[Neil Jones]

Many older people (a quarter of 75+) also have no access to the internet at all, so to deprive them of BBC Four is also unfair. This will, additionally, be seen as a double-whammy hit because of the end of universal free TV licenses for the elderly.

I'd be quite confident that the majority of over 75s that don't use the internet also don't use most of the channels available to them on linear TV. Many older people find it the nature of navigating digital TV very complicated and stick to what they know (BBC1, 2, ITV1, C4, and to an extent C5). I don't think that BBC Four would be a staple for most of them. The 'traditional' channels already show content that they enjoy anyway.

Indeed, my late grandmother (never used said internet) had access to all the channels on Freeview, and never ever went past ITV. Don't think she ever saw anything on Channel 4. never mind channels higher on the EPG.. The content consumed was usually on BBC One, ITV(1) or occasionally BBC Two (she liked watching Dad's Army). If any other channel had come on it was usually by accident.

But anyway you don't miss what you don't have (or don't use).