Timeline of S4C facts for kids

S4C (which stands for Sianel Pedwar Cymru, meaning Channel Four Wales) is a special TV channel in Wales. It was originally the fourth TV channel to broadcast over the airwaves in Wales. For a long time, it showed a mix of Welsh language programmes and shows from Channel 4.

However, after 2010, Channel 4 became available everywhere in Wales. So, S4C then became a channel that only broadcasts in the Welsh language. This timeline tells you how S4C came to be and what important things have happened to it over the years.

How S4C Began: The 1970s

• 1974
  • On September 26, BBC Wales started a Welsh language TV show called Pobol y Cwm. It's a bit like a daily drama series.

• 1977
  • On February 3, a group called the Annan Committee suggested that a new, independent TV channel should be created in the UK.

• 1979
  • Both the Conservative and Labour political parties promised that if they won the election, the fourth TV channel in Wales would be just for Welsh language programmes.
  • However, the new Conservative government decided against this idea. They thought the fourth channel in Wales should be mostly the same as in the rest of the UK.
  • This made many people in Wales upset. Some refused to pay their TV licence fee. Others held protests at BBC and HTV studios. There were even some attacks on TV transmitters in Welsh-speaking areas.

Building the Channel: The 1980s

• 1980
  • On September 17, the government changed its mind! They decided to create a separate Welsh language TV service for Wales. This happened after many people, including Welsh politicians and a former leader of Plaid Cymru named Gwynfor Evans (who threatened to go on hunger strike), showed strong opposition.
  • This decision led to the creation of the S4C Authority, a group that would manage the new channel.
  • On November 13, a new law, the Broadcasting Act 1980, helped make way for a fourth TV channel across the UK.

• 1981
  • The S4C Authority was officially started to manage the new Welsh-language TV channel.

• 1982
  • On October 31, it was the last day for Welsh programmes to be shown on BBC Wales and HTV Cymru Wales.
  • On November 1, at 6 PM, Sianel 4 Cymru (S4C) officially launched! It became Wales' fourth TV channel.
    • Its Welsh programmes were made by BBC Wales, HTV Cymru Wales, and other independent companies.
    • A new news show called Newyddion started.
    • The popular drama Pobol y Cwm moved from BBC Wales to the new S4C channel.
    • S4C also launched its own weekly magazine called Sbec. It listed all the TV shows in both Welsh and English.
    • A children's TV block called Clwb S4C also began.
  • On November 2, Channel 4 launched in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. In Wales, some Channel 4 shows were broadcast on S4C during quieter times of the day.

• 1987
  • On May 2, S4C launched a new animated logo. It showed the S4C letters in blue, green, and red.
  • On September 14, programmes for schools, called ITV Schools, moved to S4C. S4C used its own special introductions for these shows and would pause Channel 4 programmes to show Welsh school programmes.

• 1988
  • On September 5, a sports show called Sgorio started. It mainly showed highlights of European football, but also included other sports.

• 1989
  • On April 3, S4C started showing breakfast TV. It broadcast Channel 4's morning show, The Channel Four Daily, without any Welsh language parts.

Growing Up: The 1990s

• 1990
  • In April, TV shows in Wales started to be broadcast in stereo sound.
  • On September 7, S4C introduced a new logo. It looked like a piece of Welsh slate with blue, green, and red colours washing over the letters S4C.
  • On September 17, S4C’s children’s block changed its name from Clwb S4C to Slot Meithrin.

• 1993
  • On June 1, S4C launched new animated introductions for its shows. These showed everyday objects acting like dragons, breathing fire or flying. This was a nod to the red dragon on the Welsh flag.
  • On September 20, the school programmes on S4C got their own special name: S4C Ysgollon.

• 1995
  • On February 10, S4C introduced a new logo. It featured a wavy line, like a dragon, with a flame next to the "C" as if it were breathing fire.
  • On September 11, S4C launched its second Welsh-language drama series, Rownd a Rownd.

• 1997
  • BBC Wales started a Welsh-language rugby show called Clwb Rygbi on S4C.
  • S4C, along with two other companies, set up a company called S4C Digital Networks. They won the right to operate a part of the new digital TV system.

• 1998
  • On September 17, S4C’s children’s block changed its name again, from Slot Meithrin to Planed Plant.
  • On November 1, S4C Digidol (S4C Digital) launched.
  • On November 15, digital TV officially launched for everyone in the UK. This included the launch of SDN. SDN rented out its space to other channels, but S4C kept some space in Wales to launch S4C2.

• 1999
  • On September 15, S4C2 launched. It showed live coverage of the National Assembly for Wales (now the Senedd) and extra coverage of big events like the National Eisteddfod of Wales and the Royal Welsh Show.
  • S4C also changed how it showed school programmes to fit the new widescreen TVs.
  • BBC Cymru Wales started broadcasting short news updates on S4C during lunchtime, afternoon, and early evening.

The New Millennium: The 2000s

• 2000
  • On June 6, S4C launched a new sports promotion called Chwaraeon/Sport 2000. It featured Welsh sports stars acting out famous Greek and Roman artworks, with the slogan "you can see more."

• 2004
  • In August, S4C gained the rights to show some matches of the Welsh football team and Welsh domestic football.

• 2005
  • On April 27, S4C sold its share of the digital TV company to ITV plc. However, S4C kept its own digital TV space in Wales.

• 2007
  • On January 18, S4C launched a new logo and look. It was designed to make S4C seem more modern and less focused on traditional Welsh symbols like dragons. The new TV introductions were filmed around Wales and showed how Welsh people feel a strong connection to their homeland.

• 2008
  • On June 20, S4C stopped broadcasting its Welsh schools programmes and the Planed Plant Bach children's block.
  • On June 23, S4C launched a new daily morning children’s block called Cyw.

• 2009
  • On September 9, the big change from analogue to digital TV began in Wales.
  • S4C's text information service, Sbectel, closed down.
  • S4C started broadcasting three short news updates on weekdays in the afternoon.

The Digital Age: The 2010s

• 2010
  • In January, coverage of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) moved from S4C2 to the new BBC Democracy Live website.
  • On March 31, the switch to digital TV was completed in Wales. This meant that S4C stopped broadcasting Channel 4 programmes and became a channel solely in Welsh. Channel 4 was now available on its own across Wales for the first time.
  • On April 26, S4C launched Stwnsh, a new children's block for ages seven to thirteen. It replaced Planed Plant.
  • On July 19, S4C started broadcasting in high definition (HD) with a channel called 'Clirlun'.
  • In August, S4C began showing a live match from the Welsh Premier League every Saturday afternoon.
  • In late 2010, S4C2 was removed from Sky, Virgin Media, and Freeview.
  • On December 6, S4C2 stopped broadcasting completely when it was removed from Freesat.
  • On October 20, the government announced that the BBC would start helping to fund S4C.

• 2011
  • On January 14, the S4C Authority confirmed that S4C2 had closed due to budget cuts.
  • S4C launched a service called Clic, which lets you watch shows you missed.

• 2012
  • On December 1, S4C Clirlun (the HD channel) closed. The next day, Channel 4 HD took over its broadcasting space.

• 2013
  • On April 1, the BBC officially began taking on more responsibility for funding S4C.

• 2014
  • In March, S4C announced it would move its main offices to Carmarthen.
  • On June 7, S4C introduced a new logo and brand. The new design was made to help S4C connect better with its audience and programmes.
  • In December, S4C's programmes and live broadcasts became available on the BBC's catch-up service, BBC iPlayer.

• 2015
  • In September, S4C started showing one live match from each round of the rugby union Pro 12 competition. Before this, they had only shown highlights.

• 2016
  • On June 7, S4C started broadcasting in high definition again.
  • On September 7, it was agreed that the BBC would provide £74.5 million a year to S4C until 2022.

• 2018
  • On March 29, the UK Government announced it would continue providing some funding for S4C until 2020. The goal is for S4C to be fully funded by the TV licence fee from 2022 onwards.
  • In September, S4C began moving to its new main offices in Carmarthen. A smaller office in Cardiff was kept for technical needs.

Recent Times: The 2020s

• 2020
  • On June 16, Pobol y Cwm took a break from broadcasting because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of episodes each week was also reduced.
  • On September 8, Pobol y Cwm returned, with two episodes airing each week.

• 2021
  • On January 27, S4C's Presentation, Library, Promotion, and Commercial teams moved to the BBC Wales headquarters in Cardiff.

• 2023
  • On May 2, an independent investigation was started after a broadcasting union made claims of "bullying and a toxic culture" at S4C.

See also

• Timeline of ITV in Wales
• Timeline of television in Wales