BBC3 or BBC4?

In which case it proves the point that BBC Three is not essential. These sort of programmes are commercially viable for other networks to commission, so why should public money be used?

I just love how people outside of the demographic of the channel say it's pointless, full of repeats and worth cutting.

I'm probably outside of BBC4's demographic. I don't watch it. I must therefore think it's pointless and full of repeats, so I should therefore come to the conclusion that they should cut it.

Whilst we're at it, BBC1 and BBC2 are largely full of repeats nowadays too. Chop them too.

BBC News? There's a dozen news channels to choose from. Lets chop that too. And who watches BBC Parliament? Get rid.

That leaves CBeebies and CBBC. Plenty of commercial channels in that area of the EPG. Get rid of those. All that leaves is radio, and who listens to that anyway?

There you go, I've pretty much solved all of the BBC's budget problems in one fell swoop, and you'll be better off because we won't need the license fee either.

[/sarcasm]

I'm within BBC Three's demographic (as are most of us here I would say), and I don't think it's pointless, but I do appreciate the need for cost cutting at the BBC, and out of all their channels, Three is the most vulnerable.

I appreciate that many comedy programmes that have broken through on BBC Three, but the amount of new comedy that has broken through on BBC Two has declined, so are we really getting more comedy breaking through as a result of BBC Three, or would the same programming have found its way through elsewhere? Little Britain was forced to launch on BBC Three to prove the channel's worth, and that was the first of many comedy programmes that would have found a place on BBC Two (or commercial rivals)

This isn't a case of snobbery, or misunderstanding BBC Three's worth, or even thinking it's not worthy of being a public service channel. It's looking at the situation practically, with DQF hanging over our heads with a need for substantial cuts. And looking across the board, BBC Three is the channel that we could most do without.

What is on BBC3 is being done by private networks - it's not required.
TBH, I'd close down both BBC3 and BBC4, merging the latter into BBC2.

I don't see E4 doing documentaries?

Much of it certainly is not. What nonsense.

Could you point me towards the BAFTA winning documentaries on E4 or ITV2? Or the original drama? Or comedy shows? Or US imports that have an audience appeal but have been dropped elsewhere?

Saying that gives the impression you've never looked at what's on the channel, let alone watched it.

Please can we use the existing thread: http://www.tvforum.co.uk/tvhome/axe-bbc-three-four-39584/