Video: Rally to save BBC 6 Music

by Juno Daily on 30.03.2010 at 12:18pm.
Last edited: 30.03.2010 at 13:39pm.

More than a thousand music fans braved wet conditions in London last weekend to voice their support for the digital radio station, BBC 6 Music.

The ‘Save 6music’ rally took place outside BBC Broadcasting House on Saturday 27 March at midday. It was called by organisers of the Save 6 Facebook group, who are vehemently opposed to the broadcaster’s plans to shelve the station, as well as the Asian Network, by 2011.

A host of presenters and supporters of the station spoke, while bands who have enjoyed support from 6 played acoustic mini-sets. Liz Kershaw kicked off the proceedings by telling the amassing crowd that the battle was not lost, and that if enough people lobbied the BBC Trust – who must approve the Corporation’s top guard’s plans – the station could still be saved.

The Save 6 Facebook Group currently has 161,000 members. The BBC has admitted it has now received 8,000 formal complaints about its plans to can 6music as part of a wide-ranging cutback program.

6 Music was launched in 2002, the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years. Amongst its main roster of rock and indie shows, it has featured regular DJ mixes and shows from international music luminaries like Derrick May, Orbital, Andrew Weatherall and others.

Various presenters and supporters from and of the station spoke, while bands who have enjoyed support from 6 played acoustic mini-sets. Liz Kershaw kicked off the proceedings by telling the amassing crowd that the battle was not lost, and that if enough people lobbied the BBC Trust – who must approve the Corporation’s top guard’s plans – the station could still be saved.