S4C: Investigation into channel after bullying allegations

An probe has been launched aft claims of "bullying and a toxic culture" astatine publicly-funded Welsh-language transmission S4C.

The autarkic outer probe comes aft the claims were made by a national representing staff.

A missive written by the Bectu national described a "a civilization of fear" wrong the organisation.

S4C said it has decided to name a instrumentality steadfast to undertake an autarkic probe into concerns raised.

The broadcaster has been based successful Carmarthen since moving from Cardiff successful 2014.

The unions dialog caput successful Wales, Carwyn Donovan, wrote a missive to autarkic members of the channel's enforcement board.

It described "staff regularly being brought to tears" and "too frightened to stock their experiences".

Mr Donovan said successful his missive that the gathering was "the astir shocking" successful his vocation arsenic a commercialized national representative, noting "four unit members broke down successful tears" whilst "giving their accounts of the situation".

S4C Chairman Rhodri Williams announced the committee had decided to name ineligible steadfast Capital Law to undertake the investigation.

He said the missive "obviously didn't marque for comfy reading", stating that "a fig of points raised, if proved to beryllium true, would springiness america superior concerns."

"They are not the benignant of things anyone liable for immoderate organisation would similar to read, beryllium that a backstage oregon a nationalist organisation," helium said.

When asked whether the committee had been dilatory to respond to concerns raised by immoderate members of staff, Mr Williams refuted the claim, stating helium was "comfortable" the board's autarkic members had responded "in the due mode and with the requisite speed".

He urged unit to travel guardant to stock immoderate concerns they whitethorn person and said helium would "keep an unfastened mind" arsenic to allowing contributions from immoderate erstwhile employees who has precocious near S4C.

If allegations of bullying are proved, helium said helium would beryllium consenting to instrumentality "necessary steps".

The national missive was shared via an anonymous email with BBC-produced quality programme Newyddion S4C.

It notes that unit person shared experiences with national representatives of "being ignored, belittled, undermined, oregon patronised by members of the absorption team".

It besides gave examples of absorption squad members acting inappropriately and disrespectfully towards different staff, and erstwhile they raised morganatic questions, they were appeased with assertive and confrontational behaviour from absorption squad members.

The missive besides details that the concern has been fragile for immoderate time, with the national alert of complaints since past November.

In a gathering with the main enforcement Sian Doyle, the national authoritative said she recognised "things had been difficult, and that managers were astatine responsibility for the mode radical felt" but according to the letter, she besides stated "the word 'bullying' is thrown astir excessively easily".

Bectu said it is reassured by the punctual and unequivocal effect it has received from the S4C Unitary Board regarding its members' complaints.

"We are pleased they person agreed to name an autarkic investigator, whom we look guardant to moving with," it said.

"As a national we are committed to stamping retired bullying and harassment wherever it occurs and we are present to support."