The BBC is rumoured to be considering axing two digital radio services, 6 Music and the BBC Asian Network, as part of a cost-cutting drive. The Beeb is apparently also planning to scale back its online web presence with a reported 25% of its online content under threat.
6 Music pulls in 695,000 listeners a week, equal to 0.4% of all UK radio listening (Source: RAJAR) and is one of the station’s more popular digital radio services. The loss of 6 Music would also be a blow for DAB radio listeners at a time when the Government is looking to drive more people to DAB ahead of the proposed 2015 FM Radio Switchoff
A “Save 6 Music” Facebook group has already popped up – at the time of writing with over 65,000 members (nearly a tenth of their audience). .
The commercial station Absolute Radio has made an interesting statement. According to a report in The Times, the national commercial music service has announced that it would be prepared to buy 6 Music from the BBC, and run it more efficiently that the BBC has been doing.
The story rumbles on, with the BBC stating that discussion of the closure of 6 Music is “premature”. As the body of support continues, could we see a stay of execution for 6 Music? Don’t touch that dial.
