S4C has announced a package of Coronavirus measures worth up to £6 million for the independent production sector in Wales.
Responding to both the need to reflect the current situation in on-screen programming and the pressures on the Welsh production sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, the channel has initiated a three-part strategy.
S4C has allocated £2.8million for an immediate commissioning round. Looking specifically for ideas that arise out of the present situation, the channel wants access documentaries, uplifting programming and comedy to raise the spirts of viewers during the Covid-19 emergency.
Director of Content Amanda Rees said: “S4C has a unique role during this time. As a Public Service Broadcaster, we have a responsibility to serve our audiences with information and entertainment.
“We need to reflect the reality of people’s lives during this challenging period and people will be looking to us for comfort and company.
“Therefore, we want to commission worth up to £2.8million of programming for transmission as soon as possible.
“We want producers to be as imaginative as possible and flexible in the way they go about producing, without risking the health of their production teams or the general public.
“We want to commission programmes that chart and reflect our current situation, and programmes that help distract us from our day to day problems.”
S4C Chief Executive Owen Evans has been in contact with both Welsh Government and the Westminster Government underlining the need for financial assistance for both companies and freelancers in the production and creative sector.
Owen Evans, Chief Executive of S4C said: “In my calls with the Secretary of State at the DCMS, Oliver Dowden and Eluned Morgan, the Minister with responsibility for the Welsh language in Welsh Government last week I underlined the importance of helping the sector.”
The channel is also speeding up payments on productions that already have contracts in place and will be as sympathetic as possible where production milestones have not been fully met due to problems caused by Covid.