S4C

World Screen Weekly, May 22, 2008

COUNTRY: Wales

LAUNCH DATE: November 1, 1982

OWNERSHIP: S4C is funded by the British government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Additional income is generated from program and advertising sales and other commercial ventures.

DISTRIBUTION: More than 1.2 million viewers tune in each month, and nearly 721,000 each week.

DESCRIPTION: The Welsh-language public-service broadcaster highlights programs across a variety of genres, including drama, entertainment, live events, music, culture, sport, news and current affairs, factual, lifestyle and children’s.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Iona Jones

DIRECTOR, COMMISSIONING: Rhian Gibson

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS: Huw Rossiter

DIRECTOR, BUSINESS AFFAIRS: Delyth Wynne Griffiths

DIRECTOR, BROADCAST & DISTRIBUTION: Arshad Rasul

DIRECTOR, FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES: Katherine Morris

PROGRAM STRATEGY: S4C is aimed at Welsh speakers living in Wales and beyond, with subtitles available to non-Welsh speakers or those who are looking to learn the language. On its analogue service, around 35 hours a week are programmed in Welsh, while the rest of the schedule is made up of Channel 4’s English-language content. However, S4C’s digital service, S4C Digidol, broadcasts more than 80 hours a week of Welsh-language programs. But, after digital switchover in Wales in 2009/2010, S4C will drop its analogue service, and S4C Digidol, which is already available outside Wales on the Sky digital satellite platform, will be the main television service.

The majority of S4C’s Welsh-language programming is original and produced in Wales, with only a small percentage of programming, mainly animation, acquired and reversioned into the local language. The network commissions programs from the independent production sector, and also receives content produced by BBC Wales and ITV Wales.

S4C also sells many programs to international markets, the bulk being factual and children’s content, which, Rhian Gibson, S4C’s director of commissioning, points out “can be easily dubbed into different languages.” Recent international successes include the kids’ property Hana’s Helpline, which has been sold to a dozen countries worldwide, including Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong.

The channel also regularly works with other broadcasters on co-productions, and recently scored a deal with Al-Jazeera Children’s Channel, marking the Arabic-language broadcaster’s first U.K. co-production agreement. S4C and Al-Jazeera will work together on a new season of the live-action kids’ show Baaas. Al-Jazeera had picked up the first season in 2006 as part of a package of other S4C children’s programming, and has now joined on to work with S4C on the second season. Baaas has an emphasis on family interaction and green themes, and S4C is hoping to broadcast it in October, followed by Al-Jazeera in January 2009.

It was a good first quarter for the network, says Gibson, “with landmark nature series Natur Cymru, new drama Teulu, comedy series Sioe PC Leslie Wynne and historic-homes series Y Ty Cymreig performing particularly well.” At MIPTV, the channel’s distribution arm launched the one-off documentary The Legends of Santa. The hour-long program, filmed on location in the U.S., Turkey, Holland, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the U.K., looks at the legends and traditions behind Father Christmas.

“Over the past two years S4C has increased its presence on the web exponentially,” explains Gibson. “Commissioning for all platforms is a feature of S4C’s activities, while the channel has also made use of Bluetooth mobile phone technology at certain live events, such as the annual Urdd Eisteddfod youth festival,” Gibson adds. Online, the channel’s website functions as both a platform for broadcasting as well as an information service. S4C Digidol is webcast simultaneously on s4c.co.uk, while most programs are also available to be viewed on demand, online for up to 35 days after their initial TV broadcast. There are separate websites for key programs, which include additional video content as well as background and information. S4C also provides a specialist website for people who are trying to learn the Welsh language, learnons4c.co.uk, which includes scripts, vocabulary and video clips suitable for learners of all levels.

WHAT’S NEW: On June 23, S4C will launch its extended service for preschool children, which Gibson calls “the first phase in a major expansion of children’s provision.” The service will run Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., which is an extra five-and-a-half hours of programming per day compared to its current schedule. New preschool series include Heini, which encourages youngsters to exercise, and the music and dance show Igi, Tigi, Bib a Bop, A, B, C and Yn yr Ardd, which looks at nature and how things grow.

Also in June, S4C will provide extensive live coverage of the Under 20s IRB Junior Rugby Championships plus highlights of Wales’ two rugby tests against South Africa. Later in the summer, S4C’s extensive live events coverage will include broadcasts from the Royal Welsh Show, HSBC Brecon Jazz, the National Eisteddfod and the Llangollen International National Eisteddfod.

Meanwhile, the channel will continue its rollout of green-themed programs throughout the summer, with two new series, Popeth yn Wyrdd and Byw yn yr Ardd.

WEBSITE: www.s4c.co.uk

—By Kristin Brzoznowski