BBC Four & CBBC to close

[Roger Darthwell]

Just like the humungous disaster that is the new logo and BBC Reith, the BBC just keep making misstep after misstep.

They scrapped (or moved online) BBC3, a decision we all nearly unanimously agreed was a cock-up of monumental proportions back at the blue place. BBC3 was the best ever bridge Auntie built between itself and the 18-34yo demographic - it has always struggled with this so BBC3 (not my taste personally) was a triumph of organisational survival planning.

And BBC4. I know I am not alone with this here in the purple place about my affection for this channel (or how it used to be anyway in its first decade). Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty to get your teeth stuck into on BBC4 but not as much as before, IMO.

BBC4 is perfect territory for a number of key groups within society more likely to vote. Gen Xers like me, Baby Boomers, higher earners, opinion formers, and, dare I say it, the London liberal elite. BBC4 is a great example of "soft power" - giving the BBC more influence in the corridors of power than perhaps it should do considering its viewing figures, similar in a way to BBC Parliament.

It was also natural publicity magnet for the number of reviews its programmes got in the press relative to the audience size for individual shows.

It really was a place to think and have your perceptions and knowledge challenged - a place you might find out you were wrong all along about something you thought you were right about.

What a pity.

I completely agree with you, but as many others have said, the BBC is not going to save a lot of money by closing BBC Four, to be fair given that it's becoming an archive channel, it must cost very little to run