BBC To Close Linear Channels & Consolidate Under One Brand, Reveals Tim Davie
deadline.comThe BBC is to close linear channels in the near future as it “consolidates activity under one simple, single brand,” Director General Tim Davie has revealed, as he unveiled a blueprint for a digitally-led Public Service Broadcaster.
Davie didn’t elaborate on the linear closures during an RTS talk this morning but the declaration raises the possibility of BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four uniting under a single brand, which he described as “the BBC.” Channel 4 is soon to enact a similar move by rebranding its VoD platform All4 to Channel 4 and changing the name of its portfolio channels. “The BBC will focus its effort on the digital world and over time this will mean fewer linear broadcast services and a more tailored joined up online offer,” said the DG.
Some of this has already started happening, added Davie, who pointed to the controversial move to combine the BBC News Channel with BBC World News.
Davie, who has been in post two years now, stressed the need for more investment to lead the BBC into an Internet-only digital future. “Inevitably all this requires another choice and that is to actively, dare I say happily, invest in the BBC,” he added, in the speech to grandees, journalists and commentators in Central London. “Moving to digital is not the challenge in of itself, moving to digital while not losing most of your audience and burning millions of pounds unnecessarily is the challenge.” His talk came a day after UK Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said it is “impossible” for the license fee to remain the BBC’s funding model after 2027 and a review is currently taking place into the corporation’s future funding.
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