BBC and S4C announce new streaming partnership

The BBC and S4C have announced plans for a new streaming partnership that will give S4C programs more visibility on BBC iPlayer.

As part of the new plans, S4C's Welsh content will appear regularly on the main BBC iPlayer homepage in Wales, and S4C's distinctive content, including dramas and live sports broadcasts, will appear on the BBC iPlayer homepage throughout the UK for the first time.

Links to S4C's children's services, Stwnsh and Cyw, will also be included on the BBC iPlayer Kids homepage throughout the UK for the first time, which will ensure that children's content in Welsh is easier to find.

BBC iPlayer is the fastest growing streaming service in the UK, with over 15 million accounts viewing the service every week on average, including over 700,000 in Wales.

The new arrangement is expected to be introduced gradually from April this year, and this will mean that S4C viewers will not have to search through the BBC iPlayer channel guide to find their biggest programmes.

The final details of the agreement are currently being finalised, but S4C and the BBC have confirmed today that the main terms have now been agreed - subject to final approval by the boards of both broadcasters.

Geraint Evans, Chief Executive of S4C said: "We are very proud of the new arrangement with BBC iPlayer which is going to ensure greater visibility for S4C content - from sports and dramas to live events and content for children. And with new features such as Welsh and English subtitles, additional live streams and better personalisation, the experience for the viewer will be even richer.

"As our viewers increasingly turn to digital viewing, one of our main objectives is to ensure that S4C content is available across the platforms, and it will be great to see Welsh content get a prominent space on one of the most popular viewing platforms, as well as on our streaming service, Clic."

Garmon Rhys, Acting Director of BBC Cymru Wales, said: "We are extremely proud to work in partnership with S4C to make Welsh content easier to find on BBC iPlayer. This agreement reinforces our commitment to serving audiences in Wales and across the UK as they search for content on digital platforms, making it easier than ever for viewers to discover and enjoy S4C programmes."

Benefits

The new agreement between the BBC and S4C is expected to provide a number of additional benefits for audiences, including:

A number of live streams of various S4C sports broadcasts, including some with a choice of commentary in English, as well as broadcasts of national events including the Urdd Eisteddfod, the National Eisteddfod, and the Royal Welsh Show

More personalization for users - with regular S4C viewers seeing a wider range of choice of Welsh programs on their program guide

Welsh and English subtitles for S4C programs - a boost for deaf and hard of hearing users, as well as new Welsh speakers who use subtitles to support their learning

S4C live channel adverts included (subject to regulatory approval)

The new agreement is about to become a new cornerstone for the 44 year old partnership between S4C and the BBC.

Under the partnership, the BBC commissions the soap opera Pobol y Cwm and produces the daily news service Newyddion S4C. It also provides S4C with HD capacity for its live channel and manages the channel's broadcast from the BBC Wales broadcast center in BBC Wales' Central Square office in Cardiff.