The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) along with various senior music industry executives are set for a meeting with the BBC Trust’s Sir Michael Lyons next week in a bid to lay out the industry’s concerns over the plans to close, and their case for saving, the digital station BBC 6Music.
The summit will be held on April 14th, when the well-placed industry personnel will hope to dissuade the BBC Trust, who will have to approve the BBC’s Director General Mark Thompson’s plans before they can be implemented, from pressing forward with the plans.
Amongst those attending the meeting will be BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor and chairman Tony Wadsworth, Sony Music chief Paul Curran, Universal Music chairman David Joseph and UK Music chief executive and former Undertones frontman Feargal Sharkey.
Geoff Taylor has said he believes the meeting will be a “significant opportunity” for the music industry to debate the issues face-to-face with the BBC Trust, and added: “The BPI feels very strongly that 6 Music fulfils a unique role in UK radio, playing music that just does not get airtime elsewhere. The station is a fundamental element of the BBC’s public service role in relation to music.”
“Listeners to 6 Music are some of the most passionate fans of music and deserve to continue to enjoy the quality and range of music on radio that only 6 Music currently delivers.”
6Music's Adam Buxton at last month's demo
Since the official announcement of the closure by the BBC, countless bands and artists have been united in their opposition to the plans, and a demonstration, which was attended by many of the station’s DJs, was held at the end of last month. Speaking at the demo, one of the station’s DJs, comedian and actor Adam Buxton said: “I’m here today because like you I think it would be a really sad mistake if the BBC closed down 6 Music. It’s a unique place on the radio, doing something no one else is doing and doing it really well, which I thought the BBC was supposed to be all about. I thought that’s what made it unique and why we are so delighted to pay the licence fee.”
If the plans go ahead, the station will be closed by the end of 2011 at the earliest.