Memorandum submitted by S4C
INTRODUCTION
1. This document sets out the main observations
that S4C would like to offer to the Culture, Media and Sport Select
Committee inquiry into the Government's proposals to switch off
analogue terrestrial television. S4C is a founder member of Digital
UK, and fully concurs with the points made by Digital UK in its
submission to the Select Committee. This submission therefore
concentrates on and addresses the issues of particular concern
to S4C.
2. Since 1982 S4C has broadcast an analogue
service where the peak hours are in the Welsh language, with Channel
4 programmes being shown at other times. In 1998 the digital service
S4C Digidol was launched offering 12 hours a day of Welsh language
programmes, and in 1999 S4C2, a digital service which carries
the proceedings of the National Assembly for Wales and additional
services in the Welsh language, was launched. Current S4C Services
can be seen in table form in the Annex below.
GUARANTEED CAPACITY
3. Fifty per cent (50%) of the digital capacity
of Multiplex A in Wales, a DTT multiplex operated by SDN Limited,
has been reserved for the broadcasting of services provided by
S4C and S4C companies.
4. Advances in compression technology have
had the effect of allowing more services to be broadcast within
the reserved capacity than was at first envisaged. This has meant
that in addition to S4C Digidol and S4C2, other services have
also been provided on S4C's reserved capacity, services such as
BBC Radios 1—4, Turner Classic Movies and QVC on a commercial
basis
5. It is important S4C retains its right
to the capacity which has been reserved to it. Should S4C be carried
on another multiplex by virtue of digital switchover, S4C would
wish to retain the reserved capacity.
BENEFITS OF
SWITCHOVER
6. The existing analogue S4C service has
always by necessity been a hybrid, carrying S4C Welsh language
programmes and Channel 4 programmes because of the lack of available
frequencies at the time of its establishment in 1982. Analogue
switch off will make the unique Welsh language channel, S4C Digidol,
available through DTT across Wales for the first time. It will
also mean greater access to Channel 4 (and 5) in Wales, as they
will broadcast from terrestrial transmitters within Wales for
the first time.
7. S4C sees digital switchover as a real
opportunity both in terms of programme and corporate objectives.
We have a programme strategy that places the emphasis on creative
excellence and landmark programmes which are relevant and attractive
to all ages and interests in every part of Wales. Our corporate
plan also tasks us with working with others to promote creative
excellence and to develop and strengthen the communications industry
in Wales.
8. Digital switchover will offer us new
opportunities to market and promote the Welsh language through
expanding our offer to include additional services for both Welsh
and English speakers. This will add value to the public investment
in S4C's programmes and services. Through our partnership with
the independent sector in Wales, switchover will also allow us
to make the most of this public capital in priming further investment
in the burgeoning creative industries sector in Wales.
9. Switchover will allow us to offer an
enhanced service to a wider audience, including more subtitling,
audio description, signing, and interactive applications.
10. S4C believes that the switchover timetable
is challenging but achievable. We look forward to carrying out
our role in the process, both as a Public Service Broadcaster
and member of Digital UK.
S4C DIGIDOL
11. Following digital switchover S4C Digidol
will become the core Welsh language television service. We will
need to maintain the digital capacity to broadcast this service
24/7.
12. S4C intends to launch digital text and
interactive red button services on digital satellite in 2006 with
a view to extending this to DTT as soon as practicable.
13. S4C will be building up its library
of programmes in High Definition over the coming years. Should
delivery of High Definition become possible on DTT we would want
access to this facility.
14. Through S4C Digidol we have built an
audience outside of Wales. To date this year 181,000 viewers outside
Wales have tuned in to S4C in an average week, with most of these
doing so on the digital platform. S4C Digidol is available nationally
on Dsat (Sky 151). We want to extend this coverage to the DTT
platform throughout the UK.
S4C2
15. S4C2 is currently used for coverage
of proceedings of the National Assembly for Wales. The capacity
is also used for additional complementary coverage of special
events. These broadcasts, such as the National Eisteddfod of Wales,
the annual youth festival and other musical events, are attracting
new viewers to the channel while also being highly appreciated
by our core audience. We need to be able to continue to use S4C2
to cover these special events and to provide interactive services,
in addition to our coverage of the Welsh Assembly.
ISSUES
16. The regional rollout plan map and timetable
information shows switchover based on the ITV licence regions.
This map is incorrect and misleading as far as Wales is concerned
and may send a confusing message to the public. It suggests that
the North East Wales region will switch over after the rest of
Wales, as it implies that this area is in the Granada region.
We understand that following our discussions on this matter, a
corrected map is being produced to address this situation.
17. S4C's analogue service area covers the
whole of Wales as a single entity and we expect S4C Digidol's
service area to be no less than this during and after switchover.
Switchover then presents us with an opportunity to address the
issue of "out of area" reception.
18. In certain cases viewers are obtaining
analogue reception from an "out of area" transmitter
or relay in addition to, or instead of, the correct one for their
location. This is often intentional in order to receive regional
variations. This is particularly the case in those areas of Wales
which border England. This situation is a legacy from the analogue
only period when Channel 4 and Five could not be received in Wales
due to a lack of frequencies. Viewers who wanted these services
and who were located within receiving distance of an English transmitter
would make efforts to receive these services. With DTT this is
no longer the case as all the PSB services, and more, are on the
digital multiplexes. So as rollout progresses it is important
that a very clear message is communicated to these households
that, in order to receive optimum service, they must ensure reception
is from the transmitter intended to serve their location.
19. Audience research shows us that there
is a disproportionate amount of viewing of S4C happening on the
second or third television set in homes in Wales. This is because
in the majority of households the Welsh speaker is in the minority.
The requirement for all television sets, (particularly portable
second and third sets with set top aerials,) to be able to receive
digital television, is a matter of particular concern to us.
COSTS
20. S4C took the view early on that, prior
to switchover, DTT would not offer full digital coverage of Wales.
We therefore bought and continue to pay for our place on the Sky
platform. We will need to bear this ongoing cost in mind when
deciding what additional support may be needed for the switch
to digital.
21. We expect our services to be carried
on one of the two BBC public service multiplexes at switchover
and are discussing the likely proportion of the cost which we
might be expected to carry based on the cost of building the digital
terrestrial network. Our ten-year financial projections show a
deficit for 2009 because of the uncertainty as to how the costs
of digital switchover will be apportioned. We need these costs
to be quantified as soon as possible in order to be able to plan
properly for the future.
22. We have also projected a decline in
advertising revenue as a direct result of digital switchover.
It would be financially imprudent for us not to plan for the combined
effect of switchover costs and a decline in advertising revenue,)
as we approach 2009, and this will have an impact on our ability
to maintain the service well before the proposed switchover date.
23. Ofcom's review of Public Service Television
said that consideration should be given to a one-off payment to
Channel 4 to move to digital transmission. We believe similar
consideration should be given to S4C's conversion costs if it
too has to bear the financial burden of switchover.
DUE PROMINENCE
24. As a Public Service Broadcaster S4C
has thus far been given due prominence on the electronic programme
guides, for example being at position 104 on Freeview in Wales.
We believe it is vital that this principle of due prominence is
maintained after digital switchover on all platforms.
CONCLUSION
25. Professor Roger Laughton's independent
review of S4C for the DCMS (2004) recommended that S4C's core
services after digital switchover should be transmitted on a single
channel, supported by interactivity, with an ability to split
the service on occasions. Ofcom too is committed to maintaining
a high quality Welsh language service into the digital age, fully
funded and with sufficient access to digital transmission capacity.
26. S4C wants to maintain and develop the
services it currently offers on all digital platforms after switchover.
We also want to deliver new services: more viewing opportunities,
interactivity and red button applications in addition to the core
12 hours a day service provided on S4C Digidol. We believe that
such additional services are now an integral part of any public
service broadcaster's offering and that sufficient capacity should
be afforded to us as a public service broadcaster to allow this
to happen.
Annex
CURRENT S4C SERVICES
| Service | Platforms
| Availability |
| S4C | Hybrid of original Welsh language and Channel 4 programme
| Analogue | Wales |
| S4C Digidol | 12 hours a day of Welsh language programming
| DTT Cable
Dsat | DTT and Cable
in Wales only Dsat across UK
|
| S4C2 | Assembly proceedings and additional S4C services
| DTT Cable
Dsat | DTT and Cable in Wales only Dsat across UK
|
| Interactive | Websites
Web based resources
for Welsh learners
Broadband delivery pilot
Red button interactivity and
digital text*
| Internet
Internet
Internet
Dsat
DTT
| Worldwide
Worldwide
UK only
From 2006
From 2007
|
| | |
|
(* Future services)
30 November 2005
| 
