[Keith]

So if they want to shut the Box Plus channels and they haven’t bothered about them for years anyway, why don’t they just close them? Unless it’s because they have contractual obligations to fill regarding them or maybe they might consider selling them or the slots off if they were offered the right price?

According to RXTV three of the Box channels "broadcast under branding licence to Bauer Media" (Kerrang! TV, Kiss TV, and Magic TV). I'd hazard a guess that the branding licence which covers these channels may be due for renewal sometime this year. No point in continuing to pay to use these brand names if revenue from those channels is falling and Channel 4 is looking to cut costs. I'd like to think the 4Music may be the last of these channels to close, if only due to it having a more direct link in it's name of Channel 4.

With regards to 4Extra I wouldn't be too surprised if Channel 4 consider 'moving' from linear TV to a FAST channel on their streaming service. They could then spin it that the channel "isn't closing" and it's part of their "digital first" approach.