S4C closing HD channel

UK broadcaster S4C is closing its high-definition channel following swingeing budget cuts.

The Welsh broadcaster, which will be largely funded by public broadcaster the BBC from next year, runs an HD channel on free-to-air service Freeview.

S4C chief executive Ian Jones said that cuts need to be made after the broadcaster’s budget was cut by over a third and it recorded a loss of £6.1 million (€7.7 million) for last year. The 2012 budget is £83 million compared with £101.6 million a year earlier. Jones added that S4C will consider different HD options on other digital platforms in the future.