A little something
I'm back - and remembered to call into duty free on the way to buy my blogging body-double, Adrian Masters, a big box of Turkish Delight. I told you he'd do it in style.
And something for you too - two links. One from the BBC as Democracy Live goes ... live. The National Assembly appears sort of centre right - not something you get to write very often. Tell your friends. Tell everyone to take a look and tell me what you think.
And this spotted by my colleague Vaughan Roderick, though so far not by many others who browse You Tube by the looks of the number of hits: enjoy the Government of Wales channel ... and again, tell me what you think.
Thanks again Adrian - and in case you don't like Turkish Delight, good news. I'll swap it for a bottle.
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~02~RS~)
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I think Democracy Live is good, and for Wales it is a reasonable and needed replacement for the loss of S4C2 ... except of course for those who do not have broadband, which in Wales is still the case for too many.
The Assembly feeds are available on senedd.tv (and there are live feeds from the other institutions too) so in that respect it doesn't offer more than being an alternative, and rather attractive, interface ... and that should mean more people will be drawn to watch, which is good. The video clips and highlights are very good.
But the real measure of how good Democracy Live becomes will be in how well you manage to link what goes on in the Assembly (and all the other political institutions in the UK) with how those same matters are being discussed elsewhere. The BBC's political blogs seem to be well linked-in ... which is a good start. But ultimately it's not so much about the new technology, it's about the breadth and standard of political journalism. It always has been, and always will be.
Looking through it, there seems to be good content in both Welsh and English. But one of the criticisms I have made in the past is that the English and Welsh versions of some articles are different ... with the Welsh version often, though not always, having less content than the English version. The two "sub-sites" accessed by the "Wales" and "Cymru" buttons are not directly linked to each other. It would be very much better if each page in both Welsh and English had its own button that would link to the other version of that page, rather than having to start over again from the "Wales" and "Cymru" menus.
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If Democracy Live were attached to the red button on the TV remote it would go further in the quest for democracy in the United Kingdom.
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Feedback on Democracy Live
I liked the political guides and the inclusion of young people in the political process is very important.
Can we please have a section on Peoples Petitions with some background information including input from the Petitioner and the Signatories and progress through the Petitions Committee.
Now that really would be Democracy Live and in Action
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Betsan
I have had another look at Democracy Live and wish to make further suggestions to create a sense of balance.
The reason being the point made by several bloggers that issues of concern are simply ignored by assembly members.
That in itself raises issues about just how democratic the assembly really is and who it represents.
Could we have some kind of community action input from any sort of interest group and help for people who want to start a campaign for reform, instead of people sleeping in the assembly building to make the public aware of what is going on.
With regard to how our money is spent a section on the reports and recommendations by the Welsh Audit Office. I seem to recall a recommendation the assembly takes action against Anglesey council but it seems to have been ignored. We would want to know why.
The idea is to be aware of the issues that go into the assembly because at present we only here what comes out. We need more information on reports based on which decisions are made.
The A483 and the Haines Watts report into the finances of the University of Wales Lampeter being prime examples of important decisions made without the taxpaying public having any say what so ever.
It is ridiculous that we have to turn to the Information Commissioner to find out what is going on.
In that respect Democracy DEAD would be a better description.
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One more thing, can we have a section with topical UK issues and how they affect Wales, rather than be told or forced to respond for instance this is from the guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/jun/05/mandelson-to-run-universities
"The prime minister today scrapped the two-year-old Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and awarded all of its responsibilities to a new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills designed to help the UK out of recession."
In a statement, Downing Street said the move would create a "single department committed to building Britain's future economic strengths".
The question is how does that effect us in Wales.
But given the answer is that we are banned from having any say whatsoever why would the tax paying serfs need to know.
Perhaps that why AMs ignore issues of maladminstration and student grant funding.
With regards to the best student experience, the wise money says that Scotland is the best place to go for a university education.
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No chance, I suppose, that Democracy Live could use the real name - the National Assembly for Wales - rather than the legally non-existent 'Welsh Assembly'? Cardiff Council had to change its road signs a few years ago when it used the wrong name!
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