Calls for an inquiry before an agreement between S4C and BBC

We have called for transparency and a Senedd inquiry before a new partnership agreement between S4C and the BBC is finalised.

Two weeks ago, S4C announced that content will be more visible on the BBC's iPlayer platform.
Our concern, as the partnership agreement between S4C and the BBC is being updated, that this is another step towards dependence on the BBC and that this could be a sign of what is in the rest of the agreement.

Less original content is being created for and shown on S4C, so new talent is not being developed. A recent report showed that two thirds of S4C's content are repeats.

We sent a letter to the Welsh Government's Culture Minister and the Senedd's Culture Committee noting that the agreement between the two broadcasters has not yet been finally approved and that an inquiry is needed before that happens:
"[W]e therefore ask you to make inquiries about its impact on the independence and sustainability of S4C as an independent broadcaster. We believe that there should be a delay in implementing the agreement until you have received the assurances and answers regarding the potential dangers in terms of the plurality of the broadcasting landscape in Wales together with the independence and sustainability of S4C...Without having seen the full details of the proposed agreement, we cannot be sure what other effects the proposed agreement between S4C and the BBC could have. We ask that you request the agreement is delayed until you have received full answers regarding all the questions raised."

While recognising that Welsh language content needs to be more available, our concern is that it is at the expense of Clic, which is already at a disadvantage to iPlayer. Clic is not available on many television sets and there are advertisements during live programmes, unlike the same content on iPlayer.

S4C's session with the Culture Committee last week raises more concerns. When responding to a question about maintaining a system of putting S4C content on Clic and iPlayer, Geraint Evans, Chief Executive of S4C, stated that this is a requirement under the law, but that discussions about that are taking place with the UK Government.

Mirain Owen said on behalf of the Cymdeithas yr Iaith Digital Group:
"We need transparency about these negotiations between S4C and the BBC - the public should be able to see the draft agreement before it is signed. Since we sent our letter calling for an inquiry, Geraint Evans and Delyth Evans (Chair of S4C) comments and the lack of questions to them about the nature of the partnership agreement between the channel and the BBC have raised questions. Has anyone other than S4C and the BBC seen the partnership agreement and knows what its implications are for S4C to the future?
"It is essential to the future of S4C and the Welsh language and Welsh broadcasting as a public service that Wales is given full powers to run its own media. That is why it is important that the Senedd conducts the inquiry."

Our letter to the Culture Minister can be seen in full here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WlbcGszdZ9YJUIdrGhk1jgL9bX5eEezYJap-47_koz0/edit?tab=t.0