The controller of BBC Three has made clear that the BBC’s youth-skewing TV channel is neither closing, nor for sale.
Damian Kavanagh’s comments came as the BBC Trust launched its consultation into the future of the network, which the BBC is proposing should drop linear distribution, albeit with a reduced budget. On Tuesday it emerged independent production companies Avalon and Hat Trick have approached the BBC Trust with a view to buying the channel.
BBC Three has been widely reported as “going online”, however Kavanagh emphasised it would be possible to view the channel without the internet. “All new BBC Three programmes would be on BBC One and BBC Two on Freeview, Sky, Virgin, and YouView as well as BBC iPlayer and a new home on bbc.co.uk. In reality new BBC Three programmes will be available to more people, and seen by a wider audience, than they are now.”
The proposal before the BBC Trust also includes the addition of a BBC One+1 channel – arguably the complete opposite of taking a channel online – as well as an hours extension for CBBC and changes to the iPlayer.
“Freed from the linear schedule new BBC Three would be able to make content younger audiences tell us they want. Content about the issues that matter to them. We would be able do this faster, get it out quicker, and let our audiences know where it is in new ways. We would make content for the places they are, on Snapchat and What’s App, on Tumblr and Facebook, on Twitter and YouTube and most importantly we want you to feel like new BBC Three belongs to you and bring you in to help define what we make, giving you a voice,” said Kavanagh.
While the Trust conducts its Public Value Test, Ofcom is running its own Market Impact Assessment.
