[Radio_man]

I'm not sure if this is the most appropriate forum for this thread. If not, can Admin please move it to the most suitable forum.

iNews is reporting this today. I'm not sure whether to take it seriously or not. It mentions Tim Davie talking about completely switching off the Freeview platform in the 2030s.
inews.co.uk 

BBC plans to switch off broadcast TV and move to internet-only programmes, direc…
Broadcast switch-off means BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four could be fou…
  Source: inews.co.uk

BBC plans to switch off broadcast TV and move to internet-only programmes, director-general says

Broadcast switch-off means BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four could be found under a single internet-only BBC ‘brand’

The BBC is planning to close its broadcast channels, including BBC One, and move to an internet-only distribution of programmes, director-general Tim Davie has revealed.

The BBC could close more linear channels in the near future as it “consolidates activity under one simple, single brand,” he told the Royal Television Society.

BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four could be united under a single brand, which he described as “the BBC”.

The corporation is planning to switch off its broadcast services, such as the Freeview digital terrestrial platform.

“The BBC will focus its effort on the digital world and over time this will mean fewer linear broadcast services and a more tailored joined up online offer,” Mr Davie said.

“For the BBC, internet-only distribution is an opportunity to connect more deeply with our audiences and to provide them with better services and choice than broadcast allows.”

“It provides significant editorial opportunities. A switch off of broadcast will and should happen over time, and we should be active in planning for it.”

Mr Davie promised that “we must work together to ensure that everyone is connected, and can get their TV and radio via the internet. This isn’t something to resist. A fully connected UK has very significant benefits for society and our economy. It would unleash huge opportunities for innovation”.

He added: “Of course, there’s a bad way it could happen. Where access to content is no longer universal. Or is unaffordable for too many. Where the gateway to content is owned by well capitalised overseas companies.”

BBC sources said they expect linear TV, which was still widely valued, to continue into the 2030s but it was wise for the BBC to begin preparations now for a future digital transition.

The plan did not mean BBC One, Two, Three and Four would close, sources said – although some have suggested that BBC shows could increasingly be grouped under categories such as Knowledge, Entertainment or Sport, as live viewing on scheduled TV channels wanes.

Mr Davie said the BBC cannot fund the national broadband and 5G infrastructure upgrades required to move towards broadcast “switch-off”. But it “can collaborate with others to make a move to online attractive to all, and play a big part in educating people about the transition”.

A 30 per cent real-terms cut in the licence fee over a decade meant the BBC would need to reduce its “brands” – the merger of BBC World News and domestic news channel, due to take place next spring, was an example of the direction the broadcaster will follow.

Following the Culture Secretary, Michelle Donelan’s assertion that the licence fee in its current form is unsustainable, due to an increasing number of households declining to pay, Mr Davie said: “We are open minded about future funding mechanics, but we are clear that it is critical we have a universal solution that fuels UK public service growth – not stifles it – while offering audiences outstanding value for money.”

[DTV]

Quite frankly I'll file this under 'typical BBC long-term plan', i.e. this isn't happening.

While I don't doubt that broadcast television will disappear eventually, this timeframe is simply unrealistic and I doubt will be possible (politically or practically) given the internet infrastructure that currently exists and is likely to exist in a decade. There is still value in a linear stream, let alone one that is broadcast via non-internet means and this just has the ring of one of the many 'in ten years' time' ideas that get thrown out from time to time which never come to fruition.

[W. Knight]

That sounds like a really early April Fools joke for me.

[Keith]

I think the telling part of that article is the paragraph...

BBC sources said they expect linear TV, which was still widely valued, to continue into the 2030s but it was wise for the BBC to begin preparations now for a future digital transition.

So basically making preparations for that depends on what if anything replaces the current licence fee. It also covers for if Freeview were to close in the future.

That said, I could imagine the radio stations on Freeview being removed, with connected TVs using the Sounds app instead.

[Jon]

That sounds like a really early April Fools joke for me.

It’s not April though. I hardly think it’s an unrealistic if we look at how viewing habits have changed in the last decade and that’s likely to be accelerated over the next. 

It doesn’t make sense for this not be the next change.

[Radio_man]

There are still many rural and remote areas of Britain that don't have broadband internet access. Unless government launches a major rollout of high speed broadband to every area of Britain over the next 10-15 years, how will people in remote and rural areas of Britain access TV and Radio services? Some remote areas currently can only pick up satellite TV, as even the Freeview signal is too poor.

[i.h]

There are still many rural and remote areas of Britain that don't have broadband internet access. Unless government launches a major rollout of high speed broadband to every area of Britain over the next 10-15 years, how will people in remote and rural areas of Britain access TV and Radio services? Some remote areas currently can only pick up satellite TV, as even the Freeview signal is too poor.

Not "many":

Ofcom say:

Factoring in the coverage estimates provided by FWA providers, we estimate that there remain
around 83,000 premises that do not have access to a decent broadband service from a fixed network
or an FWA network. This has fallen from our estimate of 99,500 in our Spring Update.

FWA being a reference to fixed wireless, i.e. 4G/5G or specially built wireless networks.

The BBC's press release specifically references Freeview, probably as it is very costly to run - so how many of the 83k are somehow so rural that they can't get broadband (and won't by the time this actually happens), somehow receive good Freeview service today, and somehow couldn't get Freesat?

[Newshound47]

People are underestimating how confusing this will be for many people. I know many  people who don’t know how to type something into a Tv or access an built in app or use a fire stick. It’s way more of a change than digital switchover.

---

That sounds like a really early April Fools joke for me.

It’s not April though. I hardly think it’s an unrealistic if we look at how viewing habits have changed in the last decade and that’s likely to be accelerated over the next. 

It doesn’t make sense for this not be the next change.

Habits have changes for many people but a lot of people still watch entirely linear and those are the people without the technical skills to easily cope with this.

---

There are still many rural and remote areas of Britain that don't have broadband internet access. Unless government launches a major rollout of high speed broadband to every area of Britain over the next 10-15 years, how will people in remote and rural areas of Britain access TV and Radio services? Some remote areas currently can only pick up satellite TV, as even the Freeview signal is too poor.

Not "many":

Ofcom say:

Factoring in the coverage estimates provided by FWA providers, we estimate that there remain
around 83,000 premises that do not have access to a decent broadband service from a fixed network
or an FWA network. This has fallen from our estimate of 99,500 in our Spring Update.

FWA being a reference to fixed wireless, i.e. 4G/5G or specially built wireless networks.

The BBC's press release specifically references Freeview, probably as it is very costly to run - so how many of the 83k are somehow so rural that they can't get broadband (and won't by the time this actually happens), somehow receive good Freeview service today, and somehow couldn't get Freesat?

A lot more people can’t get broadband that is fast enough to stream one programme at a time let alone more than one at a time.

Also live events is still a minute behind. No way will people be able for sport to be so far behind and people at the event to have plenty of time to tweet a development before they see it.

[i.h]

A lot more people can’t get broadband that is fast enough to stream one programme at a time let alone more than one at a time.

Also live events is still a minute behind. No way will people be able for sport to be so far behind and people at the event to have plenty of time to tweet a development before they see it.

The ofcom definition of "decent" is 10Mbps or more. You really only need a couple of Mbps for streaming to work, so that actually reduces the 83k further.

Complaining about live streaming delays is a hell of a reach. I'm not sure it justifies the maintenance of the entire Freeview system! I haven't compared the BT TV internet mode to Freeview, but logically that should be much lower delay than iPlayer or other OTT streaming services.

[Kojak]

Well, BBC Four, CBBC and the News channel (yes, I know, that’s a merger) are all being closed down over the next couple of years anyway. Is it really a stretch to imagine some of the other channels closing, too? I expect BBC Parliament is not too long for this world, and for all the bluster about BBC Three’s return, no one seems to watch it.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there were ultimately a return to a more analogue-style offering of BBC One, Two and maybe some form of BBC News/World. In fact I’d say the same will go for all channels - the extra channels from all the networks were very much a product of the 2000s, and on-demand is eroding the need for them.