Editing BBC Four (section)

==History==
[[File:BBC Four.svg|thumb|Logo used from 2002 to 2021]]
BBC Four launched on 2 March 2002 at 7:00&nbsp;pm [[GMT]], having been delayed from the original planned 2001 launch. BBC Four began as a late schedule for BBC Two, before it received its own channel, along with [[BBC Three]]. BBC Four was launched before BBC Three as a result of the government delaying approval for the latter. The channel replaced [[BBC Knowledge]], an educational and cultural channel that had undergone many changes throughout its lifetime; in its final format it carried a schedule of documentaries and art programming, essentially a test of the new BBC Four schedule. It was rebranded as part of BBC Four, aligning it with the existing BBC One and Two brands. Planning for the new channel, along with the new [[BBC Three]], had been in progress since October 2000; however, the incumbent government delayed approving the new BBC digital plans. The BBC Four plans were approved earlier, and as a result launched before BBC Three.

BBC Four was different from the old BBC Knowledge: the channel would be more heavily promoted with more new and original programming and the channel would not be broadcast 24 hours a day. This was because on the [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] [[digital terrestrial]] platform, BBC Four is broadcast in a [[statistical time division multiplexing|statistically multiplexed]] stream in Multiplex B that timeshares with the [[CBeebies]] channel (which is on air from 06:00 until 19:00). As a result, BBC Four broadcasts from 19:00 to around 04:00 each night, with an hour's down-time and promotions for CBeebies before the start of that channel's schedule.

On 12 May 2011, BBC Four was added to the Sky [[EPG]] in the Republic of Ireland on channel 230. It later moved to EPG 211 to free up space for new channels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theairwaves.net/channelnews/4399-ireland-extra-bbc-channels-being-added-to-sky-epg |title=Ireland: Extra BBC channels being added to Sky EPG |publisher=The Airwaves |date=2 May 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507070203/http://www.theairwaves.net/channelnews/4399-ireland-extra-bbc-channels-being-added-to-sky-epg |archive-date=7 May 2011 }}</ref> It later moved to channel 143 on 1 May 2018 to sit beside the [[BBC Northern Ireland|Northern Irish]] versions of [[BBC One]] and [[BBC Two]] there, and the 200s being used for +1 channels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.a516digital.com/2018/05/sky-completes-biggest-channel-reshuffle.html |title=Sky completes biggest channel reshuffle – a516digital |publisher=a516digital |date=1 May 2018}}</ref>

On 17 August 2018, BBC Four announced BBC 4.1, a special two nights of programming which would revolve around [[artificial intelligence]] (AI) selecting the programmes broadcast on the channel, based on "what BBC Four audiences might like, based on the channel's previous schedules and programme attributes." It would then "[rank] programmes it thought were most relevant [to what BBC Four viewers would like]."<ref name="BBCMediaCentre">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/bbc-four-ai|title=BBC Four announces experimental AI and archive programming|date=17 August 2018|website=BBC Media Centre|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221125701/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/bbc-four-ai|archive-date=21 February 2020|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> The programming was aired on the nights of 4 and 5 September 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/ai-to-create-channel-schedule-and-new-programmes-in-bbc-technology-trial-508623|title=AI to create BBC channel schedule and new programmes in technology trial|last=Sherwin|first=Adam|date=17 August 2018|website=i News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423105339/https://inews.co.uk/news/ai-to-create-channel-schedule-and-new-programmes-in-bbc-technology-trial-508623|archive-date=23 April 2020|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> This included a few special programmes about AI,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06jt9ng|title=AI TV on BBC 4.1|website=BBC|date=4 September 2018 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423104927/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06jt9ng|archive-date=23 April 2020|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> such as "Made by Machine: When AI Met The Archive", which documented how the AI works,<ref name="BBCMediaCentre" /> and "The Joy of AI", where "the emergence of machine learning" is discussed, as well as "why [AI] shouldn't spook us".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tech/bbc-4-turns-to-ai-to-create-two-nights-of-programming-about-ai/5131773.article|title=BBC 4 turns to AI to create two nights of programming about AI|last=Bickerton|first=Jake|date=20 August 2018|website=Broadcast|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709132807/https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/tech/bbc-4-turns-to-ai-to-create-two-nights-of-programming-about-ai/5131773.article|archive-date=9 July 2019|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bhwhw1|title=BBC Four {{en dash}} The Joy of AI|website=BBC|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026222356/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bhwhw1|archive-date=26 October 2019|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref>

On 19 February 2019, Virgin Media stopped providing BBC Four in standard definition.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.a516digital.com/2019/02/virgin-media-to-move-bbc-hd-channels-to.html |title=Virgin Media to move BBC HD channels to prime EPG slots |access-date=19 February 2019 |archive-date=20 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220063119/https://www.a516digital.com/2019/02/virgin-media-to-move-bbc-hd-channels-to.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Due to the launch of [[BBC Scotland (TV channel)|BBC Scotland]] on 24 February 2019, BBC Four has been on a higher [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] EPG number in Scotland than elsewhere, moving to 82 to make room for BBC Scotland. Following eventual closures, it moved to channel 75 there, and later to channel 68, and eventually channel 55.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Why BBC Four is moving channels AGAIN on Scottish Freeview...|url=https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/10/why-bbc-four-is-moving-channels-again.html|access-date=20 May 2020|archive-date=16 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016104208/https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/10/why-bbc-four-is-moving-channels-again.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> On 4 November 2020, due to [[Ofcom]] proposals regarding certain PSB channels requiring greater prominence on each UK TV provider's channel listing, BBC Four moved to channel 24 in Scotland, while every channel from [[ITV4|that number]] ([[ITV4]]) to [[5Select|channel 54]] ([[5Select]]) moved up one place.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Revised rules on the allocation of LCNs to public service channels - Freeview|date=2 September 2020 |url=https://www.freeview.co.uk/psb-lcn-rules|access-date=2 September 2020}}</ref>

In May 2020, the BBC submitted its annual general plan for 2020–21, which included a proposal for BBC Two to supplant BBC Four as its main outlet for specialist programmes. Under the plan, BBC Four would cease originating new programmes, and become a service showcasing the BBC's "rich archive". The plan also included the possibility of the BBC expanding BBC Four into a global brand, to "[take] our strengths in specialist factual to the world stage."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Global ambitions for BBC Four; changes for BBC Two|url=https://www.rxtvlog.com/2020/05/global-ambitions-for-bbc-four-changes.html|date=20 May 2020|website=RXTVlog|access-date=20 May 2020}}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC Eyes Plan To Make BBC Four A Global Subscription Service|url=https://deadline.com/2020/05/bbc-considers-bbc-four-global-subscription-service-1202939262/|last=Kanter|first=Jake|date=20 May 2020|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=20 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC - Annual Plan - record-breaking performance but challenges ahead - Media Centre|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/annual-plan|website=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=20 May 2020}}</ref>

On 26 May 2022, the BBC announced plans to discontinue BBC Four as a broadcast channel within "the next few years", as part of plans to streamline and modify services to create a "digital-first" BBC.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 May 2022 |title=BBC to move CBBC and BBC Four online |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-61591674 |access-date=26 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lodderhose |first=Diana |date=26 May 2022 |title=BBC To Close CBBC & BBC Four As Linear Channels; 1,000 Jobs At Risk As Public Broadcaster Begins Its "Digital First" Push |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/bbc-close-cbbc-bbc-four-linear-channels-1000-redundancies-expected-public-broadcaster-next-few-years-1235033365/ |access-date=26 May 2022 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":03">{{Cite web |title=Plan to deliver a digital first BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/plan-to-deliver-a-digital-first-bbc/ |access-date=26 May 2022 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> In March 2023, it was reported that the BBC was considering a reversal of the decision, citing its viewership and low cost of operation, and concerns that the relaunch of BBC Three as a linear channel had not been successful: the aforementioned cuts to original programming had reduced its budget by half in comparison to 2017, and the channel's reach in February 2023 was 15.8 million—which was 50% higher than BBC Three in the same month.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Goldbart |first1=Jake Kanter, Max |last2=Kanter |first2=Jake |last3=Goldbart |first3=Max |date=31 March 2023 |title=BBC Considers U-Turn On Closing BBC4 |url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/bbc-considers-bbc4-closure-u-turn-1235314448/ |access-date=31 March 2023 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>