Wouldn't it make more sense to axe BBC4?! So will we have BBC 1,2 & 4? People will think we have lost the will to count!

There's nothing that good on it [except American Dad].

As Trollop says they'll have to sort the numbering out 

don't watch anything on BBC3 but I do watch a lot on BBC4 - to be honest I think it's a generational thing because BBC3 to me, seems more geared to a younger audience and BBC4 is for cultured people like wot I iz  

I'm sure there are programmes that appeal to older viewers on BBC3 but I've yet to find out which ones 

I'll get my coat 

Roughly 40% of BBC3 viewers are under 35 compared to 20% of BBC4 viewers (per BARB viewing figures) so the BBC reckons that those under 35 are more likely to be using iPlayer. Also the BBC3 budget for 13/14 is £85m compared to the BBC4 budget of £49m so the BBC save more money by axing BBC3 than BBC4.

The BBC Trust have to approve this first. I remember that when the BBC were considering axing Radio 6, there was such an outcry from the public that the BBC changed its mind.

Makes sense now why they've not been showing the Eastenders omnibus 

BBC have a wealth of old progs

It would be great to see classics more often

And cartoons - old cartoons

How can they not fill it to the gills for everyone

It makes sense moving BBC3 to iplayer, as the yoof target audience probably watch on their gadget thingummy-jigs anyway.

I'd rather BBC3 went than BBC4,  I've never watched BBC3 because im not interested in anything they've shown...apart from Little Britain, but even that show quickly got onto the main BBC channels.

The only show I watch on BBC3 is 'Don't tell the bride'

I watch Scandinavian dramas on BBC4 but I can't remember watching anything on BBC3, so I shan't miss it.

I've never really watched BBC3 ....so I won't really miss it....

Apart from the recent Amanda Knox documentary, I've watched very little BBC3 since they scrapped Being Human. I think it's interesting that all the comments from viewers that I've seen so far mentioning current BBC3 shows they'll miss have only listed Family Guy and/or American Dad! - both imported shows.

Considering that BBC3 shows no drama to speak of, and seems to fill it's schedules with lots of cheap comedy and "reality" docs, I find the difference in budgets between BBC3 and BBC4 remarkable. As El Loro says, 3's budget is almost double 4's. BBC3 has the 3rd largest budget of a BBC channel; BBC4 has the 6th (CBBC and the News channel are also more expensive).

As well as the Scandi dramas, I'm frequently watching documentaries on BBC4, and its Friday themed music nights can be fun. Over the week, it's probably the 3rd most watched channel for me.

I have watched a few documentaries on BBC4, too, but not many of the music nights. 

BBC 4 is my most watched channel probably - love it.

I'll miss it.  There's a lot of rubbish on BBC3 but there is some good and orginal stuff.  The BBC are axing BBC3 because young people don't have the same political clout as the older, more affluent BBC4 viewers.  Wrong demographic. 

This is music to the ears of the Tories and rent seeking activities of Sky/Murdoch.  A small victory in the war of attrition to carve up British media for the benefit of non-British tax paying, right wing zealot.  I bet News International and Sky shares rose today. 

Isn't BBC three currently showing Ja'mie: Private School Girl? That show's hilarious. I've already seen the first series.

It was also home to Being Human, that was tops too. Although I mainly watch my TV shows online and through Netflix so if iplayer will still have them then I'm not too fussed.

outcry from the middle aged, middle class, affluent, influential public.  I.e. people who are more likely have political clout.

Look at what kicks off every time Radio 4 makes a minor change.  Questions in the House of Commons often enough!

Nail on the head there Rawks 

The only people who'll miss bbc3 are the people who don't have access to the interweb or Sat or cable or a DVD player.

Are these people worth spending 80 million quid on for a channel that is basically 'fluff'?

The thing is though that if you look at the top 10 shows for BBC3 and BBC4 on a weekly basis, the viewing figures are roughly the same. If you ignore BBC4's biggest viewer draw, which is its Saturday foreign-language thriller serial (Salamander at the moment), then BBC3 does slightly better. However BBC3's weekly top 10 consists almost entirely of Family Guy and weekend movies, whereas BBC4's top 10 is largely made up of original documentaries, When you then consider that BBC3 costs almost twice as much, it's obvious that BBC4's much better value for money, so I think suggestions of age and class bias in the decision are unfair.

I agree with you that Murdoch's probably pleased at this news, though...

If you're going to show it on line, you still have to make it. 

I'd strongly disagree there.  BBC4 repeat a lot and shows a hell of a lot of archival BBC material. 

BBC3 may cost twice as much but I'd bet the spin off commercial operations  from BBC3 shows dwarf those of BBC4. 

I'd bet Being Human and Little Britain alone dwarf BBC4's commerical returns.

The BBC is awash with stuff that the commerical stations saturate the airwaves with.  Property, cooking, reality and celebrity rubbish.  BBC3 is far better than its commercial equivalent, E4, which mostly sources from the US. 

I wouldn't like to see either go, but the BBC is being leant on by expansionist right wing interests, totally supported by the government.  For those interests, the only concern is whittling down the BBC so the TV industry is in private hands.

They don't have to pay Murdoch to show it though

I'm going to disagree on a technical point. My broadband keeps getting chucked out by a BTFon connection so it's much easier for me to watch things on TV. I feel that as a TV licence payer, this decision should have been floated to viewers. I appreciate they can't ask us about every change they want to make, but this is a whole channel just being axed on the altar of demographics.

PS. They better change Pramface over to BBC2.

Sadly this is a case of "chickens coming home to roost"!

When Labour floated 'freeview', no one could give a toss that 5% of the population couldn't get the full spectrum of channels.

Less that 5% watch bbc...3..., why would you expect the rest to give a toss?

Isn't that democracy?

Labour didn't 'float' Freeview.  Freeview was a consequence of terrestrial digital pay TV failing.

On digital and then re-branded as ITV Digital failed because they were hawking a poor product for a fat subscription.  Sky wiped the floor with ITV Digital because ITV Digital were charging almost as much as Sky for pay terrestrial digital TV at a time when reception was inferior to satellite, the tech was in its infancy and the roster of digital terrestrial channels was much smaller to those offered by Sky. Added to this was disputed dirty tricks by Sky in being behind websites offering hacks for ITV Digital pay services.

Less than 5% watch the BBC?  Utter bullshit!  Let's see your source.

I think a lot more than 5% watch the Beeb, that's just a ridiculous percentage chucked into the mix. BBC3 has been on the forefront of new comedy (ok and some crappy stuff) and should therefore be staying in that role. I for one don't feel I have to be 30 to 35 to enjoy a lot of the stuff. It's far removed from E4 with it's constant repetitions (that goes for BBC1 too). I don't know about the politics, but 'Family Guy is going to be missed in my house.

BBC3

I'm sorry, would you like to point out the differences between "freeview" and "terrestrial digital TV"?

I'm sure everyone calls it "freeview" rather than "terrestrial digital television" but that maybe a local thing since we got screwed over by the labour party in the roll out and "terrestrial digital TV"really doesn't roll off the tongue that well.

Bet you got all the channels in [nice flat] Norfolk didn't you?

 BTW I forgot to put a 3 after bbc, the lack of "the" may have given that away as in "the bbc" and ".......bbc3"

Pendants

BBC One will get an extra £30m from the closure of the BBC 3 television channel.

It seems that the space on Freeview created by BBC3 being axed will be a BBC One +1 service. Also CBBC will be extended by an hour to 8pm.

Whatever the online BBC 3 will be, it seems that it will be much smaller than the existing channel.

In making it clear this was the first time in the BBC's history the demise of a TV channel was being proposed, Lord Hall also said: "I can't rule out it being the last change to our programmes or services."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26464007

Video clip on the BBC site of the DG Tony Hall defending the decision to axe the BBC3 television channel:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26465317

An audio clip of the BBC director of television Danny Cohen saying that although there are no immediate plans to axe BBC4, they can't rule it out in the future.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26471873

Oh maaan 

He wasn't very reassuring about BBC4's future, was he?

Freeview is the platform, digital terrestrial television is the technology DTTV or DTT.  Before Freeview, On Digital/ITV Digital was the platform for terrestrial digital TV.

Like I wrote above, Freeview came into being in the aftermath of the failure of ITV Digital.  ITV Digital folded in 2002.  Before 2002, there was no 'freeview', if you wanted digital terrestrial TV (digital TV through your rooftop aerial) you would have an ITV Digital contract and ITV Digital set top box. Much the same arrangement as for Sky/Virgin.

ITV Digital paid through the nose for exclusive rights for to screen Football League matches. The technology and reception quality wasn't up to it and there were widely available hacks for pay services.

BBC Alba another waste of money imho.That should go!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/