BBC3: green light imminent

The Media Guardian has reported that the government may be on the brink of allowing BBC Choice to rebranded as BBC3, enabling the corporation to officially turn the digital channel into a youth station targeting 25-34 year-olds. Commercial broadcasters – especially Channel 4 – are against the move, claiming that it will pitch the licence-funded station directly against their youth service E4. But word is that Tessa Jowell, who will make an announcement on the future of the broadcasting licences post-ITV Digital, will also give the BBC the green light on its youth service. The logic is that she is unlikely to reject a new digital channel at the same time as trying to make a success of digital television in general. Since BBC3 was first rejected by the government last year the BBC has placed greater emphasis on news and current affairs for a young audience in the service’s remit, with a stronger commitment to British production and a move away from the 16 - 25 age bracket. It is likely any green light would include strict guidelines to ensure the corporation stick to these commitments – especially the use of British made shows over US imports. Of course some media insiders note that BBC Choice, with its three cubes logo, is pretty much already BBC and that any official green light will just be rubber stamping a youth services that is already evolving.