BBC Four & CBBC to close

[Col87]

I think what the BBC could do is this then.

BBC one as now. However CBBC slot returns on Saturday Mornings and School holiday mornings.

BBC Two. Takes back all content from BBC Four newsnight axed or moved CBBC to return to Sunday morning slot and weekday afternoons ( when no sport ).

BBC Three axed. Replaced by returning BBC Choice which will be 24 hours. Choice will still cover most of BBC Three remit including return of 60 seconds but will also show some CBBC programs including weekend afternoons and weekday afternoons if Two is busy with sport. Will also showcase BBC Films and additional sport coverage.

BBC Four axed. All programs moved to BBC Two.

CBBC Channel axed. BBC One - Choice will take over CBBC slots as said above.

BBC Extra 1 Renamed Red button stream will continue as now but will simulcast either Radio 1 or 2 breakfast and show additional sport and music events alongside final score and 606.

BBC Extra 2 second Red button stream which will timeshare with CBeebies on Freeview. Will offer content from BBC Archive depending on rights show as sport and the arts.

CBeebies will continue as now.

BBC News. Renamed back to News 24 but will continue to simulcast Breakfast the 1 6 and 10. However further merging with world news will not happen apart from overnights and major news stories. However some programs will continue to be shared such as outside source world business report etc. They will also be more pre recorded shows where possible including UK Today which will be a mixture of stories from the regions.

BBC Scotland. Axed. However as a compromise Scotland would get its own version of newsnight instead. If the Scotland was to continue then funding would have to be found from elsewhere.

BBC Parliament as now.

Radios 1,2,3,4,5,6, local and nations and Asian network continued as now. 1 extra axed with some content going onto the main radio 1, all of 4 extras content going onto the sounds app and sports extra axed with all commentary also going onto the sounds app. Test match special would instead by covered by Radio 3 DAB with normal radio 3 continuing on FM and online. More sharing of slots between local stations.

This would in theory cut costs and streamline the BBC a bit better.

[natashajacobs]

I'm being quite optimistic about the whole ordeal, I get the reasons to axe BBC Four, as it has since reshifted into a repeats channel but there's a lot of stuff on the BBC worth repeating that it arguably doesn't matter, they could easily rely on acquired foriegn content and their own archives for at least a few years running, but I do wonder if a "BBC Extra" channel would essentially allow BBC to still run a 4th channel, albeit for extra coverage if say, most other channels aren't able to.

As BBC Four is now essentially a repeats channel how much would the BBC actually save if it were to close the channel?  I  suspect any savings would be relatively minimal.  Then there's the question of what to do with the 7pm to 7am timeslot. Whilst the HD hours could be utilised in Scotland and Wales for Three HD the SD unused hours would likely go to waste.

Think the idea is that BBC3 and CBeebies would share and the extra stream would be closed

[AxiosBrit67]

I think what the BBC could do is this then.

BBC one as now. However CBBC slot returns on Saturday Mornings and School holiday mornings.

BBC Two.  Takes back all content from BBC Four newsnight axed or moved  CBBC to return to Sunday morning slot and weekday afternoons ( when no sport ). 

BBC Three axed.  Replaced by returning BBC Choice which will be 24 hours. Choice will still cover most of BBC Three remit including return of 60 seconds but will also show some CBBC programs including weekend afternoons and weekday afternoons if Two is busy with sport. Will also showcase BBC Films  and additional sport coverage. 

BBC Four axed. All programs moved to BBC Two. 

CBBC Channel axed. BBC One - Choice will take over CBBC slots as said above.

BBC Extra 1 Renamed Red button stream will continue as now but will simulcast either Radio 1 or 2 breakfast and show additional sport and music events alongside final score and 606. 

BBC Extra 2  second Red button stream which will timeshare with CBeebies on Freeview. Will offer content from BBC Archive depending on rights show as sport and the arts.

CBeebies will continue as now. 

BBC News.  Renamed back to News 24 but will continue to simulcast Breakfast the 1 6 and 10.  However further merging with world news will not happen apart from overnights and major news stories. However some programs will continue to be shared such as outside source world business report etc.  They will also be more pre recorded shows where possible including UK Today which will be a mixture of stories from the regions.

BBC Scotland. Axed.  However as a compromise  Scotland would get its own version of newsnight instead. If the Scotland was to continue then funding would have to be found from elsewhere. 

BBC Parliament as now.

Radios 1,2,3,4,5,6, local and nations and Asian network continued as now. 1 extra axed with some content going onto the main radio 1, all of 4 extras content going onto the sounds app and sports extra axed with all commentary also going onto the sounds app. Test match special would instead by covered by Radio 3 DAB with normal radio 3 continuing on FM and online. More sharing of slots between local stations.

This would in theory cut costs and streamline the BBC a bit better.

As per many people's concern regarding BBC service fate, whether in social media or not, BBC can axed many services that are seems unprofitable and unnecessary, as well as channels and stations that overlap each other genres. BBC Scotland can be reverted to BBC Two Scotland and resuming opt-out of BBC Two will local twist. Regarding CBBC, the linear service can be merged into CBeebies giving that they operated as single service before 2002 and offering wide-ranging children and teen's content. Some CBBC programmes can be also aired on BBC One/TWO/Three as programme block while continuing CBBC's existence online.

However, BBC Parliament were unnecessary channel because it can be easily simulcast with BBC News channel when Parliament was not in session. So, why not merge both channels instead with World News?

[Langham]

There's a couple of things that I would like to say about BBC Four. I think it is a wonderful channel. I had it for 10 years in my house so far. The range & breadth of programmes that have been shown on the channel has been amazing.

As I live in Ireland; I have experienced reading other people's assessments of the channel online. I am a member of boards.ie in Ireland. I have been a member of a thread formally called The Beebrock Thread, now called BBC Four and Sky Arts Thread which is located in it's Television forum.

When BBC Four has been talked about in this thread on boards.ie; I suppose you could say that it has acquired a cult following among it's posters in the thread. I have not read their own responses yet about BBC Four as of yet. But I think they could be hit with high amounts of disappointment as the channel has been a big favourite among this cohort of posters for a very long time.

I am very disappointed with this proposal that BBC Four will be closing in the near future once Ofcom give it full approval. I think it's big theme nights covering both TV Shows and movies have been a big draw for the channel over the years. I will be gutted to see BBC Four go off the air in the next few years if this proposal came through. I will miss it a lot.

I completely concur with this poster. I also live in Ireland and over here, you can get BBC Four through Sky, Virgin and so on, but not through Saorview (Freeview/linear tv). And since we do not pay the license fee (though I would become an avid subscriber), people in the Republic cannot access the iPlayer. So once BBC Four ends transmission, none of its programmes will be available to us in any form.

I watch the channel on a regular basis, for instance Jim Al-Khalili's new series on the science of size broadcast just this week. It is a channel which truly offers a unique service, and since I'm in my early twenties, I've only ever watched the channel in this supposedly repeat-ridden lesser form than when it first launched. And I detect in this thread a conflation between older viewers being the main demographic, with older viewers being the only demographic. BBC Four has appeal across all adult age groups. Yes I am in a minority, and probably have no moral right to have a say on the BBC's future given I'm outside the UK, but I will be very disappointed if BBC Four closes down.

I truly hope that BBC Two becomes the bolstered channel for science and the arts that some posters have suggested, because otherwise, the BBC is a much depleted service in my view.

[Steve in Pudsey]

BBC Parliament is the anomaly as in it's current form it is largely replicating services provided online by the various parliaments themselves.

[johnnyboy]

There's a couple of things that I would like to say about BBC Four. I think it is a wonderful channel. I had it for 10 years in my house so far. The range & breadth of programmes that have been shown on the channel has been amazing.

As I live in Ireland; I have experienced reading other people's assessments of the channel online. I am a member of boards.ie in Ireland. I have been a member of a thread formally called The Beebrock Thread, now called BBC Four and Sky Arts Thread which is located in it's Television forum.

When BBC Four has been talked about in this thread on boards.ie; I suppose you could say that it has acquired a cult following among it's posters in the thread. I have not read their own responses yet about BBC Four as of yet. But I think they could be hit with high amounts of disappointment as the channel has been a big favourite among this cohort of posters for a very long time.

I am very disappointed with this proposal that BBC Four will be closing in the near future once Ofcom give it full approval. I think it's big theme nights covering both TV Shows and movies have been a big draw for the channel over the years. I will be gutted to see BBC Four go off the air in the next few years if this proposal came through. I will miss it a lot.

I completely concur with this poster. I also live in Ireland and over here, you can get BBC Four through Sky, Virgin and so on, but not through Saorview (Freeview/linear tv). And since we do not pay the license fee (though I would become an avid subscriber), people in the Republic cannot access the iPlayer. So once BBC Four ends transmission, none of its programmes will be available to us in any form.

I watch the channel on a regular basis, for instance Jim Al-Khalili's new series on the science of size broadcast just this week. It is a channel which truly offers a unique service, and since I'm in my early twenties, I've only ever watched the channel in this supposedly repeat-ridden lesser form than when it first launched. And I detect in this thread a conflation between older viewers being the main demographic, with older viewers being the only demographic. BBC Four has appeal across all adult age groups. Yes I am in a minority, and probably have no moral right to have a say on the BBC's future given I'm outside the UK, but I will be very disappointed if BBC Four closes down.

I truly hope that BBC Two becomes the bolstered channel for science and the arts that some posters have suggested, because otherwise, the BBC is a much depleted service in my view.

Agree with you both. There is something special about BBC4 even though its remit, budget and ambition have wained in the second decade of its existence.

However, as I have conceded in previous threads to other TVLF posters, its passing will be mourned by a few and completely missed by the majority.

[L1]

However, BBC Parliament were unnecessary channel because it can be easily simulcast with BBC News channel when Parliament was not in session. So, why not merge both channels instead with World News?

Do you mean merge Parliament with combined NC/World News? Rolling coverage of the UK parliament(s) would never work on the domestic NC let alone to an international audience surely? It seems the BBC are quite sensibly picking their battles as closing Parliament as a channel would save a miniscule amount especially now all bespoke programmes have gone.

[telebox2001]

I do agree losing both 3 and 4 would give 2 a new lease of life. There's so much stuff on both networks that 25 years ago would have found a natural home on BBC Two. Had The Fast Show come in the 2000's, it would have been a BBC Three show but it's on BBC Two where it made its name in the 90's. So there's method in the madness on doing that. Archive material of course, by its very nature is ripe content for streaming.

[Col87]

I think what the BBC could do is this then.

BBC one as now. However CBBC slot returns on Saturday Mornings and School holiday mornings.

BBC Two.  Takes back all content from BBC Four newsnight axed or moved  CBBC to return to Sunday morning slot and weekday afternoons ( when no sport ). 

BBC Three axed.  Replaced by returning BBC Choice which will be 24 hours. Choice will still cover most of BBC Three remit including return of 60 seconds but will also show some CBBC programs including weekend afternoons and weekday afternoons if Two is busy with sport. Will also showcase BBC Films  and additional sport coverage. 

BBC Four axed. All programs moved to BBC Two. 

CBBC Channel axed. BBC One - Choice will take over CBBC slots as said above.

BBC Extra 1 Renamed Red button stream will continue as now but will simulcast either Radio 1 or 2 breakfast and show additional sport and music events alongside final score and 606. 

BBC Extra 2  second Red button stream which will timeshare with CBeebies on Freeview. Will offer content from BBC Archive depending on rights show as sport and the arts.

CBeebies will continue as now. 

BBC News.  Renamed back to News 24 but will continue to simulcast Breakfast the 1 6 and 10.  However further merging with world news will not happen apart from overnights and major news stories. However some programs will continue to be shared such as outside source world business report etc.  They will also be more pre recorded shows where possible including UK Today which will be a mixture of stories from the regions.

BBC Scotland. Axed.  However as a compromise  Scotland would get its own version of newsnight instead. If the Scotland was to continue then funding would have to be found from elsewhere. 

BBC Parliament as now.

Radios 1,2,3,4,5,6, local and nations and Asian network continued as now. 1 extra axed with some content going onto the main radio 1, all of 4 extras content going onto the sounds app and sports extra axed with all commentary also going onto the sounds app. Test match special would instead by covered by Radio 3 DAB with normal radio 3 continuing on FM and online. More sharing of slots between local stations.

This would in theory cut costs and streamline the BBC a bit better.

As per many people's concern regarding BBC service fate, whether in social media or not, BBC can axed many services that are seems unprofitable and unnecessary, as well as channels and stations that overlap each other genres. BBC Scotland can be reverted to BBC Two Scotland and resuming opt-out of BBC Two will local twist. Regarding CBBC, the linear service can be merged into CBeebies giving that they operated as single service before 2002 and offering wide-ranging children and teen's content. Some CBBC programmes can be also aired on BBC One/TWO/Three as programme block while continuing CBBC's existence online.

However, BBC Parliament were unnecessary channel because it can be easily simulcast with BBC News channel when Parliament was not in session. So, why not merge both channels instead with World News?

Right this has been said how many times CBBC and CBeebies can not be merged. You can’t go from Newsround or a drama like the dumping ground which could be dealing with issues such as puberty or death to in the night garden. 
Same as how BBC news and Parliament can’t be merged. You can’t carry something like a Committee session and cover something like a major news story at the same time.

[tellyblues]

I don't see anything wrong with BBC Three being a kind of channel "in the middle" that also tried to attract slightly older demographics; mostly outside of 9pm anyway.

It's BBC1 and 2 which are supposed to be "in the middle" channels, catering for everyone, yet there is little on there for younger viewers.

[BBCMeridian]

As per many people's concern regarding BBC service fate, whether in social media or not, BBC can axed many services that are seems unprofitable and unnecessary, as well as channels and stations that overlap each other genres. BBC Scotland can be reverted to BBC Two Scotland and resuming opt-out of BBC Two will local twist. Regarding CBBC, the linear service can be merged into CBeebies giving that they operated as single service before 2002 and offering wide-ranging children and teen's content. Some CBBC programmes can be also aired on BBC One/TWO/Three as programme block while continuing CBBC's existence online.

However, BBC Parliament were unnecessary channel because it can be easily simulcast with BBC News channel when Parliament was not in session. So, why not merge both channels instead with World News?

Right this has been said how many times CBBC and CBeebies can not be merged. You can’t go from Newsround or a drama like the dumping ground which could be dealing with issues such as puberty or death to in the night garden. 
Same as how BBC news and Parliament can’t be merged. You can’t carry something like a Committee session and cover something like a major news story at the same time.

And it's been said many times that before 2002, there was No CBeebies, I'm sorry but that is the truth and it wouldn't have existed anyway had it not been for Greg Dyke and Nigel Pickard.

I just feel it's unfair for a children's audience under the age of 6 for when they reach 6 leave watching the younger kids channel and going to a older channel for over 6's, that's why it is much, much better to have a merged CBBC because that is the way that the audience when they reach 6 can still watch CBBC but choose not to watch younger programmes. Just think about it yeah.

[Josh]

Right this has been said how many times CBBC and CBeebies can not be merged. You can’t go from Newsround or a drama like the dumping ground which could be dealing with issues such as puberty or death to in the night garden. 
Same as how BBC news and Parliament can’t be merged. You can’t carry something like a Committee session and cover something like a major news story at the same time.

And it's been said many times that before 2002, there was No CBeebies, I'm sorry but that is the truth and it wouldn't have existed anyway had it not been for Greg Dyke and Nigel Pickard.

Technically it did exist under the "CBBC on Choice" strand, which was essentially a CBeebies channel (albeit with archive content instead of new shows).

[natashajacobs]

To all those saying CBeebies and cbbc couldn’t be merged, why couldn’t they do CBeebies from 9.30-3.30 and cbbc outside of those times? Keeping their own respective EPG places. Any parents wanting the CBeebies bedtime stories or whatever could just put it on iPlayer. Not personably advocating this but curious as to why so many think it’s impossible

[Blubatt]

I've been holding onto my opinions for a couple of days now, but I will now finally weigh in. I was 5 years old when BBC Four, CBBC and Cbeebies originally launched, so I have a lot of strong memories of the latter two, growing up with them. CBBC, in my opinion, provides the best free to air children's channel today. Its quality far exceeds CITV Channel, and the Narrative Entertainment channels (Pop, Pop Max, and Tiny Pop). They succeed because the programming is original, and its audience are actually treated like adults, in the sense that they get a good depth of content that is made for them, instead of mindless entertainment.

The BBC is saying its not closing CBBC, but having a dedicated space on iPlayer is tantamount to closing it. Not only do you lose the channel, but you lose the presenters, you lose the personality, and you lose pretty much everything that matters about the service. A child is not going to have the same interaction they get with watching a channel air on TV, then they would clicking a button and having a whole series there. I also think that creates bad habits in children. Making them expect things to just be there, and losing that sense of anticipation and build up. Nowadays, its just a trailer, a show is dropped, wait another 1-2 years, and repeat. Where's the fun in that? The BBC have not learned the lesson from last time. Killing BBC Three and bringing it back to life has just screwed over their young adult audience. There's a whole generation of kids now who didn't have BBC Three. That's why the viewing figures are as they are.

As for BBC Four, I think that its time has been coming for a while, and its really a shame. I get having it as a primarily archive driven channel, but the iPlayer can just host an archive of all its old shows. The BBC Archive is much deeper and broader than what is on iPlayer, and BBC Four is even narrower than that.

As it goes, here is what I would be doing to save the BBC Money:

1. Just make the iPlayer and Sounds subscription services. People will buy it if its at a good price. Just spruce it up, upload a ton of archive content that you don't have on there, and maybe the odd original. Have the free service, but only have people able to watch programmes for up to 24 hours after they aired.
2. I agree with merging BBC World News and BBC News into One Service. I think that works better to be honest, as it would make the English language service easier to air internationally.
3. BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three need to be channels that have exclusive content first. Incentivise people to watch the channel, and with the added revenue of the subscribers on BBC iPlayer who will pay to access live feeds.
4. If you really want to end BBC Four, don't make it an online only channel. Just don't bother. At that point, it isn't BBC Four. Why'd ya think BBC Three didn't work?
5. If you really want to end CBBC, then end Cbeebies too. Have them on BBC One and BBC Two in the afternoons like the old days. It will clear out a lot of the daytime filler.

[natashajacobs]

The whole thing just makes the relaunch of 3 seem so stupid to me. Maybe in a few years they’ll change their mind and shut 3 and 4 instead