Welsh pubcaster S4C reveals new digital-first five-year vision
Yr Alwad (The Call) was commissioned by S4C for youth service Hansh’s presence on TikTok
Welsh public broadcaster S4C has unveiled an ambitious new five-year plan under chief executive Geraint Evans, as it seeks to future-proof its services and remain relevant to younger Welsh audiences as well as leverage its Welshness.
Emphasising the pubcaster’s digital-first direction with the strapline “more than a TV channel”, the new strategy comes punctuated by the launch of country’s first ever Welsh-language vertical microdrama earlier this week.
Yr Alwad (The Call) was commissioned by S4C for youth service Hansh’s presence on TikTok. Produced by Mojo Productions, the drama about homophobic bullying also highlights the dangers faced by young people when out socialising. It launched on TikTok on September 8, with all seven episodes now available on S4C’s TikTok playlist.
S4C’s strategy and core mission will continue to focus on “showing our world through the Welsh language” and it pledges to “inspire, entertain and reflect Wales with great content for everyone.”
But over the next five years the pubcaster will shift its focus to achieving viewer growth with a more aggressive digital-first approach, as well as collaborating with partners to help turn Wales into a thriving audiovisual market.
This will see S4C redefining its strategy around how it commissions and distributes content to make it more competitive in the market and it will also be seeking to use its unique Welsh-language and Welsh-focused offering to its advantage.
As a fully digital-first service, the pubcaster also intends to pursue more opportunities to serve diverse audiences across multiple platforms, and this week unveiled a new YouTube-focused commissioning initiative of up to £1m (US$1.35m), inviting proposals that target the 25- to 44-year-olds.
Other pledges under the new strategy include collaborating with the local independent production sector and other stakeholders to expand S4C’s impact beyond the screen and increase the role it plays in promoting the Welsh language, culture and creative economy across the nation.
“Public service broadcasters across the world are facing unprecedented challenges as viewing habits change,” said Evans, who took over as chief executive in January this year.
“But with every challenge, comes the opportunity to innovate, and by working with our partners in the broadcast sector, our new strategy will cement S4C’s position at the forefront of the change across the industry.”
“This strategy outlines our commitment to serve our diverse audiences, to be a catalyst for economic prosperity and to play a prominent role in the future of the Welsh language as a living language.”
“When S4C was established, its aim was to provide a platform for the Welsh language in modern media and to protect the language for the future. That’s just as true today, but the modern media of 2025 is very different compared to 1982, with fewer people watching content on linear TV and more making use of digital platforms,” commented Delyth Evans, chair of S4C’s Board.
“One of my priorities is to ensure that S4C maintains and broadens its audiences by growing the channel’s visibility across a wide range of platforms. I’m confident that with an innovative team of people working at S4C, and within the wider broadcast sector, this is the beginning of a new, exciting chapter in the history of S4C.”
