BBC Four to join BBC Three as online-only service?

BBC’s arts, culture and documentaries channel, BBC Four is set to move online, in a cost-cutting exercise by the corporation.

The Telegraph reports that a number of presenters from the channel are campaigning to save the service. However, the publication reports that executives have privately conceded that this year will be the last for the channel as a linear service.

It is said that the £44 million content budget assigned to BBC Four, is expected to be poured into BBC Three, which became an online-only service itself in 2016. Closely watched industry sources have questioned whether BBC Four’s small audience justifies the huge costs in running the channel.

Like other broadcasters, the BBC has been hit hard by the coronavirus. Its licence fee income has come down as enforcement has been suspended, and payments from the over-75s were due to commence in June but that has now been postponed until later in the year.

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