[Rex]

If they did so, Sky would gain a significant audience to children who can't get Sky or NOW. But that's a near 0% chance, Sky are in the business of boosting their Pay TV services and Sky Kids is a part of that. Smart of them to target the preschool audience where linear TV is still viable. 

The CBBC closure is one to keep a very close eye on in the long term, I expect them to go further into detail of where they plan to take the brand forward either later this year or in 2024. They did something similar in December 2014 when they outlined the initial BBC Three online plan

With the risk of going slightly off topic, the last update we had on CBBC's closure (and of BBC Four BTW) was in May last year where Charlotte Moore (the BBC's Chief Content Officer) said that the channels won't close "until we think they don't bring value to audiences".  "At the moment, they are extremely good value," Moore insisted. "We won't close those channels until there is that tipping point. Now when that tipping point will come, when we think, 'Actually, that isn't providing value to audiences', none of us quite know, but we're using data to evaluate that all the time." 
Make of that what you will

Been very aware of that. Internally this is the argument that ITV has made in closing down CITV; the budget is there, but the children aren't there watching it. It was astute of them to provide actual data supporting their justification to close the channel. ITV are in a bit of a lucky position regarding their other channels. ITV2 and 3 consistently rate well to the point where the latter is the most-watched channel outside of the 5 main channels, ITV4 and Be perform well too. 

The real argument Moore made was, how much are we spending on this channel? And is it possible to have a viable audience watching to justify that programming budget?

CBBC has the same problem CITV has. There is money to be invested in children's content but the audiences are continuing to shrink to a level where the BBC has to rethink on what kind of service it has to offer for children. No doubt that a linear closure for sure will impact those without reliable internet access at the moment. 

BBC Four as of the last annual report only cost around £22m to run but it has been so neutered as a channel that the BBC can't possibly risk salami-slicing the budget again and again. What else will go from it? The international drama? The arts performances? Right now both channels offer value but from a realistic perspective the Beeb is looking at the situation for the long term. And I'm sure all broadcasters are doing so too for their own linear services.