A new formal partnership between S4C and the BBC
The S4C Authority and the unitary Board of the BBC have today published the new agreement which will take the place of the operating agreement which has formed the basis of the relationship between the S4C Authority and the BBC Trust from 2013 to the end of March 2017.
This is an exciting time for broadcasting in Wales, and I’m confident our continued close working with S4C will deliver real creative results, building on the many joint successes of recent years.
In this new Partnership, Funding and Accountability Agreement, the two broadcasters commit to working creatively together for the benefit of viewers and the Welsh-speaking audience.
The BBC’s commitment to developing and establishing constructive and fair partnerships is one of the key features of its new charter. The commitment to provide funding for S4C as part of the framework agreement was made at the same time. This agreement is therefore seen as one of the BBC’s key partnerships, in line with the charter’s requirements.
The agreement is based on, and defines, three essential elements:
- The funding which S4C will receive from the television licence fee, and the nature of its accountability to the BBC for this funding
- The statutory contribution of ten hours of weeks’ programming made by the BBC to S4C, and
- The nature of the broader operational partnership which will include the provision of technical facilities by the BBC to S4C
The partnership agreement will last until the end of the BBC’s new charter period, namely 2028.
There is already agreement that S4C funding from the licence fee will remain at a fixed level until 2022, at which point the level of the television licence is due to be reviewed.
The value of the statutory programming contribution will be sustained at its present level of £19.4m p.a. for the same period.
The agreement also guarantees the continuation of the arrangement to provide S4C programming on the iPlayer until 2028.
The terms of the agreement to provide technical services for S4C at BBC Wales’s new headquarters in central Cardiff from 2019 on have now been agreed.
This partnership agreement provides details as to how the relationship between the two organisations is expected to work so as to ensure constructive partnership, in Wales and at a UK level, and the processes of oversight which will be provided.
S4C Chairman, Huw Jones, says: “This new agreement demonstrates clearly what the nature of the relationship between S4C and the BBC will be over the period of the new Charter. It provides a strong element of security and stability for S4C over this period, while allowing the opportunity to review the key elements after five years.
"It sets a challenge for the two organisations to identify opportunities for constructive collaboration for the benefit of viewers. It builds on the success of the previous operating agreement and on a long tradition of co-operating and working together to serve audiences. It once again confirms S4C’s independence as an organisation and as a service.
"I’m extremely glad that the BBC has seen fit to recognise its relationship with S4C as one of its key partnerships under the terms of the Charter."
Sir David Clementi, Chairman of the BBC says: “This new agreement strengthens the existing long-standing public service broadcasting partnership between the BBC and S4C. It recognises the vital role played by both organisations in Welsh language broadcasting - and provides a firm foundation for continued collaboration at a time of significant media change.
"This is an exciting time for broadcasting in Wales, and I’m confident our continued close working with S4C will deliver real creative results, building on the many joint successes of recent years."
Following the change from Trust to Unitary Board the BBC no longer has a representative on the S4C Authority Board. Elan Closs Stephen’s term as an individual member comes to an end on 31 October 2018.
NTW
Cytundeb Partneriaeth ffurfiol newydd rhwng S4C a’r BBC
Mae Awdurdod S4C a Bwrdd Unedol y BBC heddiw’n cyhoeddi’r cytundeb newydd fydd yn cymryd lle’r Cytundeb Gweithredu a fu’n sail i’r berthynas rhwng Awdurdod S4C ac Ymddiriedolaeth y BBC rhwng 2013 a diwedd Mawrth 2017.
Yn y Cytundeb Partneriaeth, Ariannu ac Atebolrwydd newydd yma, mae’r ddau ddarlledwr yn ymrwymo i weithio gyda'i gilydd yn greadigol er budd gwylwyr a’r gynulleidfa Gymraeg.
Mae ymrwymiad y BBC i ddatblygu a sefydlu partneriaethau adeiladol a theg yn un o hanfodion y Siarter newydd. Mae’r ymrwymiad i ddarparu cyllid i S4C yn rhan o’r Cytundeb Fframwaith a gyhoeddwyd yr un pryd. Gwelir y cytundeb hwn felly fel un o bartneriaethau craidd y BBC, yn unol â gofynion y Siarter.
Mae’r Cytundeb Partneriaeth yma yn seiliedig ar, ac yn diffinio, tair elfen sylfaenol:
- Y cyllid y bydd S4C yn ei dderbyn o ffi’r drwydded deledu, a natur yr atebolrwydd ariannol amdano i’r BBC;
- Y cyfraniad rhaglenni statudol gan y BBC o 10 awr yr wythnos o raglenni i S4C; a
- Natur y bartneriaeth ymarferol ehangach a fydd yn cynnwys y ddarpariaeth o wasanaethau technegol gan y BBC i S4C.
Bydd y Cytundeb Partneriaeth yn dal mewn grym hyd ddiwedd cyfnod Siarter newydd y BBC, sef hyd at 2028.
Mae cytundeb eisoes y bydd cyllid S4C o’r ffi drwydded yn parhau yn sefydlog tan 2022, pan fydd lefel y drwydded deledu’n cael ei adolygu.
Bydd gwerth y cyfraniad rhaglenni statudol yn cael ei gynnal ar y lefel bresennol, sef £19.4m y flwyddyn, hyd at yr un dyddiad.
Mae’r Cytundeb hefyd yn gwarantu parhad y trefniant i gynnal lle S4C ar yr iPlayer tan 2028.
Mae telerau’r cytundeb i ddarparu gwasanaethau technegol i S4C yng nghanolfan newydd y BBC yng nghanol Caerdydd o 2019 ymlaen yn awr wedi cael eu cytuno.
Mae’r Cytundeb Partneriaeth hwn yn rhoi manylion ynglŷn â sut y disgwylir i’r berthynas rhwng y ddau gorff gael ei gweithredu er mwyn sicrhau partneriaeth adeiladol, yng Nghymru ac ar y lefel y Deyrnas Gyfunol, a pha brosesau arolygu fydd yn cael eu darparu.
Dywedodd Cadeirydd S4C, Huw Jones: “Mae’r cytundeb newydd yma’n dangos yn glir beth fydd natur y berthynas rhwng S4C a’r BBC dros gyfnod y Siarter newydd. Mae’n rhoi elfen gref o sicrwydd a sefydlogrwydd i S4C dros y cyfnod hwn, wrth ganiatáu cyfle i adolygu’r elfennau craidd ar ôl 5 mlynedd, ac mae’n gosod her i’r ddau sefydliad adnabod cyfleoedd i gydweithio’n adeiladol er budd y gwylwyr. Mae’n adeiladu ar lwyddiant y Cytundeb Gweithredu diwethaf ac ar draddodiad hir o gydweithio a chyd-wasanaethu cynulleidfaoedd. Mae unwaith eto yn cadarnhau annibyniaeth S4C fel corff ac fel gwasanaeth.
"Rwy’n falch dros ben fod y BBC wedi gweld yn dda i adnabod ei pherthynas gydag S4C fel un o’i phartneriaethau craidd o dan y Siarter."
Dywedodd Sir David Clementi, Cadeirydd y BBC: “Mae’r cytundeb newydd hwn yn cryfhau’r bartneriaeth gwasanaeth darlledu cyhoeddus hirdymor sy’n bodoli eisoes rhwng y BBC ac S4C. Mae’n cydnabod rôl hanfodol y ddau sefydliad o ran darlledu Cymraeg - ac mae’n rhoi sylfaen gadarn ar gyfer cydweithio parhaus ar adeg pan fo newidiadau sylweddol ar droed yn y cyfryngau. Mae hwn yn gyfnod cyffrous ar gyfer darlledu yng Nghymru, ac rydw i’n hyderus y bydd parhau i weithio’n agos gydag S4C yn arwain at ganlyniadau creadigol, gan ddatblygu llawer o’r llwyddiannau a gyflawnwyd ar y cyd yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf."
Yn dilyn y newid o Ymddiriedolaeth i Fwrdd Unedol, nid oes gan y BBC gynrychiolydd bellach ar Fwrdd Awdurdod S4C. Bydd cyfnod Elan Closs Stephens fel aelod unigol o Fwrdd Awdurdod S4C yn dod i ben 31 Hydref 2018.
NTW
