08 November 2012
BBC Cymru Wales and S4C have reached agreement on a renewed partnership which will safeguard current levels of investment in programmes for S4C for the next four years.
The agreement, which guarantees the statutory minimum 520 hours of programming supplied to S4C each year by BBC Cymru Wales, has been signed off by the S4C Authority and the BBC Trust and welcomed by both broadcasters. It maintains the level of BBC Cymru Wales’ investment in original Welsh language television programming produced free of charge for S4C. Both organisations are also collaborating on a number of recently announced creative projects.
Under the partnership, high quality, popular programmes including Pobol y Cwm, Y Clwb Rygbi, coverage of the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol and news and current affairs coverage, including the daily news service Newyddion, will remain at the heart of S4C’s schedule.
The renewed strategic partnership is the third of its kind to date and will run until 2016/17.
BBC Cymru Wales Director Rhodri Talfan Davies said:
“This renewed partnership underlines BBC Cymru Wales’ commitment to Welsh language broadcasting. Crucially, we have made sure that - despite a challenging financial climate - our level of investment in popular Welsh language television programming supplied to S4C will be safeguarded for the next four years. Our partnership continues to strengthen as we look forward to even more creative collaboration ahead.”
S4C Chief Executive Ian Jones said:
“S4C is looking forward to continuing to work closely with the BBC on a wide range of programming and services with the renewal of our partnership agreement. We welcome the BBC’s commitment to maintaining the programme expenditure for the ten hours per week the corporation provides for us. It will ensure that their top quality programming remains a cornerstone of our service.
“The partnership agreement has enabled both broadcasters to share talents and resources to create exciting, innovative programming and we aim to continue with this creative partnership to secure the best possible service for our audiences.”
View the full strategic partnership agreement
Ends
Notes to Editors
This third strategic partnership agreement will run from 2013/14 through to 2016/17. Previous strategic partnerships were agreed in 2006 and 2010. The Strategic Partnership underpins the financial value and accountability arrangements of the programmes supplied by BBC Cymru Wales to S4C.
The long-standing partnership is entirely separate from the Operating Agreement between the broadcasters. The Operating Agreement sets out the financial and accountability arrangements for the Licence Fee funding provided by the BBC Trust to S4C from April 2013 onwards. The new funding arrangement formed part of the latest Licence Fee settlement introduced by the UK Government’s Spending Review in October 2010. Under the terms of the Operating Agreement, S4C will directly receive £76.4 million per annum in 2013/2014 from the BBC Trust. This separate agreement runs until 2016/2017.
The creative collaboration between S4C and BBC Cymru Wales includes recently announced projects such as new comedy Portars with BBC Radio Cymru and an innovative digital cross-media project for Pobol y Cwm.
