10 October 2007

   S4C’s activities generate more than 2,250 jobs* in Wales, the equivalent to over £87 million of value-added in 2006, according to The Economic Impact of S4C on the Welsh Economy 2002-2006, an independent report published today.

Directly employing 177 full-time equivalent jobs**, S4C - as a commissioning broadcaster - supports jobs across Wales. The majority of these are in the high-skill, technology-intensive independent production sector, recognised as a key growth area by the National Assembly for Wales.

The report describes S4C as "an extremely lean organisation” and shows how S4C’s policies and purchasing decisions impact on the Welsh creative industries, helping reduce the performance gap between the Welsh and UK economies.

It states, “S4C’s role in Wales is not primarily driven by its need to positively impact the economy of Wales but to fulfil its public service remit of providing Welsh language audio visual services. Notwithstanding this, S4C, through its activity, does impact the economy. Over 80% of its total spending in Wales is in the independent production sector.”

The report, commissioned by the S4C Authority and undertaken by DTZ with the assistance of Cardiff University’s Welsh Economy Research Unit, shows how S4C has changed the way it operates and engages with the independent sector since 2004. S4C has developed more transparent terms of engagement, designed to encourage a competitive market, with a healthy independent production sector that understands S4C’s requirements.

“S4C’s programme of reform… seeks to respond to the opportunities inherent in technology, legislative and market changes. This approach has been adopted to ensure that the creative industries reach S4C’s goal of creative excellence to benefit S4C and to maximize and build on the commercial benefits of their products in any language and on all platforms.

John Walter Jones, Chair of the S4C Authority, welcomed the report’s findings. He said: "S4C’s primary duty is to invest in original television programmes of a high quality. Today’s report shows that this investment is having a positive impact on the Welsh economy and is to be warmly welcomed."

Ends

* Full Time Equivalents

** Average figure for 2006

• The report is available at:

http://www.s4c.co.uk/abouts4c/corporate/e_econrep.shtml

• S4C is a commissioning broadcaster and commissions the majority of its programmes from a supply base of approximately 30 independent production companies, of varying size and locations, but usually based in Wales.