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The long-running BBC Wales current affairs series Week In Week Out is to end, it has been confirmed.

The broadcaster says a new cross-platform strand called BBC Wales Investigates will be launched to replace it.

The investigative series was launched in November 1964 and has been reporting on Wales for 53 years.

In an article to mark its 50th anniversary , presenter Tim Rogers said: "WIWO as we affectionately call it, is a broadcasting institution. Fifty years old this week it is one of the longest running current affairs programmes on British TV. It is certainly the oldest and one of the most respected in Wales."

He added: "WIWO has always drawn on the best journalistic talent in Wales. There have been scores of awards. And within the business, its producers, (who do not receive the public acclaim they deserve), have often gone on to climb other TV summits."

He cited investigations into miscarriages of justice including the Cardiff Three, The Darvell Brothers from Swansea and the inquiry into the Cardiff Newsagent Three as being among the show's most significant work.

(Image: BBC Wales)

A spokeswoman for the BBC denied that investigative journalism was being weakened with the announcement.

She said: “Last week BBC Wales announced the biggest single investment in content in over 20 years including 25 additional journalist posts and a commitment to develop and increase its news output including specialism in journalism.

“This includes creating a new strand – BBC Wales Investigates – that will, for the first time, deliver hard-hitting investigations across TV, radio and online. This replaces the current Week In Week Out television brand.

“The Week In Week Out team will continue to work on our BBC Wales Investigates programmes, which will broadcast in peaktime on BBC One Wales.

“There is no truth whatsoever that we’re weakening our focus on investigative journalism. Instead, we’re protecting our investment in this vital area of output and adapting our approach to ensure we serve all audiences across all devices and services.”

Former Week In Week Out journalist Phil Parry, who presented the programme for 10 years until 1999, has expressed concern about the change.

He said: “It is absurd to suggest that putting a label on a story like ‘BBC Wales Investigates’ in any way compensates for getting rid of a regular weekly current affairs strand which had been going for many years, like Week In Week Out.

“It never works - they tried to say the same when they got rid of Public Eye on BBC 2.

“Public Eye Investigations was never heard of again.

“When you have a regular series, with a team of people who know each other, an esprit de corps develops.

“You know who are the best ‘quick turnaround merchants’ and who are better to be left alone so they can work on longer investigations.

“That is what current affairs journalism is all about.

“Proper investigations are expensive, and do not fit easily into the brave new world of programme-accounting. You can work on something for weeks or even months and it comes to nothing – all of which costs money.

“On ITV, World in Action, TV Eye, and First Tuesday have gone. On the BBC; Public Eye, Assignment and Rough Justice have all disappeared and Panorama is a shadow of its former self. It is a shame it is going.”