PSB publishes response to government’s charter review Green Paper
S4C has called on the government to implement further measures to safeguard Welsh-language broadcasting as part of the BBC charter review.
The Green Paper consultation published in December revealed the government is “considering the most appropriate arrangements for providing sustainable funding” for the “vital” service and other minority language broadcasting.
S4C, which partners with the BBC across programme supply and platforms, gets all its public funding from the licence fee under the BBC Framework Agreement, receiving £97.6m in 2025/26.
In its response to the government’s charter review consultation, the Welsh PSB called for long-term funding certainty with funding rising by more than inflation. It suggested the BBC’s statutory content provision to S4C should be index linked to inflation to help sustain the partnership.
“Without a sustainable funding settlement, there is a tangible risk to the future of original Welsh-language content, and to the sustainability of the independent production sector across Wales,” said the response.
“S4C’s ability to serve audiences, invest in digital innovation, and support the creative sector across Wales depends on sustainable, predictable funding. For S4C to maintain a minimum viable service, evidence currently being prepared for DCMS indicates that a CPI+ increase is likely needed.”
The broadcaster urged for its partnership with the BBC to be protected into the next charter period, including through the extension of the recent S4C/ iPlayer partnership, with a charter obligation on the BBC to guarantee prominence for Welsh-language content.
“As audiences increasingly shift to streaming and online platforms, ensuring that Welsh content is discoverable and prominent across platforms is essential to maintaining engagement and relevance,” it said.
The next charter should also formalise “fair and structured” innovation partnerships so that its services can be strengthen by AI and new technologies, it added.
S4C also asked to be explicitly recognised within the scope of the licence fee as a core part of the UK’s public media system.
“A new public purpose based on growth should embed fair, mutually beneficial partnerships to support sustainable growth, plurality, and innovation across the UK,” it said.
S4C chair Delyth Evans said: “Our work sustains the Welsh creative sector, develops talent, and ensures the Welsh language remains a part of everyday life.
“Any threat to the UK’s public service media poses a direct threat to S4C and minority-language broadcasting. We want to take the opportunity the Charter Review gives us to secure the future of Welsh language media.”
Chief executive Geraint Evans added: “S4C’s More than a TV Channel strategy outlines our vision for a thriving digital-first and audience-focused Welsh-language service. Our funding needs to be seen as an investment, not a cost, enabling us to forge ahead with confidence, invest in digital innovation, deliver impactful content across genres, and continue making a meaningful contribution to the Welsh creative economy.”
Last week, the BBC’s response to the green paper revealed it wants to see a universal, modernised and reformed licence fee. It suggested there is scope for the cost to come down, potentially linked to households’ ability to pay.