Welsh language channel S4C have unveiled an up to £6m package of support for the independent production sector as the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic deepens.
As part of a three-prong support strategy the public service broadcaster, headquartered in Carmarthen, has allocated £2.8m for an immediate commissioning round. The channel said it wants access documentaries, uplifting programming and comedy to raise the spirits of viewers during the Covid-19 emergency.
Director of content, Amanda Rees, said: “S4C has a unique role during this time. As a Public Service Broadcaster, we have a responsibility to serve our audiences with information and entertainment. We need to reflect the reality of people’s lives during this challenging period and people will be looking to us for comfort and company.”
The channel’s viewing figures have risen generally during the crisis, with the figures for the nightly magazine programme HENO up 23% and the evening news programme Newyddion S4C up 21%.
Ms Rees added: “Therefore, we want to commission worth up to £2.8m of programming for transmission as soon as possible. We want producers to be as imaginative as possible and flexible in the way they go about producing, without risking the health of their production teams or the general public. We want to commission programmes that chart and reflect our current situation, and programmes that help distract us from our day to day problems.
S4C chief executive Owen Evans has been in contact with both Welsh Government and the Westminster Government underlining the need for financial assistance for both companies and freelancers in the production and creative sector.
Ms Evans said: “In my calls with the Secretary of State at the DCMS, Oliver Dowden and Eluned Morgan, the Minister with responsibility for the Welsh language in Welsh Government last week I underlined the importance of helping the sector.
Both the Welsh Government and the Westminster Government have announced various programmes to help companies and freelancers, and S4C urges the Welsh production sector to take advantage of these.”
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Mr Evans added: “However, we can also do our part. To this end, in addition to the new commissions, we are announcing a package of measures to release up to £2.9m to support companies. These include releasing funds to companies developing programs for production as soon as the Covid-19 crisis allows."
The channel is also speeding up payments on productions that already have contracts in place and will be as sympathetic as possible where production milestones have not been fully met due to problems caused by Covid.
Mr Evans said “Together “these measures inject nearly £6m into the independent production sector in Wales at a time of turmoil and uncertainty.”
The channel has also created an on-line resource pulling together all government help, health and safety advice and other Covid-19 related resources for companies on the S4C Production website.
Moreover, BBC Cymru Wales has also announced a special package of support to assist independent production companies in Wales working with the broadcaster during the Coronavirus crisis.
The package - which has been shared with independent companies - includes:
A new commissioning round launched this week for TV and radio content as well as short-form content for younger audiences;
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Additional support for smaller independent companies across the 海角视频 nations - as part of an enhanced BBC Small Indie Fund;
A special fund to ‘turbo-charge’ TV development projects; and
A new radio development fund to support new programme ideas.