Commentary on Sections Part 3: Television and Radio Services Chapter 1: The BBC, C4C, the Welsh Authority and the Gaelic Media Service Section 204: Welsh Authority’s function of providing S4C and S4C Digital
439.The Welsh Authority, as currently constituted, shall continue to exist. However, their functions as described under section 57 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, will be replaced with the function in subsection (2), namely of providing high quality television programmes for reception in Wales. The Welsh Authority must continue to provide S4C and may continue to provide S4C Digital. However, under subsections (8) and (9), the Secretary of State may by order require the Welsh Authority to provide S4C in digital rather than analogue form, to merge S4C and S4C Digital and/or to provide the whole or part of the merged service in both analogue and digital form for a period specified in the order.
440.Subsection (5) imposes a duty on the Welsh Authority to ensure that S4C and S4C Digital are public services used for the dissemination of information, education and entertainment. The Welsh Authority may provide programming subtitles and other ancillary services for their S4C programmes. They may also provide assistance for disabled people and other ancillary services for their S4C Digital services.