TV
BBC Choice is to air a new £9.5m drama series shortly after its rebrand to BBC3.
New Town will cost approximately £730,000 an hour - the equivalent of nine months of BBC1 soap EastEnders.
The industry has reacted with astonishment to the news.
One TV executive told the Media Guardian: "This makes a mockery of the government's consultation process. What is the point in having one if the BBC is just ploughing ahead with plans to change the channel into BBC3 anyway?"
Adam Stanhope, founder of Rapture TV, said: "BBC3 has been put forward as a way of driving digital take-up. If that is what it is trying to do then why are you not launching a channel at those who the more resistant to digital TV, such as the over-55s."
Stuart Murphy, BBC Choice controller, said that an increased programming budget allowed them to venture into new projects.
"Last year we had £57m, this year we have £97m. We don't need the go-ahead from government to spend this. We can go ahead with or without their permission," he said.
New Town will cost approximately £730,000 an hour - the equivalent of nine months of BBC1 soap EastEnders.
The industry has reacted with astonishment to the news.
One TV executive told the Media Guardian: "This makes a mockery of the government's consultation process. What is the point in having one if the BBC is just ploughing ahead with plans to change the channel into BBC3 anyway?"
Adam Stanhope, founder of Rapture TV, said: "BBC3 has been put forward as a way of driving digital take-up. If that is what it is trying to do then why are you not launching a channel at those who the more resistant to digital TV, such as the over-55s."
Stuart Murphy, BBC Choice controller, said that an increased programming budget allowed them to venture into new projects.
"Last year we had £57m, this year we have £97m. We don't need the go-ahead from government to spend this. We can go ahead with or without their permission," he said.
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