S4C needs to rediscover its roots
Wales Business — By Heledd Fychan on June 26, 2010 7:00 am
Will Cwac Cwac shouldn't be considered S4C's heyday - the best should lay ahead
MY generation of Welsh speakers don’t remember a time before S4C came into existence. We grew up with the channel throughout the 80s and 90s, the golden era of Welsh television programmes. Superted and Wil Cwac Cwac were childhood heroes of mine, and I would happily watch programmes in Welsh rather than English without it feeling like a chore. Jabas and Tydi Bywyd yn Boen were on a par if not better than their English equivalents, and we were lucky in Wales to have our own 80s and 90s pin ups to compete with Kylie and Jason and the rest of the Neighbours cast.
It was easy for us to take S4C for granted. Although I knew that people had to fight for the channel and that Gwynfor Evans had threatened to go on hunger strike, it didn’t seem real somehow. It had always been there on a plate for us to enjoy – a natural part of our lives. It was easy to lose sight of just how hard the Welsh language campaigners had fought for its existence.
S4C was a particularly prominent part of my life, as both my parents worked in the television industry. As I got older, most of my summer jobs involved helping out behind the scenes in a variety of ways, and it gave me a real appreciation of the importance of the industry as an employer in North Wales. My parents became directors of their own television company based in Caernarfon that at one point employed 17 people as permanent staff. However, it was eventually forced to wind down as S4C pursued a policy of mainly commissioning work from larger companies. This had a particular effect on the smaller companies outside of Cardiff, and although some survived and merged with others to create larger companies, others had no option but to close.
This coincided with the surge in digital television, and the need to compete with the hundreds of channels now available on a cheaper budget. As a response, S4C decided that it needed to broaden its appeal. History, literature and culture were passé according to commissioners, and producers needed to move with the times. Some critics called it dumbing down, but S4C executives were adamant that their new programming would appeal to the masses. Quality seemed to suffer as the budgets couldn’t support the ambitions. Not surprisingly, traditional viewers started switching off and viewing figures appeared to plummet.
Certainly, that’s been the case for me and many of my friends. While we were once fiercely loyal to the channel, over time, we have found that it has had less to offer us. In fact, I do sometimes find myself watching S4C out of duty rather than out of real desire. Very few programmes appeal to me, and although there are some excellent ones such as Rownd a Rownd, CF99 and Caerdydd, they are rare. And don’t even get me started on the number of times programmes are repeated. No matter how good a programme may be, I do not need to see it 10 times in a month especially since I now have the option of catching up with programmes online. And neither does anyone else, unless they suffer from amnesia.
But I digress. Though there are certain programming challenges that need to be overcome. The main challenge facing S4C is deciding what role it has to play in Wales, particularly in relation to the language. Should it continue to move away from its original purpose or is it now time to refresh its aims, and focus on why it was established in the first place? Reconnecting with traditional viewers is key to this. Only with a strong basis can the channel ever grow and appeal to new audiences, otherwise viewing figures will continue to fall. But how can this realistically be achieved?
First of all, there’s much to be said in favour of going back to basics. This would mean focusing on quality rather than quantity. Why not cut back on the number of broadcasting hours rather than churn out endless repeats to try and fill gaps? Other digital channels only operate between certain times, and people do make the effort to tune in if there’s something appealing to watch. S4C is obviously struggling to deliver enough new content on its budget, so why put itself under that pressure?
Secondly, S4C needs to recognise the hugely important impact it has had on areas outside of Cardiff, particularly North Wales. The channel helped the industry to grow in Caernarfon, enabling people who may never have thought of working in the media to do so, and importantly, through the medium of Welsh. Prior to the establishment of Barcud (now Barcud Derwen), very few technicians, cameramen and other production staff spoke Welsh. All that changed after the creation of training opportunities through Cyfle and various other schemes. And, for the first time, people didn’t have to live in Cardiff or outside of Wales to work in the industry. They could stay in the area and raise their families here, and if they so wished, all through the medium of Welsh. Also, many of these were well paid jobs, going to local people who spent their money locally. It was one of very few industries that could keep our young people in the area and attract them back.
Much of this is now under threat as Barcud Derwen recently went into administration. S4C’s bland and robotic reaction – “we will ensure there is no disruption to the service for our viewers” – was disappointing to many. Make no mistake: it is a devastating blow, not only to those who have lost their jobs, but also to the area. Although some television companies remain, they will struggle without the use of a proper studio and facilities in North Wales and there is a genuine concern that the industry will not be able to survive here in the long term. There are very few other jobs available and many people could find themselves being forced to move their families further afield, outside of Wales. Surely, S4C has a role to play in securing the future of the industry outside of Cardiff?
Maybe the time has come for S4C to take stock and, in a sense, find itself and its identity again. People fought hard to have the channel, and it cannot shy away from the important role it has to play in relation to the Welsh language throughout Wales. It’s not too late to turn things around, and it’s not too late to save the industry in North Wales. But we can’t just rely on those who fought first time round to put things right. If we want S4C to survive then my generation also needs to show some tough love, and remind S4C of its duty in a productive way. We need the channel to be there for our children and grandchildren in the decades to come. But unless something changes, and urgently, I fear that its days could be numbered.
Tags: broadcasting, S4/C, television, Welsh Language
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19 Comments
A very interesting view and a good base for debate. Certainly the inception of digital tv has shown how much dross is out there and always quality will attract viewers.
This article reopens the debate on how S4C should be funded and should it accept adverts that are in English – or is that an economic neccessity , or should it be a subscription channel in this time of an economic crunch?
Diolch Heledd, erthygl bwysig iawn. Dydw i ddim yn clued up ar wleidyddiaeth mewnol y sector ond hyd y gwela i roedd polisi S4C o fod eisiau delio gyda llond dwrn o gwmniau annibynol mawr yn hytrach na clytwaith o rai bach yn ergyd andwyol i greadigrwydd a gwreiddioldeb y sector beth bynnag oedd y dadleuon o blaid.
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Thank Heledd, very important article. I’m not clued up on the internal politics of the sector but as far I can see there seems to be a policy of S4C wanting to deal with a handful of large independent companies rather than a patchwork of small ones – a detrimental blow to creativity and originality whatever the sector arguments in favour.
Thank you, Heledd. A very well argued piece.
I too am frankly disillusioned with S4C’s current output. The quality of its drama and documentary programming is often superficial, and although there are some good current affairs and topical programmes, they are now the exception rather than the rule.
Yes, I too was a regular viewer during my teenage years in the 1980s. I still remember the gwefr of going home from school to watch that first evening’s viewing in 1982. That was then, as they say. This is now …
In 2010, there are far fewer Welsh speakers of working age living in fewer Welsh-speaking families than there were in 1982. Even those of us relying on booster transmitters have a choice of 17 TV channels today; we had 4 back then. And yet, S4C’s output is diluted by dubious quality programmes, gravitating towards a Cardiff-centred production base.
I don’t say that I agree with Rod Richards’ plea to return Welsh-language TV to Auntie Beeb’s umbrella, but somehow or other the 300,000 or so of us who prefer Welsh must see a return from the £100 million spent on our behalf.
Personally, It would be better for S4C, I think, if it became a channel for the whole of Wales, and not just a Welsh speaking minority. Media and Welsh culture is in trouble, with BBC, SKY and ITV all now ignoring Wales more and more. S4C should represent the whole of Wales and reflect wider Welsh culture. This would not be to the determent of the Welsh language, it would not undermime S4C. Instead it would make S4C stronger and could even help the Welsh language grow.
Will Cwac Cwac (S4C orginally, BBC worldwide sales), SuperTed (S4C orginally, BBC worldwide sales), Sali Mali (S4C orginally, BBC worldwide sales). Spot a common factor? S4C needs more funding so therefore should be able to garner some of the income that the BBC gets for selling it’s programmes overseas.
And how about a little more cross channel co-operation? For instance, Jacpot could be converted into a National Lottery quiz, Y Porthmon should be a BBC Wales / S4C co production with Iolo Williams narrating for the BBC and Retro would be prefect for the CBBC channel.
As a Welsh learner I turned to S4C throughout the 90s to look for programming that I could understand and which would entertain or inform me. I also spent much time and effort finding programmes to recommend to the kids who are now fluent speakers. My monoglot English wife was addicted to Pobl y Cwm for most of the 90s and used to chat to English speaking friends who also watched it. But over the last few years I’ve barely turned to S4C at all. My wife still talks to her friends about Pobl y Cwm days but I doubt the kids would even notice the channel as they flick through the listings and I’ve given up trying to encourage them.
The problem as I see it is one of quality and originality. Let’s have more imaginitive ideas, let’s involve more people, let’s try and do things differently. If this is best achieved by small companies then I’m all for it. How about an X Factor or Dragons’s Den type show that pitches new programme ideas which viewers could vote for?
I’m still a great supporter of S4C and feel it must survive, but feeling a duty to watch or guilt at not watching just doesn’t bode well for the future.
“Personally, It would be better for S4C, I think, if it became a channel for the whole of Wales, and not just a Welsh speaking minority. Media and Welsh culture is in trouble, with BBC, SKY and ITV all now ignoring Wales more and more. S4C should represent the whole of Wales and reflect wider Welsh culture.”
I’ve often thought this too. There’s definitely a market out there for more English language programming. Comedy (look at the ratings Gavin & Stacey achieved), Cardiff City games, local music, independent cinema would all go down well. Welsh speaking and English speaking culture needs to work together.
Perhaps commercialise S4C?
Sell commercial time to advertisers, and the proceeds could go towards paying for better content? I know that the viewership may not draw in a lot of large numbers, but still, it would help raise money. Also perhaps it may help foster advertisements in the Welsh language as well.
Thank you for all the comments, some really interesting ideas here that are definitely worth exploring. Diolch.
Declaration: I’m an immigrant, permanently learning Welsh and failing. But it seems we watch S4C more than many Welsh speaking writers here – why’s that?
First: it is distinctly Welsh and you hear Welsh spoken (albeit with subtitles for us hard of learning!). It’s a quality that Radio Wales has (sometimes) but BBC Wales almost never – apart from a Bore da, when was the last Welsh you heard on the BBC? It would be hard for a casual visitor to our media to know that there was a language other than English – surely the media should reflect that in all its output?
Second: although we are no longer Pobyl y Cwm devotees (it’s gone downhill sadly like most soaps) there is some programming that excels: we’ll be welcoming back this week a great gardening programming, 4Wal has had great moments revealing wales’ heritage (the hotel series a bit off piste we felt!), and some one-offs like the programme on Barley Saturday (we were there!) have a real importance in reflecting (with humour and high entertainment value) the community that is Wales. And then there was Belonging!
One problem – yes, apart from maintaining quality, is how to make good and great programming accessible to monoglot English speakers. Press coverage is not existent – and even the Western Mail’s saturday magazine roundup features are only in Welsh (a BIG bone of contention in this household – but I digress).
I would support some of the views here for a more bi-lingual approach – across both S4C and BBC Wales. It can – with skill and inventiveness – be done without sacrificing either language. Only when we feel completely at home with good television in either language can Wales be said to be a bilingual nation (and that doesn’t necessarily mean, in my book, everyone being fluent in both!). Digital tv (the Red Button) gives us the technical ability to do things undreamt of when S4C was created. Let’s get creative.
Annwyl Heledd.
Many thanks for writing this article it is both timely and far-reaching in it’s conclusions. I would wish here to add a few comments as well as declare an interest. For two year I was CEO of the trade association that represents S4C’s suplliers and prior to that for six years was Head of the EU’s MEDIA Programme office in Wales – both posts gave me ample opportunity to see the effects of the policies of the current regime at S4C on the production sector and the wider creative industries in Wales.
I too feel extremely strongly about how the cutrrent management at S4C have pursued their vision of creating a consolidated sector over the past five years. However in any debate about S4C – and it’s high time we had one – it’s important to seperate S4C’s value as an institution to Wales and the Welsh language from the policies of a particular management regime. Regimes change but the value of television in the Welsh language is enduring and this must be remembered.
The extent and quality of public debate in Wales around S4C and it’s cultural and economic impact do a severe injustice to both the value of the organisation and to Wales as a young democracy. The paucity of this debate grows out of a nervousness surrounding the funding of the channel and possible challenges the funding could face if disquiet with the service was to be sensed by the UK political establishment. In a devolved Wales this is utterly astonishing. Even if S4C continues to be funded solely from Westminster surely we have both the democratic legitimacy and sophistication as a young polity to defend it’s value to Wales.
I can only share my suspicion that both the current management at S4C and the S4C Authority are content with this democratic deficit as it ensures a lower level of focus and accountability on their activities. This brings me to respond to your main point regarding the policy of mainly commissioning ‘larger’ prioduction companies and it’s effect on the creative sector in Wales and the production economy in North Wales.
This policy stems from the belief that lager companies are inherently more ‘competitive’ in terms of attracting work from UK network and international broadcasters and new media markets (a long term strategic goal of the production sector in Wales ) and is rooted in the Welsh Assembly Governments Creative Industries Strategy of 2004 – which has now been discredited and is in the process of being replaced following a review by Prof. Ian Hargreaves. The vision was that the Assembly Government support for the creative industries would be used to create a small number of production ‘powerhouses’ in Wales better suited to winning work from outside Wales. This strategy was to run concurrently with S4C’s strategy of commissioning fewer and larger companies.
It is important to bear in mind here of course that these policies were incepted at the zenith of the political culture that pervaded the New Labour years of a closenes between government and industry and a tendency
for government to ‘choose’ the winners in some industrial sectors from amongst their friends. Coupled with light touch regulatory regimes this New Labour approach to industrial structuring saw the temporary suspension of the usual tenets of capitalism such as open competition and transparency. Of course in Wales the Gramscian post-1999 politics of a Labour establishment trying to claw back it’s grip on civil society and the bonfire of the quangos with what Prof. Kevin Morgan described as being driven more by “control than accountability” created a heady atmosphere for policy making in the creative sector.
To a number of us working in this sector at the time it became apparent that there was what could be described as a rather pernicious element to the manner in which S4C were pursuing this strategy. Some were indeed of the view that it was at least partly motivated by political considerations.
The strategy of creating a consolidated sector has not worked. Network and internationally funded production in Wales is even lower now than when the strategy was launched. Why ? it’s a difficult question to answer but the removal of many of the competitive forces in the sector and the implicit guarantee to the surviving producers that S4C are now dependent on them would be one way of explaining it. Another might be to question the manner in which the companies that have been allowed to survive were selected ? Was it on quality of programming produced ? was it on the basis on entrepreneurial vision ? or was it something else entirely ? It is also fair to say – in the context of this policy as an ‘industrial’ strategy that the financial performance of the production houses selected as these ‘pathfinder’ companies has at best been anaemic.
Serious questions ought to be asked of the S4C management and Authority on these issues. Was it appropriate that public money was used in this manner to force consolidation on a sector ? On the basis of what legal advice did they deem this an appropriate strategy ? Furthermore how can it be explained that in six years not one new company has been formed to serve S4C’s needs (or rather are serving their needs ) despite the fact that the usual economic barriers to entry to in this industry in terms of capital and technology requirements are lower than they have ever been and that the regulatory environment in terms of rights retention favour producers over broadcasters. Can this be explained by the fact that there was a tacit recognition in the sector that S4C were not ‘open’ to new entrants ? If that was the case then they were acting beyond their powers as a publicly funded body in suppressing competition and entrepreneurship.
As noted above it is time for an informed and intyelligent debate. Diolch yn fawr Heledd for raising this and giving us the opportunity to debate it on this site.
Gwion Owain.
“Surely, S4C has a role to play in securing the future of the industry outside of Cardiff?”
Outside of Cardiff! What heresy is this? We live in devolved Wales, Heledd: Cardiffshire.
@Geraint
I totally disagree. S4C shouldn’t be turned into a bilingual channel it should remain as channel for the “Welsh speaking minority” for that very reason. The Welsh language is a minority language and therefore it could never succeed in the open market place and that’s why the Conservative Government eventually established the channel with public money. The numbers of Welsh speakers has been increasing since the establishment of S4C so if there was an argument for the DCMS to fund S4C in 1980 the argument for them to fund it in 2010 is stronger. (But of course there is a general discussion to be had if the DCMS should transfer responsibility now to Cardiff, personally I think they should).
Having said that, I agree that there is an argument to be made for an English-medium national channel for Wales, but such a’n aspiration should be seen as something in addition to S4C not something to replace it or to be in partnership with. S4C should remain as one institution with one clear objective, to broadcast good stuff in the Welsh language. As Heledd notes, they struggle with this one objective at the moment so let’s not throw responsibility over English broadcasting at them too.
S4C was campaigned for, established and so far run for a specific purpose. To broadcast in the Welsh language. You must remember that some of my friends were jailed during the campaign for a Welsh language channel. So remember the sacrifice before you make your sweeping recomedation that S4C should cease to be an only Welsh language channel.
Ask yourself if you would be willing to go to jail over the call for an English medium nation channel for Wales? Didn’t think so. In the mean time leave the Welsh channel so much people sacrificed their freedom for alone.
I’m afraid to those who say S4C should make English language programmes are missing the point. Up until 1982 BBC2 Wales was a bilingual channel, and what happened? Those who didn’t speak Welsh complained about the Welsh language programmes that were transmitted in peak times, therefore Welsh medium programmes were pushed to the graveyard slot after 11pm. That is exactly what would happen again eventually if S4C stopped being a Welsh language channel. There are hunderds of English language channels on TV these days, surely wanting to keep one that is predominately Welsh language isn’t asking too much? However, I also believe there should be far more programmes about Wales in the English language on BBC1, BBC2 and ITV Wales, about our culture and history, because at present they are lacking on our TV screens. But unless the political will is there from Westminster to devolve broadcasting to Wales, I do not see things improving in the future.
I think Heledd, you are viewing S4C past programming with rose-tinted spectacles. They may have produced a lot of good programming in the past such as C’mon Midffild, Tydi bywyd yn Boen,Jabas and Torri Gwynt. But after that, you’d be struggling. Remember Dinas? A Cardiff’s version of Dallas/Howard’s Way. Didn’t work really did it?
Smaller production companies doesn’t necessarily mean better, more creative programming. HTV, the biggest production company during the seventies and eighties, produced some great stuff. Carol Parry Jones commented about her time in HTV as very creative, and she was right. Her comedy specials such as Eisteddfod, Eisteddfod and Ibiza, Ibiza were excellent.
S4C fundamentally is not their create jobs or hold up a regional economy but to provide Welsh Language programming. I can’t see why the channel should give money to companies to do programmes for them just because where they are based, especially if they produce sub-standard content.
The channel faces competition not from other UK channels but competition from other forms of entertainment. While I recognise the channel has made some effort to refresh the contents it offering, there is a need for a major shakeup of media in Wales. Too many people who have become comfortable over the years and have stagnated. S4C, at the moment, have too many old faces who have been doing/presenting the same programmes for years.
@Degwm said: “S4C fundamentally is not their create jobs or hold up a regional economy but to provide Welsh Language programming. I can’t see why the channel should give money to companies to do programmes for them just because where they are based, especially if they produce sub-standard content.”
I disagree, although S4C’s chief objetive is to create good Welsh language programmes I believe it has, as one of the very few Welsh language national institutions, a wider responsibility towards Welsh communities. Specifically as a Welsh language institution it has special responsibility to serve the economy where the majority of their viewers reside. It so happens that the economy in those areas need what economic investment they can get. S4C can’t operate in a vacuum or it will find it self in a generation producing programmes for a community which no longer exists! S4C produces Welsh language tv for Welsh language communities, it’s natural therefore that it’s wider corporate social responsibility would be to do whatever it can to sustain those Welsh communities. One way of doing that is to base as much production as possible in the hands of as much Welshmen as possible.
And I don’t accept that small tv companies produce sub-standard content. I would argue to the contrary. The biggest tripe on S4C is produced by the larger companies who’ve got cash cow regular contracts producing the same old stuff season after season.
This just in:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east_wales/10481417.stm
Good that jobs are saved. But does rather reinforce Heledd’s concerns about jobs in North Wales.
I’ve got a sort of love-hate relationship with S4C. I’m really glad and proud we’ve got a Welsh language TV channel and encourage people to watch it. Also I’m regularly coming close to throwing whatever’s to hand at the TV screen when it broadcasts what I consider to be bland or dross.
I think there are pros and cons to S4C showing Engish language programmes but that option needs serious consideration given the financial situation.
S4C could concentrate on delivering high quality programmes and if this means less hours in Welsh then fill in the gap with high quality English language programmes about Wales and tailored for a Welsh audience.
Such an approach would also enable it to ditch a lot of it’s programmes that are chasing an ageing and declining audience eg it’s farrming output and target audiences that will grow eg Young adults, young parents and youth. It could then roll out a more varied ouput to keep this demographic group tuned in as it ages and it’s interests change.
The fans of Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol and any of the plethora of shows which Dai Jones Llanilar fronts will be dissapointed but if they want a Welsh language channel to be there for their grandchildren they’ll need say goodbye to a proportion of the programmes they enjoy today.
Geraint wrote;
“Personally, It would be better for S4C, I think, if it became a channel for the whole of Wales, and not just a Welsh speaking minority. Media and Welsh culture is in trouble, with BBC, SKY and ITV all now ignoring Wales more and more. S4C should represent the whole of Wales and reflect wider Welsh culture. This would not be to the determent of the Welsh language, it would not undermime S4C. Instead it would make S4C stronger and could even help the Welsh language grow.”
I totally agree with this view, Geraint. But I would add to this point and say this, I think there should be devolved broadcasting for Wales in general, S4C should be far tighter budgeted and controlled as a fully Welsh language channel ,taking in sponsorship with their good sports coverage etc and possibly a few co working and collaborative programmes with other english language welsh channels.
There could also be a collaborative channel such as BBC2 Wales or ITV Wales or even a Welsh channel 5 that would have, say 10=20 % of its programmes as Welsh language content programmes, maybe for learners/subtitled or history and disussion programmes /speciaised youth and childrens programmes. Maybe a slice of S4C’s overindulged budget could go towards this 10=20% content on another channel. This would keep S4C on their toes and keep them from slipping into a sterility that seems to have affected them. It would also maybe be a more representative channel for the whole of Wales as Geraint states above but would mean S4C woudnt be undermined as its own thing as well. As long as no more extra public money would go into the extra Welsh language content on another channel and there was general good will towrads it i dont see why it coludnt work.
Failing that I would support a full public funded 50/50 Welsh/English language channel excluisevly for Wales which could be an extremely exiting prospect. People also seem to forget that you can watch or make your own exclusive Welsh, English or any other language channel on the internet or decide exactly what you want to watch there. The point being the power is already with us the people to make our own channels online if we so wish…in theory that is.