BBC Three Closure

Doubt it'll be for long. Its purpose is to direct people to the website.

Well the good news is http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree now has 'Best of' as it's main page, instead of redirecting to the Daily Drop. It's 'iPlayer' section is currently still http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcthree.

Do the BBC think that people are really going to watch this instead of Vice, or indeed any decent Youtube channel?

I can't see their demographic only just finding out by a slide that they're online only. But I suppose it only takes one Mail Online reader to complain that the BBC didn't give enough notice and allowing the online service to be deprived of viewers.

Weren't Vice looking at launching a linear TV channel in the UK?

Yes. we can sit here until the end of time wondering about this process, but the simple fact was BBC three was always going to end up on line, it was just a matter of the correct time. Should've it been a few years later, that point is now gone.

I;m in the BBC 3 demographic, so are my mates; many of them dont watch BBC3 BUT we watch the content on the iplayer. If people are going to complain the lose of Don't tell the bride of family guy etc lets be clear there gone to commercial channels which kinds questions the fact should bbc 3 do stuff commercial channel can already do? What we have left is original comedy and docs and there staying, BBC has taken out alot of the fat and repeats and there wasn't much left, but I believe there should be at least 6 hours of NEW content a week.

I still question the fact the poorest may not be able to enjoy these shows, even if are planned to be broadcast on BBC 1 or 2. Maybe there should allow one of the red button feeds to broadcast the shows 4 hour block each day on a loop.

So (when) do we think BBC4 will go the same way?

I hope it does, and not for the reasons you'd think. I don't think it deserves the "all it shows is stuff about the war" accusations... not all the time anyway. It's given us gold like Screenwipe and The Thick of It, and I've found some of the dramas like The Kenny Everett Story to be fantastic. There's even a Daft Punk documentary on this Friday that BBC Three's audience would probably appreciate.

But I still don't see why its content can't be shown on BBC Two. I've made this argument before, but I grew up with a BBC Two that had a split personality; it was cultured and sophisticated, yet it was quirky and unhinged. It really did, somehow, pull off being an arts and culture channel while also being a channel for comedy and young adult stuff. It doesn't seem to manage either of them now, and the content on BBC Two is suffering quite a bit because of it. Yes, it has its moments, but if it inherited what would otherwise have been commissioned on BBC Four (or even Three for that matter) we'd end up with a far bolder BBC Two than we have how.

Also I really can't stand the inconsistency of having BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC Four. Don't try and tell me BBC Three still exists and it "doesn't need to be a TV channel for it to be consistent". I've heard that argument before and it's a load of balls. That's like saying ITV1, ITV2 and ITV4 are television channels but ITV3 is a vacuum cleaner.

Discussed at great length on the NC this morning.

The argument regarding Vice trying to find a way onto mainstream television is interesting. I can't say I've consumed much of Vice's content despite being in its demographic, but of what I've seen, it's never come across desperate in its attempt to appeal to younger people unlike BBC Three ended up doing.

Vice has never talked down to their audience or tried to be them. They provide the content as it is.

Don't know whether to post this here or in the C5 thread, but the closure of BBC Three has meant the Radio Times have promoted BBC Four to their main listings page, with Channel 5 now relegated to the Freeview section. The main listings page now has BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and BBC Four.