Llythyr agored at y Llywodraeth yn galw am ddatrysiad tymor hir i S4C

18 June 2015

Mae TAC wedi anfon llythyr agored at y Canghellor a’r Ysgrifenyddion Gwladol dros Ddiwylliant, y Cyfryngau a Chwaraeon (DCMS) a thros Gymru, yn gofyn am gyflwyno mesurau i fod o gymorth i’r sector, gan gynnwys strategaeth tymor hir i S4C.

Yn y llythyr , mae TAC yn croesawu’r parhad yn y Llywodraeth newydd, sy’n golygu bod parhad yng ngwybodaeth a dealltwriaeth y Gweinidogion o S4C, ac mae hefyd yn canmol y trefniadau treth manteisiol i’r diwydiannau creadigol.

Aiff y llythyr ymlaen i ddweud bod angen datrysiad ariannu a llywodraethiant tymor hir ar gyfer S4C.

Ar hyn o bryd, mae’r cyllid ar gyfer S4C yn cael ei rannu rhwng grant o £6.7m gan DCMS a £75m o Ffi’r Drwydded Deledu. O ganlyniad, mae S4C yn cael ei goruchwylio yn rhannol gan Ymddiriedolaeth y BBC, er ei bod yn parhau i fod yn ddarlledwr ar wahân gyda’i bolisi golygyddol a gweithredol ei hun. Mae Maniffesto Polisi TAC, a gafodd ei gyhoeddi yn gynharach eleni, yn galw ar i gyllid S4C godi o 10% a bod yn gysylltiedig â chwyddiant.

Mae’r llythr hefyd yn gofyn i Adolygiad Siarter y BBC i annog y BBC i gomisiynu mwy o raglenni gan gynhyrchwyr yng Nghymru ar gyfer y rhwydwaith, fel rhan o ymgais i gynrychioli gwledydd y DU yn fwy effeithiol. Dywedodd Cadeirydd TAC, Iestyn Garlick:

“Mae’r Llywodraeth eisoes wedi cyflwyno mesurau cadarnhaol ar gyfer y diwydiannau creadigol. Y cam nesaf fydd i S4C, fel corff sy’n hybu twf economaidd a chreadigol, ynghyd â’i phwysigrwydd diwylliannol, gael sail ariannol a llywodraethol sefydlog yn y tymor hir.”

“Mae’r ffigyrau gwylio’n cynyddu ar draws bob platfform, yn enwedig ers i S4C ymddangos ar yr iPlayer, ac mae’n creu gwerth economaidd i Gymru sy’n mwy na dyblu swm y buddsoddiad. Er mwyn i hyn barhau, mae’n bwysig fod cyllid S4C yn cael ei osod ar lefel gynaliadwy, a bod ei llywodraethiant yn gliriach. Dylai canlyniad yr Adolygiad Siarter gynnwys dyfodol tymor hir ar gyfer S4C, ac yn y tymor byr, ni ddylai unrhyw doriadau a orfodir ar y BBC oherwydd i’r Ffi’r Drwydded gael ei rhewi gynnwys S4C, gan ei fod yn ddarlledwr ar wahân.”

Yn ogystal, mae’r llythr yn galw am adolygiad o’r trefniannau treth ar gyfer cynyrchiadau mewn ieithoedd lleiafrifol, cam a allai fod o fudd i Gymru drwy ddenu rhagor o fuddsoddi.

DIWEDD

 

Open letter to HM government regarding

BBC Charter Review, S4C and the Welsh independent TV production sector

16 June 2015

 

Rt Hon George Osborne MP – Chancellor of the Exchequer and First Secretary of State

Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP – Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Rt Hon Stephen Crabb MP – Secretary of State for Wales

Copied:

Edward Vaizey MP – Minister of State, Departments of Culture, Media and Sport and Business Innovation and Skills

Alun Cairns MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales

Dear Chancellor and Secretaries of State,

As the representative body for the independent TV production sector in Wales, TAC (Teledwyr Annibynnol Cymru) welcomes the ministerial continuity following May’s election. The Chancellor’s tax breaks have provided a real to boost the UK’s creative industries, the Secretary of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Wales Office have championed our sector within the broadcasting industry, and the Minister of State at DCMS has been supportive in his statements concerning the independent sector and Welsh-language broadcasting. In addition, the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport brings to the role a detailed knowledge of independent production and broadcasting.

As you are all aware, our sector produces a wide range of content across all genres (including drama, children’s, live music, sports, animation and current affairs) for S4C, BBC Wales and the UK network broadcasters, in addition to international co-productions and other content.

TAC has sought to work closely with the UK Government to establish a sustainable, joined-up strategy for continuing the sector’s strong contribution to cultural diversity, media plurality and economic growth.

TAC members accepted the austerity measures in 2010, and have worked hard, along with S4C and the BBC, to be as efficient as possible to accommodate the reduction in funding.

In S4C’s case, it is important to remember that the moving in 2010 of the majority of its funding from a direct Government grant to the TV Licence Fee has meant a full 96% reduction in the cost of S4C to central public funds. TAC therefore welcomed the Government’s announcement in June 2013 that there would be no further reductions, in pure money terms, of the direct DCMS grant to S4C. However, this still constitutes a real-terms reduction in S4C’s public funding.

S4C’s importance to the language and culture of Wales is clear, and viewing figures for Welsh language programmes are healthy, partly fuelled by iPlayer and other platforms, demonstrating that, once the access is there, the audience will view the content.

S4C also delivers clear economic benefits, with its latest research showing that for every £1 it spends in the Welsh creative economy, £2.09 is created. TAC is sure the Government, having introduced the tax credits which have boosted the UK’s creative industries, will agree it would be counterproductive to undermine one of the key drivers for the sector in Wales. Both S4C and the BBC represent a real opportunity to provide much-needed jobs and growth in specific areas such as North Wales.

Regarding the BBC, it should move towards increasing its commissioning from independent creative companies, which have already demonstrated how they use new ideas, talent and perspectives to benefit the Licence Fee payer. This is particularly important in the nations, where we have seen some other broadcasters lessen such commitments.

As for the BBC Trust, its future is in question, and the Trust’s own Chair recently suggested an outline form of the BBC’s regulation post-Charter, although regretfully without factoring S4C in to that proposed structure.

Taking the above into account, TAC would like the Government to consider the following steps:

• In the Summer Budget, to announce a reduced threshold for the high-end TV drama tax break for minority language productions, which would enable TAC’s members to work with S4C to leverage the break to make such productions and encourage further investment into the Welsh economy

• To demonstrate its continuing commitment to S4C, and by implication to our sector, by returning to an index-linked approach to S4C’s public funding, at a level suitable to continue to operate a quality Welsh-language offering, which is necessarily not only a linear service TV but also encompasses multiplatform content and distribution

• In the event of a continuing contribution to S4C from the TV Licence Fee, that this should be clearly ringfenced to avoid it being subject to any cuts or changes in services made by the corporation in the future

• To clarify the system of regulation of S4C, and for a long-term way to be found to oversee the spending of S4C’s funding, without it being encompassed within the regulation of the BBC

• During the Charter Review process, full account should be taken of the BBC’s investment in the creative sector, and rather than considering a reduction in the BBC’s scope, focus more on the delivery of its services in terms of it being as much as possible the best ideas, regardless of sources, from around the UK. Maintaining the level of Licence Fee funding and linking it to inflation is important to maintain investment in our sector.

We look forward to discussing these issues with you over the coming months, and are ready and willing to play any part we can in helping shape the future of our sector, S4C and the BBC in Wales and beyond.

Yours sincerely

 

TAC Council:

Iestyn Garlick (Chair) – Antena

Emyr Afan – Avanti

Dyfrig Davies – Telesgop

Dylan Huws – Cwmni Da

Mark John – Vision Thing

Gethin Thomas – Zeitgeist TV

Nia Thomas – Boom Cymru

Gareth Williams – Rondo Media

 

Cysylltu â ni