It has been known for more than a year that the BBC planned to change BBC Three from a broadcast channel into a zone on BBC iPlayer, but the BBC Trust would always have the final say.
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Conditions that have been set by the Trust however include the proviso that all BBC3 TV long-form programmes currently being broadcast must now be shown on BBC1 and BBC2 at a “variety of times” across the schedule, in the hope that they will not be buried in late or unpopular time slots.
The move, which was proposed by BBC director general Tony Hall in March 2014, will reportedly save the corporation £50m, with £30m of this used to create new drama shows for BBC One.
Earlier this year, a petition opposing the closure was signed by more than 270,000 people and presented to the BBC Trust.
Three controller Damian Kavanagh defended the move as better serving them and the way younger audiences view television.
The BBC’s governing body – The BBC Trust – confirmed today that BBC Three will stop showing programmes at the end of January 2016.
Three has been home to shows including Gavin And Stacey, Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents, and Don’t Tell the Bride.
‘The decision to close a TV channel is a hard one, and one we have not taken lightly, ‘ said the chair of the trust’s services committee, Suzanna Taverne. Within 18 months of today’s decision, the Trust will conduct a “service review” to ensure that the corporation is meeting objectives for the new online-only BBC Three. The BBC plans to focus more on just two pillars; comedy and serious factual.
‘We have lots of new content coming in 2016 and exciting new ways of delivering it in development.
The Trust is also requiring the BBC to return with a full proposal for the use of the spectrum vacated by BBC Three’s closure, within three months from November 26; and an update from the BBC on negotiations on content rights before launch.
Jono Read, from the #SaveBBC3 campaign, said: “The decision is bitterly disappointing and it is a very sad day for the future of the BBC”.
It said that the move should be dependent only on the Executive agreeing to several conditions, including clearer commitments to shows on BBC One and/or BBC Two which appeal to younger audiences.
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“The BBC said the reason for doing this was to find £30 million to fund programming for BBC1, that’s a television service already hugely funded by our licence fee”. If the decision can be challenged independently of the BBC and BBC Trust, we will do so.
