BBC Trust and S4C Authority launch consultation on deal

The BBC Trust and the S4C Authority, the governing bodies of the BBC and Welsh-language public broadcasters S4C respectively, have launched a public consultation on the agreement that sets out the terms by which S4C will be financed via the BBC licence fee from next year.

Interested parties have until October 23 to make their views know. The BBC was forced to accept responsibility for funding the Welsh broadcaster as part of its controversial licence fee with the government in 2010. Last year the pair struck a deal designed to balance S4C’s editorial independence with accountability to the BBC for funding.

The BBC and S4C have agreed funding levels for the Welsh broadcaster up to 2017, with £76.3 million (€97.4 million) to be provided by the BBC Trust for 2013-14 and an additional £6.7 million provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.