A hyperlocal news publisher has taken on a former MP to help with its coverage after launching a radio station.

Alan Evans, who runs sister titles Llanelli Online and Wales News Online, has launched Llanelli Talk Radio with Gwynoro Jones.

Gwynoro, who was the Labour MP for Carmarthen from 1970 to 1974, was initially taken on to help with the development of the business.

But the 77-year-old is now also working on Welsh language coverage for the publications, as well as the radio project.

Alan told HTFP: “The Welsh government has a drive to increase the number of Welsh language speakers. We do receive bilingual press releases from the Welsh Assembly however a lot of the politicians still only submit in English.

“There are issues working toward publishing bilingual content. You have to have a member of staff who is a very competent Welsh speaker and who is able to interpret and write as well as editing. Gwynoro is a great addition for those reasons.

“We have seen a lot more reach as a result of the inclusion of more Welsh language content. The radio is live now and in its infancy. The issue we have is lack of funding and lack of manpower. We are very aware of the need to provide quality audio content and bilingual content as there is also a dearth of provision in this field.

“Our view is that the main players in local radio have been getting the rewards from many sources for doing very little to promote the language. I know the Welsh Assembly held a review and we submitted evidence, which offered them an alternative provision via our hyperlocal radio.”

Gwynoro said: “Coming out of retirement, training and working with Llanelli Online certainly has been a baptism of fire.

“It has given me hope for the future of the media in Wales. It has shown me that young people can and will invest their time and energy into worthwhile enterprises like this.

“But it has also highlighted the inequality in the way small businesses and entrepreneurs like Alan Evans have been treated by the mainstream players who maintain a solid grip on the monopoly of the media in Wales.”