19 December 2017
Welsh channel S4C has unveiled a new-look schedule for Tuesdays and Thursdays prime-time, beginning in the first week of 2018.
The channel’s twice-weekly soap opera Rownd a Rownd moves an hour earlier to 6.30 and the daily soap opera Pobol y Cwm moves half an hour earlier to 7.30 on those two nights to free a slot for hour-long programmes between 8.00 and 9.00.
These changes are part of an exciting new programme schedule set to excite viewers in the New Year, which will include new hour-long programmes starting with a popular reality TV wedding reality TV series and a major nature documentary series to kick-off the Tuesday and Thursday 8.00 o’clock slots.
Amanda Rees, S4C Director of Creative Content believes the changes will provide viewers with more choice at peak-viewing hours on S4C from the New Year onwards.
Amanda Rees said; “The channel’s programme schedule needs to change from time to time in order to answer the viewers’ needs. There is a family audience available to view at 8.00 that we are currently not quite reaching. We feel that this new prime-time schedule for Tuesdays and Thursdays provides an opportunity to capture that family audience as well as provide more variety for other viewers and that New Year was the right time to launch it.
“We believe that moving the twice-weekly drama Rownd a Rownd to 6.30 will work better for our viewers especially the younger demographic to which the show is targeted but who are currently watching mostly online.
“Moving Pobol y Cwm half an hour earlier means we can carry its big audience onto the new hour slot which will begin with a new series of the reality TV wedding show, Priodas Pum Mil and Iolo Williams’ new nature series filmed at the awe-inspiring Great Barrier Reef. All in all, the move brings more colour to prime-time on S4C.”
Amanda Rees adds, “I must thank the production companies Rondo Media and BBC Wales for their willing cooperation in making this schedule move. I must also stress that the changes coincide with our continuing emphasis on driving viewers to our catch-up online services on s4c.cymru, BBC iPlayer and other platforms.
“In bringing back the Sunday omnibus edition of Pobol y Cwm during the last 12 months and highlighting the Sunday omnibus of Rownd a Rownd, we are attracting new audiences from all over the UK to watch both on television and online from all over the UK.”
Llyr Morus, series producer, Pobol y Cwm said the change in the schedule was happening at a time when prominent characters such as Garry and Danni Monk, Dr Elgan and Mark Jones and his family had particularly strong storylines dealing with important social issues.
Llyr Morus said, "The Pobol y Cwm team is proud to be a cornerstone in S4C's schedule and we will start 2018 with new titles and a host of stunning stories for our old and new viewers."
Bedwyr Rees, Rownd a Rownd's Executive Producer from the Rondo Media company said the team was sure that the new time would be an opportunity to attract new viewers with major storylines for popular characters such as pregnant police officer Sian and John; Cathryn after her separation from Vince and tensions between Carys and her partner Barry.
Bedwyr Rees said, "Rownd a Rownd has a wide range of viewers and it is our hope that the new slot will appeal to families, allowing people of all ages to come together around the TV to enjoy them together. At the same time we are confident that our faithful congregation will follow us to the new slot. We are always looking for appealing stories, which embrace the imagination and offer something for everyone."
S4C Tuesday and Thursday schedules, from 2 January 2018:
6.30 Rownd and Rownd
7.00 Heno
7.30 Pobol y Cwm
8.00 Hour-long show; beginning with Priodas Pum Mil on Tuesdays and Iolo Williams’ show Iolo: Deifio yn y Barrier Reef on Thursdays
9.00 Newyddion 9 (news)
