Campaigners call for devolution of broadcasting powers following S4C and BBC agreement

Stephen Price

A Welsh language campaign group has repeated calls to devolve broadcasting powers to Wales amid concerns about the impact of a new agreement between S4C and BBC iPlayer on S4C’s digital service, Clic.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has said they fear that there is a risk that this new arrangement could lead to the downgrading of Clic, the only streaming service designed entirely around the Welsh language and its audiences.

The organisation claims that relying on iPlayer presents a significant risk, as it would mean losing control over usage data and the algorithms that select and deliver content, and would undermine S4C’s plurality and independence.

The BBC and S4C announced plans for a new streaming partnership that will give S4C programs more visibility on BBC iPlayer on Wednesday 14 January.

As part of the new plans, S4C’s Welsh content will appear regularly on the main BBC iPlayer homepage in Wales, and S4C’s distinctive content, including dramas and live sports broadcasts, will appear on the BBC iPlayer homepage throughout the UK for the first time.

Links to S4C’s children’s services, Stwnsh and Cyw, will also be included on the BBC iPlayer Kids homepage throughout the UK for the first time, which will ensure that children’s content in Welsh is easier to find.

BBC iPlayer is the fastest growing streaming service in the UK, with over 15 million accounts viewing the service every week on average, including over 700,000 in Wales.

The new arrangement is expected to be introduced gradually from April this year, and this will mean that S4C viewers will not have to search through the BBC iPlayer channel guide to find their biggest programmes.

The final details of the agreement are currently being finalised, but S4C and the BBC have confirmed today that the main terms have now been agreed – subject to final approval by the boards of both broadcasters.

The new agreement between the BBC and S4C is expected to provide a number of additional benefits for audiences, including:

A number of live streams of various S4C sports broadcasts, including some with a choice of commentary in English, as well as broadcasts of national events including the Urdd Eisteddfod, the National Eisteddfod, and the Royal Welsh Show

More personalisation for users – with regular S4C viewers seeing a wider range of choice of Welsh programs on their program guide

Welsh and English subtitles for S4C programs – a boost for deaf and hard of hearing users, as well as new Welsh speakers who use subtitles to support their learning

S4C live channel adverts included (subject to regulatory approval)

The new agreement is about to become a new cornerstone for the 44 year old partnership between S4C and the BBC.

Under the partnership, the BBC commissions the soap opera Pobol y Cwm and produces the daily news service Newyddion S4C. It also provides S4C with HD capacity for its live channel and manages the channel’s broadcast from the BBC Wales broadcast center in BBC Wales’ Central Square office in Cardiff.

Mirain Owen of Cymdeithas yr Iaith said: “Of course we are pleased that Welsh-language content will have a more prominent place online, but there are dangers for plurality, independence and the sustainability of S4C in following this path.

“Clic is much more than a streaming service – it should be the main digital home of Welsh-language television. If we are serious about the future of Welsh in the digital world, we must ensure that Clic has a clear future, with the resources and priority it deserves.

“Visibility on other platforms must not come at the expense of the independence or digital infrastructure of the Welsh language. Embracing a multi-platform world must not mean that the Welsh-language channel neglects its own native platform.

“It is a fundamental principle that Welsh should have its own digital infrastructure: one that is independent, visible and governed according to the needs of Welsh speakers from all backgrounds. Welsh should be the main language of a dedicated digital platform, not a sub-category within a British platform that is English at its core.

“There is also an important question to be asked about elements of the channel’s ‘digital-first’ strategy which suggest that more and more S4C content in Welsh will no longer be available to viewers via Clic at all. Instead, the channel is now commissioning programs and videos specifically for corporate platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.

“We also note that the announcement about iPlayer underlines the urgent need to devolve broadcasting powers to Wales. Without clear legislative control over our own media infrastructure, the Welsh language will remain vulnerable to the decisions and priorities of politicians and major broadcasters in London. It is time to move beyond uncertain partnership arrangements and ensure that the prominence of Welsh is a statutory right on every screen and across digital platforms.

“We call on S4C to give a clear and public commitment that Clic will remain the main digital home of Welsh-language television, with a level of investment, development and visibility that matches any external partnership. Increasing visibility is important, but it must not come at the cost of the independence or digital infrastructure of the Welsh language.”

Geraint Evans, Chief Executive of S4C said: “We are very proud of the new arrangement with BBC iPlayer which is going to ensure greater visibility for S4C content – from sports and dramas to live events and content for children. And with new features such as Welsh and English subtitles, additional live streams and better personalisation, the experience for the viewer will be even richer.

“As our viewers increasingly turn to digital viewing, one of our main objectives is to ensure that S4C content is available across the platforms, and it will be great to see Welsh content get a prominent space on one of the most popular viewing platforms, as well as on our streaming service, Clic.”

Garmon Rhys, Acting Director of BBC Cymru Wales, said: “We are extremely proud to work in partnership with S4C to make Welsh content easier to find on BBC iPlayer. This agreement reinforces our commitment to serving audiences in Wales and across the UK as they search for content on digital platforms, making it easier than ever for viewers to discover and enjoy S4C programmes.”