Editing BBC Three (section)

{{Short description|Television channel operated by the BBC}}
{{redirect|BBC3|the BBC radio station|BBC Radio 3|other uses|BBC3 (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = BBC Three
| logo = BBC Three 2022.svg
| logo_size = 215px
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2022
| launch_date = {{start date|2003|2|9|df=yes}} (original)<br />{{start date and age|2022|2|1|df=yes}} (relaunch)
| closed_date = {{end date|2016|2|15|df=yes}} (original) ({{age in years and days|2003|2|9|2016|2|15|df=yes}})
| language = English
| picture_format = [[1080i]]/[[1080p]]{{efn|1080p25 sometimes only on [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]]}} [[HDTV]]<br/><small>(downscaled to [[576i]] for the [[SDTV]] feed)</small>
| owner = [[BBC]]
| country = [[United Kingdom]]
| area = {{plainlist|
* United Kingdom
* [[Isle of Man]]
* [[Channel Islands]]
  }}
| network = [[BBC Television]]<br />[[BBC One]] (2019–2022)
| headquarters = London, England
| replaced = [[BBC Choice]] (2003)
| sister_channels = [[BBC One]]<br/>[[BBC Two]]<br/>[[BBC Four]]<br/>[[BBC News (UK TV channel)|BBC News]]<br/>[[BBC Parliament]]<br/>[[CBBC]]<br/>[[CBeebies]]<br/>[[BBC Scotland (TV channel)|BBC Scotland]]<br/>[[BBC Alba]]
| website = {{URL|https://bbc.co.uk/bbcthree}}
| availability_note = 
| terr_serv_1 = [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]]
| terr_chan_1 = Channel 23 (SD)<br />Channel 107 (HD; England & NI only)<br /> Channel 7 (Original)
| online_serv_1 = [[BBC iPlayer]]
| online_chan_1 = [https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcthree Watch live] (UK only)
}}
'''BBC Three''' is a British [[free-to-air]] [[Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom|public broadcast]] [[television channel]] owned and operated by the [[BBC]]. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes for a 16 to 34-year-old target audience. It covers all genres including particularly new comedies, drama, LGBTQ+ programmes, music, fashion, documentaries, brief news, adult animation, and drama series.<ref name="Service Licence"/> [[BBC iPlayer]], the BBC's video-on-demand service, launched in December 2007 and included BBC Three alongside the BBC's other channels at launch. The linear channel closed down on 15 February 2016 and relaunched on 1 February 2022, with programming appearing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the interim period.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/bbc-three-on-tv|title=T-Minus Three weeks until BBC Three is on TV|date=11 January 2022|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|series=Media Centre|access-date=27 January 2022|archive-date=11 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111110823/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/bbc-three-on-tv|url-status=live}}</ref> The channel broadcasts daily from 7:00 pm to 4:00 am, timesharing with [[CBBC]] (which starts at 7:00 am).

BBC Three is the BBC's youth-orientated television channel,<ref name=":2">{{cite web |author=Alex Ritman |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bbc-tv-boss-youth-network-799109/ |title=BBC TV Boss on Youth Network Going Online: It's a "Risk" – The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Hollywoodreporter.com |date=1 June 2015 |access-date=11 February 2022 |archive-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203013229/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bbc-tv-boss-youth-network-799109/ |url-status=live }}</ref> its remit to provide "innovative programming" to a [[target audience]] of viewers between 16 and 34 years old, leveraging technology as well as new talent.<ref name="Service Licence">{{cite web |title=BBC Three Service Licence |url=https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/tv/2013/bbc_three_sep13.pdf |date=September 2013 |publisher=BBC Trust |access-date=16 November 2013 |archive-date=22 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222135319/http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/tv/2013/bbc_three_sep13.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Unlike its commercial rivals, 90% of BBC Three's output originated from the United Kingdom. Notable exceptions were ''[[Family Guy]]'' and ''[[American Dad!|American Dad]]'' (both of them originating in the [[United States]]). It and sister channel [[BBC Four]] also carry occasional [[BBC Sport]] programming as an overflow for the BBC's other channels.

Following budget cuts at the BBC, the first iteration of the linear channel closed in February 2016, despite public opposition, with the channel continuing as on-demand content only within BBC iPlayer.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34932688|title=BBC Three to move online from February|date=26 November 2015|work=BBC News|access-date=20 July 2017|language=en-GB|archive-date=25 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825035251/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34932688|url-status=live}}</ref> It returned to broadcast television in the form of a late-night [[Block programming|strand]] on [[BBC One]] on Monday to Wednesday nights since 4 March 2019. On 2 March 2021, the BBC confirmed that it planned to relaunch BBC Three's [[linear television]] channel in 2022 subject to regulatory approval,<ref name="2022_relaunch2">{{cite web|date=2 March 2021|title=BBC Three to return as a broadcast channel in January 2022|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2021/bbc-three-broadcast-channel|access-date=2 March 2021|publisher=BBC|archive-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302140945/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2021/bbc-three-broadcast-channel/|url-status=live}}</ref> which was approved in November that year.<ref name="returnapproved">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59417784|title=BBC Three to return as TV channel in February|work=BBC News|date=25 November 2021|access-date=25 November 2021|archive-date=25 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125210315/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59417784|url-status=live}}</ref>