#SaveBBC3 - BBC Three 'to become online channel'

[Jordan]

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73380000/jpg/_73380205_stacey1.jpg

The BBC is considering making BBC Three a wholly online channel in an attempt to cut costs, according to reports.

If approved, it would mean the digital channel's output would only be available through the iPlayer service.

The reports prompted some celebrities to rally behind the channel, with Matt Lucas tweeting its closure would be "really bad for new comedy".

A BBC spokesman said "nothing is off the table", adding "no decisions have been made".

The reports follow a speech given by BBC director general Tony Hall last week in which he said "tough choices" would have to be made if the corporation is to meet its savings target.

"We are in the final stages of a budget process to find an extra £100m of savings," he said at the Oxford Media Convention. "I will announce the outcome of those decisions in the next month."

In response to speculation over BBC Three's future, the BBC's spokesman said: "Tony Hall set out some of the very real challenges the BBC faces at his speech in Oxford.

"He made clear that we will face tough choices about our budgets, and while nothing is off the table, no decisions have been made."

'Sizeable step'
The futures of both BBC Three and BBC Four have been much discussed as the corporation continues to implement cost-cutting measures.


BBC TV Channel budgets 2013/14

BBC One: £1,051 million
BBC Two: £415 million
BBC Three: £85 million
BBC Four: £49 million
CBBC: £79 million
CBeebies: £29 million
BBC News Channel: £53 million
BBC Parliament: £2 million

According to industry newspaper Broadcast, moving BBC Three online "would amount to a sizeable step" towards delivering Lord Hall's £100m savings target by 2016.

The channel's service budget was £85m in 2013/14.

The speculation follows the BBC's decision to broadcast select TV shows online ahead of their scheduled TV transmission, among them the latest sitcom from comedian Peter Kay.

Since its launch in 2003, BBC Three has been the birthplace of numerous ratings successes, including Little Britain, Torchwood, Being Human and Gavin and Stacey.

These were among the shows singled out by Little Britain star Lucas in a tweet proclaiming the channel to be "the home of new comedy and drama".

His sentiments were echoed by comedian Jack Whitehall: "I really hope reports that the BBC may kill BBC3 are just rumours. Their support of new comedy in particular is vital."

The BBC has previously reversed decisions to close its 6 Music and Asian Network radio services after concerted campaigning by supporters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26447089

[Red]

UGH NO bbc3 is my fave

[lemons]

uh doesn't really bother me i don't watch anything on it unless a friend asks me to

[zombies]

bbc3 is a great channel :(

[Absently]

Noo if this happens I won't be able to watch it online :(

[Kardan]

It's not a completely crazy decision, although I do wonder why they would axe BBC3 over BBC4.

[Samantha.]

I really hope this doesn't happen. I love BBC3

[Yawn]

i love sun sex and suspicious parent but thats about it tbh
(obv gavin and stacey was amazing as well )

[Mikey]

What they even doing?!

#SaveBBC3

[dbgtz]

How on earth does it cost £85 million for BBC3?? Yeah they do a fair few shows for the channel but they also repeat like mad. They probably only have around 1 hour of new content daily.

[Kyle]

would not mind it becoming online only. that's only place i watch it anways

[Joshirin]

who the **** even watches BBC4? get rid of that
BBC3 has a lot of good shows

[Chris]

I would be gutted if BBC3 went. Where else am I going to watch endless repeats of Family Guy? :(

[The Don]

It's not a completely crazy decision, although I do wonder why they would axe BBC3 over BBC4.

Didn't even know there was a BBC4, although it's probably way cheaper hence the threat of BBC 3 being cut and not 4.

[Kardan]

I would be gutted if BBC3 went. Where else am I going to watch endless repeats of Family Guy? :(

iPlayer, along with the rest of the BBC3 shows.

[Inseriousity.]

It's quite funny the campaign to save it is an online one. I actually saw it and thought it was a good idea.

[dbgtz]

iPlayer, along with the rest of the BBC3 shows.

Unlikely, or they would do it already surely?

After reading about it basically moving to online this doesn't bother me and doesn't surprise me, given most of their shows have premiered on iPlayer recently. The only possible negative thing with this is that changes to the terms of the TV licence is inevitable :P

[Kyle]

iPlayer, along with the rest of the BBC3 shows.
you can't watch family guy/american dad live on iplayer and it's never uploaded to the iplayer site. probably some legal issues surrounding it.

[Chris]

iPlayer, along with the rest of the BBC3 shows.


you can't watch family guy/american dad live on iplayer and it's never uploaded to the iplayer site. probably some legal issues surrounding it.

Exactly! Plus it wouldn't be the same, I like just flicking the TV on and seeing family guy on.

[dbgtz]

you can't watch family guy/american dad live on iplayer and it's never uploaded to the iplayer site. probably some legal issues surrounding it.

If you attempt to stream BBC3 live whilst Family Guy or American Dad is on it displays a notice instead of the show. So yeah.

[Tyler]

wtf how will i watch family guy and stuff like that.

[MKR&*42]

Wtf why dont they just axe the 10 billion radio channels they have alongside bbc4 and tbh bbc2 isnt that great either but hey. Bbc3 has had some good stuff on it and moving it all online just er

[lemons]

just axe the whole of the bbc lol :)

[peteyt]

I think BBC3 is kind of hit and miss. It has some good content, but I've found lately a lot of its newer content, comedies especially, haven't really been that great. I don't think the BBC would close bbc4 or bbc2 as some have suggested as they kind of are aimed at a different audience although bbc2 and bbc4 kind of have similar type shows so maybe they could be merged into one channel instead

[GommeInc]

Makes sense. It spends half the day doing nothing and doesn't feature anything particularly good. What I don't understand is why doesn't BBC Three merge with Four? Four can have content in the morning until whenever BBC Three begins showing its programmes.

[Kardan]

Makes sense. It spends half the day doing nothing and doesn't feature anything particularly good. What I don't understand is why doesn't BBC Three merge with Four? Four can have content in the morning until whenever BBC Three begins showing its programmes.

The half the day spent doing nothing is because CBBC is broadcasting on that frequency (if that's how TV even works anymore), so even if they ask BBC3, they still need to pay for whatever frequency they are using for the whole 24 hours (although CBBC is being extended to an hour to 8pm, so I suppose that's one hour less wasted).

And BBC2 and BBC4 can't merge, because when will BBC2 find time to air all it's repeats? :( :P

[Jordan]

BBC One drama is to receive a £30m boost from the closure of BBC Three as a TV channel, director general Tony Hall has announced.
He confirmed BBC Three would be moved to the iPlayer in autumn 2015, with its budget slashed from £85m to £25m.

Lord Hall said moving the channel online was "the right thing to do" and also "financially necessary".

The proposal will create space for a BBC One +1 service and a one-hour evening extension of CBBC to 2000 GMT.

"I want younger and less affluent audiences to be better served by the BBC. Younger audiences are increasingly moving online and on demand. The challenge is to take the brilliance of BBC Three into that world," he said.

The director general said "tough decisions" needed to be made to face up to the fiscal challenges of the BBC, but said the plan was "strategically right and financially right too".

He stressed that cuts were necessary because the licence fee had not increased, while the BBC was "absorbing extra costs" for running the World Service and S4C.

Lord Hall said he was "not prepared to compromise on the quality of what I think is at the heart of the BBC, and that is drama", adding he had noticed BBC One's drama budget was in need of a boost.

It's annoying that they are getting rid of a channel and opening up a +1 channel when you can do that on iPlayer already, especially a 30m boost on BBC1. The petition on change.org is near enough 100k.

[Ardemax]

wtf how will i watch family guy and stuff like that.

Because £85m a year is worth it for repeats of Family Guy.

At first I was shocked and a little angry, just like every other teenagers but then I thought about it for 5 minutes: BBC3 is literally full of absolutely nothing. Half of the programmes on there are AWFUL (like properly, properly awful), about 40% are repeats and the rest are actually worth watching.

If the Beeb needs to save money then it's not exactly a difficult decision. RIP Snog, Marry, Avoid.

[zombies]

over 100k+ people signed the petition so far

[lemons]

YESSSSSSSS im so happy CBBC will be extended to 8pm!


now i can watch even more tracy beaker

[Shar]

but but don't tell the bride

[Thomas]

I don't watch TV so I couldn't care less if it was removed.

[peteyt]

The half the day spent doing nothing is because CBBC is broadcasting on that frequency (if that's how TV even works anymore), so even if they ask BBC3, they still need to pay for whatever frequency they are using for the whole 24 hours (although CBBC is being extended to an hour to 8pm, so I suppose that's one hour less wasted).

And BBC2 and BBC4 can't merge, because when will BBC2 find time to air all it's repeats? :( :P

iPlayer


It's annoying that they are getting rid of a channel and opening up a +1 channel when you can do that on iPlayer already, especially a 30m boost on BBC1. The petition on change.org is near enough 100k.

Yeah this confused me to. They even one said they wouldn't open a +1 channel exactly because of that reason, iplayer and now they are closing another channel for it.

Also I forgot aren't the BBC supposed to have so much on each kind of entertainment e.g. educational, documentaries, art, comedy, drama etc. this being due to the fact it's a publicly funded broadcaster

[Ardemax]

Also I forgot aren't the BBC supposed to have so much on each kind of entertainment e.g. educational, documentaries, art, comedy, drama etc. this being due to the fact it's a publicly funded broadcaster

They're not meant to fund an almost-complete waste of money.

[peteyt]

They're not meant to fund an almost-complete waste of money.

But won't opening bbc 1+1 just do the same. If they want to close down bbc3 fine, but use the money wisely.

[Ardemax]

But won't opening bbc 1+1 just do the same. If they want to close down bbc3 fine, but use the money wisely.

If they're actually opening a BBC1+1 then that's probably an even bigger waste of money.