Former Labour politician and journalist Delyth Evans has been confirmed by the 海角视频 Government as the new chair of Welsh language channel S4C. She has been formally appointed by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy.
Ms Evans, whose four year term began on May 1, has taken over as chair from former Tory MP Guto Bebb, who spent 12 months in the role in an interim capacity.
His appointment followed the resignation as chair of Rhodri Williams who had previously dismissed the channel’s chief executive Sian Doyle after claims of a toxic and bullying culture at the channel.
After a spell in journalism Ms Evans became a member of the then Welsh Assembly, representing the Mid and West Wales constituency for the Labour Party, between 2000-2003. She stood as a Labour parliamentary candidate for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency at the 2015 General Election. She has not undertaken any political activity since then.
The channel also has five new board members in: former Plaid Cymru politician and the party’s chief executive Dr Gwenllian Lansdown-Davies; former managing director of independent television production company Telesgop and chair of the sector’s representative body in Wales TAC, William Dyfrig Davies; media executive and the inaugural chair of Creative Wales, Catryn Ramasut; chief financial officer of alternative broadband company Ogi and a former managing director of S4C’s commercial arm, Wynn Innes; and former political editor of BBC Wales Betsan Powys.
Ms Evans’ remuneration is £40,000 per annum with a required time commitment equivalent to an average of two days a week.
The board members of S4C are remunerated at £9,650 per annum with a time commitment on average of one day a week.
Before entering politics, Ms Evans was a journalist at HTV Wales working on current affairs programme Y Byd ar Bedwar for S4C.
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Chair of the trade body for independent TV production companies in Wales TAC, Llyr Morus, said: “We welcome the appointment of Delyth Evans as the new chair of S4C. Delyth’s experience will be a great benefit and we welcome her comments to the Welsh Affairs Committee acknowledging our sector’s important work in providing a wide range of high-quality content for S4C. This has been a time of change for S4C and we recognise the important work of the interim chair, Guto Bebb, over the past months and thank him for his liaison with our sector.
We are glad a new full-time chair is now in place as S4C and our sector look to meet media industry challenges and to engage in the debate on the future of the TV licence fee, which is of course the source of all of S4C’s public funding. We also welcome the other S4C board members, including former TAC Chair Dyfrig Davies.
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:“Congratulations to Delyth and to the other members of the S4C board appointments . Delyth has a great track record in broadcasting and a wealth of experience to bring to the role of chair. She will ensure that S4C remains a cornerstone of our creative sector. The channel plays an unique and vital role in Wales, sustaining and promoting the Welsh language and strengthening our identity and culture.”
Geraint Evans took up the role as the channel’s chief executive last November.
Denise Lewis Poulton, who spent her career as a senior executive in telecoms firms such as Bell Canada, Cable & Wireless Communications and Orange, has been reappointed to the S4C board.