BBC3 'not for sale'
BBC bosses have ruled out selling digital station BBC3 after major independent producers stepped forward in an effort to keep the channel on TV and pump in extra cash.
Production firms Hat Trick and Avalon joined forces in a bid to buy the channel rather than see it taken off air and made into more of an online and iPlayer presence as part of the corporation's cost savings.
The firms - behind shows such as Have I Got News For You and Not Going Out - confirmed they had put forward a plan to acquire the channel.
They said they would give BBC3 a budget more than three times higher than the one proposed by the BBC if it becomes an online proposition.
The buyout bid came to light as the BBC Trust launched a public consultation into the future of the youth-focused channel, along with further proposals to revamp the iPlayer from being mainly a catch-up service to offering online-first content, as well as the launch of a "+1" service for BBC1.
Budget cut to £30m
A statement issued on behalf of Hat Trick and Avalon said: "Under the new ownership, BBC3 would continue to broadcast on all digital platforms, all current contracts would be honoured and the channel's programme budget would be increased from £81 million to £100 million a year.
"Under the BBC's plans to take the channel online, that budget is to be cut to £30 million a year.
"All original commissions would be made by UK companies and the channel would continue to be aimed at a young and ethnically diverse audience."
However the BBC ruled flatly ruled out any possibility of a sale.
A spokesman for the corporation said: "BBC3 is not for sale because it's not closing. The proposal to move it online is part of a bold move to reinvent the BBC's offer for young people."
The BBC Trust said it would respond to the approach in due course.
The trust today launched a "public value test" (PVT) to scrutinise the BBC Executive's plans to close BBC3 as a broadcast channel in the autumn.
How market will be affected
Over the next few months the consultation will gather views from the public and many other interested parties over the raft of proposals, and Ofcom has also launched an assessment of how the plans would affect the UK broadcasting market.
In its proposal the BBC Executive said: "BBC3 will focus on the most distinctive and best-loved aspects of the existing BBC3 - namely comedy and new talent, risk taking and innovation, and specialist factual and journalism.
"Cost per hour is likely to be maintained or to increase and the quality of the service enhanced as there will be greater focus on distinctive public service programming aimed at 16-34s such as Our War.
"The transition of a mainstream TV channel online is a bold move - no other PSB (public service broadcaster) has done this - but a key ambition is that the move will encourage innovation in new forms of public service digital content and enable the BBC and the wider creative economy to prepare effectively for the future, developing new skills and experimenting with new ways to deliver public purposes."
Diane Coyle, vice chairman of the BBC Trust, said: "We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the views of audiences and the wider industry are heard in any discussion about the proposed changes to BBC3 and to other BBC services.
"We encourage anyone interested to contribute to the consultation and have their say on the proposals."
The controller of BBC3, Damian Kavanagh, said the corporation was aiming to make content available in places where young people were most likely to consume it.
He said: "We would make content for the places they are, on Snapchat and WhatsApp, on Tumblr and Facebook, on Twitter and YouTube, and most importantly we want you to feel like new BBC3 belongs to you and bring you in to help define what we make, giving you a voice."
He said BBC3 programmes would not lose their TV presence entirely - they would be screened by BBC1 and BBC2.
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