BBC 6 Music…. the demise?
March 4, 2010 by BT
Filed under Main features
Well well well, what a surprise hey, the BBC are thinking about closing down 6 Music and the Asian Network, (both part of their digital radio package) because the listening figures have not increased as they had hoped.
You could say this is a bit of a strange decision, as although 6 Music may only have 700 000 listeners a week it has grown faster than any of the other BBC digital radio-only channel, and in a recent BBC Trust review was described as “distinctive and well-liked by its listeners”. The loss of 6 Music and the Asian network would not only piss on the chips of the above mentioned 700 000 listeners it would also have a huge knock on effect on everything from; up and coming new music/bands/artists, the BBC’s commitment to ethnic minorities and Digital Radio on the whole. On the other hand the report goes on to say that it only reaches 1% of the adult population, with only 20% of people knowing that it even existed, which honestly, like Cliff Richard saying he’s straight, I find a little hard to believe.
Here’s one reason why, I live in Sweden and I have to say that I and many of my friends here, being either English or from further afield (Venezuela for example) listen to 6 Music on a daily basis. I cannot think of one other radio station that caters to so many different styles of music both new and old alike, heck even their mission statement describes them thusly:
“Brings together the cutting edge of today and the iconic and groundbreaking music of the past 40 years.”
So the whole thing strikes me as being odder than a Madonna and Jacko love child! If it were up to the BBC they would have us all listening to the slowly deteriorating quality of Radio 1, which only really seems to play the same set of songs throughout their daily schedule (which are paid to be on there by the larger record labels). And most of these same songs are by the same artists who are pretty much constantly fighting for the top spots in the charts, which a large amount of the radio listening public wouldn’t even piss on – whether they were on fire or not. (Now I have to conveniently skirt around both Radio 2 and 4 as I don’t listen to them, although I do get regular sms’s from my mum telling me: ‘they’ve just played a song by Elbow, or Doves on Radio 2, told you they were good!’
6 Music was set up to offer a little diversity to proceedings, offering a home to, among others; the hilariously brilliant Adam and Joe (who recently won three Sony Radio Silver awards don’t you know), one of my favourite new DJs Jarvis Cocker, Lauren Laverne, the legend that is Steve (Lurpak) Lamacq and the rather shit, but I’ll let them off, George Lamb. This makes a refreshing change to the star line-up of the (overpaid, but let’s give him another crack at this TV lark anyway) Chris Moyles, Jo (duller by the day) Whiley, and not my favourite DJ in the world Zane Lowe.
And what about the Asian Network, if this station goes then where else will you be able to hear everything from Bhangra to Bollywood and beyond. And due to the lack of exposure and Performing Rights Society (PRS) money paid per play on stations like 1xtra and the Asian Network it could mean curtains to many artists trying to break into the industry as well as having a massive effect on the scene, both in relation to exposure and income.
From the outset 6 Music seemed like a John Peel wet dream, its DJs strived to offer the opportunity for small, up and coming bands and musicians to have their music heard over Lady Gaga, every single X Factor, (Pap) Pop Idol and Britain’s got Talent contestant, ever, and (The Official WORLDS WORST GROUP) The Black Eyed Peas. This is also alluded to by Mike Smith, managing director of Columbia Records (not the Black Eyed Peas bit, although I’m sure he agrees), who recently stated that:
“6 Music has been the first place that a lot of bands have played live sessions. It is one of the few places where the DJs actually play their own music and as a result it has a strong personality.”
Its not just the record label peeps who are throwing in their tupance worth, Royal Family member David Bowie stated:
”6 Music keeps the spirit of broadcasters like John Peel alive and for new artists to lose this station would be a great shame.”
Sir Charlie Brooker:
“I was going to buy a digital radio next week. If they get rid of BBC 6 Music I might as well not fucking bother.”
The Guardian:
“If the BBC closes 6 Music it will be because it cares more about listening figures than fulfilling its public service remit.”
A Facebook group has also been set up by Jon and Tracy Morter, the couple who succeeded in stopping the Dark Side that is Simon Cowell’s evil empire of Pap Idol dick cheeses from getting, yet another Christmas number 1, by encouraging the British record buying public to cause the sales surge that saw Rage Against the Machine crowned as the Christmas No 1 Kings.
Some hope has also been thrown the way of 6 Music, the Asian Network and its listeners by the Chairman of the BBC Trust Sir Michael Lyons when he said recently that if there was a big enough public response about the cuts then he would ask management to rethink its strategy:
“If we find that… there’s massive public concern that we need to take account of then we will go back to the director general to rethink the strategy before it’s approved,”
So this said, let’s all log onto Facebook (although I’m sure you’ve already updated your status at least 3 times today already) and sign up to one of the groups.
Oh and what’s this, it is indeed one of those group links, handily laid out for you!
