S4C has announced an exciting new addition to its ground-breaking service for younger viewers, Cyw. The announcement was made outside the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay today (Monday 6 September).
Cyw (the Welsh word for chick, pronounced like the letter ‘q’), is set to expand the Channel’s nursery provision in October with programmes broadcast on weekends for the first time since its launch in June 2008.
S4C’s Director of Commissioning, Rhian Gibson says, “This decision to expand the Cyw service to the weekends reflects S4C’s huge commitment to providing original, high-quality programmes for young children and their families. The Cyw service has been warmly welcomed by parents and their children in Wales and the UK since its launch in 2008. It has brought in non-Welsh speaking parents, learners and their families helping them to use the language beyond the school gates.
“S4C is recognised as a leading broadcaster in children’s programming, which is due to the quality of programming produced by the Welsh programme producers.”
The Welsh Language Board has also praised S4C’s commitment to children’s broadcasting.
Meirion Prys Jones, the Board’s Chief Executive states, “We are pleased to see S4C further extending its output for children and young families. Providing a high quality television service for this target group is vital in strengthening and raising the status of the Welsh language.”
Two of the service’s most iconic characters, Sali Mali and Jac y Jwc, were at the Senedd building alongside presenter Rachael Solomon and Cyw herself to celebrate the weekend service, which will hit our screens on Saturday, 23 October.
Clwb Cyw (Cyw Club), on air between 07:00 and 09:00 on Saturdays and Sundays, will travel to schools and nursery groups interacting with young children across Wales.
A lively bilingual 3D website – s4c.co.uk/cyw – full of games and activities, as well as information for parents accompanies the on-screen output.
The nursery service was the first stage of S4C’s strategy to introduce innovative and original programmes for children and young people. Since the launch, Cyw has broadcast six and a half hours of programming every weekday, Monday-Friday, 07:00 – 13:30.
The Channel’s second phase, Stwnsh, aimed at 7 – 13 year olds was launched earlier this year. In January 2011, the final phase will be introduced with a number of new programmes for teenagers and young people.
