Gwynfor Evans's son Guto Prys ap Gwynfor and the historian Dr Meredydd Evans are amongst those who are revealed to not be paying their TV licence today (Thursday, 27th January), as language campaigners begin a series of public meetings to discuss the future of S4C.There are fears for the future of the channel after the Westminster Government stated its intention to cut its budget 40% in real terms, arrange that the channel is controlled by the BBC and wide powers to abolish it are put in the hands of Ministers.The singer Paul Thomas, the Rev. John Lewis Jones, Rev. Guto Prys ap Gwynfor, Goronwy Fellows, Aran Jones and Ieuan Wyn from Cylch yr Iaith are also amongst those refusing to pay their TV licences in an effort to save S4C.It comes as Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) begins a series of public meetings over the next months beginning tonight (27th January) in Aberystwyth and Llanrwst.Bethan Williams, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg commented:"Our campaign is gaining momentum at the start of our tour of meetings around the country. Our campaign is just: these plans, which put the future of the channel in doubt, were not in any party's manifesto last year. There's no democratic mandate for the BBC-Westminster Government's joint plan.""One of the intentions of the tour through the Wales is to discuss how to save the channel and how to change S4C to secure the best service for the people of Wales, and of course what people can do practically."

"The situation is critical; that's why we're glad that so many people are not paying the TV licence. The channel 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. The Government is actually saving 94% of the money they used to pay to the channel, a completely unfair cut. And after 2015, there's no certainty of any money at all.""We now know that if the BBC had refused the idea of taking over the channel, there wouldn't have been a threat to the channel's independence. The BBC has all but confirmed that S4C's independence cannot be secured under their joint plan with the Government. The unfortunate truth is that BBC bosses in London don't care about the channel, and that's why we are in such a desperate situation at the moment."Cymdeithas launched its campaign on the 1st December, and the first hundred has registered within a matter of days. Amongst the other people who are not paying their TV licence are the singers Dafydd Iwan and Bryn Fôn, Jill Evans MEP and the academic Dr Simon Brooks.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.