S4C

S4C (Welsh pronunciation: [ɛs ˈpʰɛdwar ɛkʰ], from the Welsh Sianel Pedwar Cymru, meaning "Channel Four Wales") is a Welsh-language public-service television channel based in Cardiff and broadcast throughout Wales.

The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, S4C is (after BBC One, ITV, BBC Two and Sky1) the fifth-oldest television channel in the United Kingdom (Channel 4 was launched in the rest of the country one day later.)

Its chief executive since April 2012 is Ian Jones.

When first established, the channel—initially broadcast on analogue television—was bilingual (Welsh and English) outside peak hours, with English-language content consisting of the simultaneous or deferred transmission of programmes from Channel 4 (analogue reception of which was unavailable in most of Wales). When digital television arrived several years later, S4C added a second, 100% Welsh-language service, called S4C Digidol ("digital"). With the completion of the digital switchover in Wales on 31 March 2010—which made English-language Channel 4 available across Wales—S4C's bilingual analogue channel closed, and what had been S4C Digidol became the default S4C channel, available on Freeview, satellite and cable, and broadcasting entirely in Welsh. S4C does not commission programming in English, but when English is used on the channel it is left untranslated.

HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment Ltd. (styled "HiT") is a British—American entertainment company owned by Mattel and originally established in 1983 from Henson International Television (formerly styled "hit!"). It was founded as the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions. HIT owns and distributes children's television such as shows like Thomas & Friends, Barney, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Angelina Ballerina, and Mike the Knight. They also did distribution for The Wiggles videos until video distribution moved to Warner Home Video in late 2007. Their more recent shows contain projects such as a new series of Bob the Builder, and has won an Emmy International Kids Award for its show Mike the Knight.

History

1983–89

In 1983, the Jim Henson Television company founded Henson International Television as a distribution company for their children's television.

1989–2005

Jim Henson Productions started negotiations with The Walt Disney Company regarding a possible purchase of the company in the late 1980s. Because of these negotiations, Henson International Television head Peter Orton led a management buyout of the Henson International Television division from Henson in 1989, forming a new company named HiT Entertainment.

Finance Wales

The Finance Wales Group is one of the UK’s largest regional SME investment companies and provides growth capital for small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. The Group manages funds in excess of £400 million and comprises of the fund managers Finance Wales and FW Capital, which invest in SMEs as well as xénos, a business angel network. The Finance Wales Group can make debt, mezzanine and equity investments of up to £2 million at all stages (early stage, development capital, as well as succession and acquisition) and also structures follow-on investments for its portfolio. The Group also syndicates/co-invests.

Finance Wales makes commercial investments in small and medium-sized businesses throughout Wales, enabling them to realise their potential for innovation and growth. A subsidiary of the Welsh Government, Finance Wales manages funds of more than £370 million and has invested more than £419 million through 3,700 investments in Wales-based businesses since 2001. Finance Wales’ investments have leveraged an additional investment of £649 million.