BBC Three returns as a broadcast channel with a new focus on young people

BBC Three returns as a channel broadcast on February 1 with a new focus on youth.

“BBC Three has always historically focused on that under-35 demographic and so it’s certainly been a core part of our DNA,” said BBC Three’s controller. Fiona Campbell. “The new iteration of where we are creating – we are focusing on people 25 and under. That’s our great creative point because it’s a very specific stage of life. ”

Campbell, speaking at a media roundtable, added that commissions for the channel come from all over the UK. These include “Talks with Friends”, another adaptation of the coming-of-age Sally Rooney following the success of “Ordinary People”; “Hungry For It”, a form of food competition featuring Big Zuu, Stacey Dooley and Kayla Greer; “The Drop”, a streetwear competition with Clara Amfo and Miguel; and the car-based show “Gassed Up” organized by Mist.

The channel will also feature a weekly BBC News newsletter called ‘The Catch Up’, presented by emerging young journalistic talents, which addresses the needs of young people interacting with unseen news. private.

Campbell said: “BBC Three is going to be a buzz – over-focused on the diverse experience of young people in the UK today.

Among other programs, in addition to previously revealed “RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs World,” features the horror series “Red Rose”, the black comedy “Wrecked”, “Life and Death in the Warehouse”, a reality-based TV series that explores working conditions in a distribution center and “Peacock,” a gym-based comedy series about male toxicology.

BBC Three previously operated as a broadcast channel from 2003 to 2016, when it stopped broadcasting and was replaced by a digital-only version. BBC Three’s annual budget has been cut from £90 million ($120.6 million) in 2014 to £40 million. Although investment in BBC Three has now doubled to £80m, it has yet to reach 2014 levels. Earlier this month, the UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries Freeze the BBC’s royaltiesmain source of income for the corporation, which means a lack of income in real terms.

“It’s part of my job to continue to put together cases for further investment – it’s my duty to take that case and make it happen and I feel heard,” says Campbell. listen, so we’re where we are today,” Campbell said. The executive added that the channel is taking on a “new class of audience discovery,” and if that works out well and promises a return on investment, “perhaps I’ll have an easy-to-make case in one or two days.” two months”.

Meanwhile, addressing the question of why a return to linear broadcasting is necessary, given the young people, the audience BBC Three focuses on, often watch content via streaming, Campbell points out the Statistics show that two-thirds of 16-34 year olds in the UK have watched TV broadcast in recent weeks.

“A real linear moment creates a social chat moment [media] then push people to use it more [BBC streamer] iPlayer, so it’s like a big circle of consideration and discussion,” Campbell said.