BBC Three channel to return in January 2022

Again, I don't think they're trying to get the youth to watch linear TV. They're just trying to capture the audience that is still there. They're not that bothered whether they watch the programmes live or on iPlayer, so long as they watch them. See it as more of an extra shop window for iPlayer.

Remember the cost of running the channel itself is relatively small compared to making the programmes, which will be made anyway. They're obviously banking on it being a worthwhile cost, if it helps to drive more viewers to the programmes, and they can say a year down the line "look, we've increased our reach of 16-24 year olds by x%"

Have to agree with the above.

Programming from Three and Four could have found a place on One and Two if actually done properly. Two main channels with mostly new shows during the evenings. Then online only shows on iPlayer.

I also wonder what they will now show on BBC One after the news Monday to Wednesday

At one time there was new content, then it went to mostly repeats, with stuff like HIGMNFY or HIGONFY appearing most weeks, these days its mostly BBC Three content which is new to linear

They've finally seen sense. It will be great to have BBC Three back on TV.

They had a bumper budget increase last year and they'll largely be commissioning for 9pm and 10pm, much like they did originally and much like BBC Four now.

On your second point that's like saying that Strictly Come Dancing gets 10 million viewers on BBC One so what's the point in making it available on iPlayer. Yes there have been many BBC Three successes on iPlayer but there have also been many shows that haven't hit the mark, aren't as marketable as box sets and aren't currently aren't value for money for the license fee payer because they're not being viewed. Linear gives it a better shot at reaching a bigger audience.

Drag Race proves there's a case for shared viewing at a specific time - as soon as it's online at 7pm each week you see chat about it explode online. They're all watching it at the same time and they'll all be watching series 3 live on BBC Three linear next year.

Re the comments on Eastenders repeats - it was really flopping in the later years of BBC Three. They shifted it to 10:30 and it was getting about 100k each night which was much lower than anything else on the channel. The BBC One audience for it has shrunk so much I don't think they'll add anything to it by bringing back the BBC Three repeat.

How many hit series a year would the BBC have to produce for young people to feel as though they get good value from it? I'd hazard a guess that Netflix produces at best about six must-see shows a year that generate a real buzz, and people are happy to keep their subscriptions running for it.

The best way to achieve this is not by spreading the budget thinly across 11 hours of daily television.

Drag Race shows that programmes can be hugely successful online and that a linear channel isn't required for a shared viewing experience.

Series 3 is to TX in November, but I suppose we will see series 4 on linear TV - albeit at 9pm rather than 7pm to account for the child-friendly slot.

Thank the Lord. I think I am among 100s of TVFers who knew it was a mistake when the previous DG scrapped the linear channel back in 2015. Despite the fact the BBC is not perfect and it pisses me off sometimes, it's a national treasure and the licence fee money is returned in spades every year with quality programmes. Plus, as an instrument of soft power for our country internationally, the BBC is very important.

I know that, in a different thread, I have argued that the end for linear channels without catch-up services was nigh although perhaps 10-20 years off. That said, I do feel this is the right move because iPlayer exists. ISTR that Netflix launched a linear channel in France because a published time for broadcast in a newspaper or on a listings site is a great promotional tool.

I do wonder if, as others have stated in this thread, that the ship has already sailed.

I do know a certain Mr Darthwell will be overjoyed!

Honestly! About tim

It did poorly in the ratings when it came over, EastEnders is better viewed on FTA channels.

Two hours as I said above. The rest of their broadcast hours filled with cheap repeats that get value out of already commissioned shows watched by viewers who wouldn't have chosen to view it on iPlayer.

Why does clicking on the Page 5 blue box link on this page take me to Frank Bough's obituary on the BBC website?

It shouldn't have closed in the first place and the damage is probably done, so I'm not sure just rewinding the clock is a good idea. I do think the problem they've always had is both CBBC and CBeebies are too successful to close one of them, and using BBC2 daytime hours for one of them is too problematic, so they were always going to have a linear stream with spare evening hours. Whether reviving BBC3 is the best use of that airtime remains to be seen - there is an argument relaunching it as a new service, and perhaps replacing BBC4 at the same time, would have worked - but there is alot of goodwill attached to the brand thanks to it's success over the years, both in a linear and on demand space.

As much as content could be integrated better on BBC1/2 I think there is always going to be a need for an alternative primetime output from them for content that just doesn't quite make the cut, but warrants more than being pushed out on the red button or iPlayer.


P.S. Any news on what happens with BBC Scotland HD?