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BBC Trust and Ofcom agree BBC3 move to online only delivery

The BBC Trust has approved proposals to make BBC Three online only and Ofcom has published its Market Impact Assesment.

The BBC Trust has published its provisional conclusions on the BBC Executive's proposals to reinvent BBC Three as an online-only service, launch a +1 channel for BBC One; evolve BBC iPlayer; and extend the hours of CBBC. This decision will lead to the end of BBC3 as a digital terrestrial television channel.

In assessing the proposals, the Trust carried out a Public Value Test, which requires it to judge whether any adverse market impact is justified by the likely public value. The Trust will carry out a further round of consultation on its provisional conclusions before it reaches any final decisions.

The Trust's provisional conclusions are as follows:

BBC Three: The Trust's provisional conclusion is that the public value test is passed and that it should approve this proposal. The Trust's public value assessment identifies clear long-term potential in a new online service that would save £30m a year and that it thinks will be more distinctive than the existing BBC Three channel, whose audience is currently falling. Those aged 16 to 34 are already far more likely than any other group to use online video services and the BBC is right to anticipate the need to serve this audience in new ways.

Ofcom's market impact assessment suggests that the switch to an online service is likely to create a positive market impact for rival TV channels.

Full details of the BBC Trust provisional conclusions can be found here:

BBC Trust Press Release

Full details of Ofcom's Market Impact Assesment can be found here:

Ofcom MIA Release

techUK engage with the BBC and Ofcom through its work representing Consumer Electronics and Communications members.

 

Channel website: http://www.techuk.org/

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