the backroom

S4C stands for Sianel Pedwar Cymru (Channel Four Wales).

Established by the 1981/1982 Broadcasting Acts, S4C first went on air at 6.00pm on Monday, 1 November 1982.

S4C is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to a statutory formula. Additional income is generated by its commercial arm, S4C Masnachol.

S4C is accountable to the S4C Authority, an independent broadcasting authority.

A public service broadcaster, S4C commissions all its Welsh language programmes from independent producers, including ITV1 Wales. Ten hours a week are provided from the licence fee by the BBC.

S4C on analogue broadcasts around 35 hours a week in Welsh, mostly during peak viewing hours. It broadcasts a wide range of popular Welsh language programmes, from drama and entertainment to sports, news, and children’s programming. Its schedule at other times comprises the best of Channel 4’s English language programmes.

S4C digidol was launched in November 1998. It broadcasts wholly in Welsh. S4C digidol is available free-to-air outside Wales on Sky digital satellite television.

S4C 2, a second digital channel, was launched in September 1999 to provide live coverage of the proceedings of the National Assembly for Wales.

Animation is one of the Channel’s success stories. S4C’s SuperTed was the first British animation series to be broadcast by Disney, while the 39 country co-production, The Animated Tales of the World, has been seen in more than 100 countries and broadcast in 30 languages.

S4C has received a host of awards for its programmes, including four Oscar nominations.

The S4C Viewers’ Hotline is available daily to answer viewers’ queries - 0870 6004141. S4C’s website also carries all the latest news – www.s4c.co.uk.

Iona Jones is S4C’s Chief Executive; John Walter Jones OBE is the Chair of the S4C Authority.