BBC3 online move delayed until 2016.
Image: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Damien Kavanagh, Digital Controller at BBC 3, has announced that the move to make the channel online only has been postponed to 2016.

In a bid to save money the channel announced last year that it would move to online only.

However, BBC bosses are still awaiting the results of a public value test carried out by the BBC Trust.

Mr Kavanagh told Broadcast: ‘Once we have the Trust’s final decision, we’ll start doing more online and in social, building up to a move online-only after Christmas.’

The move is contested as two TV executives have previously offered the BBC £100 million to buy the channel.

Jimmy Mulville and Jon Thoday run production companies Hat-Trick and Avalon respectively.

Mulville told the Broadcasting Press Guild earlier this year that the BBC were going:

to close a channel which actually speaks to a more diverse mix of community than any other channel in their family of TV channels so if they are successful and they do close down BBC3 the BBC will at one fell swoop become more middle-aged, more middle-class and whiter and that is the truth.

BBC TV boss Danny Cohen previously defended the decision by saying a move online would help them find young talent and reach young audiences.