S4C (Sianel Pedwar Cymru, meaning Channel Four Wales in Welsh) is a Welsh-language television channel that commenced operations in 1982. It was the first television channel entirely dedicated to a Welsh-speaking audience. Similar to Channel 4, S4C outsources all its programs to external producers.
Media assets
Television: S4C
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Managed (ISM)
Ownership and governance
S4C is owned by the S4C Authority, an independent public body appointed by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport to oversee its management. The main governance structure at S4C is its Unitary Board, which consists of eight members appointed by the government.
Source of funding and budget
Since 2013, 90% of S4C’s budget comes from the license fee, as per an agreement between the owner of S4C (S4C Authority) and the BBC Trust. The remaining funding comes from a mix of state subsidies and commercial revenues. S4C receives approximately GBP 88.8m annually from the license fee revenue.
Editorial independence
S4C does not have government-imposed rules that affect its content production. The channel is renowned for its high-quality, innovative, and independently produced content.
S4C has numerous guidelines for content production, ensuring diversity and impartiality in political party broadcasts.
The Unitary Board is responsible for continually assessing and overseeing the programming commissioned and acquired by S4C. To support this work, the Board is assisted by five committees, each focusing on one of the following areas: content, audit and risk, complaints, communications, and people and remuneration.
August 2024