Viewing figures for Welsh language television have shot up – and there’s plenty to enjoy
Dylan Wyn Williams
S4C has well and truly shone these surreal times. With the all important #ArhoswchGartref and #YmaiChi message embedding the corner of our screens, and cabin fever at work, viewing figures have shot up.
In an interview with the Welsh language weekly Golwg, the channel’s Chief Exec Owen Evans proudly proclaimed that Newyddion, a BBC production recently moved from 9pm to a new 7.30pm slot as part of a spring revamp, is quenching viewers’ thirst for news. 28% more of us are tuning in (from 14,400 to 23,000 nightly) to receive the latest facts and figures from our own nation.
The Wales-focused news bulletin is providing us with something that is sorely missing from network news where England’s CMO speaks to all of us, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gets daily airtime and Fiona Bruce is spouting Downing Street’s propaganda like North Korea’s Ri Chun-hee.
Newyddion brings us daily reports about the beleageured Health Minister Vaughan Gething, the plight of dairy farmers losing vital markets since the closure of hotels and cafes, and a heartbreaking interview with the son of a 59 year old Crymych woman who died of Covid-19.
There’s more news via Y Byd ar Bedwar, ITV Cymru’s evergreen current affairs strand since 1982, who interviewed a blatant Englishwoman based in Normandy, renting her Conwy Valley cottage to a young couple seeking self-isolation from Oxford 185 miles away.
Another regular teatime favourite, Heno (“Tonight”, 1990-) is also drawing 23% more viewers. Broadcast live from Llanelli, it offers a cosy mixture of 2 metres-apart sofa chats, birthday greetings for social distancing loved ones, interviews with big names like Bryn Terfel and Geraint Thomas from their echoey lounges, and skype sessions with musicians old and new, including a singer from Denbigh accompanied by a pianist live from the States.
I’m not normally a fan of the fluffy magazine format wickedly spoofed by comedians Tudur Owen and Siân Harries in the review of the year show O’r Diwedd but I’ve come to appreciate anew its role as a national papur bro, when print versions have come a halt.
On hold
Any form of escapism from the constant ‘c’ word is welcomed, and Sunday nights on S4C provides just that. BAFTA Cymru award-winning Priodas Pum Mil, which challenges the popular duo Emma Walford and Trystan Ellis-Morris to arrange a wedding for less than £5,000, has finished its fourth series. A perfect feel good telly, this was one of S4C’s ratings winner last year with 76,000 viewers.
The replacement is Iaith ar Daith (Welsh on Tour), following five celebs such as actress Ruth Jones, ex-Olympian Colin Jackson and Birmingham’s finest Adrian Chiles, and their Welsh-speaking mentors, travelling the length and breadth of the country to learn more about the language. Another sure fire hit, it *should spark new interest in Cymraeg well beyond Offa’s Dyke thanks carefully selected UK household names.
More entertainment shows are expected in the near future, as monies allocated to the big outside broadcasts events now cancelled – from Euro 2020 to Pro14 rugby, the Royal Welsh Show and Eisteddfodau galore – are diverted into last minute commissions. Losing these live shows is a blow, with Sgorio Rhyngwladol attracting a whopping 237,000 for the Wales v Denmark match last year, but new opportunites worth £6m arises for our creative industries suddenly faced with filling the summer schedules.
The world of drama also helps us to switch off. With filming currently on hold at Porth y Rhath studios Cardiff Bay, and nothing but empty crisps packets on the streets of Cwmderi, Pobol y Cwm has gone from five to two episodes a week. Maybe this change of pace is no bad thing, with less repetitive (drugs) storylines and more time to concentrate on quality filming time like Rownd and Rownd with its fantastic Welsh rock and pop soundtrack.
And quality is assured on Sunday nights, with the fifth series of the hit murder mystery drama sold to New Zealand and the US. 35 Diwrnod, penned by Fflur Dafydd, opens with a white veiled body in the sea as the nervous groom awaits in the church, before rewinding thirty five days earlier to meet the myriads of potential suspects. As S4C’s Director of Content Amanda Rees said: “The ‘35’ brand has been very successful for S4C and is now one of the channel’s most iconic series”.
Another new commission is Cyswllt (Mewn Covid) (Connect during Covid) a three-part play reflecting on people’s hopes and loneliness under lockdown – from the makers of Un Bore Mercher and filmed mainly at actors’ homes on laptops and mobile phones, with additional camera material.
Not bad for a ‘minority’ language channel with an annual budget of around £84m, compared to £113m (€130m) for the Basque Country’s ETB1 and a whopping £261m (€300m) for Catalunya’s TV3.
35 Diwrnod returns tomorrow, Sunday 26th April, 9pm on S4C
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
The Drugs storyline on Pobol is a great one, prob their best.
Yes, great soundtrack on Rownd!!
In 1995 an episode of Pobol y Cwm could draw in 500,000 viewers.
TV is largely a thing of the past sadly.
Would like to see some lighter things in Cymraeg, like Constable Evans. Tired of Nordic Noir style. One thing: I would like to see
detectives switch the light on when entering a dark house. Enjoyed this article muchly, being a learner. Yes, some very good young and old musicians in Cymru!
Some good stuff for learners on there, occasionally, too, JH. Top tip: If you’re at Mynediad (Entry) level, or even Sylfaen level, watch S4C kid’s programmes.
That’s me, diolch!
The underfunding by the by both the Senydd and London will always be an issue as Wales never gets the higher budget like Scotland you only have to look at the recent national budget were the Scottish were given £10 per head compared to £1 for Wales per head
Which says it all?
First of all it’s beleaguered. If you are trying to impress with word choice look them up first. Secondly, we need quality Welsh dramas, such as Bang, Hinterland, Gwaith Cartref , Y Graith, etc. We need something suitable for 14 year old learners that has subtitles and will motivate them to want to watch more. Forget childish trash. Mine loved the ones that I have just mentioned but the content had to be closely monitored and bits skipped. Forget Rownd a Rownd because they won’t watch it and Pobl y Cwm doesn’t hold their interest either. Why do many Welsh… Read more »
Diolch, just watched two archive editions of Perthyn Magical! Just wish cymraeg o fi was up to scratch. Are they going to show Gwaith Cartref again?
As a New Zealander, I look forward to the murder mystery drama 35 Diwrnod, we loved Hinterland, (it was in English). Great news about the success of Welsh language television. Diolch
off topic: I watched Hinterland and NZ’s Brokenwood, with Finnish S.T. enjoyable.
On the S4C website, it says that 50,000 people tuned in to watch Pobol Y Cwm in April. http://www.s4c.cymru/en/about-us/page/31291/viewing-figures/ I wondered how accurate this is? I have lived in Cardiff all my life and have never really come across anyone that watches it. Or ever had any conversations about it. I believe only 15% of our nation speak Welsh…… Therefore are the production costs of Pobol worth the ROI when the reach is so small… It’s hardly selling Welsh Culture. I am a supporter of the Welsh language but think energy may be better spent on producing Welsh Language content… Read more »
why are the subtitles missing on tonight’s episode