, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
It's the market leader.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Thank you. So, on the broader point about the changing nature of the landscape—just to take a step back, because, as you said, the technology and the environment are moving rapidly—the ability of PSB to survive in this world, it seems to me, is in question…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
But shared understanding is important. Reconciling your evidence with S4C's evidence, you seem to think that the platforms are clear that they have to provide due prominence for S4C on their main landing page, and then they negotiate from that point. S4C, if…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Yes, if you've got red lines.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
You've just said some platforms will have it on the landing page, others won't.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
But as the chair of S4C said, visibility is viability. If, in allowing for innovation, as you say, and that flexibility, that means that the S4C tile can be deleted, can be disordered, cannot be on the main landing page—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
You've decided it's not your place to catalyse innovation; it's your place to make space for it.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Sorry, that's an important point.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Or you catalyse innovation.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Regulation also spurs innovation, doesn't it?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Because that's quite important, isn't it?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Okay. Is that codified somewhere?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
You defined it as appropriate to audiences.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
Where does that definition of appropriateness come from?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 5 - Evidence session with Ofcom
This goes back to Alun's question about the role of Ofcom. Parliament has decided that you are a regulator. Regulators impose rules to reflect the values that Parliament has decided upon. Parliament has decided there should be prominence for public service…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
Can I just ask about the concept of challenge and respect? There's a real danger that that becomes self-censorship, isn't there? People whose performance is not where it should be can easily seize on this new culture code to say, 'I don't like the way I'm…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
I could do with a quiz on what they're called.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
Sure. Okay.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
Currently those loyal Clic viewers are, per head, per viewer, rather expensive to serve compared to your other platforms.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
But if there's a literal interpretation of the Act, you could be lumbered for 10 years or more with a legacy platform that you're having to fund, to maintain, which isn't driving much viewership potentially. Are you talking to the Government about potentially…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
Okay.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
So, the Act specifies you have to have your own digital platform?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
Just on the ongoing case for investing in Clic, it strikes me there's a parallel here with separate HD channels on S4C. It felt the need to have its own HD channel, which was a considerable cost and proved to be unsustainable and it collapsed. Is there a…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
Okay. Diolch.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Public service broadcasting in Wales: Panel 4 - Evidence session with S4C
But even where you secure a prominent slot, on No. 9, it's a significant downgrade from the EPG, isn't it? Because the EPG, you still have to scroll through, and you still may catch someone's eye and they may watch an S4C—. Presumably, under a new regime…
