That this House notes with deep concern recent newspaper speculation that the BBC is considering closing its 6 Music and Asian Network radio stations; believes that both radio stations offer outlets for independent and non-mainstream music; further notes that both 6 Music and Asian Network reach out to audiences not otherwise well served by the BBC; congratulates 6 Music and Asian Network for acting as a source of talent for the BBC and other media; recognises that the BBC has a duty to represent and give a platform to minority interests that need a mainstream platform to develop and grow; and calls on the Government to encourage the BBC to continue its support for 6 Music and Asian Network for many years to come.
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[...] The text: That this House notes with deep concern recent newspaper speculation that the BBC is considering closing its 6 Music and Asian Network radio stations; believes that both radio stations offer outlets for independent and non-mainstream music; further notes that both 6 Music and Asian Network reach out to audiences not otherwise well served by the BBC; congratulates 6 Music and Asian Network for acting as a source of talent for the BBC and other media; recognises that the BBC has a duty to represent and give a platform to minority interests that need a mainstream platform to develop and grow; and calls on the Government to encourage the BBC to continue its support for 6 Music and Asian Network for many years to come. [...]
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you for doing this on our behalf. I’ve written to my MP asking them to support your EDM.
Tom,
Great news.
One thing the BBC is supposed to do is support niche products such as BBC6 Music. The private sector would never take this radio station on. The music industry is a key industry for the UK and this station will be key to breaking lots of new acts in years to come. I also bet if you cut out one layer of BBC management you could probably make a big enough saving to keep the station going.
Here here! Thank you so much!
Good work Tom! 6 Music and the Asian Network are exactly what the BBC or any public service broadcaster should be doing. Congratulations on bringing clarity to a debate which is being initiated by people who neither know or care about the services these stations are providing…. those of culture and community. We need to wake up and realise what we are in danger of losing!
Thank you for your support.
Thank you for bringing this motion to the Commons. The BBC should concentrate on raising the profile of 6music which provides excellent, high quality programming – which IS NOT AVAILABLE elsewhere. It has a passionate following. Savings could be made elsewhere.
Glad to see someone fighting for 6 Music and Asian Network.
I really appreciate this motion Tom, bbc6 especially is going from strength to strength, it listener base grows continuously.
Good work Tom
Its such a shame that the BBC is bowing to political and commercial pressure in such a shameful way. the BBC’s own core values include ‘putting audiences first’ and in getting rid of two such loved, quality ( if slightly less popular) stations it is ignoring the audience and breaking its own key directive.
Your points are pretty much what I think, too. If this is supposed to be part of an exercise to cut down on on areas that are best left to commercial stations, then the axe really needs to fall somewhere else…
I don’t know about the Asian Network, but there is not really a commercial alternative to 6 Music (that I’m aware of, anyway)
Thanks for this, Tom
Thankyou Tom, your support is very much appreciated…..not sure I can say any more than the previous posts and your comments. My hope is that the bbc think again (and I am forever defending the bbc, so this feels like a slap in the face to people like me).
Well done – thanks for supporting the Asian Network.
Dear Mr Watson
Please, let us not be confused by the popularity of 6 Music with Asian Network. I am sorry and sad to say that the present model of Asian Network, in recent days, is serving Bhangda and Bollywood linked commercial groups…The service has moved away from its core BBC values of Quality, universality and impartiality. They serve a tiny minority of the Asian Licence payers in the main, daytime output in the guise of British Asian Music… You can fool some people some times….That is the situation.
Thanks for the support, Tom. I’m hoping something will be said about this in the next PMQs.
[...] Save the Asian Network Save BBC6 Music | Tom Watson MP [...]
Thank you for your efforts on this.
If the the BBC ‘has a responsibility to consider its competitive impact on others’, what impact does 6 Music have on the competition? In short, none.
There are no competitors to 6 Music out there – remove this excellent radio station and you will end up denying a huge number of people access to a wide range of creative, intelligent and challenging music (not ‘pop music’ as the BBC insist on calling it).
There is no way that this music can be absorbed into Radios 1 & 2.
Well done, Tom! I am also asking my MP to support you.
Thank you Tom Watson for standing up for 6 Music’s loyal fanbase. A radio listener should be deemed of equal importance as a television viewer. Why remove money from popular and innovative services in order to re-allocate the money to other less successful outlets? It defies logic.
The BBC Asian Network – Ten Reasons Why It Works
1. It’s exactly the right size. The BBC Asian Network is neither a cartel nor a community radio station. It’s big enough to reach the largest possible UK audience for Asian music, but not so big that competition can’t thrive beside it. As it is, the network can robustly deliver on the BBC’s Charter yet be flexible enough to scale its services professionally as resources wax and wane.
2. It brings you the world. The BBC Asian Network showcases the best in emerging music and culture from young British Asians. It’s the only place to hear contemporary Asian sounds alongside new and important music from across the UK and the world. The station’s unique approach puts Asian music in a British context, connecting listeners beyond their community.
3. It’s the best match of format and content. The structure and output of the BBC Asian Network has been developed and refined over more than a decade. It is a true network, grown from community roots by professional expertise. It continues to develop to meet public expectations. No brand or station created adhoc could better serve its listeners’ needs.
4. It stands for every flavour of Asian music. As a service, the BBC Asian Network is unique in representing music culture from across the whole of the Asian diaspora. The station’s output is genuinely accessible to all, reaching out beyond borders, faith and language groups, yet always sensitive to cultural preferences and divisive local issues.
5. It’s the flagship for British Asian media. The BBC Asian Network sprang from the energy and enterprise of British Asians who have been active in the UK media industry since the 1980s. Their spririt helps drive employment and expertise at home and generates overseas interest in the UK. The BBC Asian Network is the credible public gateway to this world.
6. It’s what the BBC stands for. Beyond fulfilling the letter of the BBC’s Charter, the Asian Network is authentic to its spirit. The station defines its UK Asian audience as an active British community, linking Asian interests with the whole. It’s where British news, sport, soaps and stars become ‘desi’.
7. It’s the UK’s gateway to Asia. The output of the BBC Asian Network is unique. The new music it plays distils the breadth and dynamism of British popular culture and the UK Asian experience. Britain is the birthplace of the ‘desi’ sound, and the BBC Asian Network is where Asia tunes in to it.
8. It’s the Radio One of Asian Music. The BBC Asian Network reaches an audience that transcends its target demographic. Thousands of listeners from across all the UK’s communities tune in, and all are made welcome. Professional. contemporary and accessible, the BBC Asian Network works for everyone.
9. It has the technology right. The BBC Asian Network uses the best delivery methods for its uniquely diverse audience demographic. It helps some communities to learn to let go of medium wave, while serving others through digital, web or iPlayer. No other station can meet the diverse needs and habits of the nation’s Asian community.
10. It makes new music happen. With live artist recording sessions and a presence at niche music events across the country, the BBC Asian Network is instrumental in getting new music and new artists recorded. By broadcasting and promoting the UK’s Melas helps makes them popular and accessible to all.
Simple really!!
Tom, thanks for doing this. One issue you should be aware of is that under the BBC Agreement with the Government, the BBC can only close down services if it has assessed the public value of a service. It has not undertaken this assessment before deciding to consult upon closing 6music. It it thus violating its agreement with the Government and possibly opening itself up to judicial review if it confirms the decision to close the station.
Thank you so much.
Thank you Tom for taking up this cause. I strongly believe that the BBC is undermining it’s raison d’etre (to use the exact words of the director general in his blog) by closing stations that provide a high quality and unique service. I have also e mailed my local MP, David Watts, about this.
Thank you Tom. I will be writing to my MP Claire Ward to ask her to support you.
Thanks so much for tabling this EDM. It’s given me another context with asking my local MP for support to save 6 Music.
A million thanks for your support, these radio stations have to stay – my MP has a mail coming his way
Excellent work Mr Watson, long may 6 Music and the Asian Network continue!
good to get more air time by the people who can put the pressure on … everything that can be done to make sure nothing goes quietly will hopefully help it to stay … how good will it be to know that we can peacefully do something that makes a big difference …..
why?
are there only 27 comments?
It would be such a mistake to close these radio stations.
The BBC has always been valued for its independence and its ability to support programmes that may only serve a smaller portion of licence fee payers.
These listeners cannot be absorbed into other music stations, and will not be best served by Radio 1 and 2 if 6Music is closed.
In the past, the BBC seemed to understand that a small audience doesn’t automatically equate to low quality.
Well done Tom! Cancelling radio 6 and asian network would be a real shame. I hope enough people speak up to defend them.
http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/ and contact your own MP to support this motion!
Tom supports the digeraati view of music i.e. he’s not interested in supporting talented musicians, but in helping internet business’ who exploit musicians, and talented internet marketeers who make music on the side.
thank you so much…we will be united…
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