Timeline of television in Wales facts for kids

Welcome to the story of television in Wales! This timeline shows how TV started and grew in Wales, focusing on events that were special to this country, not the whole UK.

The 1950s: TV Arrives!

• 1952
  • On August 15, TV signals reached Wales for the very first time! This happened when the Wenvoe transmitting station was turned on.
• 1956
  • The Blaenplwyf transmitting station started working, bringing TV to the Cardigan Bay area.
  • A company called Television Wales and the West (TWW) won the right to be the ITV channel for South Wales and the West of England.
• 1957
  • The BBC started a short, five-minute news report every day just for Wales.
• 1958
  • On January 14, at 4:45 PM, TWW began its TV broadcasts.
  • The Llanddona transmitting station was switched on. This brought television to the island of Anglesey and other parts of North Wales.

The 1960s: New Channels and Changes

• 1961
  • Business people who spoke Welsh pushed for a new TV licence just for North and West Wales. The Independent Television Authority (ITA) gave this contract to Wales West and North Television.
  • BBC Wales launched a news program in Welsh called Heddiw.
• 1962
  • On September 14, Wales (West and North) Television started broadcasting as Teledu Cymru. They used their own transmitter at Arfon.
  • On September 17, BBC Wales launched Wales Today. This news program was seen by people in both Wales and the west of England.
• 1963
  • On January 28, the Moel-y-Parc transmitting station was turned on, bringing ITV shows to North East Wales. The BBC started using this transmitter in 1965.
  • Problems with the Arfon and Moel-y-Parc transmitters caused big money troubles for WWN. Even with help from other TV companies, they struggled. When Granada stopped making Welsh language shows, it was a big blow to WWN.
• 1964
  • On January 26, Wales (West and North) Television stopped broadcasting because they went bankrupt. TWW took over their area and kept the Teledu Cymru name for a separate service in Wales.
  • On February 9, BBC Cymru Wales officially launched. It had its own separate areas for Wales and the west of England. Their news show, Wales Today, became a longer 25-minute program just for Wales. The current affairs show Week In Week Out also started this year.
• 1965
  • TWW could now offer separate programs for all of Wales and the West of England. This was thanks to a second transmitter at St Hilary. People in South Wales could now watch both services.
  • On September 12, BBC Two Wales began broadcasting.
• 1966
  • BBC Wales moved to brand new studios in Broadcasting House, Cardiff.
• 1967
  • TWW lost its TV licence to a new group called the Harlech Consortium. TWW tried to fight this decision but the TV authority said they had the right to change contracts.
  • The Kilvey Hill transmitting station started working. This made TV reception much better for people in Swansea, Neath, and Port Talbot.
• 1968
  • On March 4, TWW stopped broadcasting earlier than planned. They sold their remaining time to Harlech. But Harlech wasn't ready yet, so an interim service called Independent Television Service for Wales and the West filled in.
  • On May 20, Harlech Television officially took over the TV service for Wales and the West of England. They launched two news shows: Y Dydd in Welsh and Report Wales in English.
  • In August, a strike by technicians forced ITV off the air for several weeks. A temporary national service was put on instead.
• 1969
  • No major events.

The 1970s: Colour TV and a Fight for Welsh Language TV

• 1970
  • Both BBC Cymru Wales and HTV started broadcasting in colour!
  • On April 6, Harlech Television changed its name on air to HTV. The service for Wales became known as HTV Cymru Wales.
• 1974
  • On September 26, BBC Cymru Wales launched the Welsh language soap opera Pobol y Cwm.
• 1977
  • The Annan Committee, a group looking at the future of broadcasting, suggested creating a fourth independent TV channel.
• 1979
  • Both the Conservative and Labour parties promised that the fourth TV channel in Wales would be a Welsh-language channel if they won the 1979 election.
  • However, the new Conservative government decided against a full Welsh channel. This made many people in Wales upset. Some refused to pay their TV licence fees, and there were protests at BBC and HTV studios. Some TV transmitters in Welsh-speaking areas were even attacked.
  • On August 10, a ten-week ITV strike forced HTV off the air. The strike ended on October 24.

The 1980s: S4C is Born!

• 1980
  • On September 17, the government changed its mind about the Welsh language TV service. This happened after strong public opposition and a threat of hunger strike from Gwynfor Evans, a former leader of Plaid Cymru. The idea for a Welsh fourth channel was approved, leading to the creation of the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority.
  • On November 13, the Broadcasting Act 1980 was passed. This law made it possible for a fourth TV channel to be created in the UK.
• 1982
  • On September 23, HTV launched a weekly current affairs show called Wales This Week. It is still broadcast today!
  • In October, Heddiw was broadcast for the very last time.
  • On October 31, Welsh language programs were broadcast on BBC Wales and HTV Cymru Wales for the final time. Both broadcasters would continue to make Welsh programs, but they would now be shown on the new S4C channel.
  • On November 1, Sianel 4 Cymru (S4C) launched as Wales's fourth TV channel. It included a BBC-produced news program called Newyddion. The soap opera Pobol y Cwm also moved from BBC Wales to the new S4C channel.
  • On November 2, Channel 4 launched across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. In Wales, some Channel 4 shows were broadcast on S4C during quieter times.
  • In November, HTV launched a Welsh-language current affairs series on S4C called Y Byd ar Bedwar (The World on Four).
• 1983
  • On January 17, Breakfast Time, Britain's first breakfast TV show, launched on BBC1. BBC Wales could show its own news during this program.
  • On February 1, ITV’s breakfast TV service TV-am launched. This was a UK-wide service, so it didn't have specific content for Wales.
  • BBC Wales launched the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.
• 1984
  • On September 3, Wales Today moved to an earlier time of 5:35 PM. This was an hour earlier than most BBC news programs in other parts of the UK.
• 1985
  • On January 3, the old 405-line TV system stopped broadcasting. This ended HTV's general service to South Wales and the West of England.
• 1988
  • On August 22, HTV started broadcasting 24 hours a day.
  • In September, Wales Today moved to the 6:30 PM time slot.

The 1990s: Digital TV and New Shows

• 1990
  • In April, stereo sound for TV began in Wales. This happened when NICAM digital stereo was switched on from the Wenvoe transmitting station.
• 1991
  • On October 16, HTV kept its licence to broadcast in Wales. They offered the highest amount of money among four companies.
• 1994
  • On February 28, Wales at Six was replaced by a new show called Wales Tonight.
• 1995
  • On September 10, BBC Wales relaunched its rugby coverage as Scrum V. It took the place of Rugby Special Wales.
  • On September 11, S4C launched its second Welsh-language soap opera, Rownd a Rownd.
• 1997
  • BBC Wales launched a Welsh-language rugby union program called Clwb Rygbi on S4C.
• 1998
  • On September 23, the BBC launched a digital-only channel called BBC Choice. This channel had programs for Wales on weeknights.
  • On November 1, S4C Digidol (Digital S4C) launched.
  • On November 15, digital terrestrial TV officially launched for the public in the UK.
• 1999
  • On March 8, Wales Tonight was renamed HTV Wales News.
  • On September 15, S4C2 launched. It showed coverage of the National Assembly for Wales and more detailed coverage of events from S4C.
  • BBC Cymru Wales launched short news bulletins on S4C during weekday lunchtimes, mid-afternoons, and early evenings.

The 2000s: Digital Changes and New Kids' Shows

• 2000
  • On June 6, S4C launched a fun new way to promote its sports shows called Chwaraeon/Sport 2000. It featured Welsh sports stars acting out famous ancient Greek and Roman art. This campaign won awards!
• 2001
  • On March 30, BBC Choice Wales stopped broadcasting.
  • On November 5, BBC 2W launched. It provided English language programs for Wales on weeknights for people watching digital TV.
• 2002
  • On October 28, HTV's service in Wales was renamed ITV1 Wales.
• 2004
  • On February 2, HTV News was renamed ITV Wales News.
• 2005
  • The Ferryside television relay station in Carmarthenshire was chosen for a special test. It became the first UK TV transmitter to switch over to digital broadcasting.
  • On November 14, ITV Wales News was renamed back to Wales Tonight.
• 2006
  • On December 29, HTV Ltd was renamed ITV Wales & West Ltd.
• 2008
  • In May, Wales on Saturday was broadcast on BBC One Wales for the last time. It used to be a news and sports show, but later became a Welsh sports results program.
  • On June 23, S4C launched a daily morning block of children’s programs called Cyw.
• 2009
  • On January 2, BBC 2W closed down. This was part of a plan to save money at BBC Cymru Wales. The digital version of BBC Two Wales then became more like the main BBC Two channel.
  • On September 9, digital TV switchover began in Wales. The Kilvey Hill transmitter was the first of eight main transmitters to complete the switch.
  • S4C's teletext service Sbectel closed down.
  • Three new five-minute news bulletins were launched on S4C during weekday afternoons.

The 2010s: HD and Funding Changes

• 2010
  • In January, coverage of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) meetings moved from S4C2 to the new BBC Democracy Live website.
  • On March 31, the digital switchover was completed in Wales. The old analogue TV signals at Wenvoe were turned off. This meant Channel 4 became available in all homes in Wales for the first time.
  • S4C began broadcasting only in Welsh.
  • On July 19, S4C started broadcasting in high definition (HD) with a channel called 'Clirlun'.
  • On September 16, S4C2 was removed from Sky channel 507.
  • On October 20, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, announced that the BBC would take over some of the responsibility for funding S4C.
  • In October, S4C2 was removed from Virgin Media channel 168.
  • On November 30, S4C2 was removed from Freeview channel 86.
  • On December 6, S4C2 stopped broadcasting when it was removed from the Freesat platform.
• 2011
  • On January 14, the S4C Authority confirmed that S4C2 had closed due to budget cuts.
• 2012
  • On December 1, S4C Clirlun (the HD channel) closed. The next day, Channel 4 HD took over its broadcasting space.
• 2013
  • On January 14, ITV Wales changed its look and its news program was renamed ITV News Cymru Wales.
  • On January 29, BBC One Wales began broadcasting in high definition.
  • On April 1, the BBC began taking over the funding for S4C.
  • In September, ITV Wales announced a new weekly current affairs program called Newsweek Wales.
• 2014
  • On January 1, ITV in Wales became officially known as ITV Cymru Wales. It now had its own separate licence, instead of being part of the "Wales and West" area.
  • On June 30, ITV Cymru Wales moved into a new building in Cardiff Bay. To mark this change, the Wales at Six news name was brought back after 20 years.
  • On October 15, Made in Cardiff began broadcasting as Cardiff's local TV channel.
• 2015
  • On August 25, ITV Cymru Wales began broadcasting in HD.
• 2016
  • On June 7, S4C started broadcasting in high definition again.
  • On July 12, That's Swansea Bay began broadcasting.
  • On September 7, it was agreed that the BBC would provide £74.5 million a year to S4C from the licence fee until 2022.
• 2017
  • On April 19, Cardiff TV's main news show Cardiff News was broadcast for the last time. It was replaced by a mix of local and national news made at Made TV's main office in Leeds.
  • On April 26, local TV came to North East Wales when Made in North Wales began broadcasting.
• 2018
  • In February, Cardiff Live launched as Made in Cardiff's only local program. It wasn't live, but it was made locally. Around the same time, Made in Cardiff and Made in North Wales were renamed Cardiff TV and North Wales TV.
  • On March 29, the UK Government announced it would continue to give S4C £6.72 million until 2020. The goal is for S4C to be fully funded by the TV licence fee from 2022 onwards.
  • On November 29, BBC Two Wales began broadcasting in high definition.

The 2020s: New Studios

• 2020
  • Both BBC One Wales and BBC Two Wales started broadcasting from brand new studios in Central Square, Cardiff.
  • On September 28, the final edition of BBC Cymru Wales's main news program, Wales Today, was broadcast from its old Llandaff studios. The first edition from the new Central Square studios aired at lunchtime.

See also

• Timeline of ITV in Wales
• Timeline of S4C