BBC
welcomes approval for BBC THREE
The
BBC today welcomed the decision by Secretary of State for Culture,
Media and Sport Tessa Jowell, to approve proposals for BBC THREE,
a new public service television channel aimed at young adults.
BBC
Chairman Gavyn
Davies said: "We would like to thank the Secretary of State
for the approval she has given today.
"She
has laid out some demanding conditions in the approval but the Governors
agree that BBC THREE must be a high quality and distinctive public
service channel and we shall ensure that those conditions are met.
"BBC
THREE completes the BBC's portfolio of TV channels for the digital
age and will help promote digital take up."
BBC
Director-General Greg
Dyke said: "BBC THREE is central in our drive to connect
with young audiences. This has been a tough decision for the Secretary
of State and, looking back, I think she was right to push us to
define the channel more clearly.
"The
new channel will be launched in the New Year, and I'm confident
that it will bring a new public service concept to this currently
underserved audience."
With
fresh input from Jana
Bennett, who was appointed Director of Television during the
approvals process, the channel will have a mixed programme schedule,
offering something completely new to the young adult audience.
Jana
Bennett said: "BBC THREE should bring the best public service
values to a younger generation and offer something very different
from other digital channels.
"Current
affairs, education, culture, science, business, finance and ethics
are an important part of the programme mix for BBC THREE, as well
as the key components of drama and entertainment.
"Approval
is good news for both viewers and the TV production industry as
a whole, as the programming will largely be original productions
from talented BBC and independent producers across the UK.
"The
creative team behind BBC THREE are raring to go and their ideas
will bring enormous energy to the channel."
Stuart
Murphy, currently Controller of BBC Choice, who helped develop the
proposal, said: "It's great that the DCMS have given approval
for BBC THREE.
"It's
been a long time coming, but we are convinced that the mix of new
and established talent and programme ideas we have in mind for BBC
THREE will make it a uniquely creative channel.
"We
are particularly excited that we will now be able to offer new writing,
acting, presenting and production talent a place to experiment and
grow."
BBC
THREE
BBC
THREE's plans for intelligent and original entertainment and drama
will represent the majority of the output.
However,
the channel will also cover a wide range of programme genres.
More
than a third of the programmes made for BBC THREE will be news,
current affairs, education, music and the arts - around 15% of hours
broadcast.
No
other digital channel covers a full range of genres for young adults
with a mixed schedule in peak.
BBC
THREE will have a commitment to 15 hours of science, religion/ethics
and business per year, a dedicated 15 minute news programme every
weekday in peak and hourly bulletins until midnight.
It
will also have a commitment to promoting new talent both on and
off screen with at least six new talent initiatives each year.
The
team working on BBC THREE will build on recent successes in the
BBC Choice schedule including the North Eastern comedy Breezeblock;
Diners, currently showing on BBC TWO; and the current affairs special
War, Do or Die, presented by Jeremy Vine, about this generation's
attitude to war after September 11th.
BBC
THREE will also be an inherently multicultural, interactive channel
with 80% of airtime devoted to programmes specially commissioned
for the channel, and 90% of programming will be made in the UK.
At
least one quarter of the BBC THREE programme budget will be spent
on independent productions.
Notes
to Editors
The
proposal, which has been approved by the BBC Governors and its Executive
Committee, has been assessed against the requirements of public
service broadcasting and was submitted to the DCMS in December 2001.
The
ITC confirmed in a report earlier this year that the likely impact
on the television advertising market of BBC THREE would be around
£7 million.
The
previous submission was rejected by the DCMS in September 2001.
The
channel will broadcast from 7.00pm until 4.00am each day.
BBC
THREE joins BBC ONE, BBC TWO, BBC FOUR, CBBC and CBeebies as part
of the BBC's portfolio of television channels.
BBC
THREE and the other BBC digital channels will be available free-to-air
on all digital platforms, including the forthcoming digital terrestrial
platform Freeview.
Notes
to Picture Editors
Pictures
are available, for press use only, on the BBC's digital picture
service "specials" folder.
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