Ö÷²¥´óÐã

Great to see the good work the Ö÷²¥´óÐã is doing to support new music.

Looking forward to Introducing Week on 6 Music. Let's just hope gets to stay there for years to come, shall we?

How can you promote 6Music and invoke the memory of John Peel when you are complicit in the Strategy Review proposal to close 6Music? You are duty bound to let any user of Ö÷²¥´óÐã services of the Strategy review when you mention any services under threat. This is hypocrisy of the highest order. the reason people go on about expenses abuses is that it is indicative of a lack of connection with ordinary people; this blog is the more serious implication of that behaviour.


You bring shame of a great British institution through your behaviour

Andy - you state "you couldn't help but have your breath taken away by the sheer volume of new music incoming to John and his production team; Peel Acres had a barn full of it"

Sounds exactly like the wondrous 6 music to me so WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO CLOSE IT ???????????????????????? Do you know what you are doing over at the Ö÷²¥´óÐã - seems not to a large majority who would love a meeting with you to discuss why you are sooooooo wrong. When will you have the decency to meet the license fee payers direct and not hide behind blogs?????

Thanks
Tim

Shouldn't this also be tagged as 6 Music? It seems odd to tag it as Radio 1 only.

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Tim

I'm not even going to begin wondering why you saw fit to write this blog promoting new music on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã, when not three days ago you were interviewed in the Guardian desperately trying to justify the proposed closure of 6Music, the SINGLE most important source at the Corporation for breaking new musical talent. How many of the brilliant broadcasters you promote above will still have a job in eighteen months if this frankly barking strategy goes ahead. Or did someone more talented at their job add the coda to this blog without your knowledge?

Maybe you'd like to explain why you shuffled Peel off into the outer reaches of the schedule and removed that other great broadcaster Andy Kershaw. Removing or curtailing two of the greatest avenues for new music the Ö÷²¥´óÐã has ever had.

The word 'hyprocrisy' appears to be too mild in this context.

My goodness. I'll restrain myself and say simply this: Radio 1 has trampled all over the memory of John Peel. All the shows on Radio 1 that dare to play anything new or anything that's not in the charts is relegated to very late night/early hours like Mary-Anne Hobbs and Rob Da Bank.

To claim Radio 1 is carrying on the work of Peel is simply laughable and factually incorrect.

6music carries on Peel's good work every hour of every day and that is why it must NOT be axed.

Fantastic milestone, so whilst celebrating this............you also want to close down the very radio station that this show appears on.

You know doubt appreciate the huge amount of work it is to discover new talent in terms of listening to literally thousands of dodgy demo tapes and why that might cost a tiny bit more to run than a station which simply plays what the computer says to play from a tight selection of a couple of thousand pre-programmed tracks.

But at the same time you are happy as larry to get rid of 6Music as you and hope some of the disenfranchised listeners will boost your own stations lacklustre ratings. Fat chance quite frankly. Quite whom you expect to get your new music from you presumably haven't stopped to think. Is Fearne Cotton really going to sit through 20,000 demos?

I think not.

Andy

What I would really like to understand is your support for 1 extra - which has less listeners than the far superior 6 music. Peel would turn in his grave.

Yes this post stinks of hypocrisy and if you really knew the great man (Peel) so well you know exactly his view on your strategy review.

Please explain why you support 1 extra - which does nothing like 6 music to support new music. How can you then write a post like this. It beggars belief! And yes can a moderator please explain why this is not tagged as a 6 music related blog?

Have you ever actually listened to 6music - seriously - simply as a fan of music? They are introducing new bands every single day.

Close 6music and I think you shut the door to a lot of potential new music talent out there. 6music must be saved for the future of new British music.

It says above - "Andy Parfitt is Controller of Radio 1, POPULAR MUSIC, 1Xtra, Asian Network and Switch" - What is this popular music thing? Does that include 6music?

This is a desperate attempt to establish some credentials in promoting new and unsigned music isn't it? To try and demonstrate to the Trust that this is what you will be doing at Radio 1 so 6Music won't be missed. First a shabby, self-serving interview in Media Guardian and now this. You lot are a pathetic bunch of hypocrites. Invoking the name of John Peel after the shameful way he was shunted around the schedules by - oh, yes, you yourself - is truly the lowest of the low. You disgust me. I've kept it polite until now but my patience has snapped.

Andy,
I too was privileged to meet the Great Man on a few ocassions, and was honoured to participate in recording three sessions for his show.

I have no idea what he would think about the proposed closure of 6 Music, and sadly we shall never know.
I DO know that the station is closer in spirit to the wonderful work that he did than any of the other Ö÷²¥´óÐã radio stations which are currently available.

When it comes to discovering and promoting new and exciting music- something at which John excelled- 6 Music is peerless.

Please Save 6 Music- you don't know what you've got until its gone, as John's untimely death made only too clear.

Thanks
Nick Sales

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The Ö÷²¥´óÐã makes a massive contribution to music culture and its support for new musicians is no small part of this. As Ethalrocks has stated above, it is the 'unique way' the Ö÷²¥´óÐã is funded that allows this, the commercial sector are just not interested. Like others who have commented here I am at a loss to understand how Mr Parfitt can so enthusiastically praise the Ö÷²¥´óÐã's support for new music and then condemn Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 6 Music, the station that does the most for new music, as well as being a prime outlet for past Peel Sessions Mr Parfitt again claims to value so highly.
The additional information below this blog shows how big a part 6 Music plays in the 'Introducing' programme, yet Mr Parfitt hasn't mentioned 6 Music once. I fear for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã, I really do.

Mr Parfitt, how do you have the gall to write this? I hope you can sleep at night.

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I've never read such hypocrisy in my life.

This blog is misleading and disingenuous.

It should at least make clear that the author is instrumental in seeking to close the station that pioneers the new music he claims to be so passionate about.

He is laying waste to digital music choice, protecting his own R1/1Xtra empire and sacrificing the diverse options offered by 6Music and the Asian Network.

Shamefully hypocritical, breathtakingly offensive.

Fell foul of the rules up there by including a link. Know I know...

Andy, I wonder if this blog entry is mainly an answer to very recent public criticism with regard to your attitude to fostering new music talent? It would be a tawdry abuse of the man's good name if this were mostly a personal PR exercise to deflect the very serious concerns of those both within and without the music industry about the planned ejection of 6 Music.

I suspect it's probably at least (perhaps subconsciously) a little of that, but I really hope there is something sincerely affectionate in those memories you recall about the badly missed John Peel, and that when you said his contribution to modern music and culture was "immeasurable", you fully meant it. Even though you did 'relegate' him somewhat to a later slot, as far as I know you didn't make manoeuvres to put him out to pasture elsewhere, and I prefer to think you never would have.

Even before the huge uproar this crackpot scheme generated, I was at a loss as to why it was it considered a reasonable course; but the writing is now surely on the wall, in large capital letters, and in florescent spraypaint. I'm sure you're all by this time fully familiar with the bones of contention thrown out endlessly by 6 Music's bewildered and infuriated (rapidly growing) audience, and feeling black and blue from the barrage. However all these 'awkward' questions WILL have to be answered if the brass are bloody-minded and insist the Trust wade through a football stadium's worth of correspondence and documentation.

Instead I'll close with some words from an interview with Paul Weller (not conducted by me):

----

As we're sitting in a Ö÷²¥´óÐã changing room, it seems a good opportunity to ask Weller about the imminent demise of 6Music, and his response is characteristically forthright as he rolls a cigarette.

"I think it's shocking. It's rubbish. Regardless of how many listeners they've got, if you take that away, what have you got left? For me, it's very hard to get to hear cutting edge or new music on the radio. I have to go into record shops and ask them what they recommend, or take a punt on a few things. There's got to be a home for that sort of music, you're not going to get it from Radio 1 or Radio 2. It's our money and it's our
station apparently, so we should have a say in it!"

----

Stand up for what John would have, and speak up for something the Ö÷²¥´óÐã is doing so well - 6 Music. You, the rest of the board, the music industry, and of course the punters present and future, humble and not so humble, in this country and those abroad who eagerly look to the UK for inspiration, will surely not regret it.

Mr Parfitt,
I play in a little known Glasgow based band called State Broadcasters. We are one of the many lucky groups and artists to be given 6 Music radio play. We've played 2 sessions for Marc Riley (a man who is doing a fine job filling the sad void left by the great John Peel), as well as being played many times by Gideon Coe (who is doing likewise), and on several other programmes. To be perfectly blunt, were it not for 6 Music we would be denied the exposure that is so vital in our careers as musicians, recognition that there are a least a few people interested in our music and willing to give us a listen, despite being complete unknowns on a small indie label.
Radio 1 doesn't want to hear us, Radio 2 doesn't want to hear us, so where do we go? 6 Music is the home of new music and must be allowed to stay as it is. Your hypocrisy in attempting to take some credit for the good work of the station that you are trying to close has not gone unnoticed.
I'm sure if John were here today he'd be pretty disappointed in you.

Your hypocrisy is astounding as you are one of those behind the proposal to close Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 6 Music.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing is on 6 Music and is just one of the many reasons 6 Music should be saved to continue John Peel's legacy.

Save 6 Music. BTW I agree with Nick - I mean scaley666 above.

The true home for all aspiring new talent is 6 Music.
Radio 1 can gladly have Cowell and the X Factor 'talent'.
The only platform that the really creative and intelligent artists have is on 6 Music. And you are proposing to close it down. Brilliant.

No doubt, due to your excessive salary, you are privileged enough to be able to eat at fine restaurants.
How would you like it if these were all forcibly closed down and your only alternative would be McDonalds?
Get real.

How dare the man who sacked Andy Kershaw claim such an affinity with John Peel.

The listeners know precisely what Andy Parfitt has done to Radio 1 since the departure of Matthew Bannister.

In a heartbeat it went from Danny Baker, Chris Evan, Chris Morris, Collings & Maconie playing Pulp, Blur, Mansun, Oasis etc. to Moyles playing Westlife and Thump, Thump, Thump dance music.

6Music is where we went to escape Parfitt's Radio 1.

Andy (I called you Tim the other day, but you all seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet so the confusion is justified).

Would you care for me to send you the list I’m preparing of the THOUSANDS of bands and artists that I’ve heard on 6Music and will in all probability never hear again on national radio if you persist in your increasingly bizarre behaviour. It’s not all new music, I grant you, but runs from Woody Guthrie all the way up to Plank (current Marc Riley tip, if you’ve ever bothered to listen). Half of it is stuff that unfortunately Radio 1 stopped playing when you sacked Andy Kershaw, another bit of it lost when Peel was sidelined by yourself and sadly lost to us, and a whole raft of stuff that Radio 1 or Radio 2 is just not interested in playing because it’s not banging, with a beat or sing along chart pop.

Commercial radio wouldn’t touch this stuff in a million years. Absolute will never play Sun Ra, The Decemberists or Steve Reich, will they? Unlikely to hear Pentangle or Tim Buckley on XFM I suspect.

You talk of ‘cultural vandalism’. Well I know a vandal when I see or hear one, and I’m talking to one right now.

What was he thinking?

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Hmmm. Seems I want too far with my previous posting. My apologies, Mr/Ms Moderator. I am just so angry.

Andy - how can you write this rubbish and then axe 6music? It's truly sickening. Hypocrisy of the highest order.

Retract the proposal. Quickly. Before you do any more damage.

Giving a platform for new bands or undiscovered music is exactly what the Ö÷²¥´óÐã should be doing and I very much welcome the introucing week a fine example of good programming a promoting music, culture and diversity in this country. What is very striking though is the natural home of this event is obviously 6 music, no other radio station in the country Ö÷²¥´óÐã or otherwise is better at delivering a platform for new and undiscovered music. What makes it so special is the style of the excellent presenters who focuc on the music are clearly passionate about their subject and guide the listener intelligently through the wealth of music that is out there. No better place guides the listener through non main stream music than 6 Music and the beatuy is you don't have to wait for an obscure time to listen to th eone show a week where you can access this music you can can tune in any time of the day and before long you are almost guarnteed to hace heard something interesting and new. It is a wonderful station the deserves saving. Save 6 Music.

Moderator - please tag this 6music.

I'd just like to add my voice to those other commenters who have pointed out that Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6 Music is by far and away the best station in the country for breaking new music and accommodating listeners who wish to broaden their musical tastes by being exposed to interesting and stimulating new music that just would not get played on commercial radio.

Bottom line: if you love new music then logically you should stand up against the closure of Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6 Music. Please.

Thanks for your time and the opportunity to air my views.

Mr. Parfitt, please explain how can you laud something you wish to destroy? It's either hypocrisy or schizophrenia. Either way, it's another example of the extraordinary, erratic managerial behaviour which does not bode well for the future of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã.

Raving about Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing and only mentioning Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6 Music. I thought you wanted to get rid of it?
How on earth do you think this music will get listened to without 6Music? I'd love to hear your ideas.

6Music is the only vehicle in the country that can be trusted with this content. Every other station can not do new music any justice.

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Moderator - please tag this blog entry "Upper management hypocrisy"

Thanks

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I'm delighted to see your new-found interest in new music. This clearly means you're about to announce that 6Music is saved. Especially after its fans have completely embarrassed the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Executive by disproving every statement in favour of the closure.

I note that you've yet to respond to my email Andy. As your colleagues have found out, I'm not about to give up. I will get answers out of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã.

I've been referred to the mods again.

In short your post displays shameful hypocrisy by invoking John Peel's name and life's work after your action of rubber stamping the motion to remove his legacy (6music) from the airwaves.

6music is the station that plays most new music in the country yet you hold yourself up as some sort of archangel to unsigned acts? Shocking and disgraceful.

My unmoderated views are much stronger, how much must they be diluted before the (so-called transparent, impartial) Ö÷²¥´óÐã will deign to publish them? The gall of Andy Parfitt, the self-serving Radio 1 chief who in many people's eyes destroyed what was once a great radio station, is quite staggering.

Moderators

Each comment has a complain about this comment option - can this please be added to the original blog so we can all make formal complaints about the stupidity of someone praising new music when he is behind the review closing the new music station.

Total hypocrisy - how do we complain about this senseless blog.

And why is it still not tagged as 6 music??

I love new music, some of Simon Cowell's bands are fantastic and really very interesting. I think it's great that Radio 1 occassionally does its bit for new music. Only 8 years ago they played a song by a band on an independent label. There's every chance it'll happen again one day.

On the subject of 6Music. I think it's brilliant that so many people have shown their support. If only I cared what you all thought.

Taxi!

I'm close to speechless. The only Ö÷²¥´óÐã radio station which has John Peel's sensibility running through it like a stick of rock is 6Music. Can I also ask that the moderator tags 6Music, please?

Mr. Parsnip is right- I don't know what all the fuss is about on here.
Radio 6 just plays a load of stuff from bands I've never heard before- who wants that? I got QUITE enough of that when that John Peel was alive, thanks.
Radio 1 is great- the DJ's are witty and insightful, and the playlist is all real pop songs by proper bands I've heard of. I'm 100% happy with it, and its fantastic 'new music policy'.
Keep up the good work Mr. Parfitt, its people like you who make the Ö÷²¥´óÐã great.
Lunchie anyone? Its on expenses.

Thanks for that, Nigel. Point taken, however, I think if Mr Parfitt and his colleagues saw fit to treat us with a little more respect by answering some of our questions intelligently and comprehensively rather than spouting the above rubbish we would show the same level of respect in return. I don't think we can be blamed for getting angry. This debacle has gone on long enough. We're still none the wiser as to the thinking behind the proposal.

In terms of giving you our thoughts on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing, they're implicit in our response - it's precisely because we care about new music that we feel that 6music should be saved. And if the Ö÷²¥´óÐã genuinely cared about new music they'd see that and retract the proposal.

Thank you for your comments and the tagging Nigel; I am sure that all the posters realise on reflection that you are just doing your job.

You will appreciate the anger felt about this blog entry seeking praise for something largely driven through a station the author has proposed to close. There is no other word for this than hypocrisy.

Thanks for updating the tag with 6 Music, Nigel. Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing looks interesting. Anything that helps new artists get heard is welcome, and this basically formalises the process of sending in demos. It's another vein for the 6 Music DJs (and others) to mine when trying to tease out what's good and new and fresh.

I notice that users can target 1Xtra, 6 Music, the Asian Network or Radio 3 on upload, which seems to be another excellent argument for not closing the two stations under threat. There is no option there, for example, to target Radio 1 or Radio 2.

You may not have the bandwidth for this, but would it be a good idea to present a demo track from each artist (assuming permission is given) so that the public can dip in and rate the music? This would be similar to the process on sites such as SliceThePie, and would need the tracks split into genres, so I can see all sorts of challenges. However, it could help some tracks to bubble up that may otherwise be missed.

Hi Nigel

I really hope Andy reads these comments. Significant amount of discontent is an underestimation – tidal wave would be more appropriate. We’ve all long past the consultation now. Rumour has it they’ll need to hire a school gym soon just to collate the forms…

We’ve all spent long hours and some of us considerable money on protecting this station – contacting industry figures, MP’s, musicians, organising the demo outside Broadcasting House (that’s the one the Ö÷²¥´óÐã didn’t bother to report on, folks) and generally managing to keep this in the media for eight weeks now.

So when we read the Guardian article, which assuming it is factually correct, implies very clearly that Mr Parfitt had a hand in producing a proposal that was most advantageous to his own interests, then you might say our collective blood systems boiled.

The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Executive lost the PR battle long ago – perhaps they need to retire gracefully with their dignities semi-intact.

Nigel- thanks you for your comments, and the helpful links.
I certainly think that 'Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing' is a laudable initiative and, if I'm not mistaken, is being championed by 6 Music DJ's, amongst others.
You tell us that Mr. Parfitt will read these comments.
If that's the case- great, but I wonder if he will provide us with replies to any of our points? I'm not holding my breath.

It seems I've got through this post without using the words 'staggering', 'hypocrisy' or 'cultural vandalism'
Perhaps next time?

The first phrase that sprang to mind when I read this blog posting was "breathtaking hypocrisy". It appears I'm not alone .

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing provides a fantastic opportunity for listeners to access new music. Embedding the theme across 6music for a week is a great idea, and could perhaps form part of 6music's long term strategy. It could make an important contribution to the daytime schedules. Of course, there would need to be a long-term 6Music station for this to happen- and therein lies the problem. Because 6Music faces the axe, and you were one of the management group who put it in that position.

What this post suggested to me was that your motivation for axing 6Music may not necessarily the branding/ tidying up/ rationalisation/ redeployment of resources etc that drives your colleagues. You appear to recognise the value of Tom Robinson's Introducing, and we all know that there are many other important outlets for new music on 6Music. Now, can anyone think of a Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio station that has been told to attract a new young audience, perhaps an audience more in touch with new music than with talent shows? But how on earth could all these quality 6Music presenters, with their expertise and knowledge and groundwork, be enticed away from a station which places such importance on innovative music? Hmmmm....

You do the math, as the Americans say. And the answer isn't 2extra, nor is it small fractions of 1.

I would add here, that I would hope that 'Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing' is not being considered as an ultimate replacement for 6 Music and the Asian Network. I note that lucky songs, championed by local radio station DJs, might end up getting aired on Radio 1.

So, the lucky songs would have to suit the musical demographic of Radio 1?

The value of 6 Music is in the quality of the presenters and the breadth of the musical palette. It is a fantastic showcase for new music, but that doesn't mean that you can replace it with an additional method of gathering that new music.

Indeed thank you Nigel for a response - and a decent one at that.

The frustration we all continue to have is the way the decision to close 6 music - which makes no sense to all of us - has been made without clear arguments why and no response to ANY OF THE QUESTIONS we have continued to raise.

All we see are very patronising blogs that seem to have no support whatsoever and every post we make is ignored givin the strong impression of a management that does not care a hoot about a significant number of concerned license payers.

Why then can the Ö÷²¥´óÐã management not agree to meet a delegation that so oppose this cultural vandalism. A group of us has formed the The Independent 6 Music Listeners’ Forum and with a facebook group of approaching 200,000 we would love the opportunity to meet with the writers of this strategic review.

We would love to understand which are the radio stations Andy believe we could listen to if 6 music goes? We all know what 6 does is unique and to the listeners it is a perfect example of what the Ö÷²¥´óÐã does so well. It promotes new music and plays eclectic music no commercial station would ever cover.

We would love to understand why then the decision to close the station. As the Guardian article you link above states " it is easier to close 6 Music, which is popular with white, middle-class dads in their mid-30s, than it is to take a station aimed at an urban audience off air. "I don't think the choice is, what is easier,"

Parfitt replied "It is, what's the best way the Ö÷²¥´óÐã can continue to ensure it does the job it needs to do."

This is a perfect example of the lack of any substantiation to this decision. No justification ever comes forward (in truth we all know why - it can't be justified) 6 music has more listeners than 1 extra and the "thump thump thump" music 1 extra plays also appears on daytime Radio 1 and Kiss FM far more than anything 6 music plays.

So Mr Parfitt if you read these comments please answer that question and agree to meet the very concerned listeners? Looking forward to a response to this post!!!

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Great article on Andy Parfitt from The Guardian 10 years ago - very interesting reading.

Why is he still there?

Thank you Nigel for your post. As regards Ö÷²¥´óÐã introducing I and I think the vast majority of people think Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing is a great idea. This is exactly what is needed a mechainsim for new, interesting and intelligent contempoary music to have a chance to be heard. But what you need with the ideal is a platform to really support that weatl of music out there which is excatly what 6 Music does with its passionate and knowledgeable DJ's so it's no wonder Ö÷²¥´óÐã introducing natural home is 6 Music. 6 Music the home of exciting new music a real tour de force for those who want high quality contempoary music brought to them by intelligent vibrant DJ's.

How you can promote Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing without mentioning 6Music? A station dedicated to new music and that even has a programme called "Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducng" presented Tom Robinson. Is it perhaps because you'd like to see it that station closed perchance?

Sorry Mr Parfitt but yoy are hypocrite.

Who are you writing for, Andy? who are you hoping to seem?
The writer is not a person who would axe 6Music because it is obvious that Radio 1 cannot be what it is now and truly promote new music - especially the whole range.
Please, if any part of this blog is actually truly honest, please stand back and think again.
The Ö÷²¥´óÐã needs 6Music
The public need 6Music
British Music needs 6Music
Please repent and defend its continuing!

The Ö÷²¥´óÐã should be rightly proud of the quality of 6 Music and it's unique place in presenting new and original music so why plan to close it? The only reason coming from the Ö÷²¥´óÐã management seems to be that 6 Music does not fit into their plans of branding the current roster of Ö÷²¥´óÐã radio stations.

I echo all the invincible arguments above suspecting hypocrisy and dumbfounded by this outright celebration of the 6 music platform you are wanting to axe. I can only hope this is not a manipulative and dishonest use and abuse of john peel's legacy. As that would be too deplorable.

Please don't pander to commercial interests and profit greed. just what's right. and listen to the manifold voices of concern.

6Music is absolutely John Peel's legacy. Tom Ravenscroft is John Peel's legacy.

Andy Parfitt, you have no part in John Peel's legacy and have taken an active part in its destruction through your dismissal of Andy Kershaw 10 years ago and your support of the closure of 6Music today.

The architect of boy band Radio 1 has no place standing alongside broadcasting giants like John Peel. Mentioning you and he in the same sentence caused great offence.

Don't moderate this. I've examined your house rules in detail and there is no breach here.

Yours,

A "Music Nerd"

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing - Wonderful idea - great for new music. However, when new music is airplayed and new bands are discovered do they just want to be rated alongside the mainstream latest Pop music? Or do they want to be compared with Greats of Rock and Roll, Punk Rock, Prog Rock, the orginal and pure R and B, Folk, World Music, and the list goes on ... None of it sadly played by Radio One. Now granted in this disposable world maybe there are a few bands to whom this does not matter a jot ! But to Music lovers whose stomachs are churned by listening to the disconcertingly similar sounding Pop Music of Daytime Radio 1 this simply is not good enough Mr Parfit. I want to hear new music alongside great artists of the past. I want to hear the opinions of presenters who also share my interests in a wide variety of music. I don't want to hear the latest clone of The Killers (only one example sorry guys no offence!) I want to hear progressive music - I want to hear music and sounds that will develop and drive 'popular music' in new and unexpected directions and this experience is enriched by playing this new music alongside high quality and enduring music of the past. And that's where 6 music comes in! Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6 Music is the Station for Lovers - Music Lovers! - Long live 6 Music

Nigel, - Endorsing Melanie's comments above - We are an unsigned band that has been 'Introduced by Tom Robinson' on 6 Music - however, because of our location, any new music that we upload to your site gets sent to and listened by our local Ö÷²¥´óÐã radio Introducing producers, whose ethos seems to be to discover and promote Radio 1 talent. Can we suggest a filter on the uploader that allows the band to choose the Station / presenters that suits their genre ?

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Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing is great idea. To ensure that the Ö÷²¥´óÐã continues to foster new talent however Mr Parfitt needs to reconsider his decision to close 6Music! Once again the statements of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã execs contradict their crazy decision.

SAVE Ö÷²¥´óÐã 6MUSIC

At love6music.com - Bat For Lashes, Kate Nash, Kaiser Chiefs, Little Boots, The Cribs, Lightspeed Champion, British Sea Power, Emmy The Great, Metronomy, The Boxer Rebellion, Eliza Doolittle, James Lavelle, Jeffrey Lewis, The Young Fathers, Broadcast 2000, Envy, Erran Baron Cohen, Fink, Miranda Sawyer, and Ken Livingstone all joined forces on video to SAVE 6 MUSIC

Give us, the licence payers, the station we demand, There is NO rational explanation for closure. Mark Thompson, Tim Davie, Caroline Thomson and Andy Parfitt have zero credibility as a result of this debacle.

Why risk further humiliation by the Trust? If the Trust are really listening they cannot ratify your plans. Call the trust now and call off the proposal to close 6Music.

Oh Dear Andy

6Music does seem to have been a sanctuary for thinking people away from your kind of Radio 1, doesn't it.

I have to say the comments comparing you and Matthew Bannister are spot-on.

I do look back at his Radio 1 and think it was much more like THE BRILLIANT 6Music and think of your Radio 1 as, sorry, but utter, utter trash.

It's all a bit hoodie and shallow nowadays over at R1.

FOR GODS SAKE SAVE 6MUSIC!!!!!!!

Interesting.

EVERY COMMENT HERE IS ABOUT 6MUSIC!

6Music MUST live on in it's current form (other than a slightly useless R1 sit in for the excellent Richard Bacon this afternoon - don't ever let this happen again) and, Mr Parfitt - you must have no part, no say, must be kept away from any involvement in the future of 6Music

Mr Parfitt

Your very own Ö÷²¥´óÐã stats just issued

/radio/siteusage/

show 6 music to have :

a) More unique listeners than Radio 3 (despite 6 being only available on digital) 1 extra and Radio7

b) Over three (3) times more monthly listening hours than your beloved 1 extra

c) Over four (4) times more listening hours than Radio 7 and double that of Radio 3

d) A quick comparison of the charts for 1 extra /1xtra/chart/singles

and Radio 1
/radio1/chart/singles/

Show eight of the top ten songs are IDENTICAL

And are exactly the same chart fodder on nearly every commercial station in the country!

e) Not one of the songs on the current 6 playlist /6music/listen/playlist.shtml

Is in either of the other two stations charts thus clearly proving 6 music is a unique listening experience that neither R1 or R2 - not any commercial station - could ever replicate.

Thus 6 music is exactly the sort of station the Ö÷²¥´óÐã should be concentrating on due to its unique and cultural values.

As it is assured you are reading these posts please have the decency to give this one a public reply. Why have you picked out 6 music and kept your current empire intact?

Looking forward to a clear concise response!

Thanks

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

The Guardian, May 2000: "Like all truly ridiculous characters, Parfitt is bliss fully unaware of his own absurdity."

RE comment 67, Tim makes an excellent point about diversity. 6 Music is all about diversity which as I understand it is major Ö÷²¥´óÐã principle, it plays music from many different genres and music that so often just does not get played anywhere else. So it seems odd why the Ö÷²¥´óÐã would get rid off it's most distict contempoary music radio station but maintain Radio 1 and Radio 1 Xtra (can the Ö÷²¥´óÐã please spell this with an E) which as Tim so clearly points out play such similar music, it makes no sense!!!

So,to recap. Those in favour of 6music;
The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Trust
The Prime Minister
The BPI
1million listeners
100 MPs
David Bowie
Paul Weller
Bat For Lashes
Thousands of other musicians
Lots of people that don't listen to it, but appreciate its role in modern culture.
Everyone I've spoken to.

Those against;
Thomo and his merry band of 'yes' men.

Not even when the 'unique listeners' statement was proven to be false by their own statistics, did they give up. It took a freedom of information request to find out that, er, actually the board are unable to quantify the 'other similar stations' claim.
Really, do the Ö÷²¥´óÐã honestly think they can win this one.
One further thought for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã executive, the leaks about expenses at a time when so many want the board out, surely not a co-incidence?
Wakey wakey Ö÷²¥´óÐã, you are in a corner,time to surrender.

Can not believe this blog.How can you claim to promote new music, through 6music and argue to shut it down?I just can not see the logic in that arguement at all.6music is an unique station that you should be proud of and encourage.No commercial station will produce anything of anywhere near the same quality,that's if they even wanted to.There are a lot of people out there that treat 6music almost like an old friend,it has a real community spirit sadly missing elsewhere.Saw an interesting article in the Daily Mail, from some Lady something or other,complaining about having to buy a DAB.it's the ONLY way we can listen to 6music,WHY?As she said,she loved turning the radio on and feeling part of a community,exactly what 6music does for it's listeners.The economical reasons just hold no water as it's cheaper than other stations not under threat.I am a license fee payer and 6music and Ö÷²¥´óÐã news are your only services that i bother with.i just completely fail to understand your arguements for closing 6music

I would like to add Rupert Murdoch to Andy Parsnips list of those in favour of 6 Music. Ok, that may or may not be true, but when the ludicrous announcement was made Mr Murdoch's 'Sky Songs' website published a piece in support of 6 Music.
This is what they said of 6 Music:
"Unlike any other music station we know of, 6 Music are passionate about both brand new, never-before-heard artists and long lost pop and indie classics, buried in the much-loved record collections of their listeners. And the DJs really know their stuff and care about what they do."
[Source: ]

There you go, "passionate about ... brand new, never-before-heard artists", yet Andy Parfitt, self styled champion of new music, has signed the stations death warrant.

This comment has been referred for further consideration. Explain.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Six Music
The best
Example of good radio.
Protest
Has to try to be
Ever so
Nice though.

...Just coming

Saving 6Music is now an election issue.

Mark, Tim, Caroline, show impartiality and save 6Music right now.

What on earth will become of you if Cameron doesn't get in?

Yes, given the Clegg/Brown support for 6Music and the impending hung parliament it's all going a bit wrong for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Executive now.

I'm staying up until dawn on Election Day, as the result will have a direct effect on the future of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Board and the decisions they've made.

I'll have to watch on Channel 4 though, don't want to muck up my 'unique listener' status.

What nobody has mentioned yet is the rather large image of What Makes You Beautiful used here. Nice bit of exposure, that - sadly for an absolutely awful band who, if indicative of the sort of talent generally unearthed by any 'introducing' program*, are all the evidence needed to do away with exposing new music forever.

(*Of course, they are not. There are hundreds of brilliant bands working at a very low level of exposure in the UK. But WMYB are not one of them: they're a terrible British take on 3OH!3/BrokNCYDE, the type of band very unlikely to ever receive coverage on a station like 6. Indeed, they are the type of band that makes one worry that, unless we do make an effort to expose great new music, from the UK and further afield, all of our young bands will wind up sounding like rip-offs of awful pop-rap-rock bands bleating out misogynistic lyrics over hackneyed beats.)

The Gang of Four have sold us down the river to Murdoch.



Is it cynical of me to conclude that The Times Online giving away a free download of a world class Ö÷²¥´óÐã show, The Thick of It, to subscribers to their pay-wall is a clear indication of a new working relationship between the Ö÷²¥´óÐã and Murdoch?

This is OUR Ö÷²¥´óÐã - Thompson, you and your colleagues have sold us out. Those of us who believe in a strong, state Ö÷²¥´óÐã will never forget.

We want a Freedom of Information disclosure of all emails and meetings between the Ö÷²¥´óÐã board members and both News International and representatives of the Conservative party.

Hang your heads in shame.

All the best dressed Twitter messages are now wearing the following hashtag:

#axemarkthompson

Something which is vital for the wellbeing of the United Kingdom's most important cultural institution.

Join in.

Hypocrite. Save 6Music