BBC Three confirmed to move from TV to iPlayer and online-only service by March 2016

The controversial provisional plans have been approved by the BBC Trust
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Ben Travis26 November 2015

The future of BBC Three has long been in question, but the BBC Trust have now confirmed plans for the youth-focused TV channel to become an online-only service.

The move is confirmed to take place in the early months of 2016, and is set to be complete by the end of February.

Additional conditions for the channel’s closure have been made, with the BBC Trust confirming that BBC Three’s “longform” content will be aired on either BBC One or BBC Two after BBC Three closes.

BBC One and BBC Two will also have a commitment to create programmes for younger audiences.

A blog post from BBC Three Controller Damian Kavanagh is keen to stress that BBC Three will still exist in some form, particularly online and on iPlayer.

“BBC Three is not closing, we are reinventing online,” he writes. “We will not be a scheduled 7pm to 4am linear broadcast TV channel but we will be everywhere else giving you the freedom to choose what to watch when you want.”

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Suzanna Taverne, Chair of the BBC Trust's Services Committee, said: “The decision to close a TV channel is a difficult one, and one we have not taken lightly.

“The BBC must adapt with its audiences; the evidence is very clear that younger audiences are watching more online and less linear TV.”

She added: “The plans enable the BBC to deliver more distinctive content online, while bearing down on costs; to address concerns about the impact of moving BBC Three online, we have set new requirements for programmes for younger audiences on BBC One and Two.”

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