BBC3 to be online Only

whitebriar

This is reported in the current edition.
unfortunately the article online is behind a paywall.
But here is a bbc story on it.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-26447089

munchkin_utd

whitebriar wrote: »

This is reported in the current edition.
unfortunately the article online is behind a paywall.

heres a link to a fourm with a similar article
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?p=71618384

mike65

First BBC4 and now BBC3, its all a bit scaremongering really, a la BBC 6 Music.

The best thing the BBC could do is spend less money on fripperies that have sod all to do with actual programme content - like tying down star names at huge expense and buying in junk formats like the Voice at 11 million per season.

wandatowell

mike65 wrote: »

the Voice at 11 million per season.

Hells bells 11mill :eek:

mike65

wandatowell wrote: »

Hells bells 11mill :eek:

and its not like it got any cheaper to renew -

http://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-voice/148626-the-voice-uk-bbc-set-to-pay-22-million-for-third-series.html

44 million so far for the right to make a programme - add on top the actual production costs and you have an amount that would run BBC4 for a year.

Nowso

Gavin and Stacey has been among the digital channel's biggest successes


Celebrity campaign to save BBC Three
BBC: Tony Hall proposes fee extension
BBC viewers to have say on channels
BBC Three is to be axed and will become a wholly online channel, as part of the BBC's cost-cutting plans.

It means shows such as Don't Tell The Bride and Pramface will only be available through the iPlayer, rather than Freeview, satellite or cable.

The BBC will make an official announcement on Thursday, said media correspondent David Sillito.

Celebrities are already rallying behind the service. Matt Lucas said the move would be "really bad for new comedy".

The announcement follows a speech given by BBC director general Tony Hall last week, in which he said "tough choices" would have to be made if the corporation was to meet its savings target.

"We are in the final stages of a budget process to find an extra £100m of savings," he said at the Oxford Media Convention. "I will announce the outcome of those decisions in the next month."

Before moving BBC Three online, however, the director general must get approval from the BBC Trust, the corporation's governing body, which represents the interests of licence fee payers.

'Sizeable step'
The futures of both BBC Three and BBC Four have been much discussed as the corporation continues to implement cost-cutting measures.

Continue reading the main story
BBC TV channel budgets 2013/14

BBC One: £1,051m
BBC Two: £415m
BBC Three: £85m
BBC Four: £49m
CBBC: £79m
CBeebies: £29m
BBC News Channel: £53m
BBC Parliament: £2m
According to industry newspaper Broadcast, moving BBC Three online "would amount to a sizeable step" towards delivering Lord Hall's £100m savings target by 2016.

The channel's service budget was £85m in 2013/14 - although moving the channel online would not eradicate those costs entirely.

The move follows the BBC's decision to broadcast select TV shows online ahead of their scheduled TV transmission, among them the latest sitcom from comedian Peter Kay.

Since its launch in 2003, BBC Three has been the birthplace of numerous ratings successes, including Little Britain, Torchwood, Being Human and Gavin and Stacey.

These were among the shows singled out by Little Britain star Lucas in a tweet proclaiming the channel to be "the home of new comedy and drama".

His sentiments were echoed by comedian Jack Whitehall: "I really hope reports that the BBC may kill BBC3 are just rumours. Their support of new comedy in particular is vital."

The channel's own Twitter feed also joined the protest, posting on Tuesday night: Who knew people love BBC Three more than pancakes?! Feeling loved. #SaveBBC3".

The BBC has previously reversed decisions to close its 6 Music and Asian Network radio services after concerted campaigning by supporters.

However, it has closed several foreign language sections of the BBC World Service, with the loss of more than 650 jobs since 2011.

lertsnim

It would be a shame if BBC 4 went

Elmo

So are they going to replace it with BBC ONE +1?
Why drop BBC Three for BBC ONE +1?

lertsnim

BBC One +1 in the age of PVR's and iPlayers is a waste of transponder space. Advert funded channels might get some benefit from it but what would BBC One achieve?

martin12

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-26447089#TWEET1062863

Elmo

lertsnim wrote: »

BBC One +1 in the age of PVR's and iPlayers is a waste of transponder space. Advert funded channels might get some benefit from it but what would BBC One achieve?

I never liked +1s (was I the only person using VCR's, PVR seems to have made recording cool again )

Why think of setting up BBC One +1 and dropping BBC Three, there is no cost saving unless you decide to drop all BBC Three programming, which they don't seem to be doing.

Alun

+1's aren't entirely redundant in the age of PVR's. They can be useful if you have a limited number of tuners and are recording multiple programs and have a recording clash.

lertsnim

That is where the iPlayer will come into use.

blueser

Hardly ever watch it anyway. BBC4 is a significantly better channel. Some great documentaries and music programmes on there.

radiowaves

Alun wrote: »

+1's aren't entirely redundant in the age of PVR's. They can be useful if you have a limited number of tuners and are recording multiple programs and have a recording clash.

In these days of multiple repeats how often would you be missing anything?

Indeed how often would it happen that you'd be recording so many programmes that a +1 channel would come in handy, and if it's often when do you get the time to watch all of these recordings?

IMO for the very few times a +1 channel might come in handy it is not worth the costs.

The Cush

Same here, can't remember the last time I watched it but saying that it's one less FTA channel out there for those who do watch it. Would be more disappointed if BBC4 went.

MBSnr

So if they do axe it, what will happen to CBBC (I think ?) that time shares with it I wonder? No mention of that I saw.

dxhound2005

No Family Guy fans here?

MBSnr

dxhound2005 wrote: »

No Family Guy fans here?

BBC Three was handy for catching up on some shows missed like Doctor Who. I'd miss it for sure. Fairly sure if it happens, it'll go geo IP locked as per the rest of iPlayer. Would be knda harsh for us having it taken away.....

Alun

MBSnr wrote: »

Fairly sure if it happens, it'll go geo IP locked as per the rest of iPlayer.

On the BBC 6pm News when they were running that story, at the end they mentioned it only being available via iplayer and then showed a graphic of a world map with pink iplayer logos all over it Yeah, right!

Alun

In my case, programs I want to see seem to all come on at once, where sometimes there's 3 things I want to record at once. Sometimes I'm lucky and the two of those channels are on the same satellite transponder, and my home brewed MediaPortal setup allows me to watch/record 3 or more programs at once in that situation, despite only having twin tuners, but other times not. Some programs are repeated quite soon afterwards, others not for a long time.

As for finding the time to watch them all, given some of the rubbish that's on for the rest of the time, I don't have a problem with that.

Alun

lertsnim wrote: »

That is where the iPlayer will come into use.

It'd be OK if we can access it easily without having to resort to messing about with proxies and such like.

evilivor

Alun wrote: »

On the BBC 6pm News when they were running that story, at the end they mentioned it only being available via iplayer and then showed a graphic of a world map with pink iplayer logos all over it Yeah, right!

Did they mean the international version of the iPlayer where one pays for content?

lertsnim

Alun wrote: »

It'd be OK if we can access it easily without having to resort to messing about with proxies and such like.

I don't think the BBC care about us.

MBSnr

/doom-mode engaged
I do fear that this is the beginning of the reduction of the BBC content we can get easily via satellite. Already the Red Button service has been reduced. Reading other forums it seems the BBC is run by 'stick in the muds' who are slower to move away from traditional broadcast mediums and they haven't embraced the concept of paid for online content for those outside the UK, as of yet. I believe it probably goes against the current ethos and mindset of those in charge - as in you pay your licence fee and it's ALL yours to view regardless of whether it's interesting to you. That's currently great for us here, but these guys will be replaced and being as it is the BBC they will, no doubt, restrict BBC Three online to UK IP addresses only. I guess they'd eventually move to charging for content online outside of the UK but don't they have a BBC trust/board where all this has to be approved - and I'd imagine it consists of a few people who still think it's 1972....

Ireland should be a 'special' case regarding the BBC online content (or at least I think we should be treated as such), being as we already get the BBC channels presented to us via Sky's EPG and the satellite overspill. Perhaps (if it does go online only) they could come to some rights agreement for BBC Three in Ireland much like 4oD has? Sure they are 'ways' around geo locked IP content but you know... Anyhow it's unlikely.... just wishful thinking on my part.....

dublinman1990

dxhound2005 wrote: »

No Family Guy fans here?

I watch both Family Guy and American Dad nearly all the time on BBC Three. I also watch the odd repeat of Top Gear from time to time.

I am really disappointed with this move because I only recently got this channel in HD and I can't view their shows online because their shows are geo blocked.

Another thing that we would miss guys is the sports coverage they provide like the Women's football European Championship and World Cup, Confederations Cup and the Tennis.

Missing the sports for me on that channel is a big shame.

Elmo

Looks like they are to extend CBBC and provide BBC ONE +1

BBC ONE +1 from 8pm each night?

MBSnr

It's confirmed as happening in the Autumn of 2015....

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-26464007

"The proposal will create space for a BBC One +1 service and a one-hour evening extension of CBBC to 2000 GMT."
"He admitted this was the first time the BBC had ever proposed closing a TV channel - and warned he could not "rule out it being the last change to our programmes or services"."

So it starts....

watty

Copying RTE?

Elmo

watty wrote: »

Copying RTE?

Well RTÉ have being trying to copy the bbc for the last 50 years and some how they get it wrong, so the beeb are going to copy rte and mess up by starting an hour later!

Rick_

BBC Four could go after 2016 too when the licence fee comes up for review.

Programmes will move to ONE and TWO and the rest will be online only. Family Guy and American Dad! will either go to BBC TWO or another channel. The BBC don't have online iPlayer or streaming rights and I doubt they'd be willing to spend money on getting them, so they will probably go elsewhere, perhaps E4 or even ITV 2 which is seemingly re-branding itself as a more comedy themed channel and less all out female orientated.

watty

Sky pays BBC same as UPC roughly for "right" to include BBC in Irish packages.

But I have no interest in Subscription TV. I think it's worse than the not very good TV Licence funding model.

Online content is complimentary to Broadcast and always will be, not a replacement.

blueser

dxhound2005 wrote: »

No Family Guy fans here?

No; not in the chair I'm sitting in anyway.

icdg

Its an odd decision, the BBC have already given up on the 12-18 demographic (an easy target, since they don't pay the licence fee) but now intend on essentially giving up on 18-35s also. What this'll mean is a nearly 20 year gap between the CBBC audience and the BBC One audience during which these people will have had no service from the BBC. What this will mean, long term, is that these people will question the value of having the BBC at all. And while the younger demographic don't tend to vote in any numbers the long term this effect will have on the support for the Corporation and public service broadcasting will not be good. True, they are served well by the other UK PSB, Channel 4, but they'd also take note that Channel 4 does public service broadcasting funded solely by advertising and sponsorship. Which isn't good news for the licence fee in the long term.

Meanwhile the online-only BBC Three can be no more than a fig leaf to keep the brand alive. The big difference between programming online and programming on TV is that TV's a medium where you can stumble on programming through the EPG or good old fashioned flicking channels. With the internet, you have to go and deliberatively look for programmes.

Merged thread from Satellite here

watty

Also perhaps less than 1/2 of people can sensibly access BBC3 that way (maybe only a 1/3rd). It's not scalable either. Anything even faintly popular would cost a fortune in Servers and server bandwidth.

TAFKAlawhec

MBSnr wrote: »

/doom-mode engaged
I do fear that this is the beginning of the reduction of the BBC content we can get easily via satellite. Already the Red Button service has been reduced. Reading other forums it seems the BBC is run by 'stick in the muds' who are slower to move away from traditional broadcast mediums and they haven't embraced the concept of paid for online content for those outside the UK, as of yet. I believe it probably goes against the current ethos and mindset of those in charge - as in you pay your licence fee and it's ALL yours to view regardless of whether it's interesting to you. That's currently great for us here, but these guys will be replaced and being as it is the BBC they will, no doubt, restrict BBC Three online to UK IP addresses only. I guess they'd eventually move to charging for content online outside of the UK but don't they have a BBC trust/board where all this has to be approved - and I'd imagine it consists of a few people who still think it's 1972....

Actually the BBC did have plans for providing some on-demand programmes on the iPlayer for overseas viewers for a monthly subscription fee. At least until the Daily M**l started crying that the annual cost for such a subscription was going to be less that the UK TV licence fee (obviously they didn't account for not everything being available outside the UK e.g. many sports broadcasts, no live streaming etc.) It's gone quiet on that front since then.

A lot of future BBC plans will depend on the result of the UK General Election next year. Unless the Conservatives get in with a majority (not looking likely ATM) then I doubt either Labour or the Liberal Democrats will draw up any new charter to be significantly different than what the BBC currently runs under to satisfy News Inc; the former in particular don't want to touch Murdoch with a 40ft pole and the latter have never been keen (both ways!)

ftakeith

family guy and american dad are now available from the tv3 player on samsung smart tvs


its total uncut than the bbc3 version

icdg

TAFKAlawhec wrote: »

Actually the BBC did have plans for providing some on-demand programmes on the iPlayer for overseas viewers for a monthly subscription fee. At least until the Daily M**l started crying that the annual cost for such a subscription was going to be less that the UK TV licence fee (obviously they didn't account for not everything being available outside the UK e.g. many sports broadcasts, no live streaming etc.) It's gone quiet on that front since then.

There is an international iPlayer, but it's only available in the form of an iOS app. Subscription based afaik.

Banjoxed

icdg wrote: »

There is an international iPlayer, but it's only available in the form of an iOS app. Subscription based afaik.

I've tried it but it is worse than awful. A waste of bandwidth. A very limited choice and no live TV.

Banjoxed

TAFKAlawhec wrote: »

Actually the BBC did have plans for providing some on-demand programmes on the iPlayer for overseas viewers for a monthly subscription fee. At least until the Daily M**l started crying that the annual cost for such a subscription was going to be less that the UK TV licence fee (obviously they didn't account for not everything being available outside the UK e.g. many sports broadcasts, no live streaming etc.) It's gone quiet on that front since then.

A lot of future BBC plans will depend on the result of the UK General Election next year. Unless the Conservatives get in with a majority (not looking likely ATM) then I doubt either Labour or the Liberal Democrats will draw up any new charter to be significantly different than what the BBC currently runs under to satisfy News Inc; the former in particular don't want to touch Murdoch with a 40ft pole and the latter have never been keen (both ways!)

It isnt stopping the Murdoch acolytes/Kippers/other roaring right wingers from canvassing a sub only model. Never underestimate the sheer wrath of a noisy minority on the subject of the BBC and access to it.

Andy454

DAMN - the best channel on the air!!!

The only one transmitting family guy & American dad when you come from the pub!!

THEY'VE SAVED MY MARRIAGE!!!

Elmo

Andy454 wrote: »

DAMN - the best channel on the air!!!

The only one transmitting family guy & American dad when you come from the pub!!

THEY'VE SAVED MY MARRIAGE!!!

It's on 3e at 00:20

Andy454

I'm only sinking last orders at that time.... not gonna rush home for it!!!

ftakeith

Elmo wrote: »

It's on 3e at 00:20

and tv3 player on sky catch up

Elmo

Andy454 wrote: »

I'm only sinking last orders at that time.... not gonna rush home for it!!!

Looking at the schedule for the BBC they are also only finishing Family Guy and American Dad at 00:30???

I think the pub is saving your marriage :pac:

TAFKAlawhec

ftakeith wrote: »

family guy and american dad are now available from the tv3 player on samsung smart tvs


its total uncut than the bbc3 version

Which is of no use to either a northerner like me, or those who don't have such televisions.

Elmo

TAFKAlawhec wrote: »

Which is of no use to either a northerner like me, or those who don't have such televisions.

BBC Player is available online. I'd say Family Guy and American Dad will move to other channels. E4 had American Dad at one stage???

Sam Russell

Would they not cut down on the 55 (I guess) regional versions of BBC 1, that only opt out for a few news items. If they cut down on the regions, like say Oxford, I do not think it would be noticed. A 50% reduction on the number of regions would be the size of cut I would think would be needed before it was noticed.

Save BBC 3 and BBC 4.

radiowaves

Sam Russell wrote: »

Would they not cut down on the 55 (I guess) regional versions of BBC 1, that only opt out for a few news items. If they cut down on the regions, like say Oxford, I do not think it would be noticed. A 50% reduction on the number of regions would be the size of cut I would think would be needed before it was noticed.

Save BBC 3 and BBC 4.

It would be noticed in regions like, say, Oxford

Considering BBC Three is to be replaced with BBC1+1, a pointless exercise if ever there was one, I don't think losing regional variations would save anything!

It is obviously the cost of running BBC Three as a whole that is the issue, it certainly isn't just the cost of transponder space as your post suggests.

Elmo

radiowaves wrote: »

It is obviously the cost of running BBC Three as a whole that is the issue, it certainly isn't just the cost of transponder space as your post suggests.

Will each BBC ONE get a plus 1 and is this more expensive than the current delivery of the nationwide BBC THREE. According to the BBC their are saving 50million with 30million going to Drama for BBC ONE.

I don't see where they are saving?

Sam Russell

radiowaves wrote: »

It would be noticed in regions like, say, Oxford

Considering BBC Three is to be replaced with BBC1+1, a pointless exercise if ever there was one, I don't think losing regional variations would save anything!

It is obviously the cost of running BBC Three as a whole that is the issue, it certainly isn't just the cost of transponder space as your post suggests.

The regions, I presume, have staff and production costs. Making those regions larger would save money, and cutting the number of transponders/Txs would also save money. I would see the new regions as being: Scotland; Wales; NW England; NE England; Midlands; SW England; SE/South England; London. Oxford would become part of SE/S England.

Given the BBC has moved outside London to Manchester, that should have had an effect on its costs.

It is easier to cut one big lump rather than 'bits and bobs' all over the place. Cutting out free tea and biscuits could save a lot but annoy a lot more staff than axing all the BBC 3 jobs, and once BBC3 is gone, it is soon forgotten.