6 Music Saved.

A few months back there was a plan to get rid of 6 Music. Well it seems the BBC Trust, looking at where to save a bit a dosh, have decided that 6 Music shouldn't be axed to do so. The cuts have been made to salaries, and top star casting. The Asian network however; seems to have pretty much had it's fate sealed. The report on the Trusts findings are; -like many things of this nature, more interesting for what is not said, or indeed implied, if you read between the lines, than is said out loud. Like I said in the previous article on this back in February, before the election, if we went with the tone of what was being put out about the story in the Murdoch press, that his editorials were gushing about scaling down the "monopolising BBC" (Rupert Murdoch lecturing other media organisations about "monopolising the market" Are you fucking kidding me!!) . The editorials were also "hinting" that our new PM should put pressure on the BBC to streamline as well. Well it must be that the fact he has had to seek coalition with the Lib Dems (who have less baggage in their BBC relations), which News International didn't factor back then, as well as the outpouring of anger from listeners of the station, and appeals from 6 DJ's like Jarvis Cocker and Lauren Laverne to keep the station on air, has actually bolstered the listening (I nearly wrote viewing then! Oops) figures by up to 50 percent, after the planned closure was announced. It is always good to see a bit of people power in action to save quality broadcasting with a loyal and dedicated following. I think Murdoch forgets that most people care more about this, than the desire to increase News Internationals sphere of influence. But both of these events seem to have given the trust a shot in the arm. The comments in the whole article seem to suggest that the Trust is willing to stand up to it's critics, and is self analysing it's role as a public broadcaster. This comment is especially promising:

"The BBC Trust also criticised aspects of the Corporation's flagship channel BBC1 today, saying it should be 'more ambitious and distinctive, in particular by increasing the variety of programming in pre-watershed peak time and showing greater creative and editorial ambition at 9pm.'

BBC2 needed to become 'a clearer alternative to BBC1, even at the risk of reaching fewer viewers', it said.

Both BBC1 and BBC2 in daytime are 'not meeting audience expectations' on the delivery of public purposes, it said."

A pretty robust assertion of public service values.

I wasn't there at the meetings that the Trust had, so I can only attempt to analyse my interpretation of events. But it seems the Trust has engaged in a PR exercise to fend off its critics, and engage with the public it broadcasts to. By cutting the top peoples salaries, and the budgets for A-list casting, the Beeb can show it is doing its bit in a period of economic doo doo. Not axing 6 Music shows the BBC cares about its passionate, licence paying public. The declaration of improving BBC 1&2's output for "audience expectations", likewise. A major problem with cutting an external and obvious source of BBC expenditure like "6", is that it can be argued you can cut some more, and then even some more chunks too.

The BBC, by its very nature will always face flack. But for now I think it has weathered it well. The comments by the Trust are promising, and show they have resolve. They'll need it, because the BBC's detractors will eventually find another stick to beat them with.