Welsh broadcaster to host virtual meeting with indies this week as it hunts current affairs and entertainment shows
S4C is to commence a “rapid commissioning round” and has launched a pop-up channel as it pivots focus towards informing the public about the Welsh government’s approach to tackling the pandemic.
The Welsh language broadcaster has invited its major suppliers to a virtual meeting this Wednesday, in which it will call for current affairs and entertainment programming to help fill huge gaps left in the schedules by the coronavirus lockdown.
S4C chief executive Owen Evans told Broadcast: “We need to get contemporaneous sympathetic material out there now so really need to get commissioning.
“This lockdown will carry on for a good few months and with major events cancelled and dramas shelved, it’s important to deliver clarity over what content we can create.”
S4C has already ordered a six-part cooking tutorial show from Cwmni Da called Chris’ Epic Cupboard and a fast-turnaround third series of the same indie’s fitness offering Ffit Cymru.
Evans said ideas are flooding in and the channel is also raiding its archive.
The national broadcaster is working on ramping up its digital offering, with views to its short-form content platform Hansh having doubled to 1.5 million in March.
It has launched a pop-up channel alongside BVoD player Clic, offering public health information and content to guide people in the wake of the pandemic.
Evans is speaking with culture secretary Oliver Dowden weekly over how the PSB can best inform Welsh audiences, with Dowden issuing a rallying cry to S4C to reinforce the government’s message, especially to 16-24s.
As the only Welsh national broadcaster, S4C has to communicate the differences between the Welsh and English government’s response.
Wales funds its NHS independently of England and there are differences in the nation’s approach to volunteers and testing.
“The BBC has a good news team here but the news agenda is ultimately dominated by the London press,” said Evans.
“We have to represent what is happening here because of devolution - it’s about striking that balance so that the key UK message is echoed, while any Welsh difference is explained too.
“We are a PSB and there is a public role for sharing information and making sure the audience is well briefed.”
S4C is broadcasting Welsh government press briefings from first minister Mark Drakeford every day at 12.30pm, prior to the 5pm UK government briefings that air on BBC1 and BBC News.
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