S4C said it would seek a judicial review of the transfer of responsibility for its funding to the BBC The chief executive of S4C says a decision to transfer responsibility for its funding to the BBC is the ‘wrong model’ for the Welsh language channel.
Arwel Elis Owen said there was a fear among some the channel would lose its identity and independence.
The decision to transfer funding was confirmed by Chancellor George Osborne as part of the Spending Review.
Mr Owen said: “Some people feel in three years time S4C will be called BBC Cymru.”
Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Wales programme Mr Owen defended S4C’s decision to launch a judicial review of the transfer.
The UK government has suggested the arrangement could work along similar lines to BBC Alba – the BBC’s Scottish Gaelic services.
Mr Owen said it was “a real threat” to present services as it was “a totally different model for providing a service in Welsh”.
Mr Osborne also confirmed the S4C budget would be cut by 25% by 2015.
Mr Owen said: “At least we have four years of a guaranteed income and that is a huge increase on what the minister talked about when we met him about a month ago when he was talking about a one year guarantee of income.
“We are fortunate that we have ended up at 24% because when I met the minister he was talking about 40% so that is a great success.”
The BBC, whose licence fee is to be frozen for six years, is also to fund the BBC World Service and BBC monitoring service as part of the new arrangements.
BBC Wales director Menna Richards said “the over-riding priority” was “to ensure that Welsh language audiences continue to enjoy a high quality and distinctive television service.”
She added: “The BBC is also well aware that the contribution of the independent sector has been central to S4C’s development as a channel.
“We have confirmed to UK Ministers our intention that the BBC’s increased investment in programming on S4C should be spent with these external suppliers.”
UK culture minister Ed Vaizey said when the dust had settled, people would understand the deal gave S4C “a fantastic future”.
He said the channel might be able to save on administration and also take advantage of the BBC’s “expertise”.
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