Director-General Tim Davie has revealed today that BBC is focusing on creating “a digital-first public service media organisation.”
CBBC and BBC 4, as well as Radio 4 Extra, are going to be shut down, but not for a few more years. The earliest date the channels are axed is in 2025, so we have a while yet to enjoy. The BBC is keen on staying relevant and according to Davie, must reform. Davie has previously said he’s open to getting rid of the BBC licence fee.
Tim Davie told staff today: “This is our moment to build a digital-first BBC. Something genuinely new, a Reithian organisation for the digital age, a positive force for the UK and the world. Independent, impartial, constantly innovating and serving all. A fresh, new, global digital media organisation which has never been seen before.”
Only on Tuesday, The Times reported that Davie said the BBC was “miles away” from an internet-only BBC, but today’s announcement seems to imply that the move is inevitable and has started.
CBBC has been around since 2002 so its closure feels like a mammoth moment. While the programs probably won’t disappear, moving to streaming only is a risky move as the cost of living is rising in the UK and many families don’t have access to reliable, high-speed internet.
BBC is the latest organization to move towards streaming as it vows to invest more money into new programmes for the BBC iPlayer. Davie, and supposedly most of the BBC higher-ups, believe streaming is where especially young people are gravitating towards.
