S4C boss joins other CEOs in calling for UK Government to legislate so that major sporting events stay free-to-air

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Siân Doyle, CEO of S4C, has joined her colleagues at the BBC, ITV and STV in urging the UK Government to secure the future of public service broadcasting, including keeping major sporting events on free-to-air television.

In a joint letter in the Telegraph, along with BBC Chief Executive Tim Davie, ITV CEO Carolyn McCall, STV CEO Simon Pitts and Maria Kyriacou, President of Paramount UK, she said that “important action is needed to shape the future of British broadcasting to secure and enable to thrive”.

They warned that sporting events like the Olympics and World Cup are at risk of falling behind a paywall unless the government pushes for new legislation

To inspire the next generation of sports greats, “we need big sporting events that are accessible to everyone — for free, not hidden behind a paywall,” they said.

“We need to allow viewers to watch their favorites, like the Fifa World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, both live and on-demand.”

At present, public broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV and S4C are not guaranteed access to sporting events that are broadcast online rather than on television, raising doubts about the future.

‘Urgently’

The letter further reminds the UK government of its commitment to introducing a new media law, which follows a white paper published by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries in the spring.

“We’re proud of the role public service broadcasters play as the basis of great British content – in drama, sport, comedy, documentaries, national and local news,” they said.

“We bring communities together for moments of national pride and remembrance. We commission 30,000 hours a year of original British content from all nations and regions for all tastes in Welsh, Gaelic and English, reaching 90 per cent of British adults every week.

“In 2019, before the Covid pandemic, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport estimated that the creative industries contributed £116 billion to the UK economy – more than the aerospace, automotive, life sciences, oil and sectors gas together. Last year the sector almost recovered to pre-pandemic levels, contributing over £100bn.

“However, UK media legislation has not been updated since 2003. Urgent changes are needed. In particular, it must be ensured that services such as iPlayer, ITVX, All 4, My5, STV Player and S4C Clic are always available and easy to find for viewers on all major TV platforms. This allows us to continue funding the quality content that audiences have come to expect.

“Key elements of the government’s proposed media law will help public service broadcasters deliver trusted, impartial news to consumers and stimulate investment in the creative industries.

“Recent events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee have reminded us of the importance of public service broadcasting. We urge the Government to come up with these important proposals to ensure a prosperous future in a thriving UK media and digital ecology.”