Save BBC 6 Music
March 3rd, 2010(aka ‘Axe a TV station instead’)
This whole impending closure of BBC 6 Music has got me thinking. Obviously, I’m very very unhappy about the prospect of it closing - 6 Music offers something that nobody else does. 6 Music’s DJs are a diverse, intelligent bunch, playing a wide range of great music - and I’m constantly scurrying off to t’internet to find out more about the band that’s currently playing.
And, of course, there are the peerless, magnificent, multi-talented, yet self-effacing but always hyper-endearing, song-warring geniuses, the eye-wateringly, stomach-crampingly funny, Adam and Joe.
I can’t understand that, under the rationale to focus on “higher quality” programming, Mark Thompson is proposing to axe 6 Music. Mark, you’ve got high quality right there - on 6 Music - and it seems pretty good value for money too.
So, I’ve done my small bit, joined facebook groups, signed petitions, posted on twitter, etc. And today, I’ve taken part in the consultation process, which I appreciate that the BBC trust have put together to garner the public’s views. This is what got me thinking.
I think that a radio station is a more distinctive entity than a TV station, and if I had to make a cut anywhere on the BBC, it would be to one of their TV stations. (BBC3 I’d say, but, in the sake of neutrality, I’ll keep an open mind.) What I’m saying is that I will channel hop on TV, but I won’t do that to the same extent on radio. I’ll leave the radio on the same channel, and tune my attention in or out depending on what’s playing, or what they’re saying. We consume radio in a different way to television. And more importantly to my point, I believe that we go to particular radio stations at particular times because they fit our current mood, as well as our values (in much the same way as we go to a particular newspaper). I will turn on Radio 4 or 6 Music because that’s the mood I’m in at the time - but I would never say, “Ooh, I’m in a BBC2 (TV) mood now…”.
For what it’s worth, and for the potential interest of anyone out there, these are my thoughts - and I said more or less the same thing in the consultation…
I think, if anything, that TV programming could be cut and consolidated among fewer channels (even though it would pain me to see BBC4 cut, for example). A radio station is more important to have as an *entity* than is a TV station, in my opinion and experience. In other words, I don’t mind tuning into a TV station to watch a specific programme, but I like to be able to turn on a radio station and know that it will be giving me ‘the kind of programming that I know it does, and that I’m currently in the mood for’. Radio 4 and Radio 6 (and occasionally Radio 3) are my go-to stations, covering most of my moods!
#savebbc6music!
#whattheboggins?!
