26 March 2012

S4C is pledging its support to the campaign to secure the right to use the ‘.cymru and ‘.wales’ domain name on the worldwide web.

The Channel joins many organisations and companies in Wales and beyond that are backing the campaign.

There has been a call for a number of years for Wales to have its own specific identity on the web by granting the right to use ‘.cymru’ or ‘wales’ as a domain name as well as ‘.uk’

But now, for the first time since 2008, ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers - the global body regulating and registering Internet domain names - has invited applications for new internet domain names.

Nominet, an UK-based company with proven experience of domain registration and regulation on the internet, is leading the campaign for a domain identity for Wales. If the bid is successful, Nominet says it will establish an office in Wales to manage the new domains. A bilingual Welsh/English service would be an integral part of the office. The Welsh Government has endorsed its bid to ICANN.

S4C’s Chief Executive, Ian Jones, says, "As a broadcaster, reflecting and promoting Wales and the Welsh language is at the heart of everything we do. Using the domain names ‘.cymru’ and ‘.wales’ would be a natural way of communicating our identity on our website and online and digital services.

"We also realise the huge benefits a ‘.cymru’ and ‘.wales’ domain names would offer to the business sector in our country. The domain would be an effective way for us and the companies that deliver our services to convey what is unique about our product."

Alex Blowers from Nominet says, “Securing the support of such a prominent Welsh broadcaster is a huge boost to the campaign. S4C is at the heart of our culture and creative industries in Wales and also a major exporter, with hundreds of its programmes sold to markets overseas."

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