Proposals are being considered for the future funding of BBC Four by a global subscription model.
The niche channel, which broadcasts between the hours of 7 pm and 4 am each night, shows a range of programmes reflecting UK and international arts, music and culture.
Despite drawing in fewer than 1.3 million viewers, BBC Four has attracted a bit of a cult following - if you walk with a frame and wear a full set of dentures it is the place to be!
According to a recent article in Digital TV Europe the impoverished BBC - which can barely afford a pot to piss in, remember - is seeking to tap into this cult following by offering the channel to overseas viewers on a subscription basis.
"Outside the UK, we are exploring potential commercial opportunities for BBC Four to become a new global subscription service that takes our strengths in specialist factual to the world stage," the BBC said in its Annual Plan for 2020/21, which was released on Thursday.
"BBC Four will increase focus on bringing together collections of the most distinctive content from the BBC's rich archive."
This latest news will reassure viewers of the future security of BBC Four, which most feared was destined for the scrapheap. It comes shortly after rumours emerged that the BBC was seeking to reinstate BBC Three to a linear schedule.
The Annual Plan also outlined the BBC's strategy for engaging with younger audience members, who have been abandoning the national broadcaster in their droves. It intends to do the following:
- Shift a significant proportion of spending towards commissioning content for younger viewers;
- Expand and improve the BBC iPlayer, allowing users to access a wider range of box sets, improve availability and allow a greater degree of personalisation;
- Further invest in BBC Sounds, making it the home of the best non-BBC podcasts and developing on-demand music content and formats;
- Improving the BBC News app, to get down with the kids;
- Dumbing down BBC News, to do likewise.
The BBC highlights that the ongoing coronavirus crisis had already helped boost younger audience numbers, but given that people have been imprisoned in their homes and chained to their TV sets for the last two months the BBC can't take any credit for that.
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