[T*]

The BBC wants to establish a dedicated home on iPlayer for BBC3 under plans to take the channel online, while Family Guy is likely to move to BBC2.

A dedicated team established to map out the future of BBC3 is finalising its plans to submit to the BBC

Trust this month. Insiders have indicated that the plans are much more ambitious than a simple “lift and shift” of the existing channel.

The main pillar of the proposals, which are being overseen by daytime controller Damian

Kavanagh, is expected to include the development of an online hub for BBC3 to act as a dedicated home for its programming and related editorial content. BBC3 currently has a channel presence on iPlayer from which it links to its shows, but has little supporting content.

The BBC3 iPlayer proposition will also host a range of short-form programming that will not air on linear TV. While the BBC has mooted plans to feature BBC3 original commissions on BBC1 or BBC2,

Kavanagh has indicated that he does not want all shows to be governed by the constraints of linear TV schedules. Rivals such as Vice Media have shown that content does not have to be restricted to traditional 30-minute and 60-minute slots.

Finally, the BBC is exploring the possibility of airing Family Guy on BBC2 after failing to resolve a long-running dispute with 20th Century Fox over featuring the series on iPlayer, due to piracy concerns.

Seth MacFarlane’s animated show, which regularly attracts more than 500,000 viewers to BBC3, is being eyed by BBC2 controller Kim Shillinglaw as a way to help the channel appeal to a younger audience.

She has already poached Russell Howard’s Good News and Backchat With Jack Whitehall And His Dad.

The BBC3 plans are expected to be submitted within the next few weeks, enabling the BBC Trust to kick off a six-month public service value test. The aim is to close the channel in autumn 2015.

It'll just be like when The Simpsons used to be on BBC 2 and South Park on 4!

I do hope that they put it on every night like bbc 3 does.

Sauce

[Shaun]

no thanks, BBC2 is for good programming

it's on about 8 times a night on FX, is that not enough?

[Ramsay]

Originally Posted by Shaun

no thanks, BBC2 is for good programming

[zakman440]

Still don't want BBC Three to go

[Cal.]

Eh, I watch it on Fox anyways

[Jake.]

don't have FX on BT Vision so I'm all for this

[Jordan.]

American Dad tho