Mae’n ymddangos bod S4C yn debygol o ddioddef cryn dipyn oherwydd y drafferth ariannol sy’n wynebu’r wlad. Mae’r llywodraeth yn cynllunio i drosglwyddo cyfrifoldeb am S4C i’r BBC, ac yn ôl rhai dwi’n siarad hefo, does gan dîm rheoli S4C ddim syniad cadarn ar sut i achub pethau a diwygio’r sianel.
Mae’n edrych i mi ta beth bod y bobl sy’n rhedeg S4C ddim cweit yn deall y we. Does fawr ddim i’r gwefan, ac mewn oes lle mae dyfeisiau fel yr iPad a phallu yn dod yn fwy amlwg, dyw’r gwefan (a Clic) ddim yn gweithio’n iawn ar y ddyfais.
Di pethau ddim yn hollol wael, ac i fod yn deg i S4C, mae hi’n oeliaf yn bosib gwylio’r sianel ar y gwefan, sydd wedi bod yn wych i mi o bryd i’w gilydd. Ond eto, mae ond yn gweithio ar y gliniadur/cyfrifiadur. Dyw pobl ddim yn debygol o eistedd am hir yn gwylio’r sianel ar y cyfrifiadur pan fod y teledu ond draw yn gornel y stafell fyw.
Di cynnwys S4C ddim i’w gael ar YouTube, na ar iTunes neu unrhyw wasanaeth darlledu ar y we. MAe hyn (i mi ta beth) i weld yn gamgymeriad mawr.
Does fawr ddim o lefydd yn gwerthu DVDs S4C, ac mae llai a llai o bobl yn prynu nhw ta beth (Roedd ymchwil allan o’r UDA can NPD yn datgelu bod gwerthiant trwy wasanaethau ar-lein nawr yn gyfrifol am bron i chwarter o werthiant y farchnad yn yr UDA – farchnad sydd ond rili wedi bodoli ers rhyw 3 blynedd). Trwy werthu ar-lein, does ddim angen poeni bod siopau ddim yn gwerthu’r DVDs, mae’r cwsmer yn gallu prynu’r cynnwys ar ei ffonau, neu trwy ei theledu. Mwy ‘na ‘ny, mae ‘na bosib nawr i werthu cynnwys i bobl sydd wedi gadael y wlad.
O’n mhrofiadau diweddar, glywais sôn diddiwedd am gyfres newydd o’r enw ‘Pentalar’ ar Twitter. Gyda trafeilio cymaint gyda’n gwaith, doedd gen i ddim mynediad haws i deledu oedd yn gallu dangos S4C, a doedd y cysylltiad ddim yn rhy wych i allu gwylio’r sianel ar y wefan. Oherwydd ‘ny, nes i fethu allan ar allu gwylio’r sioe (yn edrych yn ôl, mi fyswn i wedi gallu defnyddio’r app Sky+ ar y ffon i recordio’r peth, ond ta waeth… mae’r pwynt dal yn sefyll…). Y pwynt yw, ar sail y pethau o’n i yn gweld yn fy ffrwd Twitter, fyswn i wedi bod yn hapus iawn i dalu i gael y cynnwys ar iTunes.
Mae defnydd S4C o wefannau cymdeithasol i weld hefyd yn reit hen fashwn. Mae’r cyfrifon Twitter a Facebook i weld mwy fel bod nhw’n ddatganiadau, yn hytrach na bod nhw’n siarad gyda’r gynulleidfa. Mae ‘na welliannau i weld gyda phethau fel Ddoe am Ddeg (rhagflasau ar YouTube a phallu, ond ddim llawer gwell).
“Beth ti’n cynnig felly Bryn?” dwi’n dychmygu fod lleiaf un neu ddau ohonoch yn gofyn…
Falch bod chi wedi gwneud…
- Newid S4C i fod yn fwy na sianel, ond yn rhwydwaith darlledu Cymru.
- Dechrau sianel ar YouTube, a rhoi cynnwys S4C arno, ar gael i bob dyfais sydd fas ‘na.
- Defnyddio’r Sianel YouTube i ddarlledu sioeau newydd, a defnyddio Twitter a Facebook i siarad gyda’r gynulleidfa am y sioeau. Defnyddio’r gallu trwy Facebook i farchnata yn uniongyrchol i’r bobl ifanc yng Nghymru.
- Cymryd sioe boblogaidd oddi ar YouTube a’r ddarlledu ar y brif sianel mewn slot i bobl ifanc cael ei wylio (Ddim nos Wener neu nos Sadwrn…). Creu noson uniongyrchol i bobl ifanc.
- Rhoi’r dramâu a hen gynnwys S4C ar bethau fel iTunes, a rhoi prisiau call arnynt. Fyswn i yn talu cael gweld “C’mon Midfield” unwaith eto, a dwi’n siŵr fysa rhai eraill yn hefyd. Pan fydd Amazon yn dod a’i gwasanaeth ‘Video on Demand’ i Brydain, rhoi’r cynnwys ar hwnnw hefyd.
- Adeiladu gwasanaeth darlledu arlein i bob dyfais (iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7).
- Fydd na fwy a fwy o wasanaethau darlledu ar-lein cyn bo hir (Netflix ayyb), a fwy o ddyfeisiadau o dan y teledu… Rhowch y cynnwys ar gael iddynt.
- Defnyddiwch yr arian o’r darlledu ar YouTube, ar Love Film a iTunes i ddatblygu cynnwys newydd a rhoi siawns i bobl newydd greu rhaglenni.
- Datblygu cynnwys aml-blatform (Podlediadau gwleidyddol, un i ddal lan hefo Pobl Y Cwm, gwasanaeth ‘barn’ – tebyg i’r HuffPo)
- Y peth mwyaf pwysig… Rhowch y holl beth yn ddwylo un person. Person sydd gyda’r gallu i wneud y penderfyniadau sydd angen i’w gwneud, yn hytrach na phwyllgor arall.
Fel dwi’n dweud, fy marn i yw’r rhain. Dwi’n eithaf sicr fod rhywun am ddweud fy mod i wedi methu rhywbeth, neu’n cyhuddo fi o geisio gwneud pethau edrych yn syml. Yr ofn sydd gennai yw na sa bod S4C yn newid o’r ffordd ‘hen gyfryngau’ ‘ma o redeg pethau, fydd y sianel yn marw allan gan fod nhw dal yn canolbwyntio ar gynnwys mae llai a llai o bobl yn mynd i wylio.
Beth da chi’n feddwl ta beth? Dwi’n gwybod bod rhan helaeth ohonoch hefo dim diddordeb yn y mater (gan fy mod i’n dychmygu fod rhan fwyaf o bobl sy’n darllen hwn ddim yn Gymraeg). Dwi’n gwybod fod rhai ohonoch yn, a fyswn i yn hoffi clywed eich barn. Efallai fyswn ni’n gallu torfoli cynllun newydd a gweld os neith rhywun wrando arnom ni.
I symleiddio’r mater… beth ddwi’n trio dweud yw…. PLÎS GWNEWCH RYWBETH. Di mynd ‘mlaen gyda’r un ‘strategaeth’ ddim yn mynd i weithio, ac heb gwefannau cymdeithasol, heb darlledu ar-lein, a heb lawrlwyddiadau, mae’n beryg fydd S4C yn mynd yn llai a llai perthnasol i’r byd.
Based on the increasingly polarized stories, it seems that S4C (the Welsh Channel 4) will suffer quite a bit under the age of austerity. Plans are underway already to bring the whole lot under the control of the BBC, and based on what I’ve seen, many seem to think that the management of S4C doesn’t have a clear strategy on how to modernize the channel.
S4C (or those seemingly in charge of it) also don’t appear to ‘get’ the Internet. The website is less than compelling, and in an age where tablet systems are becoming more prevalent, it doesn’t work properly on devices such as the iPad or the iPhone.
Just so this isn’t all bad, In S4C’s defense, they do at the very least carry the live broadcast stream on the site, which has been terribly useful for me from time to time, but again, it only works on the computer/laptop. Average consumers aren’t going to sit by the computer to watch TV, and even fewer are going to sit with the laptop on the sofa and watch a 13-17″ screen when there’s a larger TV in the corner.
S4C’s content isn’t available on YouTube (save for the odd promo video), and it doesn’t appear on iTunes or any of the other established streaming media services. This seems (to me at least) a massive oversight.
Based on my observations, very few locations stock S4C DVDs, and it seems likely that fewer people will buy DVDs in anycase (Research by NPD in the US indicates that online access to purchased content accounts for around a quarter of media sales – a market that I’d conservatively estimate to be no more than 3 years old). By selling and streaming content online, you effectively eliminate the concerns about having to produce DVDs or about persuading larger retailers to stock them. The consumer can access that series from their tablet PC, their laptop or their TV.
I know from my own recent experience, my friends back in Wales were discussing a drama series called ‘Pentalar’ on Twitter. With all my traveling around that time, I didn’t have ready access to a TV capable of watching S4C, or was stuck with a well below par internet conection. As a result, I missed out on being able to see it (in hindsight, I could just have easily used the Sky+ app to record it, but my point will still stand). Based on the recommendations I got, I would have happily downloaded the show from iTunes and have been able to watch it in my dingy hotel in Milton Keynes.
S4C’s engagement in social media also seems to be quite stoic. Reading the twitter account @S4Carlein, they’re more announcements, rather than genuine interaction. Interaction on Facebook seems limited, with things looking slightly better with ‘Ddoe am Ddeg’ (Yesterday at Ten – a new show that’s coming soon).
“So what’s the solution Bryn?” I imagine at least one or two of you asking…
I’m glad you asked…
- Change S4C to become a Welsh Broadcast Network
- Establish a branded YouTube channel for S4C. Put as much of the channel’s content on it and make it available for all device types.
- Use the YouTube channel, as a location to host pilot shows. Use Twitter and Facebook to promote the shows, and get feedback from the targeted groups (Facebook would be more than happy I’m sure to sell targeted advertising 16-25 yo in Wales).
- Take the popular shows from that platform, put them on a prime-time slot where younger people are around to watch it (Friday and Saturday nights probably aren’t the best times). Dedicate a night a week to that age slot.
- Make drama series, new shows and other such content available on online media stores (such as iTunes), and price them competitively. I’d really quite like to
- able to watch “C’mon Midfield” again. When Amazon brings its video on demand service to the UK, put it there too.
- Make streaming services available for mobile devices (e.g. Android, iPhone, Blackberry and Windows Phone 7).
- Streaming media services will launch at some point in the UK, get involved early and put apps on these devices.
- Use parts of the revenue generated from media and ad sales to invest in new programs, and contests to create a pilot for new shows.
- Develop new media streams. Podcasts on Politics, a video roundup on the week’s Pobl Y Cwm, or even a HuffPo style news outlet.
- Finally (and the most important thing), put the entire project under the control of a single person, who has the authority to make all the necessary changes, this has to be guided by a single vision and not a committee of people gradually watering down a strategy until it’s no longer workable.
These are just my thoughts, I appreciate that I’m almost certainly overlooking something, or that I’m making it out to be a lot simpler than it is. My fear is that if the management doesn’t snap out of the ‘old media’ style of running the station, they’ll end up killing it because they’re making shows noone has an interest in watching anymore.
So what do you all think? I appreciate that not all of you will care about this issue (since I imagine most of my blog readers aren’t Welsh). I know that some of you do though, and so I’d like to hear your thoughts. We could crowd-source some ideas and see if anyone pays any attention to us.
I guess what I’m trying to say is… PLEASE get with it. Steady as she sinks isn’t the strategy we need now, and failure to get with social, with streaming and with downloads will make S4C less and less relevant.
Hwyl am y tro
B
Mwynhau cerdded yn y wlad…
Enjoying a country walkabout
Y prif beth ddwi wedi sylwi yw bod y syniad o dalu am feddalwedd ddim yn poeni fi cymaint ag oedd ‘e yn arfer gwneud. Yn y mis diwethaf, dwi’n meddwl fy mod i wedi gwario o gwmpas 150ukp ar feddalwedd fel Aperture (rhaglen addasu lluniau) a Photomatix (Rhaglen creu lluniau HDR) ac mi fyddai’n prynu rhaglen TextMate pan fod fi ddim ar rwydwaith gwesty.
The main thing I’ve noticed is that the idea of paying for software doesn’t seem to bother me as much as it used to. In the past month, I think I’ve spent something in the region of 100-150ukp on apps such as Aperture (Photo management software by Apple) and Photomatix (HDR Photo processing software) and I’ll be picking up a copy of TextMate just as soon as I’m back on a network that isn’t owned by a hotel.
Fel arfer mewn sefyllfaoedd fel ‘ma, da chi’n clywed rhyw nonsens bod y person nawr yn gallu bod yn fwy creadigol, neu fod newid drosodd wedi gwneud pethau’n well mewn rhyw ffordd hudol. I mi, y prif beth ddwi wedi sylwi ydi fy mod i ddim yn ymladd yn erbyn y system gweithredu, neu wedi dod ar draws sefyllfa lle fy mod i’n tybio ‘beth yn union mae o’n gwneud nawr?’, a dwi ddim yn dod dros y sefyllfa lle fy mod i’n gorfod newid beth ddwi’n gwneud i geisio cael tamaid o feddalwedd i weithio trwy osod fwy o feddalwedd. Mae’n gwneud beth mae’r system gweithredu yn fod i wneud… aros o’r ffordd.
I think in these situations, you typically get some pious nonsense about being able to be more creative with the work that’s being done, or that switching over has magically made things better. For me, the main thing I’ve noticed is that I’m not fighting with the OS, or come across a situation where I’m thinking ‘What the hell is it doing now?’, and I also don’t get the situation where I need to break out from what I’m doing to try and get another piece of software working by installing a raft of other dependancies. It’s doing what I think the OS should do, which is not get in the way.
Felly, i gloi, mae newid drosodd wedi bod yn reit ddidrafferth, heblaw am adeg neu ddau lle dwi di ofyn ‘er… sut mae gwneud hyn ar Mac?’. Dwi hefyd wedi sylwi ychydig llai o amseroedd ble mae ceisio cysylltu’r iPhone neu’r iPad i’r Mac, ac mae ‘na fwy o opsiynau nawr wedi ymddangos pan fy mod i’n ceisio rhoi lluniau ar y ddyfais (mae’n bosib i mi nawr cael manylion bellach o’r galeri Aperture ar y ddyfais).
So in summary, I guess the transition has been quite smooth, baring the odd moment of ‘Er, how exactly do I do that then?’. I’ve noticed fewer episodes of quirky behaviour when syncing the iPhone and the iPad to the Mac, and a few extra features have become available during synchronisation of things like photos (The photo album now lets me sync faces, events and places – based on the information in the Aperture library).
Hwyl!
Bye!
B
Dathlu Dydd Gŵyl Dewi, diwrnod nawddsant Cymru
Celebrating St David’s Day, the feast day for the patron saint of Wales.
