- Published
The BBC is to close its BBC Three and BBC Scotland television channels in the spring, as the corporation continues to make £500m of savings over two years.
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corporation → publish → years
Both services will become online-only, meaning they will continue to produce and host some content on iPlayer, without the need to fill a terrestrial TV schedule.
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they → become → schedule
The BBC has also announced the closure of Radio 4 Extra, which largely airs speech programmes from the BBC's archive, including comedy, drama and documentaries.
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which → announce → comedy
BBC director-general Matt Brittin said: "We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world.
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we → say → world
We all know that means tough choices."
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that → know → choices
Discussing the closure of linear broadcast services, Brittin said: "Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy them on iPlayer and Sounds.
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audiences → discuss → iPlayer
"While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues."
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confirmation → follow → audiences
Outlining the plans, the corporation confirmed:
BBC Scotland will remain a channel on iPlayer, with some content also broadcast on BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland
BBC Three commissions, supported by increased investment in content for younger audiences, will be available on BBC iPlayer and on other platforms including YouTube
Programmes from Radio 4 Extra will be available on BBC Sounds - while its religious programme The Daily Service will be on BBC Sounds and local radio
BBC Three, which is aimed at young audiences and launched hits such as Fleabag and Gavin & Stacey, previously moved online in 2016, but was reinstated as a TV channel in 2022.
BBC Scotland launched as a channel in 2019, broadcasting a variety of Scottish programming including news, sport, documentaries and entertainment.
However, some of the shows that air on the two networks, such as Two Doors Down on BBC Scotland and Sort Your Life Out on BBC Three, are repeats of episodes originally broadcast on other more mainstream BBC channels.
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Sort → outline → channels
Both networks currently only broadcast TV programming in the evenings, although BBC Scotland simulcasts BBC Radio Scotland during the rest of the day.
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Scotland → broadcast → day
The BBC said that the network's nightly programme Reporting Scotland: News at Seven will not move to BBC iPlayer and will cease when the linear channel closes.
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channel → say → iPlayer
Audiences will continue to be served by BBC Scotland's wider news offering, including Reporting Scotland, The Sunday Show, Radio Scotland Breakfast, Debate Night and Scotscast, the corporation said.
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corporation → continue → Scotland
While Radio 4 Extra does air some original programming, its schedule is predominantly made up of archive content.
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schedule → air → content
Affected staff were told about the changes on Tuesday, although the proposed closure of BBC Scotland and BBC Three had been reported by some media outlets in recent weeks.
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closure → tell → weeks
The BBC is aiming to cut between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs - almost one in 10 - in an attempt to save £500m over two years as it faces "significant financial pressures".
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it → aim → pressures
On Tuesday, the corporation also confirmed more job closures in the news division, with more details from the department's newly appointed director Rachel Jupp expected to follow later.
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details → confirm → director
Around 550 job closures have already been announced in news, while more than 30 job cuts have so far been announced for BBC Sport.
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cuts → announce → Sport
Meanwhile, several high-profile BBC TV series have been cancelled altogether in recent weeks.
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series → cancel → weeks
RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind, Live at the Apollo, Football Focus and Ski Sunday are among the programmes the BBC has dropped so far, while other formats such as DIY SOS have been temporarily rested.
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formats → drop → SOS
The Aporia
