S4C facts for kids
S4C logo used from 10 April 2014
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| Country | Wales |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Wales |
| Headquarters | Canolfan S4C Yr Egin, Carmarthen, Wales |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Welsh |
| Picture format | 1080i/1080p HDTV (downscaled to 576i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | S4C Authority |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 November 1982 |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview (Wales only) |
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| Streaming media | |
| S4C Clic | Watch live (UK and Ireland; with adverts) |
| BBC iPlayer | Watch live (UK only; without adverts) |
S4C (which stands for Sianel Pedwar Cymru, meaning Channel Four Wales) is a TV channel in Wales. It broadcasts in the Welsh language and is free to watch. S4C was the first TV channel made just for people who speak Welsh. It started on 1 November 1982.
S4C's main office is in Carmarthen, at a creative and digital centre called Yr Egin. It also has offices in Caernarfon and Cardiff. S4C is one of the oldest TV channels in Wales, after BBC One, ITV, and BBC Two.
Like Channel 4, S4C doesn't make its own shows. Instead, it asks independent companies to create them. BBC Cymru Wales also makes programmes for S4C, including the news show Newyddion. For many years, S4C also showed programmes from Channel 4 in English, but this stopped in 2010. Now, S4C only broadcasts in Welsh. You can watch S4C with English subtitles if you need them.
Contents
How S4C Started
Before S4C began in 1982, Welsh speakers only had a few programmes in Welsh on BBC and ITV. These shows often aired at odd times. This made both Welsh and non-Welsh speakers unhappy. Welsh speakers wanted more shows, and non-Welsh speakers sometimes missed their English programmes.
In the 1970s, people who supported the Welsh language campaigned for a dedicated TV service. They already had a Welsh radio station, BBC Radio Cymru. Both major political parties promised a Welsh-language fourth channel if they won the 1979 election.
However, after the election, the government changed its mind. This led to protests, with some people refusing to pay their TV licence fees. Some even held sit-ins at TV studios.
On 17 September 1980, Gwynfor Evans, a former leader of the Plaid Cymru party, threatened to go on hunger strike. He wanted the government to keep its promise for a Welsh-language TV service. Because of these efforts, S4C finally started broadcasting on 1 November 1982. It showed about 22 hours of programmes a week, mostly during prime time.
Where S4C is Based
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In 2013, S4C started looking into moving its main office. Its old headquarters were in Llanishen, Cardiff, since 1991. In March 2014, it was announced that Carmarthen was chosen as the new home. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) led the plan to build the new S4C Yr Egin Centre there. This building would also host other creative companies.
S4C started moving to the new building in September 2018. About 54 jobs moved to Carmarthen. S4C also kept an office in Cardiff for technical work. Many technical jobs moved to the BBC's new headquarters. In September 2018, S4C also committed to keeping its office in Caernarfon for ten more years. In January 2021, some S4C departments moved to the BBC Wales headquarters in Cardiff.
What Programmes S4C Shows
S4C's main goal is to provide a wide variety of programmes in Welsh. As mentioned, S4C doesn't make its own shows. It orders them from BBC Cymru Wales and other independent companies. S4C is well-known for its children's animated shows, like SuperTed, Fireman Sam, and Wil Cwac Cwac.
BBC Cymru Wales provides many Welsh programmes to S4C for free. These include the news bulletin Newyddion and the soap opera Pobol y Cwm. They also provide Welsh versions of popular English shows, like Teletubbies.
To help English speakers, all Welsh-language programmes have English subtitles. These are available on digital TV. For people learning Welsh, some children's shows like Cyw and Stwnsh have Welsh subtitles with English translations for harder words. Some S4C films have also been recognized internationally, like Hedd Wyn and Solomon & Gaenor, which were nominated for Oscars.
S4C used to have its own text service called Sbectel. This service ended in 2009. When the old analogue TV signal was switched off in 2010, S4C stopped showing Channel 4 programmes. Since then, it has only broadcast its own Welsh programmes and some from the BBC.
How Many People Watch S4C
In 2022–2023, about 6.3 million people across the UK watched S4C at some point. The number of people watching S4C on TV each week in the UK was about 509,000. In Wales, around 324,000 people watched S4C on TV each week, which was the highest number in five years. This included 150,000 Welsh speakers.
S4C content is also watched online. In 2021–2022, there were 11.3 million viewing sessions on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer. S4C also has a big presence on social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The most-watched programme on S4C in 2022-2023 was Sgorios coverage of the Wales' football match against Belgium. This show attracted 456,000 viewers.
Digital Channels and Services
When digital TV started in 1998, S4C launched a second Welsh-language channel called S4C Digidol. After the analogue TV signal was switched off in Wales in 2010, S4C became fully digital. Now, S4C broadcasts only in Welsh and is available across Britain, Ireland, and parts of Europe.
S4C also had a sister channel called S4C2 until 2010. This channel showed coverage of the National Assembly for Wales. The BBC now provides this content online and on BBC Parliament. S4C2 also had two sound options, so viewers could choose between the original Welsh or an English translation.
In 2007, S4C announced plans for a Welsh-language children's service. This service, called Cyw (meaning 'chick'), launched in 2008. It shows programmes for young children. S4C plans to expand this service to include shows for older children (called Stwnsh) and teenagers.
S4C launched a high-definition (HD) version of its channel called 'Clirlun' in 2010. However, due to funding cuts, Clirlun closed in 2012. S4C HD relaunched in 2016 on Freesat and Sky. It returned to Freeview in HD in 2022, broadcasting during peak viewing hours.
In December 2014, S4C programmes also became available on the BBC iPlayer website. You can watch S4C live and on demand there.
How S4C Looks on Screen
1982–1987: Early Days
When S4C launched in 1982, its on-screen look showed off the natural beauty of Wales. Its first logos featured clips of Welsh landscapes with a simple logo animation. The logo would form the words WALES4CYMRU.
1987–1993: New Designs
On 25 May 1987, S4C changed its on-screen look. It used a computer-generated animation of its logo in blue, green, and red colours. Then, on 7 September 1990, a new animation showed a piece of Welsh slate with blue, green, and red colours washing over the letters S4C.
1993–2007: Dragon Theme
On 1 June 1993, S4C introduced new animations that showed everyday objects acting like dragons. This was a nod to the red dragon on the flag of Wales. On 10 February 1995, the channel got a new logo with a wavy line (called a tilde) that looked like a dragon breathing fire next to the "C".
2007–2014: Modern Look
On 18 January 2007, S4C updated its digital channels with a new logo and brand. This new look aimed to make S4C seem more "contemporary" and less focused on traditional Welsh symbols like dragons. Its new animations were filmed around Wales and featured a theme of "magnetism," showing the strong connection Welsh people have to their homeland.
2014–Present: Trapezium Shape
A new S4C logo and brand were introduced on 10 April 2014. This new design uses a special trapezium shape, which is a key part of the channel's marketing and branding today.
Challenges S4C Has Faced
S4C has sometimes been criticized for low viewing figures. In 2010, reports showed that some programmes had very few viewers. S4C explained that many of these were shows for pre-school children, and the official viewing figures didn't count viewers under four years old. Other low-rated shows were repeats or news bulletins that didn't attract many viewers.
In 2010, S4C's chief executive, Iona Jones, left her job. There were questions about why she left, and an investigation looked into how the broadcaster was managed.
How S4C Gets Money
S4C gets its money from two main sources: advertising and a grant from the UK government. Some Welsh-language programmes, like Newyddion and Pobol y Cwm, are made by BBC Wales and given to S4C for free. This is part of the BBC's public service duty.
From 2013, the BBC started taking over more of S4C's funding. The government reduced its grant to S4C. By 2022, S4C's funding was mostly from the BBC's licence fee. This means S4C's budget is now decided as part of the BBC's funding plans.
Besides public funding, S4C also earns about 2% of its money from things like advertising.
S4C is managed by the S4C Authority, which is an independent group. Ofcom is the organization that regulates S4C's content, just like it does for other UK TV channels.
S4C's Online Catch-up Service
S4C has its own free online catch-up service called Clic. On Clic, you can watch live TV, shows with sign language, and programmes from the last 35 days. There's also an archive of older shows. Clic is available across the UK and has some content for viewers worldwide.
Clic's catch-up service is divided into different categories like Drama, Entertainment, Factual, Music, and Sport. It also has two children's categories: Cyw (for ages 3–6) and Stwnsh (for ages 7–13). You can also get a Clic app for Apple devices.
Since late 2014, S4C's programmes and live stream have also been available on the BBC's catch-up service, BBC iPlayer. Both Clic and iPlayer offer English and Welsh subtitles for many shows.
Watching S4C content online has become very popular. In 2020–2021, there were 11 million viewing sessions on Clic and iPlayer. In 2022–23, viewing figures on these platforms reached an all-time high.
See also
In Spanish: S4C para niños
- Fourth UK television service
- Timeline of television in Wales
- Timeline of S4C
- List of Welsh-language programmes
- List of Welsh-language media
- Celtic Media Festival
