S4CV
It felt like one of those episodes of The Apprentice when the candidates are quizzed by some of Lord Sugar's friends from business - trying to sniff out any inaccuracies or inconsistencies in their CVs.
This afternoon on 'The Media Show' on Radio 4, the interim Chief Executive of S4C, Arwel Ellis Owen, was interviewed by big beast of the media world, Steve Hewlett.
Mr Ellis Owen, who's been in the job for just over a fortnight, would have expected some tough questioning over the recent troubles at S4C - the departure of its Chief Executive Iona Jones, talk of huge cuts to its budget and of viewing figures.
But as the interview drew to an end, Steve Hewlett asked one more question.
SH - I'm looking at a copy of your CV from your company cambrensis communications' website, which appears to suggest that you were editor at some stage of Panorama and Newsnight - is that right?
AEO - I'm happy to stand by my record in public service broadcasting over 40 years. Anybody who thinks that the 91Èȱ¬ would have selected me to be head of programmes in Northern Ireland at a very very sensive time, and would have thought that I would not have been exposed to the full rigours of the news and current affairs...
SH - Forgive me, I'm not questioning any of that. I'm questioning what your CV says, which is that you were editor of Panorama and Newsnight.
AEO - I was involved with the programmes over the years...
SH - But you were not editor as your CV says.
AEO - The definition of editors Steve is a very difficult one.
SH - Well, I was the editor of Panorama, I'm not sure you were, were you?
AEO - I was involved with individual programmes and was the editor of individual programmes
SH - But you were not the editor of Panorama or Newsnight.
AEO - Well, once you are an editor in the 91Èȱ¬, you are an editor...
SH - You were not the programme editor of either of those programmes. I'm only saying it because, look, your CV here says "After periods in Cardiff and London as editor of news and current affairs programmes such as Week in Week Out, Panorama and Newsnight, Arwel was appointed to Head of Programmes 91Èȱ¬ Northern Ireland in 1985". My take on that is that it says you were editor of Panorama and Newsnight, were you?
AEO - I was not the editor of the programmes that's for certain but I was in an editorial position in the programmes. As you would know if you were editor of Panorama, the head of programmes in Northen Ireland has a crucial role to play in the chain of command, and in terms of editorial reference. And I was actively involved in a number of those programmes on the editorial side of it, and I think that's the reflection in the statement that I have there.
I'm Betsan Powys, 91Èȱ¬ Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on .
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