Editing BBC Choice (section)

==History==
===Background===
The BBC had been wanting to expand into the digital television market for a number of years, as theit Director-General [[Sir John Birt]] said, "The BBC has always been a pioneer of technology"<ref name=bbcdigital/>. Originally this was by their association with Flextech, which spawned the [[UKTV]] network. Both companies had different ideas on how the new channels would be run: the BBC wanted the channels branded as BBC channels, but Flextech wanted the channels to contain advertising. The BBC refused, stating that no domestic BBC channel should carry advertising.

In the end, a compromise was made: Two of the channels would launch as BBC channels: '''BBC Showcase''', and '''BBC Learning''' (later became [[BBC Knowledge]]), with the remainder of the channels being launched as the UKTV network, intended to be BBC in all but name. Prior to the launch, the channel changed its name from BBC Showcase to BBC Choice.<ref name=bbcdigital/>

===Launch===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:BBC Choice ident.jpg|thumbnail|A former ident of BBC Choice, later changed to use a blue background. ]] -->
When BBC Choice launched in 23 September 1998, no digital TV receivers were available to the general public as [[Sky UK|Sky Digital]] and [[ITV Digital|ONdigital]] had not yet launched. Instead, the launch programme was broadcast over the internet, with the first day's schedule including a ''[[Tomorrow's World]]'' guide to digital television and repeats of the very first episodes of ''[[EastEnders]]'' and ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''.

The main format of the channel was a mix of BBC One and Two programming as well as original programming such as ''Backstage'', broadcast live each weeknight, which took viewers behind the scenes of different parts of the BBC. The channel also provided exclusive coverage of music festivals such as [[Glastonbury Festival|Glastonbury]] and extended live coverage of sport, for when either BBC One or Two have to end their coverage early or their schedules are unable to provide live sport action.

BBC Choice also introduced an innovative programme format known as 'Hotlink', which expanded on popular shows. Examples included ''[[Watchdog (TV programme)|Watchdog Extra]]'', where viewers could contact the show by phone or e-mail with either questions or feedback on the issues discussed. ''[[Crimewatch|Crimewatch Extra]]'' provided follow-up detail on the cases involved in the main programme, and ''Row Z'' was a football discussion forum that aired after ''[[Match of the Day]]'' finished on BBC One. The 'Hotlink' format has since been adopted by many other channels, particularly both [[ITV2]] and [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]].

BBC Choice initially broadcast from 5{{nbsp}}pm daily; this later switched to 7{{nbsp}}pm. The 7{{nbsp}}pm start carried over into its successor BBC Three.

===Children's programming===
BBC Choice also aired [[Children's television|children's programmes]]; this duty transferred to [[CBBC]] and [[CBeebies]] when they launched on 11 February 2002.

For the first year of BBC Choice, children's programming would air on weekend afternoons as '''CBBC Choice''', and included strands like 'Dog & Dinosaur', 'The Crew Room', 'L&K Replay' and 'Re:Peter'. From 29 November 1999, this was supplanted with a daily '''CBBC on Choice''' strand, running from 6{{nbsp}}am to 7{{nbsp}}pm every day, for programmes aimed at pre-school children, with presentation links pre-recorded by a CBBC presenter. It included repeats of archive shows rarely seen on the main channels, such as the first few series of ''[[Bodger & Badger]]'', ''[[Mr Benn]]'', ''[[Paddington (TV series)|Paddington]]'', ''[[Simon and the Witch]]'', ''[[Ivor the Engine]]'', ''[[Jonny Briggs]]'', ''[[Pigeon Street]]'',  and ''[[Bitsa]]''.  This continued until February 2002, when the [[CBBC]] and [[CBeebies]] channels launched, with the [[CBBC|CBBC channel]] taking up BBC Choice's daytime broadcast bandwidth, but occupying a separate [[electronic program guide|EPG]] position.

===Post-2000 refresh===
In June 2000, the BBC radically changed its digital channel formats. The initial format had seen BBC Choice target a similar mixed audience to BBC One and Two with a general entertainment skew, with BBC Knowledge focusing on educational and informative programming. From 2000 both Knowledge and Choice became targeted to more specific audiences, with Knowledge moving to a broader documentary and culture mix and Choice focusing on developing a stronger relationship with the young adult audience, which historically the BBC had difficulty reaching. BBC Choice abandoned many of its original programmes such as ''Backstage'', and aimed at younger people, with most of the early part of the schedules being made up of fifteen-minute programmes under the banner of "Refreshing TV" or "Micro TV". Entertainment news magazine ''[[Liquid News]]'', presented by [[Christopher Price (broadcaster)|Christopher Price]], evolved out of News 24's ''Zero 30'' and became the channel's flagship show.

===Announcement of the end of BBC Choice===
In August 2000, the BBC announced that it would replace BBC Choice with [[BBC Three]] as soon as possible, which would become a continuation of the "youth" aspect of the new BBC Choice. But the government delayed approving BBC Three, which formed part of wider plans to reshape the BBC's digital provision, plans which also included the proposed [[BBC Four]], two children's channels, and five digital radio stations. Whilst BBC Three was delayed, the other proposals gained the approval of Parliament and the new channels went on air in 2002, meaning BBC Four launched prior to BBC Three. From October 2001, BBC Choice began screening a significant amount of new, young-skewing programming, the kind of content that had been earmarked for BBC Three.

The BBC submitted a revised proposal for the new channel raised the target age range to 25–34 and increased the amount of factual and arts programming, with a nightly 15-minute news programme – it was hoped these changes would better illustrate how BBC Three would differ from rivals such as [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]], [[ITV2]] and [[Sky One]]. This new proposal for BBC Three was given the go-ahead in September 2002, with a set of public-service conditions laid down and a launch date of February 2003 set. The final night of BBC Choice was given over entirely to previews of the new channel.