Select committee: Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 9
Fifth Report - Broadcasting in Wales
Published 27 Oct 2023
Paragraph 56
Addressed to Wales Office
Welsh Affairs Committee Broadcasting in Wales All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We welcome the investments that the Government is making in digital provision for S4C, but the scale of investment needed to ensure the sustainability of Welsh language broadcasting in the long-term is daunting. We are concerned that the wider revolution in broadcasting will leave S4C exposed. It is also clear that S4C has a strong relationship with BBC Cymru Wales, and these links have been further enhanced by S4C’s reliance on licence fee funding and on BBC iPlayer as the foremost platform for digital content. To ensure the continuing strength of Welsh language broadcasting we recommend an enhanced long-term partnership between S4C and BBC Cymru Wales. This should include safeguards for the branding, editorial and commercial independence of S4C. This partnership should work towards a long-term framework agreement that supports S4C, providing it with the investment to produce digital content to compete with streaming services. The partnership should be overseen by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
From: Welsh Affairs Committee, Fifth Report - Broadcasting in Wales (HC 620), paragraph 56, 27 October 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 22 January 2024 (deadline 11 January 2024).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the report and points to its Media Bill, while declining several recommendations, including a full review of the listed events list and a formal review of the Apprenticeship Levy.
- On the BBC and S4C partnership, it says it "would not be appropriate for the Government to oversee individual partnerships", but "agrees" they should maintain one suited to the evolving landscape. Through the Media Bill it is legislating so that fewer than 10 hours may be agreed, and if no agreement is reached "the current requirement of 10 hours will continue".
- On listed sporting events, it states it has "no plans to undertake a full review of the list" and does not think it "appropriate for Ofcom to have the ability to amend the list of events".
- On community radio funding, it says any increase to the base level of the Fund "will need to be considered in the context of wider economic conditions at the next Spending Review". It considers that retaining a focus on long-term sustainability "remains appropriate" for how the Fund is spent.
- On the licence fee, the government is "launching a review of the licence fee funding model", led by DCMS, which "will also consider the funding arrangements of Welsh and other Minority Language Broadcasting provided by the BBC".