Betsan Powys

Betsan Powys (born circa 1964), is a Welsh journalist, currently the political editor for BBC Wales.

A native Welsh speaker, Powys joined BBC Wales as a News Trainee in 1989, before joining the newsroom in Cardiff as a bilingual, bi-media reporter. Moving to Current Affairs came in 1994, she reported undercover, where one investigation required her to pose as one half of a swinging couple in the "Garden of Eden", a West Wales brothel.citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/2134552.stm|title=Betsan Powys|publisher=BBC Question Time|date=20003-09-17|accessdate=2008-05-08]

Powys then presented the Welsh language news programme "Newyddion," was chief reporter on the European current affairs series "Ewropa," and joined Huw Edwards to front United Kingdom national election specials.

Powys was lent for a period to BBC One's flagship current affairs programme "Panorama," during she returned to Wales to give birth to her daughter. Her first report for "Panorama" was an investigation into the way Jehovah's Witnesses deal with allegations of child abuse; while her first worldwide exclusive occurred when she persuaded the commanding officer of 30 Royal Welch Fusiliers held hostage in Goražde, Bosnia, to allow her to interview colleagues and friends, agreeing to his condition that the programme would only be broadcast "in the Gaelic tongue."

After working for a period at ITV Wales, she returned to BBC Wales as Culture and Media Correspondent, and as a result of presenting "Week In, Week Out" she won the BT Welsh Journalist of the Year. Powys also presented the Welsh language version of "Mastermind Cymru" on S4C. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4810038.stm|title=Mastermind Cymru has the hot seat|publisher=BBC Wales|date=2006-03-15|accessdate=2008-05-08]

From 11 September, 2006, Powys replaced the retiring David Williams, and took editorial charge of all BBC Wales' daily political output ahead of the Welsh Assembly elections in 2007. [citeweb|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/09_september/11/powys.shtml|title=BBC Wales appoints new Political Editor|publisher=BBC Wales|date=2006-09-09|accessdate=2008-05-08] [citeweb|url=http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/recruit108.shtml|title=BBC Wales appoints new political editor|author=Luft, Oliver|publisher=journalism.co.uk|date=2006-09-12|accessdate=2008-05-08]

BBC Wales Political Editor and Blogger

Ms Powys, no novice to blogging herself, has recently commented on her inside knowledge of the sacking of civil servant blogger Christopher Glamorganshire, who was dismissed in the Autumn of 2007. Glamorganshire ran a blog which provided what readers saw as a neutral running commentary on 2007’s coalition negotiations involving Labour and Plaid Cymru. Former Conservative Assembly Member Glyn Davies, a regular blogger, is quoted as saying “The Christopher Glamorganshire blog was on my list of ‘my favourites’. It seemed to me to be written in a sensible and rational manner. Clearly, if his contract of employment said he was not allowed to blog, he doesn’t have much of a case. But if it is simply a question of supposedly contravening the code, I think sacking him is very harsh and heavy handed. This all smacks of the heavy hand of the state.” [citeweb|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics-news/2008/07/09/sacked-blogger-s-taking-case-to-tribunal-91466-21308104/|title=Sacked blogger’s taking case to tribunal|publisher=Western Mail|date=July 09 2008|accessdate=2008-07-18] .

Ms Powys reported on 18 September, 2008 that the Employment Tribunal is still going ahead, and that it's unlikely to be heard until next year (2009) but that it will be discussed in an internal meeting, presumably in government offices in Cathays Park, next week. Ms Powys also reports on correspondence seen from solicitors acting for the government, mentioning that they don't mince their words "The letter ends on what I'll call a blunt note: go ahead and we'll apply for a full costs order against you, one that covers all fees, charges, disbursements and expenses incurred by WAG." Bluntly ending with "Give in now and we won't." [citeweb|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/2008/09/if_you_were_born_in.html|title=Free speech, huge bills?|publisher=BBC Wales|date=September 18 2008|accessdate=2008-09-21]

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/betsanpowys/ Betsan's blog - BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on Welsh politics.]

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/election07/wales/ Betsan Powys Welsh Assembly Election blog]