The Farmers' Union of Wales has demanded an apology from Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones following attempts by Welsh ministers to block a repeat episode of a Welsh language TV soap in which the government is criticised for having no backbone regarding a badger cull.
FUW president Emyr Jones said today: "I have written to the First Minister stating that the Welsh Government should apologise to S4C for what has happened and asking for assurances that such attempts to gag the media will not happen again."
The Welsh Government complained to S4C and BBC, who make the popular rogramme Pobl y Cwm, after a character on the show said the Welsh Government "doesn't have the backbone" to cull badgers.
A controversial badger cull in West Wales was cancelled in March when ministers decided to vaccinate the animals instead.
The Welsh Government also wants the episode taken off the internet.
It is claiming the programme breaches editorial guidelines and that the government has been denied a right of reply.
They also wanted the episode removed from the S4C online service Clic.
S4C declined the request not to air the repeat which was shown as planned last night (Thursday).
Emyr Jones said; "The programme made comments which were very derogatory for farmers but we have not received a single complaint because our members understand they were made by a character in a soap opera and should be taken in context because these are not real people.
"For the Welsh Government to formally ask for censorship of a soap opera because it contains characters criticising them is not just an overreaction, but a major concern for anyone who believes in having a media free from political censorship by the ruling government or anyone else.
"The fact that this coincides with the release of the Leveson Report on the culture, practices and ethics of the press has made many wonder whether this is some kind of political ploy to undermine Leveson's recommendations, rather than an outrageous attempt to prevent comments made by a character in a soap opera being broadcast.
"Either way, deliberations regarding Lord Leveson's findings should not be influenced in any way by this ridiculous decision by the Welsh Government, and S4C should be commended for standing their ground."