BBC Channel Faces The Music

Mark Thompson, director general of the BBC, has revealed plans to close 6 Music radio station by the end of 2011, after a review of the BBC’s digital services.

The review was officially unveiled by Thompson at a press conference at BBC Television Centre yesterday (March 2). However, there was a leak of the proposals last week, which provoked outrage from listeners and the music industry. Lily Allen has been one amongst many musicians who have criticised the BBC’s decision. She said: “It will be awful if they do decide to close BBC 6 Music, and I hope the backlash they’ve received so far will make them think twice…”

Dave Newton of We Got Tickets tells IQ that the BBC decision is “very short sighted”, particularly with the role it plays promoting unsigned and new talent. “It gives the opportunity to nurture and develop breaking talent,” he adds. “For unsigned acts in a certain genre…6 Music will be a loss.”

Ultimately it will be the BBC Trust that takes the final view in the autumn following a 12 week public consultation. The closure of 6 Music will save the public broadcaster around £6million (€6.6m) from its annual £3.6billion (€4bn) license fee income.

Thompson also has plans to axe the Asian Network and cut down on spending on its websites by 2013. The BBC is says the new strategy will ensure they “do fewer things better”, but broadcast workers’ union Bectu predicts a loss of up to 600 jobs, and has already warned of industrial action.