BBC Three was a television channel launched in 2003 by the BBC to target 16-34 year olds. In 2014, due to budget cuts, it was proposed that BBC Three become an online-only service to save £30 million per year. In 2016, the television channel ceased operations and was replaced by an online version on the BBC app and website. The new BBC Three offers around four hours of new content per week across various online platforms like YouTube and Facebook. A soap opera set in a boarding school was proposed as it could feature storylines on prominent issues appealing to younger audiences and have a diverse cast due to many characters.

1. By Chelsie Brandrick
Unit 4 – Soap Opera Online Research
BBC Three was a British television channel operated by the British Broadcasting
Corporation. It was launched on February 9th 2003 as a replacement for BBC Choice
and its target audience is aimed at viewers between the ages of 16 and 34 years old.
The majority of BBC3 content originates in the United Kingdom, which is rare in
comparison to the channels competitors. 70% of BBC 3 content is original and it covers
all genres, including animation, comedy, current affairs and drama.
In March 2014, as the result of a planned £100 million budget cut across the BBC, it
was proposed that BBC Three be discontinued as a satellite television service and be
converted to an online service that would be accessible via the BBC app or website.
There was significant public opposition to the new proposal, several celebrities spoke
out about the matter and a petition on change.org gained over 300,000 signatures.
However, in February 2016 the television channel ceased operations and was officially
replaced by the online-only version in an attempt to save the corporation approximately
£30 million a year.
BBC 3’s move online aligns the service more closely with services such as Netflix and
Amazon Prime where complete box sets are available to watch. The new BBC3 offers
around four hours a week of new content on a website, iPlayer, YouTube, Facebook
and Snapchat.
BBC stated that it ‘is disciplined in its focus on young audiences and 16-34 year olds
are its centre of gravity: people who are young in sprit and mind’ are what they focus on.
There are many documentaries, comedies, dramas and social experiment videos
currently being broadcasted on BBC Three, so there is space to commission a soap
opera without competition.
My soap opera idea is based in a boarding school in the English countryside, which
would enable the show to have a disposable and diverse cast as well as feature
storylines that cover a range of prominent issues that the younger generation would
enjoy watching. As the soap opera is set in a school it would most definitely appeal to

2. By Chelsie Brandrick
the BBC Target audience of 16-34 as all ranges of the target audience can relate to the
cast of students, staff and teachers that will be a variety of ages.
BBC Three haven’t featured a television show that is similar to mine before but as they
say they are ‘never afraid to try new things’ I think that the commission of a new project
would be beneficial for their channel. The commission would add variety to their current
broadcasts, appeal and attract new viewers and allow BBC Three to explore new
genres, storylines and promote important issues such as gender equality, race,
sexuality and discrimination to a young audience who may seek advice, guidance and
education on these topics.