21 July 2021
S4C has succeeded in ensuring growth in viewership figures across all platforms, proving the values of the channel to the Welsh language and economy.
The news comes as S4C publishes its Annual Report for the year 2020/21.
The report draws attention to the essential role S4C has played in maintaining and promoting the Welsh language, with the aim of contributing to the target of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050.
With a variety of programmes which include drama, sport, news, entertainment, factual programmes, faith, children and more, S4C offers the opportunity for people from all backgrounds to hear and enjoy Welsh across all genres.
With a digital strategy in place, the number of S4C Clic's viewing hours has increased by 45 per cent and 25 per cent on BBC iPlayer.
Also, S4C Clic has succeeded in attracting 200,000 subscribers.
In addition the average peak time viewing figures in Wales went from 17,500 to 18,500 (six per cent).
S4C's weekly reach increased from 306k to 321k (five per cent) and the weekly reach outside of Wales from 396k to 502k (27 per cent).
S4C viewing hours throughout the UK have risen to their highest level in seven years.
On social media, an area in which the channel has invested over recent years, viewing hours on S4C's main Facebook page rose 72 per cent year on year, with viewing hours on the main Twitter account rising by 87 per cent.
There were 28.5 million viewing sessions across S4C's Facebook pages during the year and S4C content was viewed 458,000 times a day on average during the year across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Hansh had more than 1.4 million viewing sessions in March 2020 (record) and viewing hours across S4C's YouTube channels were up 48 per cent during the year.
"Covid has affected everybody over the last year," said Owen Evans, S4C Chief Executive.
"Despite this, S4C succeeded in its purpose and has ensured a more personal service to viewers than ever before.
"By tightening our relationship with our audience, our suppliers and partners, S4C re-defined the service putting the needs of the country at its heart.
"The reaction of the production sector to these extreme circumstances was flexible and swift and we thank them very much for this."
More than £8 million worth of programmes were lost from the timetable because of Covid as sporting and cultural events were cancelled and production on dramas coming to a stop.
So there was an urgent need to commission new content. This gave S4C the chance to experiment.
Cyswllt Mewn Covid (Contact in Covid) was the first drama to be commissioned and produced during the UK lockdown, with popular new series Sgwrs Dan y Lloer (A Chat Under the Stars) among a number of other successful new formats.
Eisteddfod T was also an innovative way to show the creativity of the sector at its best.
Rhodri Williams, S4C Chairman said:
"Difficult and unexpected circumstances often bring out the best in individuals and organisations and this is certainly what has happened in S4C's case.
"While acknowledging the threat to the independent production sector in Wales and losing high profile content including soap operas, sport and major events, S4C forged ahead by launching a number of large commissioning rounds during 2020/21.
"We commissioned £8.7m of new programmes during the pandemic, pumping much-needed money into Wales's economy, money that was distributed all over the country.
"We owe a great debt to everybody in the creative industry who carried on working under difficult circumstances in order to maintain S4C's services."
To read the report, click here.
