SAVE BBC 6 MUSIC

[Pete]

BBC RADIO CHIEF DEFENDS CUTS, CMU DOES NOT CONCUR

The BBC's chief Pepsi expert and radio boss Tim Davie has defended the Beeb's controversial decision to axe the Asian Network and 6music.

Davie, who became head of BBC Audio & Music in 2008 bringing, erm, zero seconds of experience in radio and music to the table, has blogged about the cutback plans amid mounting opposition to the proposals, especially in relation to music service 6. Davie argues that, while he loves the two services that are facing closure, it is right for the Beeb to focus its radio resources into making a smaller number of stations more brilliant, rather than spreading it out to nine national stations, two of which have only small audiences.

He blogged yesterday: "I do not believe that offering the current range of nine stand-alone digital networks is the right way to serve audiences and ensure radio remains strong in a digital world. And, while digital radio has seen growth, my concern is that current development remains slow. So we are proposing to reduce the number of stations and re-invest in our five core networks - Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Live - and extensions of these services, while maintaining our overall investment in digital radio to use in a range of innovative ways to provide listeners with great digital content".

He continues: "But this strategy of focusing efforts on doing fewer things better also means difficult decisions. Clearly we didn't arrive lightly at the decision to recommend the closure of 6music: it is distinctive, much loved and I too am passionate about its output. But I believe the best way for us to provide that kind of programming is by looking at other ways to find it a bigger audience. While we are re-focussing on fewer networks, we will consider how the range of music played on Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 should adjust to ensure we continue to offer a diverse spectrum of new and UK music as part of our stronger focus on originality and distinctiveness".

Of course, as someone or other I was reading about the other day said, the BBC is in a very tricky position, because while key players in the political community are constantly calling on the Corporation to make cuts, there will be vocal groups who speak out in support of any service or programmes that are axed in order to streamline the Corporation. And even those of us in the 'save 6' camp must recognise that the high volume of the support being heard for that particular station this week is in part aided by the fact some of its most passionate supporters work in the media, or are active Twitter users.

But then again, my two main problems with the BBC cuts proposals remain, and nothing Davie or his boss Mark 'Tommo' Thompson has said have addressed these two points.

First, both Davie and Tommo justify cutting services like 6 so that they can improve "quality" elsewhere in the Corporation's output. This is a clever rouse, because it's a justification that sounds good but means nothing. It also assumes that you get better quality TV and radio programmes when you spend more money.

While it's true that there is a minimum amount of money you need to spend to get good content (a minimum many commercial radio stations don't provide their programmes any more), the vast majority of BBC Radio's national shows are over-funded and over-staffed, with Radio 1 and Radio 2 the most guilty in this regard. Pumping more money into these stations will just mean they become even more over-funded, not that the quality of programming will improve.

Second, the aim of these cuts is primarily to placate critics in the commercial sector. Those commercial critics complain because Radios 1 and 2 - which compete with their stations - have an unfair competitive advantage because of the vast over-spending and over-staffing that goes on. The proposals of Davie, Tommo and John Tate, who wrote the cuts document, will actually make this imbalance worse and piss off the commercial radio sector even more.

While it can be a good thing to bring in expertise from outside the media into broadcasting companies, to ensure alternative thinking at the top, you get the impression here that the fact Davie, a former fizzy drink seller, and Tate, a former Tory Party twonk, know little about making good radio is in part behind such a misguided strategy being employed. Tommo is a former programme maker, but has his heart in TV not radio, and certainly not music.

So yes, us 6 fans are emotionally attached to a minority interest station, and we are using our media connections to kick up a bigger fuss than our number should probably allow. But CMU's problems with the plans to axe 6 remain unemotional - Davie, Tommo and Tate are just employing bad strategy.

[Pete]

Listened to an interesting, vibrant and intelligent interview with Gil Scott Heron on a BBC 6 Music podcast last night. Where will such a gem appear in 18 months time?

Pete

[Pete]

On The Luminaire email this week:

A load of people have asked us to post the link to the 'save BBC
6Music' campaign, so we will, but consider this: the UK is the either
the second or third largest music market in the world (depending on
what figures you're using) and, along with America, probably the most
musically influential market on the face of God's earth, so what the
hell are we doing with just one terrestrial music TV show that
'alternative' acts can play on (Jools Holland) and just one
terrestrial music radio shows that 'alternative' acts can break on?
It's a joke. In fact, it's an embarrassment, particularly if you're
one of the acts that Jools insists on playing boogie-woogie piano
with. So anyway, whether or not you listen to BBC6 Music (we don't,
but that's because we're listening to new demos all day, interspersed
with Jelly Roll Morton CDs), sign the petition, eh?

Thanks.

[Pete]

From CMU:

The BBC's Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson has apparently told a media conference that 6music should close because the average age of its audience is 37 and that is at the heart of the demographic targeted by commercial radio.

According to the Guardian, Thomson defended the Beeb's controversial proposal that the digital radio service be shut at the Westminster Media Forum, and said: "The average age of its listeners - 37 - is at the heart of the demographic targeted by commercial radio".

Of course, it's possible Thomson has been misquoted or taken out of context there, and wasn't really suggesting that the 6music audience somehow crosses over with that of Magic and Heart and Absolute.

[Pete]

CMU reports: The Bruce Dickinson rock show on BBC 6 has been axed.

Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie's Radio 2 show will be cut from four times a week to three, to make room for a new live music show.

[Pete]

CMU again:

Adam Singer, once the boss of Flextech, and a former Chairman of PRS For Music (or the MCPS-PRS Alliance as it was then known), has been appointed to the role of Chairman at Digital Radio UK.

This is the body charged with the task of converting the great British public to digital radio, preferably by 2015. Although Singer's background is TV and music rights, he does sit on a committee within media regulator OfCom, so knows a thing or two about the regulatory and political dimension of the wider media industry.

The appointment was welcomed by RadioCentre, the trade body for those commercial radio companies who favour a fast phasing out of FM and move to Digital Audio Broadcasting. Their top man, Andrew Harrison, said: "Adam has a vast breadth of experience in the broadcasting world and his valuable knowledge will be of huge benefit to the radio sector as we move towards digital switchover".

[Pete]

Yesterday (March 10th) hugely respected indie label Domino issued a statement supporting the station. Urging fans to write to the BBC, the imprint also included quotes from some of their most prominent acts.

Now Alison Mosshart of The Dead Weather has come out in support of the station. Also working with The Kills, the singer joined the growing groups of musicians urging for the station to be spared.

“Please don't leave us musicians and music lovers with such a void. We need BBC6. It is the only radio station we all listen too, and seemingly, the only station that plays anything worth listening too" she explained.

"It would be culturally damaging to lose this station. I highly doubt I would ever listen to radio in England again, if it were gone. And that goes for a great many friends and colleagues of mine. BBC6 has been very supportive to the bands that I have been in and supportive of my friends and label mates."

"We are all greatly appreciative of the fine work they do, and the open minds that they have. It baffles me why art and culture must always suffer and get the boot before sport or the generic music which EVERYONE plays already, anyway. We can get these trashy things anywhere. But we're relying on BBC6 to encourage and inspire. To shut it down would be a real shame and a real mistake. Think of it as the Tate Modern of radio. We want it; we need it... because it's unique and culturally significant.

Please save BBC 6 Music.”

[Pete]

Rock Club Chatter:

From Nigel:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2888936/BBC-blows-fortune-teaching-staff-how-to-use-Facebook.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Matt:
"they could have spent that money giving U2 free publicity for their next record .. what a waste … Bono wont be happy!"

Nigel: Marvellous… "after all, struggling and upcoming acts need all the help they can get…"

[Pete]

From CMU:

The BBC Trust has confirmed that it is about to initiative a review of the operations of Radios 3, 4 and 7, as well as the Corporation's local radio services. They will presumably say the services are basically performing well but could do with more promotion, and then ten days later BBC chief Tommo Thompson will announce all said services are to be closed down.

The Trust's review of local radio will be particularly welcomed by the Beeb's local stations, who are already processing the results of two internal reviews that reached conflicting conclusions (one of them Tommo's controversial cut backs document). Fingers crossed the Trust's review on local radio will manage to contradict both previous review documents, because I read somewhere that total confusion is very healthy when you're trying to run a communications-based organisation.

Confirming the planned review, the Trust's David Liddiment told reporters: "Radios 3, 4 and 7 all offer output which is hard to find elsewhere - and licence fee payers tell us that the BBC's radio stations serving the nations and local regions make an invaluable contribution to their communities. As well as the current performance of these services we'll also be looking at the BBC's future plans for the stations to ensure they are robust and deliverable. If change is needed the Trust can alter the stations' service licences or ask the BBC Executive to address the issues we raise".

[Russell]

The good news would be if they closed Radio 3, then 6Music would be able to go on forever!