Media

BBC Three to shift online in cost-cutting move

Change could lead to 80% drop in viewership - study

BBC Three will make its online debut in February. Photograph: PA Wire
BBC Three will make its online debut in February. Photograph: PA Wire
Thu Nov 26 2015 - 12:35

BBC Three will be moved online next year — a change that could lead to a 80 per cent drop in viewers, the broadcaster's governing body has said.

A financially-motivated proposal to move the channel online was provisionally approved by the BBC Trust in June and its fate has now been formally sealed.

The trust’s final decision will see the partial demise of the channel that brought hit shows including Gavin And Stacey and Don’t Tell The Bride to TV viewers.

It will begin to run online in February, with the TV channel remaining in place until March to direct viewers to its new home on the internet.

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Trustees found there was clear public value in moving BBC Three online as evidence shows younger audiences are watching more on the web and watching less linear TV.

But a public value assessment (PVA) found that 80 per cent of the “uniquely-reached” BBC Three audience would “simply be lost”. BBC Three currently has a unique audience of about 975,000.

Conditions

The Trust has imposed conditions in a bid to mitigate a loss as high as 80 per cent by saying BBC One and Two must broadcast two hours of BBC Three shows per week across the schedule in “visible slots”.

The PVA also found the move offered low value-for-money because of the smaller audience but recognised the closure would generate a net saving of £30 million per annum to offset financial pressures or for investment in other areas.

The trust acknowledged the strength of public opposition to the closure of the TV channel but considered the proposal had “intuitive force”.

It said the long-term future of broadcasting “seems likely to be online” and added the BBC needs to find innovative ways to support the audience move in that direction.

The trust recognised that the move online is earlier than the BBC Executive would “ideally have planned”.

It said: “Not everyone has access to or can afford a reliable internet connection and for many young people, television remains important.

“We note furthermore that the loss of the linear platform may result in less exposure for new shows and that this could make it difficult for the BBC to attract and nurture new talent.”

PA Wire