Petition to save BBC4

[ik9000]

Rumours of BBC bringing back BBC3 and trashing BBC4 to fund it. See their own article here (with decisions being made "in the autumn"). If that bothers anyone then feel free to sign the petition here: http://chng.it/bSfCtJFp2t

Talk about eroding your support - BBC4 is one of the things that keeps me in favour of the licence fee. Get rid of that and there won't be much stopping me writing to my MP in favour of abolishing it instead!

[spacein_vader]

I can't see the case for any new linear TV channels to be honest. Given (I believe,) all BBC3 & BBC4 content is pre-recorded why not move them both online only?

Apart from the odd show of Only Connect I don't think I've ever watched anything on BBC4, but it does seem more in keeping with the BBC charter (showing things that wouldn't be shown commercially) than BBC3.

[Saracen999]

I can't see the case for any new linear TV channels to be honest. Given (I believe,) all BBC3 & BBC4 content is pre-recorded why not move them both online only?

Apart from the odd show of Only Connect I don't think I've ever watched anything on BBC4, but it does seem more in keeping with the BBC charter (showing things that wouldn't be shown commercially) than BBC3.

Because not everybody, especially the elderly, has online sccess. My mum-in-law, for instance, wants nothing to do with anything computer and struggles to cope with the on-screen program guide.

Then there's those really struggling to make ends meet, that can't afford broadband.

I do use BBC4 occasionally, mainly for Horizon repeats, and sometimes music, or arts. But if it's not there .... oh well. Having long been both a BBC fan and licence supporter, even I think the case for the licence is getting pretty thin, and thinner almost daily.


Note: While many elderly either struggle with tech, or just aren't interested, many others take to it like a duck to water, and with great zeal.

[spacein_vader]

Because not everybody, especially the elderly, has online sccess. My mum-in-law, for instance, wants nothing to do with anything computer and struggles to cope with the on-screen program guide.

Then there's those really struggling to make ends meet, that can't afford broadband.

I do use BBC4 occasionally, mainly for Horizon repeats, and sometimes music, or arts. But if it's not there .... oh well. Having long been both a BBC fan and licence supporter, even I think the case for the licence is getting pretty thin, and thinner almost daily.


Note: While many elderly either struggle with tech, or just aren't interested, many others take to it like a duck to water, and with great zeal.

While I accept the above, I was talking about adding new channels not removing existing ones, so the current services would still be provided.

In this particular case BBC3 is aimed at 18-35s IIRC so not sure the age bit is really an issue.

[ik9000]

I have no problem with them bringing BBC back to normal TV but not at the expense of BBC4 thank you very much!

[Hoonigan]

Can someone explain why one channel needs to replace the other please? Why can't we have both?

[Helios451]

BBC4 has seemed to be what BBC2 used to be and BBC2 now seems more like an extension of BBC1.

Of the BBC channels I only really use BBC4 and the IPlayer. The former has all the science and arts I want and anything else I like, such as Killing Eve, I just watch on catch-up when I want.

So, I'd like to keep BBC4, but I wouldn't especially mind if it was only on the IPlayer.

[ik9000]

BBC4 has seemed to be what BBC2 used to be and BBC2 now seems more like an extension of BBC1.

Of the BBC channels I only really use BBC4 and the IPlayer. The former has all the science and arts I want and anything else I like, such as Killing Eve, I just watch on catch-up when I want.

So, I'd like to keep BBC4, but I wouldn't especially mind if it was only on the IPlayer.

I would. I player through my humax is a bit jittery whereas recording BBC4 and watching it later works a treat.

[Saracen999]

I would. I player through my humax is a bit jittery whereas recording BBC4 and watching it later works a treat.

On my Humax PVR, IPlayef stutters for about 10 seconds, then runs smoothly.

[matts-uk]

Can someone explain why one channel needs to replace the other please? Why can't we have both?

Cost. The electromagnetic spectrum is a finite resource. Ofcom charge by the channel for broadcast access. As a national broadcaster the BBC pay access fees for each of the local regions. AFAIK.

[Spud1]

Thanks for the heads up! Would be a massive loss as BBC4 has been putting out some really, really interesting content recently.

Until streaming quality can match broadcast TV (its approx 1/3 lower on iPlayer for BBC stuff vs broadcast on sky) iPlayer will always be a backup/last resort option for me. Would be a huge loss

[MrJim]

The BBC have responded to the petition & stated that they don't currently have plans to close BBC4:

https://twitter.com/DrJaninaRamirez/...75628513894400

[Helios451]

The BBC have responded to the petition & stated that they don't currently have plans to close BBC4:

https://twitter.com/DrJaninaRamirez/...75628513894400

We all know how the word 'currently' is often used! I'm not currently going to die, but die I will.

[ik9000]

We all know how the word 'currently' is often used! I'm not currently going to die, but die I will.

we currently don't have plans, (because we've already made the decision - no further planning required....)

If you look at the content of BBC website so much of it is junk, poor quality "journalism" in the loosest sense. It wouldn't surprise me if they chase the BBC barrel-scraping ratings over quality that they used to pursue. Such a shame.