BBC Three axed as a TV channel

Mod edit: Previous thread - Should we axe BBC Three and Four?

The official announcement from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/bbc-three-tv-closure.html

All subject to approval from the BBC Trust: BBC Three to close in its present form in autumn 2015. As many have predicted, the saved bandwidth goes to BBC One +1 and an extra hour for CBBC. Of the £50 million saved, £30 million goes to BBC One to spend on drama.

BBC One already has a budget of £1,051 million and there is hardly any shortage of drama on the channel as it is, particularly dreary crime drama. Whereas there seems to be a dearth of comedy. I quickly skimmed through the new Radio Times yesterday and as far as I could see, BBC Three next week is broadcasting as much new scripted comedy (one hours' worth) as BBC One and BBC Two put together (half an hour each). Although I preferred BBC Three in its early years (never as good after Liquid News was axed) I think BBC Three's greatest strength has been in comedy, and several well-regarded sitcoms have originated there in the last few years .

They do mention that 'long-form' programming produced for the online BBC Three will also see broadcast on BBC One in the post-10.35 slot, but it does seem from this announcement that in effect we're losing comedy in favour of even more drama, which isn't a good thing.

Those shows wouldn't have a suitable home to begin with though. Bad Education is aimed at an E4-style audience, which is too niche for BBC One, too low brow for BBC Two, and WAY too low brow for BBC Four. BBC One definitely wouldn't take such risks with new talent, and a younger audience will probably warm to new shows more so than any of the other channel's demographics. I'm sure if Gavin and Stacey started out on BBC Two, it would've got nowhere near as much attention as it did on BBC Three.

Too low brow for BBC Two? Did you see House of Fools?!

The difference with House of Fools isn't the low brow comedy, but the demographic, who are older than those for Bad Education.

That only ended up on BBC2 because it starred Vic and Bob - well established BBC2 talent.

Good, then let E4 commission it. Low-brow, populist television should be commercial television's domain rather than the BBC.

There is PLENTY of television out there for BBC Three's demographic, across BBC channels and commercial rivals. So excuse me if I don't cry for a 'lost generation' - they are more than adequately catered for.

Yes, some programmes commissioned by BBC Three may never have seen the light of day, in the same way we've possibly missed out on some classic television by the way BBC 1 and 2 changed as a result of the launch of BBC 3/4, or as a result of a commissioning editor getting a new job somewhere else, or any other changes in circumstances at the corporation over the last 60 years.

We could go on about Gavin & Stacey and Bad Education until the cows come home. In an ideal world where we are cash rich, it would be lovely to have BBC One, Two, Three & Four, but we are not. This decision is about MONEY (boo! hiss!). The BBC needs to make cuts and they've taken a calculated decision based on all the facts available to them.

Aaaaaaannnnndddddddd there it is. That's what it boils down to. Snobbery.

Would E4 or ITV2 commission documentaries on student teachers, doctors, paramedics, Afghanistan from the perspective of young soldiers, Stacey Dooley's look at the debt crisis in Greece or sweat shops in Bangladesh or commission youth debate shows engaging the demographic who are passionate about politics, yet are disenfranchised from programmes such as Question Time?

It's not a case of snobbery at all. I think I've made it clear that I watch BBC Three programmes (including Bad Education, which I watched on iPlayer incidentally)

We're talking about what the Beeb NEEDS to produce, and if the majority of BBC Three's programmes could have been equally at home on commercial rivals, then I would argue licence fee payers are not getting the best value for money.

Probably not. Would Channel 4? Probably. SHOULD BBC 2? Definitely.

This whole "only compare BBC Three to E4 & ITV2" is flawed. We should be talking about programming aimed at 16-34 year olds across television.

The same can be said for pretty much all the content broadcast on BBC1 and BBC2 along with CBBC and CBeebies.

Disagree about the two kids channel.