Mark Linsey’s career in television has progressed from producing An Audience with Freddie Starr to the heady heights of running BBC Television. As Acting Director of Television – following the abrupt departure of Danny Cohen – Linsey finds himself playing a critical part as Charter renewal gathers pace.
Ask how an executive with 30 years in entertainment shows might play such a crucial role, and this safe pair of hands reaches for the word “distinctive”.
A host of new long- and short-form programmes will be released on the BBC Three website, iPlayer and across social media following the switchover on 16 February.
The online service will build on BBC Three’s reputation for original British comedy and though-provoking documentaries. It will also be a home for contemporary British drama, innovative entertainment and current affairs programming.
The news was announced in a blog post by Nikki Carr, the channel’s Head of Marketing, as she unveiled the brand’s new visual identity.
“BBC Three's logo hasn't changed in 8 years,” wrote Carr, “so in an age of smartphones we needed a whole new system that fits the digital world, not something analogue just shoehorned into it.”
With 30,000 homeless young people having been refused local housing by councils in the last year alone, according to Centrepoint, Manderson aims to look at the problems underlying the issue of young homelessness in Sleeping Rough (working title).
"BBC Three is not closing, we are reinventing online," promised Damian Kavanagh, controller of BBC Three, after it was announced the youth-channel would be migrating from televisions to tablets and computers in the new year.
The decision, which has been mooted for several months, was met with a mixed reaction.
So BBC Three is set to close in February. Good.
The BBC Trust has today approved plans to move BBC Three online.
In a blog post, BBC Three controller Damian Kavanagh said the channel was adapting to meet the needs of young people.
Kavanagh promised the move would offer wider opportunities for talent, who would have space to experiment away from the constraints of linear television.
Please note that this video contains adult material.
This is the full video from this year's RTS Comedy event where chair Boyd Hilton asked members of the panel about comedy going online, the longevity of the genre and whether anything needs to change about what type of comedy is being commissioned.
Get an idea of what was discussed about comedy on television at the RTS No Laughing Matter event
Get an idea of what was discussed about comedy on television at the RTS No Laughing Matter event
Panellists BBC Comedy's Gregor Sharp, UKTV's Simon Lupton, Comedy actor Jessica Knappett, Channel 4's Nerys Evans were asked by Heat magazine's Boyd Hilton about the future of comedy.
Here they reveal the interest that remains in comedy and whether the genre will work online.