BBC4 could be axed or have its programmes made online only – to pay for BBC3’s return to TV 

BBC4 could be axed to put BBC3 back on TV, it was claimed last night.

Corporation bosses are deciding what to include in the broadcaster’s Annual Plan. 

One change, as revealed by the Daily Mail this week, could see BBC3 reinstated to TV after it was moved online-only four years ago – a move that was hoped to save more than £50million a year.

But there are concerns that the money needed to reinstate BBC3 would be raised by getting rid of BBC4 and moving its programmes on to BBC2 or online-only.

A BBC source said: ‘No matter what the BBC does, it can’t do something in one area without chopping in another.’

Spending on BBC4 shows was £44million, according to the last annual report, though it is unclear what the channel’s total budget is. 

Figures show it reaches 11.8 per cent of the UK population each week. 

Axing BBC4 could be seen as being in line with the corporation’s plans to focus less on its traditional metropolitan heartlands and more on poorer and younger viewers.

But industry insiders say that BBC4’s audience includes some of the corporation’s most loyal supporters.

One source said: ‘The bad side of taking BBC4 off the television is that opinion-makers and influencers within political circles are probably going to miss BBC4 programming much more than being pleased that BBC3 is reaching a wider base of 16 to 34s. I don’t think the BBC4 audience will be as driven to find programming online.’

Returning BBC3 to TV would also raise eyebrows as the current trend is towards streaming content online.

A BBC spokesman said it hadn’t announced its Annual Plan, so people shouldn’t ‘get ahead of themselves’.