find a 麻豆约拍 Wales that鈥檚 transformed. Truly transformed."

He went on to pay tribute to 麻豆约拍 Wales' contribution to drama, underlined how audiences in Wales were served by the 麻豆约拍, illustrated how new talent was also being supported by the corporation in addition to highlighting the forthcoming .听

He closed his speech by considering, 听

"... Wales without the 麻豆约拍.

Where would a nation find its voice in both its languages, where would it be able to explore its identity, its geography, its people? How would a nation come together to share its common heritage? Or debate its shared challenges? Or celebrate its national successes?

Just consider that every day the 麻豆约拍 is actively chosen by the Welsh public close to seven million times. And every day, the average use of the 麻豆约拍 in Wales is over six and a half hours per household 鈥� the highest level anywhere in the UK.

But while I challenge anyone to find better value, I also challenge you tonight to tell us how we can continue to improve and deepen the service we offer Wales; how we can continue to ensure that Wales can see itself and talk to itself on its own terms in a digital, interactive world; and how we can continue to take the very best talent produced and developed here in Wales and place it on a global stage."

• Read the on the Media Centre website.
• Read more posts by .听

Dylan Thomas at the 麻豆约拍 in 1948

Welsh rugby fans sing for their boys in the Six Nations 2014

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

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Wrth i 麻豆约拍 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鈥檔 newid ar Radio Cymru. Fe fydd rhai lleisiau鈥檔 mynd, eraill yn dod ac ambell lais cyfarwydd iawn yn trio rhywbeth newydd sbon.

I ddechrau felly, diolch. Diolch i鈥檙 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鈥檌 roi i Radio Cymru, am eu holl raglenni a chyfraniadau. Mae鈥檙 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鈥檙 orsaf dros dro - gyda steil. Fyddan nhw鈥檔 sicir ddim yn ddieithr.

Y sylw dwi wedi鈥檌 glywed amlaf am Radio Cymru yw un sy鈥檔 swnio鈥檔 llawn cydymdeimlad. 鈥淒oes dim modd i chi fod yn bopeth i bawb鈥� ac eto, dyna beth y鈥檔 ni鈥檙 Cymry鈥檔 ei ddisgwyl gan Radio Cymru. 鈥淎llwch chi ddim ennill,鈥� meddai sawl un. Ond y feirniadaeth oedd ein bod ni鈥檔 dal i drio bod yn bopeth i bawb trwy鈥檙 amser ac felly鈥檔 cynnig gormod o鈥檙 un peth i鈥檙 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鈥檔 ffafrio rhaglen lawn dop Dylan Jones ar 么l y Post Cyntaf yn y bore, eraill yn edrych ymlaen i ymuno鈥檔 y sgwrs a ch芒n ar Bore Cothi gyda Sh芒n Cothi, eraill yn mwynhau dadl ddifyr, bigog weithiau ac ymateb bywiog ar ein rhaglenni newydd sbon ni amser cinio ac ar Taro鈥檙 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 鈥檇ani yn y pnawn falle.

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

Fe fydd un llais newydd iawn i鈥檞 glywed. Guto Rhun, o Fachynlleth yn wreiddiol, yw鈥檙 cyntaf o鈥檙 criw talentog a brwdfrydig ddaeth i鈥檙 golwg drwy鈥檔 hymgyrch 鈥楥ais am Lais鈥� i gael ei glywed yn gyson ar yr awyr. Os ydych chi鈥檔 un o鈥檙 criw sy鈥檔 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鈥檆h clywed ar yr orsaf yn gyson hefyd. Ry鈥檔 ni鈥檔 anelu i siarad am y pethau sy鈥檔 berthnasol i chi, dathlu penblwyddi, genedigaethau a llwyddiannau gyda chi - a bob nos am 6, fe fydd un o鈥檔 gwrandawyr ni鈥檔 dethol Fy Rhaglen I. Nhw fydd yn dewis eu hoff bytiau o sgyrsiau, straeon a chaneuon i鈥檞 rhannu 芒 chi.

Mi fyddwn ni鈥檔 darlledu bob dydd yn ystod yr wythnos o Fangor, Aberystwyth, Caerfyrddin, Abertawe a Chaerdydd - dipyn o gamp. Mi fyddwn ni鈥檔 ymdrechu i ymweld 芒鈥檆h ardal chi鈥檔 amlach. A byddwn, mi fyddwn ni鈥檔 ceisio ehangu ap锚l Radio Cymru, yn ceisio denu pobol sy鈥檔 osgoi gwrando ar y radio鈥檔 Gymraeg, sy鈥檔 clywed nemor ddim cerddoriaeth Gymraeg o gwbwl, i wrando arnon ni. Ond roedd eich neges chi鈥檔 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鈥檙 criw i gyd fydd yn rhan o Radio Cymru - i bob un llais fydd arni, i bob un fydd y tu 么l i鈥檙 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鈥檝e 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 be strangers in the future.

The comment I鈥檝e heard most often about Radio Cymru is one that is full of sympathy. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 possibly be all things to all people鈥�, and yet that is what we expect from the station. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a no-win situation,鈥� 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鈥檚 packed programme after Post Cyntaf in the morning, others are looking forward to joining in with the conversation with Sh芒n 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鈥檙 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 鈥榞iving it some welly鈥� in the afternoons.

But we hope everyone on the station will be someone鈥檚 favourite - and the truth is, there鈥檚 room for them all on a station that鈥檚 proud to call itself 鈥淟lais Cymru鈥� - 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 鈥楥ais am Lais鈥� 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鈥檚 conversations, stories and songs to share with you.

We鈥檒l be broadcasting every single weekday from Bangor, Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Swansea and Cardiff - quite an achievement. We鈥檒l 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 part of Radio Cymru - to each and every voice we鈥檒l hear, to those behind the glass organising and promoting - and thanks to all who鈥檒l 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鈥檚 anxieties - and praise, I hope - with the whole team.

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Betsan Powys is Editor, 麻豆约拍 Radio Cymru

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• Learn more about in a post written by Betsan in November 2013.
• 听the press release from November 2013 in which Betsan first announced the new vision for the station
• Listen live to via 麻豆约拍 iPlayer Radio
• Follow on Twitter听

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

As 麻豆约拍 Radio Cymru鈥檚 Programme Editor I鈥檇 like to say this.

During the 鈥� the national conversation we鈥檝e 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鈥檚 schedule. To be honest they went beyond views about the voices and names of Radio Cymru. The persistent criticism was there was 鈥渢oo much of the same鈥� 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 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 鈥� 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鈥� 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鈥檚 listening pattern. That鈥檚 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 鈥� thankfully 鈥� broad, we have to now make a start on broadening the appeal of the station.

In future, this will be Radio Cymru鈥檚 message to you: if you want to hear something new about the Wales you live in, and the world it鈥檚 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鈥檒l be an important place for questioning and probing - another valuable echo from the past 鈥� which will be the station鈥檚 sound over lunch. In the afternoon, we鈥檒l have some fun with competitions, music, comedy and laughs. After an hour of news 鈥� and the best bits of the day鈥檚 broadcasting 鈥� come and try something new, specialist, appealing, before spending the night with the familiar.

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

If we can persuade you to stay with us throughout the day, as we broadcast from Bangor, Cardiff, Carmarthen and Aberystwyth 鈥� then that鈥檚 a bonus! We鈥檒l do our best.鈥�

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 鈥榤usic sound鈥� that鈥檚 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 鈥� 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鈥檚 how it will be.

The digital future:

I鈥檝e given serious consideration to another question that arose during the Sgwrs 鈥� is there a need for a second Welsh language national station?

Personally, I believe that a second Welsh language national station 鈥� whether the 麻豆约拍 has a part to play in setting it up and running it or not - would be of benefit to Radio Cymru. But it鈥檚 better to be honest and straight about this from the start. 麻豆约拍 Cymru鈥檚 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鈥檛 offer an easy answer. Most people listen to Radio Cymru on FM and that鈥檚 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 鈥� well rather than lose heart, is there another way of offering that choice? In a word, yes.

The first step is this: 麻豆约拍 Wales will be launching a brand new Welsh language digital service early in 2014. The hope is that the service, 鈥楥ymru Fyw鈥�, will bring the best of the 麻豆约拍鈥檚 digital content to you 鈥� 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鈥檚 a happy and productive coincidence. We鈥檙e working on this now, and alongside the new 鈥楥ymru Fyw鈥� team, we鈥檙e 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鈥檝e started examining whether it would be possible to create a 鈥榡ukebox鈥� of Welsh language music on the web 鈥� 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.听

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

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

Betsan Powys is Programme Editor, 麻豆约拍 Radio Cymru

Welsh language version:

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

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

Yn ystod y 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鈥檙 feirniadaeth gyson bod 鈥榞ormod o鈥檙 un peth鈥� 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鈥檔 gweithio i , ei dderbyn yw bod yna ormod o bobol Radio Cymru yn teimlo nad nhw oedd piau'r cyfrwng erbyn hyn. Roedden nhw am i鈥檙 orsaf apelio鈥檔 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?听

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鈥檙 cyfrwng, y bobol i gyd, y rheiny sy鈥檔 gwrando nawr, y rheiny sydd angen eu denu n么l, a鈥檙 rheiny ddaw, gobeithio, aton ni o鈥檙 newydd.听 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鈥檔 rhaid mynd ati nawr i ehangu ap锚l 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 s诺n 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 么l awr o newyddion - a phigion y gorau o ddarlledu'r dydd - dewch i drio rhywbeth newydd, arbenigol, apelgar, cyn noswylio gyda'r cyfarwydd.

Ehangu鈥檙 ap锚l 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.听听听

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鈥檔 gorau.

Beth am y gerddoriaeth ar Radio Cymru?

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

Gyda help llaw t卯m 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鈥檔 neges gref ddaeth o鈥檙 Sgwrs hefyd. Fe fydd barn gan gyflwynwyr am gerddoriaeth ac ap锚l eang i'r hyn sy鈥檔 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鈥檔 cael eu cyflwyno i chi, a鈥檜 dathlu yn ystod y dydd.听

Y tu hwnt i鈥檙 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鈥檞 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 麻豆约拍 芒 rhan yn ei sefydlu a鈥檌 rhedeg hi ai peidio - yn llesol i Radio Cymru. Ond听waeth bod yn onest a chlir o'r dechrau. Mae cyllideb 麻豆约拍 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鈥檙 gwasanaeth bob hyn a hyn, dyw鈥檙 dechnoleg honno ddim yn cynnig ateb hawdd. Drwy donfedd FM mae trwch gwrando Radio Cymru yn digwydd, a鈥檙 tebyg yw mai fel hyn y bydd hi am beth amser i ddod. Pe bae e鈥檔 ateb yr her o gynnig dewis i wrandawyr yn y dyfodol fyddai neb yn hapusach eu byd na fi.听

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 麻豆约拍 Cymru yn lansio gwasanaeth digidol Cymraeg newydd sbon yn gynnar yn 2014. Y gobaith yw y bydd y gwasanaeth hwnnw, 鈥楥ymru Fyw鈥� yn dod 芒鈥榬 gorau o gynnwys digidol 麻豆约拍 Cymru i chi 鈥� yn gynnwys newyddion a straeon cyffredinol a鈥檙 cynnwys hwnnw ar gael ar听 gyfrifiaduron, ffonau symudol a thabledi. Bydd gweithgarwch Radio Cymru yn cael ei adlewyrchu gan Cymru Fyw. Ydi, mae鈥檔 gyd-ddigwyddiad hapus a chynhyrchiol. Ry'n ni wrthi nawr, ar y cyd a th卯m 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.听

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 鈥榡iwc-bocs鈥� cerddoriaeth Gymraeg ar y we 鈥� un porth i鈥檙 gerddoriaeth Gymraeg orau, bedair awr ar hugain y dydd, saith diwrnod yr wythnos.听听听

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

Manylion amserlen newydd 麻豆约拍 Radio Cymru, o ddydd Llun i ddydd Gwener, s鈥檡n dechrau yn y gwanwyn:

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