Mark Thompson denies minister forced BBC over S4C

Mark Thompson, Menna Richards, Elan Closs Stephens and Welsh culture minister Alun Ffred Jones BBC director general Mark Thompson (left) said the challenge for S4C is to "give best possible value for audiences".


BBC director general Mark Thompson has denied UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt forced the BBC into accepting the new funding agreement with S4C.

Giving evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee's inquiry into the future of S4C, he said it was an "agreement rather than an imposition".

Mr Thompson was eager to allay fears about the funding of S4C after 2015.

He told MPs it could "expect a similar approach" to the current partnership once the licence fee takes over.

Replying to concerns raised about the cut to the Welsh language channel's funding, BBC Wales director Menna Richards stressed that every broadcaster was now having to make savings.

Mr Thompson added that the "challenge for S4C is to use available resources and give best possible value for audiences".

BBC Wales trustee Elan Closs Stephens, former S4C chair, admitted there had been a "long period of unhappiness" in S4C, but stressed it was now important they ensured some sort of stability.

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