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Menna Richards said editorial independence would be safeguarded
BBC Wales and S4C are to work together to explore the scope for collaboration across a wide range of areas, it has been announced.
Longer-term options, including moving both broadcasters into one media centre. will be considered.
BBC Wales director Menna Richards said the areas would include marketing, research, distribution and technology.
Ms Richards said both BBC Wales and S4C are facing "unprecedented financial pressures".
Principles guiding collaborationProposals should not undermine plurality, distinctiveness, and editorial independenceThey should enhance the overall efectiveness and value for money of servicesShould not undermine the organisations' public functions/purposesProposals should be sufficiently simple to ensure workabilityProposals should be sensitive to the wider market while preserving public value benefits
She said in recent weeks the two organisations have been in discussions to explore new ways of working that "might help us jointly to confront the challenges ahead".
Work is already under way on a major joint research project to look at the long-term trends in the usage of Welsh language media.
But Ms Richards said the broadcasters have also been looking at whether there are other ways they can "deepen our partnership for the benefit of audiences, while of course safeguarding the editorial independence of both broadcasters."
The BBC Wales director said she was confident early progress could be made in the fresh collaboration, with the potential to release some additional funding into programme-making over the next 12 to 18 months.
Final decision
She said they believe co-location could help deliver significant operational savings for both the BBC and S4C as it would allow them to share technology and transmission services.
However, she added that any final decision on co-location would depend on the funding position of both broadcasters.
A sharing of technology and transmission services would help both BBC and S4C make savings
Last week it was announced BBC Wales plans to cut £4m from the £23.5m it spends annually on S4C programmes over the next three years.
Ms Richards emphasised the BBC would continue to play a "very full part at the heart of S4C's schedule".
S4C has submitted a document to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) which includes investigating the possibilities of co-locating BBC Wales and S4C at a single media centre that would deliver operational savings to both organisations.
"Our agreement with BBC Wales to seek enhanced collaboration will include an exploration of the potential for coproduction," says the S4C document.
"We would hope that this would involve the BBC's UK networks as well as BBC Wales. We also wish to explore similar arrangements with Channel 4 and with a range of international producers.
"These arrangements with other broadcasters might include re-versioning of programmes from their archives, as well as active co-production."
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Menna Richards said editorial independence would be safeguarded BBC Wales and S4C are to work together to explore the scope for collaboration across a wide range of areas, it has been announced.
Longer-term options, including moving both broadcasters into one media centre. will be considered.
BBC Wales director Menna Richards said the areas would include marketing, research, distribution and technology.
Ms Richards said both BBC Wales and S4C are facing "unprecedented financial pressures".
Principles guiding collaborationProposals should not undermine plurality, distinctiveness, and editorial independenceThey should enhance the overall efectiveness and value for money of servicesShould not undermine the organisations' public functions/purposesProposals should be sufficiently simple to ensure workabilityProposals should be sensitive to the wider market while preserving public value benefits
She said in recent weeks the two organisations have been in discussions to explore new ways of working that "might help us jointly to confront the challenges ahead".
Work is already under way on a major joint research project to look at the long-term trends in the usage of Welsh language media.
But Ms Richards said the broadcasters have also been looking at whether there are other ways they can "deepen our partnership for the benefit of audiences, while of course safeguarding the editorial independence of both broadcasters."
The BBC Wales director said she was confident early progress could be made in the fresh collaboration, with the potential to release some additional funding into programme-making over the next 12 to 18 months.
Final decision
She said they believe co-location could help deliver significant operational savings for both the BBC and S4C as it would allow them to share technology and transmission services.
However, she added that any final decision on co-location would depend on the funding position of both broadcasters.
A sharing of technology and transmission services would help both BBC and S4C make savings Last week it was announced BBC Wales plans to cut £4m from the £23.5m it spends annually on S4C programmes over the next three years.
Ms Richards emphasised the BBC would continue to play a "very full part at the heart of S4C's schedule".
S4C has submitted a document to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) which includes investigating the possibilities of co-locating BBC Wales and S4C at a single media centre that would deliver operational savings to both organisations.
"Our agreement with BBC Wales to seek enhanced collaboration will include an exploration of the potential for coproduction," says the S4C document.
"We would hope that this would involve the BBC's UK networks as well as BBC Wales. We also wish to explore similar arrangements with Channel 4 and with a range of international producers.
"These arrangements with other broadcasters might include re-versioning of programmes from their archives, as well as active co-production."
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.