BBC3 or BBC4?

We've all read the Mail report.

Apparently, 3 is odds on to go. Although I will be sorry for the staff and programme makers for 3, BBC4 is the epitome of what the BBC and public service broadcasting should be like.

BBC4 should stay. Your thoughts?

I don't read the Mail.

Already a thread: http://www.tvforum.co.uk/tvhome/axe-bbc-three-four-39584/

BBC Three should go, but I have a feeling Four might get the chop as it can be folded in to BBC Two easily.

That's not the same topic. That thread talks about getting rid of two channels - 3 and 4.

This is about getting rid of one channel - 3 or 4.

Here's a different source, babe.

http://m.thedrum.com/news/2014/03/03/bbc-axe-bbc3-or-bbc4-100m-cost-saving-exercise

bbc 3 is the better out of the two, it offers something for a younger audience, bbc 2 is full of repeats, therefore it should be bbc 4 that is axed with most of the programming going to bbc 2 imo.

I think a merged BBC Two and Four is the most logical suggestion. Between 7 and 10pm it might as well be as BBC Four would be and for parts of the day it can be repositioned away from lifestyle stuff, you could end up with more what would have been BBC Four content that way throughout the day.

The BBC needs to cater for the younger end, as that's the future licence payer effectively and you can't suddenly stat producing television for them when the reach middle age. But I've got a feeling they might continue to produce a reduced amount of what is now BBC Three programming but make it online only if they choose to close Three,

Logic says it should be Four into BBC Two. BBC Three has other uses such as Sport spillover too.

Thanks, Cher.

If BBC Three goes, BBC Four would have to be rebranded. Otherwise what would be point of having channel names with numbers in them if one of the middle numbers is removed? The safest bet would to keep all of them as they are.

Look what happened when Auntie tried to kill off BBC 6 Music not so long ago (2010 IIRC).

The thing is, I don't think viewers get so attached to channels as listeners do to radio stations. It's more individual programmes that viewers won't want to see go.


So a merger with BBC Two would allow them to say they'll get more of what BBC Four does plus CJ de Mooi.

Absolutely agree - if BBC3 went most of it's programming would go too, though I guess if it really is about cutting costs dramatically that might be what they're looking to achieve.

BBC2 and BBC4 are very closely linked and BBC2 could easily absorb the BBC4 schedule without too many obvious casualties, though the savings wouldn't be great.