BBC Switch facts for kids
 |
|
| Industry | Media |
|---|---|
| Genre | Youth |
| Founded | 20 October 2007 |
| Defunct | 18 December 2010 |
|
Area served
|
United Kingdom |
| Services | Programming block on BBC Two Programming block on BBC Radio 1 Online Portal |
| Owner | BBC |
BBC Switch was a special brand from the BBC. It was made just for teenagers in the UK. It started on Saturday, October 20, 2007, on BBC Two. BBC Switch stopped broadcasting on December 18, 2010.
It had TV shows on BBC Two, a website, and radio shows on BBC Radio 1. It was the second time BBC Two had shows just for teens, after something called DEF II.
Contents
What Was On BBC Switch?
BBC Switch offered different types of content. This included TV shows, radio programmes, and an online website.
TV Shows for Teens
BBC Switch first showed four programmes on Saturday afternoons on BBC Two.
- Sound was a music and chat show. Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw hosted it every week.
- Falcon Beach was a drama from Canada. It was about teenagers growing up. It showed their friendships, relationships, and daily lives.
- Them was a documentary series. It looked at different groups of teenagers in Britain.
- The Surgery was a chat show. Jeff Leach hosted it. It helped teenagers with common problems. It took over from The Sunday Surgery.
Later, in May 2008, three new shows joined BBC Switch:
- Kyle XY was a science fiction drama.
- Class of 2008 was a documentary series. It followed six friends in London.
- Revealed... was a journalism show. It explored the lives of UK teens. Charlotte Ashton and Anthony Baxter presented it.
The show Greek was also shown.
From 2008, Tom Deacon and AJ Odudu introduced shows on BBC Two. They would be in different places across the UK or in The 5:19 Show studio. Before them, 'Flash Louis' did the introductions.
The 5:19 Show was also on Saturday afternoons. It featured a celebrity interview and a fun game. Tom Deacon and AJ Odudu also hosted this show.
Radio Programmes
BBC Radio 1 had a special block for BBC Switch on Sunday evenings. It started at 7 PM.
- The 5:19 Show was on from 7 PM to 9 PM.
- The Surgery with Aled followed at 9 PM.
- Then, Annie and Nick's show aired until midnight. They used to be on earlier.
BBC Switch was special because young listeners could join in. Some even helped with making the shows.
A digital radio station called BBC Radio Switch also started in 2008. It was a sister station to BBC Radio 1.
Online Website
The BBC Switch website was a central place for teens. It linked to other BBC content. This included BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Blast, and EastEnders. The Switch brand also had Slink, an online magazine for teenage girls.
Annie Mac said she was excited to be part of BBC Switch. She felt it would be a unique radio show. She also looked forward to working with Nick Grimshaw on Sound. She thought it was important for new bands to be shown on TV.
The 5:19 Show was also online. Tom Deacon, AJ Odudu, and Jimmy Hill hosted it. It was on Monday to Friday at 5:19 PM. The show was named 5:19 because that's when many teenagers go online.
Live Events
BBC Switch also held live events for teenagers.
The first BBC Switch Live event was on October 12, 2008. It took place at the Hammersmith Apollo. Many popular artists performed, including Fall Out Boy, Ne-Yo, Miley Cyrus, McFly, Basshunter, and N-Dubz. George Sampson also made a special appearance. Annie Mac, Nick Grimshaw, Kelly Osbourne, and Tom Deacon hosted the event. It was only for teens aged 14 to 17.
The second event was on November 8, 2009, at the same place. Aled Haydn Jones, Kimberley Walsh, Annie Mac, and Nick Grimshaw were the hosts. Many acts played, such as The Saturdays, JLS, N-Dubz, The Black Eyed Peas, Shaheen Jafargholi, Alexandra Burke, and Pixie Lott. Many performances were put on the BBC Switch website for everyone to see.
Why BBC Switch Ended
In 2010, the BBC decided to make some changes. They looked at what they offered online.
- In February 2010, newspapers like The Guardian said the BBC Switch website might close.
- In July 2010, the BBC Trust confirmed the plan to close BBC Switch. This was part of a bigger plan to cut the BBC's online budget.
- However, BBC Radio Switch and its connection with BBC Radio 1 would continue.
On December 18, 2010, BBC Switch officially ended after three years. Its closure was due to a 25% cut in the BBC Online budget. This meant £34 million less for online content. In January 2011, it was confirmed that the website would not return.
