S4C's future needs review, says Tory MP Guto Bebb

The need for a Welsh language TV channel 33 years after S4C was launched should be subject to an independent review, a Tory MP has said.

Guto Bebb said he thought opinion was "very positive" about its existence but felt the question should be asked.

The Aberconwy MP said it should kept separate from the BBC Charter review.

Mr Bebb told a Westminster debate on Welsh media he was also worried the decline of the regional press led to the BBC dominating "public discourse".

Newyddion 9 is one of the programmes made by BBC Wales for S4C

He asked if having "85 percent of all news content in Wales provided by one provider" was a healthy state of affairs.

"That's not to say that the BBC is in any way doing anything wrong - but do we need more of a plurality?"

S4C receives the majority of its funding via the BBC licence fee, but operates independently of the corporation.