Government Says No To BBC3

The Government has rejected the BBC’s plans to relaunch BBC Choice as BBC3 but has given BBC4, two new television channels for children and five digital radio services the go ahead.

Speaking at today’s Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, said: “The BBC still has not made the case for BBC3, the station for 16 to 34 year olds. It was not clear that its proposals were truly distinctive in an already crowded market, so I have asked the corporation to rethink its plans in this area.”

The decision will come as a shock to the BBC who will have to put forward fresh proposals for the channel, which was to be home to virtually all programmes for the under 35’s, if it is to go ahead.

Plans to replace BBC Knowledge with BBC4, a channel specialising in culture and the arts, was cleared by Jowell, who also approved two new children’s channels, one aimed at 6-13 year olds and the other at children under six.

Commenting on the new children’s channels, Jowell said: “I believe the new stations for children offer the hope of a new golden age of children’s programmes, a real national asset which will become a lasting legacy for children and their parents.”

The Culture Secretary also gave the go ahead to five new digital radio services aimed at young specialist audiences.

Department of Culture, Media & Sport: 020 7211 6272 www.culture.gov.uk

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