Over a hundred people have signed up to stop paying their TV licence in under week in protest over threats to S4C, according to Welsh language campaigners.Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg launched a campaign last month for people to stop paying the TV licence until the UK government guarantees independence and sufficient funding for the channel. The campaign group says they collected over 100 names within four days of the launch.Amongst those who have said they won't be paying the tax that funds the BBC are the singers Dafydd Iwan, Gai Toms and Bryn Fôn and the academic Dr Simon Brooks. Bethan Williams, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg :"The future of our only Welsh language TV channel hangs in the balance. It faces cuts of over 40% in real terms; a takeover by the BBC; and powers in the hands of Westminster Ministers to get rid of S4C completely. It's a critical situation; that's why we are pleased that so many people have started to stop paying the TV licence. The Government is actually saving 94% of the money they used to pay to the channel, a completely unfair cut.""This is a campaign we can win, and we're confident because of the rising public support for the need for a strong future for the world's only Welsh language TV channel. We now know from Thatcher's cabinet papers that Gwynfor Evans' stance was critical in changing the government's mind in the late 1970s, the people who are refusing to pay their TV licence today are following in the same tradition of peaceful direct action campaigning."The campaign group will hold a series of public meetings across Wales from January until March entitled "S4C a'r Dyfodol" ("S4C and the Future") to raise awareness of the threats to the channel and discuss the way forward.The news follows a cross-party committee report of MPs last week which strongly criticised the Public Bodies Bill which gives Minister to the power to scrap S4C and a number of other bodies. Bethan Williams added:"Tory politicians claimed before the election that the channel was safe in their hands, they were clearly trying to mislead the public. Why would anyone who is a genuine friend of Welsh language broadcasting want to pass a law that allows unending cuts to S4C's budget and the power to scrap the channel completely? "People will refuse to pay the TV licence until the Government ensures independence for the channel and sufficient finance to run the service. The society is asking people who support the campaign to email post@cymdeithas.org or phone 01970 624501.