Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Interview with the Vice-Chancellor
    • Country Highlight: The Netherlands
    • If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …
    • Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever
    • All About … Period Poverty
    • My Veggie Journey: How not being strictly Vegetarian is OK
    • Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month
    • Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Interview with the Vice-Chancellor

      May 23, 2022

      Retro? Chip shortage may bring vintage tech to your car.

      May 6, 2021

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever

      July 7, 2021

      Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month

      May 17, 2021

      Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021

      May 16, 2021
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      By Emily ShoultsMay 6, 20220
      Recent

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      May 6, 2022

      If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …

      August 3, 2021

      All About … Period Poverty

      May 17, 2021
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021

      Japan plan to release radioactive water into the ocean

      May 6, 2021

      The link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots

      April 29, 2021
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      The 48-hour rise and fall of the European Super League

      April 27, 2021

      The European Super League is announced

      April 19, 2021

      Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive S3’ is released

      April 7, 2021
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Bangor University Feminist Society

      March 30, 2021

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      March 17, 2021

      LGBT History Month in Bangor

      March 4, 2021
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»Arts & Culture»TV»BBC Four to become Archive Channel

    BBC Four to become Archive Channel

    0
    By James Tanner on May 1, 2021 TV
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Image by Pexels from Pixabay

    It has recently been reported that BBC Four will be made into an archive channel, no longer producing original content for its audiences. Since its launch in 2002, for nearly two decades it has provided a selection of diverting content, from documentaries and crime dramas to comedies and sketch shows; but in recent years has undergone considerable strain. The channel has sought to provide alternative BBC content, achieving some success especially with the popularity of such favourites like The Detectorists, the metal-detecting sitcom starring Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook and as an innovative base for arts and culture. It has even become a home for such international overseas hits, like the Nordic noir dramas The Killing and The Bridge, to name but a few (thankfully, long may this tradition continue). But has the decision to cease commissioning original content been a wise one?

    The news, which was released in March, seemed to reflect its sister channel BBC Three’s decision to disband in 2016, releasing its content directly to the online streaming platform BBC iPlayer. While this achieved significant success, having always marketed its programming to a younger demographic, it has been sadly short-lived as the decision was recently reversed. Compared to original favourites such as Gavin and Stacey and Being Human which relied on television ratings, more recent shows like Killing Eve and Normal People became successful through the convenience of streaming. So why, you may ask, does BBC Four feel like the elephant in the room in this respect? The channel, airing after 7pm has a small but devoted audience compared to its larger and established siblings BBC One and Two, which have run for over half a century, respectively. This has meant that BBC Four, the black sheep of the BBC family can become lost in the prime time viewing slot, and certainly in the past year has relied on running repeats of programmes from the BBC archives. But is there a future for the channel to operate in this way?

    It seems only time will tell concerning the channel’s future, as reruns of Top of the Pops and Bob Ross: The Joy of Painting become its lifeline. But while commissioning original content remains limited for the big leaders of satellite television, BBC Four will remain an option for viewers that still provides content they may have missed before or wish to revisit. 

    Being Human Bob Ross Gavin and Stacey
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    James Tanner

    TV Editor | 19-21

    Related Posts

    Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month

    May 17, 2021

    Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021

    May 16, 2021

    Too Close Review: Lust, Lies and Disaster

    May 9, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.