S4C is the latest pubcaster to set an alliance with YouTube, working with the social video platform to inform its new digital strategy as it focuses on driving audiences and discovery.
Some 1.1 million hours of S4C content are watched on YouTube annually, the Welsh pubcaster says.
Kicking off the new alliance, the news service Newyddion S4C is launching its own YouTube channel, with live streaming beginning this month ahead of May’s Welsh Parliament election. The channel will also deliver digital-only commissions, including the documentary series Sara Manchipp: Into the Manosphere and original content from S4C’s digital news service in the form of YouTube Shorts.
The deal extends beyond news with a slate of YouTube-first short-form comedies (7 to 10 minutes, and more from the entertainment series Cabarela and the vodcast Rhwydwaith Menywod Cymru. S4C also delivers live sports on YouTube. Becoming a digital-first broadcaster is key to S4C’s five-year More Than a TV Channel strategy, launched in September 2025.
Geraint Evans, S4C’s chief executive, said, “The recent discussions I’ve had with the heads of YouTube UK have been positive, and I’m grateful for their willingness to work with S4C as we aim to make Welsh-language content more discoverable on such a popular platform. Recent data shows us that young people, in particular, are spending significant time on YouTube, and through this partnership, we can commission, tailor, and publish content to attract wider audiences. The aim is to meet people where they are, rather than waiting for them to come to S4C.”
Alison Lomax, MD for YouTube U.K., added, “We are thrilled to partner with S4C as they successfully ‘supercharge’ their digital presence and bring the vibrant Welsh language and culture to a global stage. From the high-energy, social-first sketches on Hansh to the global culinary adventures of Chris ‘Flamebaster’ Roberts, S4C’s content consistently pushes creative boundaries while maintaining high production standards. By doubling their watch-time and engaging new audiences with YouTube-first series like those featuring Ollie Cooper and Tanwen Cray, S4C is proving that local heritage can become a powerful, world-class digital brand.”
