June 17's Swansea Bay Media Highlights

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For all those interested in & working in the Swansea Bay media
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Print Western Mail Click
News - The BBC is facing an onslaught of criticism amid claims its commitment to Wales is being downgraded. The Assembly Government, Institute of Welsh Affairs and Ofcom Wales Advisory Group have had their say.
Commercial – Sales growth has stuttered at supermarket Sainsbury's, although its trade in World Cup-style vuvuzela horns has been good.
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Broadcast The Wave Click
News - Mumbles Pier is to get a multi-million pound facelift featuring a new hotel, cafes, restaurant and RNLI base. Click
Competition - To The Sea is the new album from Jack Johnson and all this week The Wave is offering the chance to win the trip for two to see him live next month in New York City. Click
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Online Radio Tircoed 106.5fm Click
Events - A fine what's on section includes Wales Book of the Year nominee Terri Wiltshire at Pontarddulais Library (June 21), blood donor sessions in Waunarlwydd, Neath, Uplands and Port Talbot, The Canterbury Tales at the Dylan Thomas Theatre (to June 19) and workshops for the Pennard Carnival Choir (from June 22). Good luck to all. Click
Commercial – Enterprises in the advertiser's directory include Alexandria Training, Andy's Aerials, the Brinjal diner and British Gas. Click
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Links Twitter | Website
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June 11's Swansea Bay Media Highlights

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For all those interested in & working in the Swansea Bay media
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Print Llanelli Star Click
World Cup - Llanelli Tesco manager Nerys Hughes: "We won't be selling England flags here." Llanelli B&Q's Mel Griffiths: "We haven't been sent any England-specific stock." Tal Einon, manager of town centre restaurant Altalia: "We'll be supporting Italy all the way."  Paul Brookfield, of the Metropolitan: "As a bar, we'll be supporting America and Mexico."
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Print Carmarthen Journal Click
World Cup - TV dealers Jones, of Nantgaredig, and Vaughans (Haverfordwest, Llanelli, St Clears, Aberystwyth) plug football-themed small screen offers.
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Broadcast Real Radio 105-106fm Click
World Cup - Legendary England goalkeeper Peter Shilton says England can win the tournament - if they have plenty of heart to match their talent.
Music - A campaign is running to get the Stereophonics' Local Boy In The Photograph to Number One as a tribute to Stuart Cable. Real Radio's helping. Click
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Online Western Mail Click
World Cup - Nice "what if" blog by Gareth Rogers: Veteran Wales' hopes at South Africa 2010 are hit after seven players are sensationally sent home in disgrace after a late-night curry house brawl in Cape Town. Click
Video - Watch slightly bashful reporter Simon Gaskell taste-testing a series of fine ales at Cardiff's Welsh Beer Festival. They include Kinver's May Bug, Kingstone's Abbey Ale, Taffy's Tipple from Jolly, a light ale from Jacobi and Great Orme's Celtica. Click
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Links Twitter | Website
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June 7's Swansea Bay Media Highlights

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For all those interested in & working in the Swansea Bay media
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Print South Wales Evening Post Click
News - A new watersports centre is coming to Swansea's SA1 docklands. GoWake will be home to Wales' first cable-powered wakeboarding centre. The activity's a cross between waterskiing, snowboarding and surfing.
Entertainment – Neath band Last Republic are to support Bon Jovi at London's O2 Arena this Friday.
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Broadcast BBC Radio Wales 93-104fm, 657 & 882mw Click
News - The Prime Minister is preparing to deliver a stark warning that the action needed to reduce Britain's debts could be so severe that they'll change our very way of life.
Sport - Welsh golfer Rhys Davies has raised his hopes of making this autumn's Ryder Cup team after finishing second in the weekend's Wales Open.
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Online Real Radio 105-106fm Click
News - Derrick Bird was terrified of going to prison over a £60,000 tax investigation when he carried out the Cumbria massacre, a friend has said. Click
Music - Five tracks in a row from late last night: England World Cup Squad - World In Motion; Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart; Take That - It Only Takes A Minute; Train - Hey Soul Sister; Enrique Iglesias - Not In Love.
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Links Twitter | Website
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Swansea newspaper design tweak beds in with soccer promo

Swansea Bay's only free weekly newspaper has had a design tweak.
The Swansea Herald of Wales now packs a slightly more newsy punch.
Gone is the over-reliance on big photos; back are pages with a story count more traditionally associated with local papers.
It's still material that's been lifted from sister title the South Wales Evening Post, but it's an improvement nonetheless.
The latest edition - datelined March 25 - comes swaddled in a four-page wraparound plugging the Post's World Cup soccer-themed sticker collection.
Presumably a promotion brokered by parent company Northcliffe Media, Dream Final 2010 bears none of the preciously guarded logos associated with officially sanctioned Fifa merchandise. Hence, no national crests on the players' kits, no mention of this summer's World Cup and no photo of the famous trophy.
More disappointing is the apparent lack of commercial opportunity offered to local traders. It would've been good to see Messers Tevez, Ribery, Rooney, Torres and Ronaldo help fan the flames of Swansea Bay trade - even through some simple in-paper ad sponsorship. Perhaps that's still to come.
Anyhow, back to the Herald's refreshed news pages. The extra content makes the whole package a lot more readable and will make it easier for ad sales staff to convince potential customers to invest in newspaper space.
It also means there's a comfortable feel to the plethora of plugs for Evening Post features.
Best ad: Renault Swansea, specifically their use of a spanner-wielding Playmobil-style character. Stands out a country mile.
Worst ad: Bunnies "health club". Why continue with such seedy stuff?